[Rick Shefchik]

 Now that the 2018 Midwest Mashie at Northland is over, and a good number of treehouse members have had a chance to play the course where I learned the game in 1950s and ‘60s, I thought this would be a good time to present the information I found in an Aug. 5, 1922 Duluth Herald story about the course’s original 18 hole routing, written in advance of the 1922 Minnesota State Open.


To my knowledge, this routing has been completely forgotten since Donald Ross rearranged the course into its current configuration in 1927. I grew up with no knowledge of the abandoned holes that are described in the Herald story, and no one I’ve ever talked to seemed to have any idea that there were holes west of the current clubhouse and parking lot. By the late ’50s this area was totally treed over; the holes south of Superior street also disappeared, eventually obliterated by a football/baseball stadium and the opening of Ordean Junior High School in 1957 (now Duluth East Senior High School).
I will add occasional parenthetical notes to the Duluth Herald story in an attempt to place the original holes on the current layout. I think I have the front nine figured out, as my crude overlay on a 1939 aerial will show, but I really have no idea what the routing was on the second nine holes – most of which disappeared after the Ross redesign. The aerial will show, however, where a number of those holes used to be:
 
            Hole 1—200 yards. Up a very decided incline to a small elevated green. Ordinarily calls for a full cleek or spoon shot, but if course is at all heavy, a driver or brassie can be used as shot is practically all carry. A fine par 3.
            Hole 2 – 178 yards. A mashie or mashie iron shot from an elevated tee to a small green guarded on the right by a clump of evergreens and on the left by traps and deep ravine. There also are mounds in front of the tee to catch a topped ball.
            Hole 3 – 449 yards. Elbow hole. One of the most difficult holes on the course, as both the tee and second shot are up a steep incline. If the player gets two fine shots, he may reach the green. Otherwise, the shot to the green will be blind. The fairway for the tee shot is narrow. (Current #3)
            Hole 4 – 450 yards. Tee is located partly on the crest of a hill overlooking not only the green, but in fact the whole course. The shot should be played to the right as heavy weeds project into the fairway at the left. The green has bunkers on both sides and two small bunkers on the fairway flanking the approach. (Current #15)
            Hole 5 – 400 yards. Out of bounds on left and creek guarding the green to catch a topped second shot, the green is not trapped, but located at the top of a ravine which must be carried. (Current #16)
            Hole 6 – 572 yards. Longest hole on the course. Creek in front of tee, out of bounds at left and ravine at right of fairway. Traps on both sides of fairway to penalize poor second shots. Shot to green is open except out of bounds close to the left. (Crossed Superior St?)
            Hole 7 – 404 yards. Calls for careful placing of tee shot to the right in order to avoid hanging lie. Green has woods on two sides and protected in front by a ravine and brook.
            Hole 8 – 375 yards. A very decided dog-leg hole calling for a carry of 175 to 190 yards across ravine and creek in front of tee. Second shot also must be made over creek to an elevated green. A fine 4 par.
            Hole 9 – 132 yards. A mashie shot to a fairly good-sized elevated green. Tee shot carries across road and ditch, making a trap shot out of bounds. (To current #18 greensite)







            Hole 10 – 127 yards A small elevated green with creek in front and deep ravine immediately adjoining on the left. (To current driving range?)
            Hole 11 – 262 yards. Calls for excellent tee shot in order that second shot to green will not be blind.
            Hole 12 – 447 yards. Best line from the tee is to the left side of fairway. Calls for high-pitched shot to hole on green. (Current #1?)
            Hole 13 – 332 yards. Wide fairway, but winding creek in front of tee. Second shot up a decided incline to green, guarded closely on both sides by clumps of small trees and bushes. (Current #2?)
            Hole 14 – 361 yards Calls for accurate tee shot, as fairway is narrow. Green, which is well trapped, is at the bottom of a slight incline.
            Hole 15 – 317 yards. Well trapped to catch poor tee shots and undulating green trap on both sides.
            Hole 16 – 390 yards. A slightly elbow hole. Play to green may be shortened by carrying a small clump of trees 180 yards from tee. The green is part of a large double green connected with the eight and has a deep ravine and winding creek in front. A fine par 4.
            Hole 17 – 273 yards. Tee shot must be accurately placed in order to avoid several traps on the right, in which direction the fairway slopes. Green well trapped on all sides.
            Hole 18 – 283 yards while not a long par 4 hole, yet a fine finishing hole. Tee shot, up a decided incline, but be well place on account of the contour of the ground. Undulating green protected by traps on both sides and immediately in front by a brook.
 
