The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014

[Steve Lang]

   Thanks to Sylvanus Pierson Jermain, and his fostering of public and private golf in Toledo, Ohio and nationally at the turn of the 20th century, the USGA created the US Amatuer Public Links Championship (Publinx), which was held 89 times arounds the USA every summer between 1922 and 2014.  A distilled listing of the venues is presented below from

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/media/online-media-center/usga-records/u-s--amateur-public-links-results--1922-to-2014.html

SP was quite a guy as you can check out at
https://www.usga.org/articles/2011/07/jermain-father-of-golf-in-toledo-21474840994.html


Having grown up playing the Publinx's first venue, Ottawa Park in Toledo and living on its immediate west flank in Old Orchard, we considered it "The Country Club" superior to Inverness, Sylvania, Highland Meadows and other CC's in the area, only cost 50-75 cents to play before 10 am... it was the melting pot for baby boomer kid golfers that all ended up at Thomas A. DeVilbiss High school, and you could get a Dudley's chili dog at the 11th tee... we're having our 40th Goo Memorial tourney there this summer.


I've played 11 of these, partly sought out from interest, others by accident... I know of some "no longer existent" (NLE) that are a shame like Pecan Valley in San Antonio which I always played when in the area, and some great history at many of Publinx venues... what say you?

1922    Ottawa Park, Toledo, Ohio
1923    East Potomac Park, Washington, D.C.
1924    Community C.C., Dayton, Ohio
1925    Salisbury C.C., Salisbury Plains, N.Y.
1926    Grover Cleveland Park, Buffalo, N.Y.
1927    Ridgewood G.L., Cleveland, Ohio
1928    Cobb’s Creek, Philadelphia, Pa.
1929    Forest Park G.C., St. Louis, Mo.\
1930    Municipal Links, Jacksonville, Fla.
1931    Keller G.C., St. Paul, Minn.
1932    Shawnee G.C., Louisville, Ky.
1933    Eastmoreland G.C., Portland, Ore.
1934    South Park Allegheny C.L., Pittsburgh, Pa.
1935    Coffin Course, Indianapolis, Ind.
1936    Bethpage State Park (Blue Course), Farmingdale, N.Y
1937    Harding Park, San Francisco, Calif.
1938    Highland Park G.C., Cleveland, Ohio
1939    Mt. Pleasant Park G.C., Baltimore, Md.
1940    Rackham G.C., Detroit, Mich.
1941    Indian Canyon G.C., Spokane, Wash.
1942    1942-45: No Championships, World War II
1946    Wellshire G.C., Denver, Colo.
1947    Meadowbrook G.C., Minneapolis, Minn.
1948    North Fulton Park G.C., Atlanta, Ga.
1949    Rancho G.C., Los Angeles, Calif.
1950    Seneca G.C., Louisville, Ky.
1951    Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee, Wis.
1952    Miami (Fla.) C.C.
1953    West Seattle Golf Course,Seattle G.C., Seattle, Wash.  (Edit - Thanks Charles Lund)
1954    Cedar Crest G.C., Dallas, Texas
1955    Coffin Municipal G.C., Indianapolis, Ind.
1956    Harding Park G.C., San Francisco, Calif.
1957    Hershey Park G.C., Hershey, Pa.
1958    Silver Lake G.C., Orland Park, Ill.
1959    Wellshire G.C., Denver, Colo.
1960    Ala Wai G.C., Honolulu, Hawaii
1961    Rackham G.C., Detroit, Mich.
1962    Sheridan Park G.C., Tonawanda, N.Y.
1963    Haggin Oaks Municipal G.C., Sacramento, Calif.
1964    Francis A. Gross G.C., Minneapolis, Minn.
1965    North Park G.C., Pittsburgh, Pa.
1966    Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee, Wis.
1967    Jefferson Park G.C., Seattle, Wash.
