GolfClubAtlas.com > Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group
Breaking Down the Bendelow List
MCirba:
--- Quote from: Sven Nilsen on January 21, 2016, 11:41:45 AM ---Mike:
Dyker Meadow and Marine and Field remain on my list of "to be verified" Bendelow courses.
Both courses had work done to them subsequent to their openings and prior to Bendelow leaving for Chicago.
Marine and Field had two holes added in 1900 replacing two shorter ones, increasing the course to 3,000 yards. I haven't seen anything that notes who did that work.
Dyker Meadow had three new holes added on new ground in April of 1897, coincidentally extending that course to 3,000 yards as well. This would have been shortly after Strath resigned from the club.
Not sure if I understand your second to last sentence. Are you saying Dyker Beach was "an amalgam" of the two or that it was "an entirely new course." The two statements don't seem to go hand in hand.
Sven
--- End quote ---
Hi Sven,
All of that is consistent with what I'm seeing, as well.
I should have said "Dyker is on an amalgam of the land previously occupied by both former courses" but mostly a new Van Kleek course from the mid-30s. Hope that helps clarify, thanks!
Phil Young:
Sven,
Terrific thread. A few corrections for you:
You stated: 1909: Bloomfield Hills CC (Birmingham, MI) - Was this work done later? Jan. 8, 1918 Brooklyn Daily Eagle notes opening of new course laid out by Bendelow aided by Conellan.
These are the details of Bendelow's work at Bloomfield Hills CC. It is taken from both the Club's Board minutes and cited newspaper articles. Connellan is not mentioned anywhere and was not involved in the work:
August 4, 1909: The Board minutes record that the newly formed “Grounds Committee” of the Club would now “have authority to prepare the grounds according to the plans and suggestions as submitted by Mr. Bendelow…”
September 12, 1909: The Detroit Free Press records that construction of the golf course as designed by Bendelow was now underway, that work on it is progressing nicely,” that it has been “inspected by several professional and amateur golfists” and that it should be ready for play by the spring.
January 21, 1910: Once again, the Detroit Free Press reports that the new course of the BHCC will be ready “in the spring.” It also mentions that the course will be “about 6,300 yards long” which would make it among the longest golf courses in America at the time. This also proves that the original Bendelow course was designed to have 18 holes from the very beginning.
December 4, 1911: The Board minutes report that “so far twelve holes, east of the woods, are in condition for use and the remaining six holes, lying to the west, have been rolled and seeded and will be ready for play sometime during the coming summer.” May 1912: The American Golfer reports that the Detroit City Golf Association will be holding a 3-day tournament on the new BHCC course August 22-24.
"1912 - Ingleside (San Francisco, CA)" Bendelow did not do any work here and no changes were made to the course at this time. In January of 1915 the course was lengthened and strengthened in preparation to hosting that summer’s Panama-Pacific Exposition tournament. That design work was done by the members themselves.
"1915 Brakenredge Municipal GC (San Antonio, TX) - Should be Brackenridge Park"
This is incorrect. Tillinghast designed, laid out and oversaw the laying out of the course in October 1915.
"1916 Birmingham GC (Birmingham, MI) - The List should also have 1920 for subsequent work."
Both dates for Bendelow's work at BCC are incorrect. The original 1916 9-hole Birmingham GC course was not designed by Bendelow. He was brought in by Club President A.V. Lee to design a new 18-hole course in April 1921. The Detroit Free Press reported on April 2nd that “”Three new clubs are in the process of formation. They are the Birmingham Golf Club…”
Later that month it also reported, under a headline reading “Tom Bendelow Enthusiastic About Birmingham Layout” that he had spent “Friday going over the entire property in the rain. He devoted Saturday staking out a nine-hole course that will be available for play within a comparatively short time. Then he will proceed with the more serious business of draining one corner of the property and laying out the 18-hole course.”
The first nine holes which he had staked out were part of that 18-hole course and not a separate nine.
Sven Nilsen:
Mike and Phil:
Thanks for the updates.
Just to clear up any confusion, the "List" as referred to in this thread is Stuart's listing from the turfweb site.
The entire purpose of the thread was to try to verify as much of that list as possible, note any errors or duplications and to supplement the listing with courses that should have been included. As you can see, there was a tremendous amount of misinformation flying around.
I have quite a few updates I haven't added in since I did this exercise back in 2014 (including most of what Phil posted, although I'd lean towards giving Bendelow consultation credit for Brackenridge, as he was pushing for a municipal course in San Antonio well prior to Tillie's involvement). Not sure if I'm going to do it here, or just pass the info on to Stuart for an update to his listing. I also have a forty plus page timeline in the works on Bendelow including not just design work, but all of his golf related activities.
Unfortunately, he remains the most unheralded figure in the development of the game in this country.
Sven
Sven Nilsen:
One more for the Bendelow list.
Red Cedar Municipal GC in Lansing, MI. The course has been in disuse for a while, but there were talks a few years ago of bringing it back to life.
Here's a shot of the current state of the site:
Bret Lawrence:
Sven,
In reply 164, you mentioned that you did not have a date for Magnolia Springs, Alabama. This clip makes it sound like construction began in September 1920:
Bret
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