Was Hugh Wilson the most prolific "amateur" architect in early American golf?

[MCirba]

Back in 2013 in conjunction with the US Open at Merion I wrote two “In My Opinion” pieces based on research that others and I had done on Hugh Wilson that can be found here.

Who Was Hugh Wilson? - Golf Club Atlas
Who Was Hugh Wilson? – Part II - Golf Club Atlas

Since that time several additional tidbits have been uncovered that he was involved with the creation of some previously unknown courses.  During the days prior to 1917, it was considered copasetic for amateurs to do design work at clubs where they themselves were members but work for other clubs risked charges of professionalism. 

As such, much of his work in this area went without much public promotion and/or associated press coverage.   For many years it was thought that Wilson’s only architectural legacy were the courses at Merion as well as the public course in Philadelphia at Cobbs Creek, all architectural “safe spaces”.  What we’ve learned over time presents a much different picture and even by June of 1915 newspapers such as this snippet from the “Chattanooga (TN) Daily Times” hailed Wilson as one of the leading architects in the United States. 


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Other recent finds include his work in expanding the very short golf course at Washington Golf & Country Club, near Bethesda, MD, in conjunction with William Flynn, making significant revisions to a Walter Travis plan. 




As such, it occurred to me this week that Hugh Wilson may have been the most prolific of the early amateur architects and was still involved in golf course projects up to his untimely death at age 45 in February 1925.  Consider the following resume of activity.

• ·      Merion East (July 1910 – Sept 1912) – 18 new holes w/Merion Green Committee members
• ·      Merion West (Dec 1912 – May 1914) – 18 new holes w/Merion Green Committee members
• ·      Philly Public Course Site Committee (Feb 1913 – June 1913) – Located & Recommended Cobbs Creek site w/George Crump, Ab Smith, & Joseph Flannery
• ·      Seaview (April 1913 – Fall 1914) – 18 new holes w/William Robinson for friend Clarence Geist
• ·      Philmont (August 1913 - July 1914) – 2 new holes and re-bunkering w/Henry Strouse for friend Ellis Gimbel
• ·      Cobbs Creek design (April 1914 – Jan 1915) – 18 new holes with George Crump, Ab Smith, George Klauder & Franklin Meehan
• ·      North Hills design (June 1914 – opened 1917) – 9 new holes w 9 holes revised with Ab Smith, Franklin Meehan & Alan Corson for friend Franklin Meehan
• ·      Phoenixville* (Dec 1914 – May 1915) - 9 new holes
• ·      Cobb’s Creek Construction (Jan 1915 – Opened May 1916) – Construction primarily w/Ab Smith & William Flynn
• ·      1916 US Amateur – Merion (Jan 1916 – Sept 1916) – Wholesale re-bunkering and course toughening w/William Flynn
• ·      Doylestown CC* (Fall 1916) - 9 new holes w/William Flynn
• ·      Pine Valley (End of 1918) – 4 new holes w/William Flynn based on the late George Crump’s plan
• ·      Washington Golf & Country Club (1919) – Wholesale revision/expansion to short existing course (with William Flynn based on significant revisions to a Walter Travis plan)
• ·      Philly Public Course Committee (early 1922) – Identified 2 new sites (Juniata & League Island (NLE)) for Philadelphia Public courses w/Ab Smith, Franklin Meehan, and Alan Corson
• ·      Kittansett (early 1922) - 18 new holes w/William Flynn & Frederic Hood)
• ·      Bryn Mawr Country Club (Spring 1922) – Planned 18 holes with William Flynn & Charles Alison (never built)
• ·      Merion Expansion (1922 – Spring 1923) – 4 new holes w/William Flynn
• ·      Juniata (Designed in 1924 – Opened 1927) 9 new holes w/Franklin Meehan, Ab Smith, Alan Corson)
• ·      Marble Hall (1924 – Opened 1925) – 18 new holes w/William Flynn

*Based on anecdotal personal recollections of long-time members and timing of events

I’m happy to answer questions or provide additional details if anyone is interested.   Thanks!

[Tom_Doak]

Wow!


Had I known that Washington G & CC was partly Hugh Wilson's work, I might have been a little more involved there instead of leaving it to Eric.

[Joe Bausch]

'Hugh Wilson!', not 'Who Wilson?'

[MCirba]

Wow!


Had I known that Washington G & CC was partly Hugh Wilson's work, I might have been a little more involved there instead of leaving it to Eric.

Tom,


Here's a bit more information from the "Washington Evening Star" in November of 1919.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Mike,


Well Done!!!


Your work was done when you started in 1971 as a youngster when it was " love at first sight" . I think your interview in 2019 is a must read:


Feature Interview with Mike Cirba - Golf Club Atlas

[MCirba]

Steve,


That's very kind of you, thanks.


Hope you're enjoying the long winter in Phoenix and can make it back to town when Cobbs Creek finally re-opens.   You provided a lot of inspiration to some of us to pursue that crazy dream back in the beginning.

[John Foley]

Mike - what was Wilson's contribution to Kittansett?

[MCirba]

Mike - what was Wilson's contribution to Kittansett?

John,

Great question and I wish we knew more.   For many decades Kittansett was credited to Frederic(k) Hood, who was the driving force behind the club and the chairman of the Greens Section of New England.   But Hood himself told a different story to George C. Thomas (from the evidence he provided) when Thomas was writing his seminal "Golf Architecture in America" in 1927.