1968    Tenison Memorial Municipal G.C., Dallas, Texas
1969    Downing G.C., Erie, Pa.
1970    Cog Hill G. & C.C. (No. 4 Course), Lemont, Ill
1971    Papago G.C., Phoenix, Ariz.
1972    Coffin Municipal G.C., Indianapolis, Ind.
1973    Flanders Valley G.C., Flanders, N.J.
1974    Brookside G.C., Pasadena, Calif.
1975    Wailua G.C., Kauai, Hawaii
1976    Bunker Hills G.C., Coon Rapids, Minn.
1977    Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee, Wis.
1978    Bangor (Maine) Municipal G.C.
1979    West Delta G.C., Portland, Ore.
1980    Edgewood Tahoe G.C., Stateline, Nev.
1981    Bear Creek Golf World (Masters Course), Houston, Texas
1982    Eagle Creek G.C., Indianapolis, Ind.
1983    Hominy Hill G.C., Colts Neck, N.J.
1984    Indian Canyon G.C., Spokane, Wash.
1985    Wailua C.C., Lihue, Hawaii
1986    Tanglewood Park, Clemmons, N.C.
1987    Glenview G.C., Cincinnati, Ohio
1988    Jackson Hole G. & T. C., Jackson, Wyo.
1989    Cog Hill G. & C.C. (No. 4 Course), Lemont, Ill.
1990    Eastmoreland G.C., Portland, Ore.
1991    Otter Creek G.C., Columbus, Ind.
1992    Edinburgh USA, Brooklyn Park, Minn.
1993    Riverdale Dunes G.C., Brighton, Colo.
1994    Eagle Bend G.C., Bigfork, Mont.
1995    Stow Acres C.C., Stow, Mass.
1996    Wailua (Hawaii) G.C.
1997    Kearney Hill G.L., Lexington, Ky.
1998    Torrey Pines G.C. (South Course), La Jolla, Calif.
1999    Spencer T. Olin Community G.C., Alton, Ill.
2000    Heron Lakes (Great Blue), Portland, Ore.
2001    Pecan Valley G.C., San Antonio, Texas
2002    The Orchards G.C., Washington, Mich.
2003    Blue Heron Pines G.C. (East Course), Galloway, N.J
.2004    Rush Creek G.C., Maple Grove, Minn
2005    Shaker Run G.C., Lebanon, Ohio
2006    Gold Mountain G.C. (Olympic Course), Bremerton, Wash.
2007    Cantigny G.C., Wheaton, Ill.
2008    Murphy Creek G.C., Aurora, Colo.
2009    Jimmie Austin OU G.C., Norman, Okla.
2010    Bryan Park G. & Conference Center (Champions Course), Greensboro, N.C.
2011    Bandon Dunes G.R. (Old Macdonald and Bandon Trails), Bandon, Ore.
2012    Soldier Hollow G.C., Midway, Utah
2013    Laurel Hill G.C., Lorton, Va.
2014    Sand Creek Station, Newton, Kan.

[Jeff Evagues]

I've actually played 9 of them but the only one I knew had hosted was South Park in Pittsburgh which was my "home course" growing up.

[Peter Sayegh]

Steve, I've been intrigued by Pecan Valley for years. A gentleman I met years ago played there often in the 50s/60s and spoke lovingly about it. (He was kind enough to gift me a logo hat to complete my birth year collection of majors venues).It's been mentioned here in the past, but only from a handful of posters that highlighted conditions and PV's neighborhood. Very few hole/routing details were offered. I got the feeling its closing wasn't met with a great deal of sadness.
Hominy is an absolutely bear when the rough is grown and a very underrated course. Blue Heron has always been overrated in my opinion.

[MCirba]

Being a muni rate, I've played 21 to date, and hoping to play Rackham next week and at least 2 or 4 more this year.


Ottawa Park
East Potomac Park
Community
Salisbury
Grover Cleveland
Cobb's Creek
South Park
Mount Pleasant
North Fulton
Miami
Cedar Crest
Hershey Park
Papago
Flanders Valley
Hominy Hill
Edinburgh USA
Riverdale Dunes
Torrey Pines (South)
Pecan Valley
Blue Heron Pines
Laurel Hill

[Jeff_Brauer]

I humbly submit that they saved the best for last.

