David,
The problem with your interpretation of what CBM wrote is that he was writing a narrative, not a chronology.
The most glaring error with your reading is that he staked out the land he wanted in the spring of 1907, which in your reading preceded his securing the land in 1906.
There is neither a "problem" nor a "glaring error" with my summary of CBM's chronology of events from Scotland's Gift. And he was writing a narrative which included a chronology of events.
In contrast, your chronology flip-flops events in an way that CBM obviously did not intend, and in a way which directly contradicts the December news accounts. For example, read this excerpt from CBM:
. . . So Jim Whigham and myself spent two or three days riding over it, studying the contours of the ground. Finally we determined what it was we wanted, providing we could get it reasonably. It joined Shinnecock Hills Golf Course. The company agreed to sell us 205 acres, and we were permitted to locate it as to best serve our purpose. Again, we studied the contours earnestly; selecting those that would fit in naturally with the various classical holes I had in mind, after which we staked out the land we wanted.
We found an Alps; found an ideal Redan; then we discovered a place we could put the Eden hole which would not permit a topped ball to run-up on the green. Then we found a wonderful water-hole, now the Cape.Let me ask you . . .
By CBM's account, which event happened first: "The company agreed to sell us 205 acres, and we were permitted to locate it as to best serve our purpose."OR "Again, we studied the contours earnestly; selecting those that would fit in naturally with the various classical holes I had in mind, after which we staked out the land we wanted.
We found an Alps; found an ideal Redan; then we discovered a place we could put the Eden hole which would not permit a topped ball to run-up on the green. Then we found a wonderful water-hole, now the Cape. . . ."The answer is obvious, and it doesn't match your chronology.
___________________________________________________________
As for your claim that I made a "glaring error" about the date they
first staked out the land they wanted, I disagree. By mid-December CBM had already chosen roughly 205 acres from among the 450 acres, and he provided a detailed physical description of the that parcel he intended to purchase. That would have been pretty hard to do had he not staked it out first.
CBM did say that the "exact lines" would not be staked out until the plans were complete, but so what? Do you really think the developer is going to sell an option without the land having been at least roughly marked off to show both parties the subject of the transaction?