Brook Hollow GC in Dallas is undergoing a significant historical restoration project to its golf course with the course just shut down as of November 4, work underway, and a projected reopening next fall. Up to this point, I am not aware of any golf media attention.
Brook Hollow’s founding occurred in 1920, and the course opened in 1922, with an additional 300 yards added in 1925. One of Brook Hollow’s founders was Cameron Buxton, also a founding member at Pine Valley, credited with helping George Crump develop that golf course. Mr. Buxton, a Philadelphia cotton trader who moved to Dallas, was the influential party in convincing A.W. Tillinghast to come to Dallas and build Dallas’ best and most prestigious golf course, which Buxton envisioned as the “Pine Valley of the West.” According to most reports, Tillinghast spent more time at Brook Hollow than he did at any other golf course outside of the Northeast. Brook Hollow is also cited as the first course in the country with an in-ground irrigation system.
In the 1940’s, Brook Hollow hired Perry Maxwell to do work at the course, which turned its famously square greens to round. Since the 1940’s, several local and national architects have worked on many aspects of the golf course, hiding much of the original Tillinghast treasure. Brook Hollow hosted the Trans-Mississippi in 1978 and 2006, the USGA Mid-Am in 1987, and 9 Texas Amateurs, the most of any course.
In 2016 Brook Hollow members decided it was time to return the golf course to its original heritage and planning began. The Club hired Keith Foster, judged to be an expert on Tillinghast restoration work, to guide the process. It decided to stick with Keith through his legal issues. Keith was the architect for the acclaimed renovations of Tillinghast courses, Philadelphia Cricket and Baltimore Country Club. Keith’s plans for Brook Hollow were approved by its membership, which is very committed and excited to complete a restoration of Tillinghast’s work. Keith consulted with historical Tillinghast experts on what was planned and done by Tillie at Brook Hollow and has used a 1925 aerial photo as partial guidance for the work. Prior to commencing work on Brook Hollow, he visited 10 Tillinghast courses to get an increased feel for the Tillinghast style. He is currently spending a great deal of time each week at Brook Hollow. And the La Bar Construction crews are underway with the work, having completed the renovation work at LACC and Merion.
The golf world should keep their eye on this project as it progresses. Its budget is possibly the largest ever for a Tillinghast renovation, and it will feature some technology not usually seen on golf courses that do not host major championships, for example a sub-terrain cooling system for its Bentgrass greens. Every aspect of the course, including the return of its “Great Hazard” feature on the 15th hole, squaring of the greens, re-sloping of greens’ approaches, and recreating bunker shapes and styles, is in adherence to Tillinghast’s design principles. Fairways and roughs will be Tahoma Bermuda, the first time this new grass has been used for an entire course.
The guiding principle of this renovation is meant to honor the Tillinghast design and the history of one of the outstanding Tillinghast courses completed during his prime years 1918-1923.