[MCirba]

Oops...I may be wrong on 1952.


Does anyone know if "Miami Country Club" still exists or is named something else these days?

[Steve Lang]

I humbly submit that they saved the best for last.

... and is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary

[John Blain]

For the longest time the Publinx was a true bona fide public links championship that had roofers, waiters, cab drivers etc. playing and many times winning the championship. Unfortunately over the years it morphed into what was jokingly referred to as the "NCAA Summer Match Play Championship."

[Jeff_Brauer]

I humbly submit that they saved the best for last.

... and is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary

I wonder if that was a part of the selection criteria in the newly aware USGA?


One thing I learned having the event at one of my courses is just how much course set up is geared to protecting the lower half of the field on lower level tournaments.  The course maxes out at 7,360 yards, but they never played it that long for the Publinx, and I think on windy days, it was set up at 6,700 yards.

[David_Tepper]

Per John B's comments, maybe the USGA should have changed the tournament to a 25 years & older/mid-am event.


I grew up in Monmouth County, NJ, in the 1950's & 60's not far from Hominy Hill. When the course was built in the 1960's it was a very private/personal course (designed by Robert Trent Jones) built for Henry Mercer, a shipping magnate. He used the course mostly (and very rarely) to entertain his business clients. I can't remember seeing anyone ever playing the course back then.

From Mr. Mercer's NY Times obituary in 1978:

"As a successful businessman, Mr. Mercer was named a director of the Chase Manhattan Bank, the Magnavox Company and the Republic Steel Corporation. But he went beyond the corporate world to develop a prize‐winning herd of Guernsey and Charolais cattle at Hominy Hill Farms in Colts Neck, N. J. His interest in golfing led him to commission Robert Trent Jones, the golf architect, to design and build a private course for him‐the Hominy Hill Golf Course‐which was sold to Monmouth County two years ago for $2.6 million."
 

[Steve Lang]

John,


It started well-intentioned a 100 yrs ago, had a lot of great stories, a good life... and unfortunately morphed into something SP Jermain probably would not have liked...  I wonder how long the USGA's replacement US Am. 4-ball event will last? 

[Peter Pallotta]

Thanks, Steve. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the USGA because of the early democratic spirit (and/or noblesse oblige) expressed in the creation of the Publinx championship. It's a bit sad to think that the earnestness and generosity that lay behind the early 20th century efforts of men like Mr Jermain would by the dawn of the 21st century be supplanted by a rather more cynical and opportunistic attitude.

[Steve Lang]

Steve, I've been intrigued by Pecan Valley for years. A gentleman I met years ago played there often in the 50s/60s and spoke lovingly about it. (He was kind enough to gift me a logo hat to complete my birth year collection of majors venues).It's been mentioned here in the past, but only from a handful of posters that highlighted conditions and PV's neighborhood. Very few hole/routing details were offered. I got the feeling its closing wasn't met with a great deal of sadness.
Hominy is an absolutely bear when the rough is grown and a very underrated course. Blue Heron has always been overrated in my opinion.

Peter, I played the original Press Maxwell layout a couple of times, and the Bob Cupp reno a handful of times and saw that course go from bad to good to bad.  When you start turning the water off, things dry out real quick here in the TX heat.  PV had good bones and interesting corridors over and along the hills and valleys through the pecan and oak trees, with a meandering creek that came into play.  When the grass was green things would stay in the fairways with appropriate guidance, when dry, things usually rolled into trouble.  Hard to appreciate the gca when you're playing recovery shots from burnt grass and under trees... in its early TX Open and PGA heyday period, quite a challenge.

[Steve Lang]

Thanks, Steve. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the USGA because of the early democratic spirit (and/or noblesse oblige) expressed in the creation of the Publinx championship. It's a bit sad to think that the earnestness and generosity that lay behind the early 20th century efforts of men like Mr Jermain would by the dawn of the 21st century be supplanted by a rather more cynical and opportunistic attitude.

PP, I couldn't agree more. 


