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John Burnes

  • Karma: +0/-0
I played with some friends here today at this terrific 9 hole course.  I had a great time and enjoyed the course.  I was wondering if this group had any artifacts to share on its history.  Specifically, the topography was unique and there is a quarry near the second and fourth holes.  I'd like to see it resurrected perhaps and incorporated more into these holes and the course overall.

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Interesting ... no one mentioned it back when we were building Stonewall.

Sven Nilsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Laid out in 1898 by John Harrison or in 1899 by Harry Gullane (either the early sources have different accounts, or the Gullane course replaced the Harrison course).

There was also a private 6 hole course in West Chester on the property of Francis Canley Thomas, but I don't believe it survived.

Sven
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
This club has always intrigued me. 

When you need a 4th Big John on your next visit, please try to remember me.  Grin.

I do have at least one good early newspaper article on the Club.
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Dan Herrmann

  • Karma: +0/-0
I think there's a Jim Furyk tie-in too (his father was a pro there).

You can see a lot of the course from the surrounding roads, and it looks quite hilly with small, sporty greens.

Here's some history from the club's website:  http://www.westchestercc.net/Club-Info/4th-Green-Ruins-History.aspx
Quote:
"And so in 1735, the four brothers moved into tents and went into the construction business to build three farm houses near what was to become Pottstown Pike/Route 100/High Street using stone from the quarry now on the golf course's 4th hole, as their basic building material. The last building put up in 1736 was a tenant house for 18 year old Nate at the current intersection of Goshen Road and High Streets."
« Last Edit: July 26, 2014, 09:26:16 PM by Dan Herrmann »

John Burnes

  • Karma: +0/-0
Seems like they've kept a lot in tact from the original layout.  For example, there are a few holes where the green approach shot is blind.  This shot just doesn't seem to appear much anymore.  Overall, as a design principle I don't love it, but here it seemed to work fine.

I've become spoiled with pin sheets at my home club-I think here it would make sense to provide.  They do however, provide depth flags by color.

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
John,

The course played on by the West Chester Golf and Country Club is a "new one", meaning it dates to 1907, and his not the course designed at the turn of the century by Harrison or Gullane.

In the late summer of 1906 the club took a 20 year lease on 55 acres of the Lowndes Taylor property.   The course opened July 4th, 1907, although I've yet to find the architect.

Thinking a visit to the Chester County Historical Society might be in order as regards this one and anything else on Phoenixville they may have.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

mike_malone

  • Karma: +0/-0
Number 2 would work on any course
AKA Mayday

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Played here today with a few other GCA guys.  Wow.  What a hidden gem!  Probably the coolest nine holer in the Philly region.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Rory Connaughton

  • Karma: +0/-0
You like it better than P-ville, Mike?

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
That's a great question, Rory, and we indeed discuss that comparison yesterday.   The courses are quite similar in many respects, both being well routed on considerable rolling land situated right smack in suburban neighborhoods.

Both courses have very high "charm" factors, as well as "quirk", but West Chester takes the quirk factor to a higher level.   For instance, the 2nd hole is a terrific Alps hole of 435 yards with a high white flag behind the green indicating intended direction.   The green is hidden about 30 yards beyond an intersecting ridge that seems left over from quarry operations.   As if one blind shot isn't enough, however, white flags also indicate direction for blind or semi-blind approaches on the 6th and 8th holes, the first being a significantly uphill par four that plays much longer than its listed 340 yards and the latter a downhill then uphill par five of about 482 yards that swings hard right and climbs after the drive that must avoid a large pond on the right.  

The greens at West Chester are also much smaller than those at Phoenixville, and it doesn't seem as though most have lost much over time...in other words, they were never very big in the first place.   All 3 of the par threes are good ones, even if a bit similar in yardage, with small targets that are tightly bunkered.

West Chester doesn't have any weak or compromised holes like the 4th at Phoenixville, which changed to accommodate parking lots and tennis courts.   Both are really cool hidden gems and if I had the chance to play 10 rounds I'd probably play 6 at WC and 4 at Phoenixville, but I'm a big quirk lover.

