Whitemarsh Valley C.C.

[Lawrence Largent]

I was unaware of a George Thomas course in the eastern United States. Just wondering how much of the original design is still intact and if the bunkering is as dramatic as the courses in the L.A area.


Lawrence

[Kyle Harris]

Thomas was the first of the "Philly School" architects to work, and Whitemarsh was the course. He got the commission because the club used his family's land. Originally, the bunkering was not as dramatic as his western stuff (no ragged edges). A recent renovation by Ed Shearon has given a lot of the bunkers this feature while using blinding white sand.

However, there seems to be a lot of the Thomas "feel" to the course (it's the only course by him I've played so this comparision is only through my own experiences and descriptions of LACC and Riviera, etc.) as angles of attack and multiple options are present on many holes. like 2, 5, 11, 17. The short 10th hole was featured in his book, Golf Architecture in America.

[TEPaul]

I'm not sure what the particular circumstances were but in 1905 George Thomas built the little nine hole course Marion G.C. in Marion, Mass.

In my opinion, that little course is very significant in the evolution of golf architecture in America for a couple of reasons----first, it is still today remarkably well preserved, and secondly, it also looks remarkably like a steeplechase course.

The more I look into very early golf course architecture in both England and the USA the more I'm convinced that the model for very early man-made golf architecture in some areas, particularly since none previously existed, was the world of horse recreation---eg steeplechasing, Cross Country, Equestrianism, et al.

And why wouldn't that be logical? After-all, the world of horse recreation at that time was closely related to "clubs" of that time, it was extremely popular at that time, the sport was the only other one that could be considered "open field" as was golf.

The really telling key to me, though, was that it's undeniable how much many of the man-made hazard features in early golf looked like the man-made obstacles in horse related sports such as steeplechasing, Cross Country et al.

Bernard Darwin himself mentioned that very thing. George Thomas's little Marion G.C. looks almost exactly like one as do photographs of many of those other very early golf courses when golf first emigrated out of Scotland, first to England, Ireland and then to America.

[Mike_Trenham]

I have always thought that hole #7&8 should have been reversed in the routing thus putting the OB on the left on two holes.

[Mike_Sweeney]

LL,

I have not played it in years, but here is the club's history:

http://www.gapgolf.org/clubs.asp?cid=128

[mike_malone]

 Mike,

   That is an interesting idea about #7 and #8 . They are by far my favorite two holes in a row on that course. As long as you preserve that wonderful downhill approach to a long downhill hole with the bunker some 30-40 yards short of the green I am with you. Whitemarsh has entirely too much right OB.

     Hey! You want to mess with your dad's favorite course