            I just can’t place some of the brooks and other natural features mentioned in the description of the second nine – I know that at least one brook/creek was partially buried during the ’60s-’70s – but I have not had the opportunity to walk the property since I found this story. I hope some current Northland members can help place these holes with some guesswork and exploration.
            One other clue: In this photo from the 1920s, you can see a NLE green north of the clubhouse. I suspect this might have been the old 18^th green, but I don’t know for sure.


 

[Jeff_Brauer]

Rick,


Well, curious enough to have looked at the routing and descriptions.  I think you are a bit off, right off the bat, but of course, the fat lady won't sing until David Moriarity chimes in..... Actually, he was pretty good at ferreting out some of those old routings, but may have no interest in MN courses.


To start, the accompanying photo shows no. 1 green further NW of the clubhouse than you show.  Hole 3 is described as a bend hole, and yours is straight.


https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer has topo maps back to 1895, although the 1955 topo seems to be of most use, showing some streams that might help you pick out other holes, including one running east across Superior street that was clearly piped under and opens up again as it gets near the lake.


If I have any more thoughts, I will share them with you.


Cheers.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Rick,


I forwarded you a crude sketch of my idea of the pre Ross routing.  Take a look!

[MCirba]

Good stuff guys. 


Will watch with interest.

[Rick Shefchik]

Thanks to Jeff Brauer, I think we're getting closer. He suggests this is the original front nine routing at Northland Country Club, based on some clues in the hole descriptions, and using the photo in my original post (the green in that picture must be the first hole; it fits the description, and it also fits my long experience in the newspaper business that photographers almost always shot the first hole, because it was the shortest walk from the car.)
Jeff also outlined his guess on the second nine, but he doesn't seem to think the grown-in area to the west was part of the course. It looks like several former golf holes to me. Anybody else think so? Keep in mind, this 1939 aerial was taken twelve years after Ross redesigned the course and abandoned much of the original layout for 11 new holes to the north.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Rick has limited himself a bit, based on the boundaries of the photograph he has.  I believe 6 extended a bit further south (although we know where the tee was behind 5 green, and also know the total yardage, so the green should be easy enough to pinpoint.  I also thing 7 green was further SW, out of this photo, and 8 ran due north, crossing the creek on tee and approach (as per description).  Rick also doesn't leave enough room for the combon 8 and 16 green!



Fun stuff.  We are both hoping someone knows something that we don't.  If anyone does, it would be this group!


Am I dreaming, or do I see an old fw paralleling Rick's 7th, which could be 16, running west to its double green with 8?

[Rick Shefchik]

Jeff, I assumed that was an old fairway, which was why I guessed it was hole #7 on my initial attempt. If you're right about the placement of the second nine more or less inside the first nine, then it probably would be 16. I couldn't figure out the double green clue, because the hole descriptions did not mention re-crossing Superior Street.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Think it might be 15, at 317 yards, with 16 running NW like you have 8 on the last plan. Or, since 16 was said to be a dogleg, the first half of 16.  I think 8 ran due north, just east of the heavy tree line, with a tee at the tracks, and green where you have it, plus or minus.  Like I said, I think 7 ran all the way to the tracks, and ended in the trees just east of 8 tee.


Just a fun guess.

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