Seems green spaces like public parks and golf courses are almost impossible to develop now, land is more valuable to be developed into condo/apartment complexes for the people instead of providing spaces to play and appreciate nature...

[John Blain]

John,


It started well-intentioned a 100 yrs ago, had a lot of great stories, a good life... and unfortunately morphed into something SP Jermain probably would not have liked...  I wonder how long the USGA's replacement US Am. 4-ball event will last?

Steve-
I think the USGA Four-Ball has become a pretty popular event and I would have to believe it is here to stay. I do find it sort of humorous that the USGA has scheduled the event to keep as many collegiate players out as possible but many of those kids maybe didn't make an NCAA Regional or their college golf season is over for whatever reason so they are freed up to play. And it sure hasn't kept high school players out as that age group seems to be in the mix virtually every year.

[Peter Pallotta]

Thanks, Steve. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the USGA because of the early democratic spirit (and/or noblesse oblige) expressed in the creation of the Publinx championship. It's a bit sad to think that the earnestness and generosity that lay behind the early 20th century efforts of men like Mr Jermain would by the dawn of the 21st century be supplanted by a rather more cynical and opportunistic attitude.

PP, I couldn't agree more. 
Seems green spaces like public parks and golf courses are almost impossible to develop now, land is more valuable to be developed into condo/apartment complexes for the people instead of providing spaces to play and appreciate nature...

I hadn't thought of it from that angle, Steve, more in terms of the Publinx having become the 'NCAA summer championship' (given that I can't imagine many of today's top college golfers growing up on public courses); but yes, to your point, can anyone imagine an area like Central Park being set aside for the public good in today's version of NYC?

[Jim O’Kane]

  Thanks to Sylvanus Pierson Jermain, and his fostering of public and private golf in Toledo, Ohio and nationally at the turn of the 20th century, the USGA created the US Amatuer Public Links Championship (Publinx), which was held 89 times arounds the USA every summer between 1922 and 2014.  A distilled listing of the venues is presented below from

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/media/online-media-center/usga-records/u-s--amateur-public-links-results--1922-to-2014.html

SP was quite a guy as you can check out at
https://www.usga.org/articles/2011/07/jermain-father-of-golf-in-toledo-21474840994.html


Having grown up playing the Publinx's first venue, Ottawa Park in Toledo and living on its immediate west flank in Old Orchard, we considered it "The Country Club" superior to Inverness, Sylvania, Highland Meadows and other CC's in the area, only cost 50-75 cents to play before 10 am... it was the melting pot for baby boomer kid golfers that all ended up at Thomas A. DeVilbiss High school, and you could get a Dudley's chili dog at the 11th tee... we're having our 40th Goo Memorial tourney there this summer.

Never knew Rackham or Harding Park (obviously prior to TPC days) hosted the Publinx twice. Played Harding many times when it just seemed an avg place and your car wouldn't get broke into in the early 90's. Never have played Rackham but did visit. The old clubhouse building reminded me as something out of The Great Gatsby; I suspect it was back in the old Automotive Detroit heyday.


But, most interesting to me is your mention of Toledo golf. My wife is from there and we've driven by Ottawa Park a number of times. I've always wondered what lurked inside as we drove by. Next visit, I will make time to go play and investigate. That sounds like fun.


Thanks for sharing this neat list Steve.

[Steve Lang]

Jim, Send me a message when you get ready to play Ottawa Park, I'll give you some thoughts on play... till then some ideas to consider:
* OP was originally a Frederick Olmsted design
* the 1899 golf course was predated by some holes cut out of the woods by some Dutch farmers
* the routing was changed slightly in 1977 by Toledo's own Art Hills
* when you drive in, look to right before and after the bridge, the original #18 was a par 3 that crossed 10 Mile Creek (aka The Ottawa River) and the flood plain, the back tee was up on the hill, it was quite fun
* after 17, take the left path up the hill across the road (instead of a quick right down the road to the 18th tee) to what was the original #1 tee.  Imagine a small ProShop brick building and a horseshoe fence around the tee and dozens of kids waiting to tee off and approving or disapproving your opening tee shot down to the fairway...   


enjoy it if you can

[MCirba]

Steve,


Joe Bausch and I enjoyed Ottawa Park a great deal as the first ones out on a beautiful summer morning before playing some private course nearby.

