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MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
"Driving" on golf courses before the Golf Cart
« on: May 14, 2018, 10:15:08 AM »
All,

I'm wondering if any historians in the group have any information as to how golf architects were able to traverse golf courses before golf cars were invented sometime in the early 1940s.

I ask because late in life when Walter Travis was rather infirm and having severe respiratory issues he evidently relayed to someone that he'd be happy to show them the golf course he had designed (I'm paraphrasing) but they'd have to "drive him around".

I started thinking about it and wonder if he was actually talking about automobiles "on" the golf course?   I know that at Seaview Clarence Geist had a series of roads installed throughout the course (evidence still exists today) so he could have his chauffeur drive him around to inspect play and pop in on friends.   

But I'm wondering in the pre-wall-to-wall irrigation time period if driving an automobile right on the course, perhaps in the rough, would have been a fairly common occurrence?   

Thoughts?   Thanks!
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Pete_Pittock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: "Driving" on golf courses before the Golf Cart
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2018, 07:50:00 PM »
if my memory serves me correctly there were a lot of automobile shots at Cypress Point.

Mike_Young

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: "Driving" on golf courses before the Golf Cart
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2018, 04:13:04 PM »
I remember being told that Mr. Woodruff, CEO of Coca-Cola used to have his driver drive him in his Lincoln around Peachtree.
"just standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona"

Pete_Pittock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: "Driving" on golf courses before the Golf Cart
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2018, 05:30:00 PM »
http://www.pasatiempo.com/photographs  Go to historical photos, hole 8
« Last Edit: May 16, 2018, 05:34:07 PM by Pete_Pittock »

Dave McCollum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: "Driving" on golf courses before the Golf Cart
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2018, 03:03:39 AM »
The designer/owner the European Club came around on a tour when we were playing.  Just drove his Mercedes wherever he wanted.  I've done the same to say hello to old friends I saw from the road.  We use small compact pickups for maintenance work.  They're actually cheaper (used) than some specialized golf maintenance trucksters and such and also can be street legal.  Disadvantage: no PTO for operating equipment and not designed for switching out different equipment as needed.  Plenty of courses used as parking lots for events and football games. See Brookside next to the Rosebowl and, I think, U of Michigan.  Can't be good for the turf, but like most things, in moderation no big deal.         

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