Interestingly, we don't know the architect of West Chester, but we're hopeful that we can work with the club to figure it out.   Someone sure as heck knew what they were doing, even back in 1906.

Hopefully Bausch or Matt come through with some pics here.   ;)
« Last Edit: April 13, 2015, 09:58:55 AM by MCirba »
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
I have a few I can post.

Here's the approach to the Alps 2nd hole.   Note the stairway on the left side of the intersecting ridge and the white flag behind the green.




Beyond the ridge of the 2nd, here's the diminutive target.  Note the white directional flag behind the green.




Here's the 4th hole, running downhill along the busy public street with old stone ruins of a farmhouse from 1736 just short and left of the green. 




From behind the par five 8th hole, again with a cool directional marker behind the green.

"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Rory Connaughton

  • Karma: +0/-0
Great stuff guys. I've driven by it at least a hundred times and walked around the perimeter one day.
Looking forward to seeing it.

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Great stuff guys. I've driven by it at least a hundred times and walked around the perimeter one day.
Looking forward to seeing it.

I'll have some photos on it soon.
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

JNagle

  • Karma: +0/-0
Being that so much of my golf these days is nine holes here or there, WCG&CC is one of my favorites and one that I
would join in an instant.  Very family friendly, cool funky course that is a lot of fun to play and a great membership.  
The course has some of those great classic elements - short hole, a plateau green (5th) surrounded by bunkers, the
quarry hole on the 2nd, varying par 3's and the typical routing with downhill tee shots to an elevated green.  There are
issues with parallel holes which requires some double duty bunkers between holes and issues with the adjoining road on
holes 4 & 5.  We have implemented portions of the master plan and others remain (not sure when the club will implement
those changes).  The superintendent, Eric Houck has done a great job carrying out some of the work in-house and others
have been completed with the help of Mottin Golf.  The plan shows the bunkers being removed from around the 5th green.
This is necessary as lots of water drains through the area.  Planned to be an elevated green without hazards.

1937 aerial photo


Master Plan for the course

It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; .....  "The Critic"

Wayne Wiggins, Jr.

  • Karma: +0/-0
As some of my member-friends like to say... "so nice, you'll wanna play it twice"

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Jim,

The master plan work that's been done to date (i.e.8) has come out very well.  The bunker to the right of 4th green would make Charlie Banks smile.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
I'm quite happy with how my photo album depicts West Chester Golf & Country Club:

http://xchem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/albums/WestChester/
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

JNagle

  • Karma: +0/-0
Mike -

Here is a rundown of what has been completed to date

Hole 1 - Rebuild/enhance the double-duty bunker left of the fairway

Hole 2 - Clear the quarry to the left of the hole

Hole 3 - Expand the green and remove trees

Hole 4 - Nothing

Hole 5 - Nothing

Hole 6 - Remove the left greenside bunker and add the expanded collar left.  Expand the green

Hole 7 - Nothing

Hole 8 - Remove of number of White Pines right of the fairway.  Rebuild the double-duty bunker left, add the two
bunkers near the second landing area and rebuild the left greenside bunker.

Hole 9 - Nothing

In time, we hope they can tackle the rest of the work.  Time will tell.

It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; .....  "The Critic"

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Joe,

Those pictures came out wonderfully, great job!

btw...who is that left-handed guy putting with obvious yips on the 7th hole?
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Ed Brzezowski

  • Karma: +0/-0
I trust you bought the Chester County day pass that alllows ultra liberals to come into the county for a day?
We have a pool and a pond, the pond would be good for you.

ChipOat

  • Karma: +0/-0
West Chester is my home town and I grew up on that golf course; will have more to say when I have time.

Mike Furyk was the pro at WCG&CC until about 1974.  He resigned to become the area's Harley-Davidson golf cart rep so he didn't have to work on weekends and could spend more time with his family.

Presumably, much of that new-found family time was focused on his son's golf game.

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