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Joel_Stewart

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Americas oldest golf courses
« on: November 04, 2003, 11:05:35 PM »
I'm trying to find a list of Americas oldest existing golf courses. I was told that Golf Magazine published (a number of years ago) the 100 oldest courses but haven't been able to find it.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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RJ_Daley

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2003, 11:13:18 PM »
Joel, I don't know where to find that list.  But, I'd be willing to bet that if you included the NLE courses, Bendelow easily designed the most of them.  
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Tyler Kearns

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2003, 11:53:08 PM »
Joel,

   The Golf Magazine issue you are looking for is January 1995. I can't seem to find the article in my filing cabinet, but will re-post the portion I listed a long while back on a similar thread. If I find the article, I'll post the remainder.

1786-South Carolina GC (NKA CC of Charleston)
1794-Savannah GC
1854-Philadelphia Cricket
1856-Germania T & CC...Saginaw, MI
1875-Vesper CC...Tyngsboro, Mass.
1878-Rockaway Hunting...Cedarhurst, NY
1879-Olympic Club...San Francisco, CA
1880-Edgewood Club of Tivoli...Tivoli, NY
1881-Meadow Brook Club...Jericho, NY
1882-Pittsburgh Field Club
1882-The Country Club
1885-Tuxedo GC...Tuxedo Park, NY
1886-Dorset Field Club...Dorset, Vt
1887-Dakota Dunes CC
1887-Essex CC...West Orange, NJ
1887-Foxburg Club...Foxburg, Pa
1887-Onteora Club...Tannersville, NY
1887-Quoque Field Club...Quoque, NY
1888-Ausable Club...St.Huberts, NY
1888-Richmond CC...Staten Is., NY
1888-St. Andrew's GC...Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
1888-Town & CC...St. Paul, MN.

Tyler Kearns
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Eric_Dorsey

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2003, 11:54:02 PM »
something reminds me that is in St. Augustine, FL ??

I know Waveland in Des Moines says it's the 'oldest course West of the Mississippi'.  1890's (W. Langford & Moreau (sp))? I think.
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Eric_Dorsey

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2003, 11:54:38 PM »
see - I was right   :P
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RJ_Daley

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2003, 12:04:57 AM »
Ty, are those the dates that they were founded as social clubs?  I would love to see the article because I wonder if an actual "golf course" 9( or 18 holes) was laid out on those properties as opposed to a golf hole, or the whacking around of a golf ball on no specific course.  

PS: Bendelow is attibuted to Waveland in Des Moines in 1910.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2003, 12:07:04 AM by RJ_Daley »
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Tyler Kearns

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2003, 12:22:18 AM »
RJ,

    I cannot recall if the article stated when actual golf was played on the sites, and to what degree the golf being played was the formal version we know today. I will take a look again tomorrow and post any new findings. Once again, Golf Magazine--January 1995 to anybody whose a little more organized than me ;D.

Tyler Kearns
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Paul Richards

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2003, 06:56:51 AM »
Tyler:

Any idea why Chicago Golf isn't on that list?

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jg7236

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2003, 08:35:50 AM »
Paul, I was thinking the same thing!
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woof

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2003, 08:45:04 AM »
These have to be the dates that the clubs were founded, not necessarily the dates they had golf.  In 1854 the folks at Philadelphia Cricket were playing..... cricket, not golf.  As the dates move into the 1880's and beyond the golf probably becomes coincident with club founding.
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Jim Sweeney

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2003, 09:13:34 AM »
As far as I know, the oldest course still in existence  is Oakhurst in White Sulphur Springs, WV., 1884. Most of you know the story. www.oakhurst.com.
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A_Clay_Man

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2003, 09:18:58 AM »
Del Monte G.C. in Monterey is te oldest contiguously operated 18 hole course west of the Mississippi.(1897)

Jackson PK., in Chicago, is the first Public course west of the Alleghenies, also 1897.
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SteveC

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2003, 09:37:32 AM »
On a tangent, I am told that the oldest CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED 18 hole course in the United States is the course at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. Originally built in 1899 and redesigned by Donald Ross in 1923, this 6700 yard, par 70 course is a real treat...and the Grove Park Inn is a wonderful place.
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SteveC

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #13 on: November 05, 2003, 09:53:21 AM »
AClayMan -

Apparently, I stand corrected. Del Monte, by 2 years.
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A_Clay_Man

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2003, 10:02:44 AM »
SteveC- Actually it is Chicago GC that I always thought held the title of the first 18 hole course. I've read some, that may be a bit mis-leading, but somehow C.B. got it done after the Columbian Exposition of 1893. There are many other more expert than I, so I yield and hopefully they will educate us all.
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Tyler Kearns

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2003, 10:02:46 AM »
Paul,

   My understanding is that C.B. Macdonald laid out 9-holes for the Chicago GC on the Belmont property in 1892. It was later relocated and expanded to 18 holes in 1895 in Wheaton, Illinois. Did Chicago GC exist as a social institution before 1892?

Tyler Kearns
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A_Clay_Man

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #16 on: November 05, 2003, 10:06:25 AM »
Tyler- I think it was not a social club. C.B. had lots of problems getting people interested in the game and when he did set-up a few holes, people would ridicule him and anyone else he had with him.
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Tyler Kearns

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #17 on: November 05, 2003, 10:09:46 AM »
Adam,

    I believe you are right in the distinction that Chicago GC was the first 18-hole course in the United States.

Tyler Kearns
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Mike_Cirba

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #18 on: November 05, 2003, 02:25:13 PM »
Shivas;

Am I interpreting you correctly that nine holes of the original CB Macdonald Chicago Golf Club course still exist, but now in the form of a  little known course called Downer's Grove?
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Steve Curry

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #19 on: November 05, 2003, 03:44:32 PM »
I don't know where they got their ranking from but have seen a list on the wall there....

Steve






« Last Edit: November 05, 2003, 03:46:37 PM by stephen_curry »
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john_stiles

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #20 on: November 05, 2003, 03:51:21 PM »

They played golf in Aiken, South Carolina at the Palmetto Golf Club in 1892 albeit on three holes I believe, the clubs' high ground, now holes # 16, 17, and 18.
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Bill_McBride

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #21 on: November 05, 2003, 03:55:57 PM »
Stephen, I was just going to mention that course on the north end of Lake Otsego (the lake where Cooperstown is at the south end).  Otsego GC is a sporty, quirky nine holer that I played with my then 13-year old son years ago on a trip to Cooperstown.  Really fun, and very old, the 1894 sounds right.
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W.H. Cosgrove

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #22 on: November 05, 2003, 10:25:10 PM »
Oldest Private Course West of the Mississippi

Tacoma Country Club  1894

Early pro was Long Jim Barnes; one of the Great Players in this country through the twenties

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Derek_L

Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #23 on: November 05, 2003, 10:33:07 PM »
I am curious about the oldest course in
Michigan.  I was under the impression the oldest course was in the upper peninsula if not on Mackinaw Island.  This Saginaw course does not ring a bell.  Any clarification of this would be great!!!

Derek
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Joe Hancock

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Re:Americas oldest golf courses
« Reply #24 on: November 05, 2003, 10:42:47 PM »
Derek,

Kent CC in Grand Rapids has it in their history book that they are the oldest golf course(maybe they say Country Club, not sure) in Michigan, and the third oldest in the country...but it doesn't sound accurate.
I don't have the book in front of me, but their present location isn't where the clubs first golf course was. I thing it was late 1800's...not sure of year, but I'll try to get the book to post the claimed dates.

Joe

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