[Richard Hetzel]

I have played 9 of them total. I plan on sneaking in Ottawa Park this summer. Glenview is a Cincinnati Recreation course, used to work there for a few years. I don't care for it all that much....

[Doug Bolls]

As an inveterate "public golfer" I have played 18 of them over the last 40+ years.  I still enjoy Cedar Crest and Tenison Park fairly often in Dallas.  Rancho Park in LA was a treat as I played it a week after the old LA Open back in the day - remember meeting Calvin Peete there during the tournament.  The last one I played was Jeff Brauer's Sand Creek Station - have a few photos of the train going right by one of the greens on the front 9.

[Jim O’Kane]

Jim, Send me a message when you get ready to play Ottawa Park, I'll give you some thoughts on play... till then some ideas to consider:
* OP was originally a Frederick Olmsted design
* the 1899 golf course was predated by some holes cut out of the woods by some Dutch farmers
* the routing was changed slightly in 1977 by Toledo's own Art Hills
* when you drive in, look to right before and after the bridge, the original #18 was a par 3 that crossed 10 Mile Creek (aka The Ottawa River) and the flood plain, the back tee was up on the hill, it was quite fun
* after 17, take the left path up the hill across the road (instead of a quick right down the road to the 18th tee) to what was the original #1 tee.  Imagine a small ProShop brick building and a horseshoe fence around the tee and dozens of kids waiting to tee off and approving or disapproving your opening tee shot down to the fairway...   


enjoy it if you can

This is great info to think about. Looking at the overheads from Google maps right now. There seem to be some VERY interesting holes out there. I will most certainly reach out when I get up that way later this summer. Sadly, I won't be traveling much at all until sometime mid July, so it will be a while. But I will keep this in my back pocket. Thank you Steve. Very cool info and now I have another great place to learn about.

[Matt_Cohn]

Steve, I've been intrigued by Pecan Valley for years. A gentleman I met years ago played there often in the 50s/60s and spoke lovingly about it. (He was kind enough to gift me a logo hat to complete my birth year collection of majors venues).It's been mentioned here in the past, but only from a handful of posters that highlighted conditions and PV's neighborhood. Very few hole/routing details were offered. I got the feeling its closing wasn't met with a great deal of sadness.
Hominy is an absolutely bear when the rough is grown and a very underrated course. Blue Heron has always been overrated in my opinion.

Peter, I played the original Press Maxwell layout a couple of times, and the Bob Cupp reno a handful of times and saw that course go from bad to good to bad.  When you start turning the water off, things dry out real quick here in the TX heat.  PV had good bones and interesting corridors over and along the hills and valleys through the pecan and oak trees, with a meandering creek that came into play.  When the grass was green things would stay in the fairways with appropriate guidance, when dry, things usually rolled into trouble.  Hard to appreciate the gca when you're playing recovery shots from burnt grass and under trees... in its early TX Open and PGA heyday period, quite a challenge.

I played that Public Links at Pecan Valley. It was awesome and hard! I had a share of the lead after the first day; I think I shot -1. That 18th was crazy if you couldn't hit it long enough to clear the creek (which few could).

[Charles Lund]

1953 U.S. Publinks was at West Seattle Golf Course, one of three municipal courses in Seattle.  Seattle Golf Club is private, so it appeared to be a misprint.


Charles Lund

[JLahrman]

I've played 6, and only knew 2 of them had hosted:


Community (1924)
Coffin (1935, 1955, 1972)
Harding Park (1937, 1956)
Glenview (1987)
Otter Creek (1991)
Shaker Run (2005)


Man if Coffin hosted three times, they really did take it to public joints! That's a fun course but I never would have guessed it had hosted three USGA championships.


I also didn't know the Publinx dated back to 1922!