We do know that letters from Hugh Wilson to Piper & Oakley reveal that Wilson and Flynn visited the site together with Wilson spending two days.   It should be noted that Hood offered to pay Wilson's travel expenses, which was the type of arrangement often criticized by those at that time who believed architects were "professional" by definition.  On his return he wrote on March 1, 1922, "I have just gotten back from Marion where I spent two days with Mr. Hood and Flynn.  It certainly is a pretty piece of ground and it ought to make a bully Golf Course." 

We also know that hole drawings attributable to William Flynn match what was eventually constructed (by Hood).   But the most convincing evidence is what Hood himself provided to George Thomas (2 years after Wilson's death), as seen below.   Both the hole drawing and photograph sent by Hood credit "Wilson, Flynn, and Hood" with the design.   Hope that helps and I would note that the Flynn hole(s) drawing evidence and quotes from the Piper/Oakley letters to/from Hugh Wilson were provided by Wayne Morrison's William Flynn book "The Nature Faker".

[Sven Nilsen]

Are we thinking CBM was a professional architect?

[MCirba]

Are we thinking CBM was a professional architect?

Sven,


To be fair, CBM had over a decade head-start, as did Walter J. Travis.   To be honest, the "most prolific" in the title was meant to be a "huh?" thread-grabber given his historical reputation for scant output but for those glorious 15 years I'm thinking he was as busy in golf course production as any true amateur and way busier than most.

[Kyle Harris]

It may be sacrilege to say this, but I think Hugh Wilson was as much a facilitator to golf course construction as we was an architect. It seems he very much got on with William Flynn early on and perhaps played a consultant role to Flynn - though apparently Flynn was no slouch of a player, either.


And there is value here. The Piper/Oakley work which Hugh Wilson initiated, to this day, is instrumental in modern golf maintenance. Wilson seems to have brought everything together. Quite the Mycroft Holmes type.

[Tom_Doak]

It may be sacrilege to say this, but I think Hugh Wilson was as much a facilitator to golf course construction as we was an architect. It seems he very much got on with William Flynn early on and perhaps played a consultant role to Flynn - though apparently Flynn was no slouch of a player, either.


And there is value here. The Piper/Oakley work which Hugh Wilson initiated, to this day, is instrumental in modern golf maintenance. Wilson seems to have brought everything together. Quite the Mycroft Holmes type.

Which might be similar to the relationship between Macdonald and Raynor.

[MCirba]

Kyle/Tom,


I have a little different take on this and believe it was more of a mentoring that evolved into something more over time, almost a "father/son" situation. 


Consider;


By all accounts William Flynn came to work at Merion sometime in 1911 with his much older brother-in-law Fred Pickering who was supervising construction of the new East Course.   At the time, Flynn was 21 years old while 32 year old Hugh Wilson was Chairman of the Green Committee and charged with design and construction oversight of the new course.


When we think of William Flynn these days it's often from the modern perspective in awe of the wonderful golf courses he designed, many still among the best in the world.   However, the vast majority of these courses came a decade or more later, most during the 1920s.   Despite his innate playing ability and precocious confidence, he was still a very raw talent who had not seen nearly the number of the best American (and overseas) golf courses that Wilson had by the spring of 1911, nor had he benefited from the education the Merion Committee were able to absorb with CB Macdonald during two full days at NGLA. 


After the East course was opened in September 1912, golf became so popular at Merion that additional land was quickly procured in December and once again the Green Committee led by Hugh Wilson was responsible for design and overseeing construction.   During this time, evidently Fred Pickering's drinking became an impediment to getting the job accomplished and he was let go sometime during construction in 1913.   It is believed that's when William Flynn stepped into the role of construction foreman.


Merion West officially opened in May 1914 and William Flynn took over the Herculean task of superintending two 18-hole golf courses separated by about a mile for a burgeoning, golf-crazed membership.   He was 24 years old and quickly gained the confidence of Hugh Wilson and other club officials.

Having achieved glowing tributes for both Merion courses, coupled with his deep studies in architecture (and over time in agronomy) both at NGLA and abroad, Hugh Wilson suddenly became "the guy" in the Philly area who had expert knowledge of golf course "construction" as it was mostly known at that time.

This led to Wilson being asked to perform a flurry of work for friends and acquaintances at clubs outside of Merion.   In February 1913 he was asked by Merion (and GAP President) Robert Lesley and other club Presidents like Clarence Geist and Ellis Gimbel appointing him (with George Crump, Ab Smith, and Joseph Flannery) to a committee charged with finding a site within Fairmount Park for a golf course.  Their work was concluded by June with a recommendation of Cobbs Creek Park, which was later built.   

During this same period we know that Clarence Geist in spring of 1913 (opened fall of 1914) had Wilson design his new Seaview course (with Atlantic City pro William Robinson), we know Ellis Gimbel around August 1913 had Wilson work with Philmont Green Committee Chair Herman Strouse to design and build two new holes as well as complete a bunkering scheme to toughen that course, we know by June of 1914 he was working with his friend Franklin Meehan (as well as Ab Smith & Alan Corson) to design a new nine holes for Meehan's North Hills CC and a revision of the existing nine, all of which opened in 1917.   Historical anecdotal evidence also indicates that Wilson laid out nine holes for the cement and steel industrialists at Phoenixville CC, likely in the 2nd half of 1914, with the course opening in May 1915.  None of these additional architectural roles included William Flynn according to any contemporaneous documentation, although undated drawings of some holes at North Hills with construction instructions in Flynn's hand have been found so he was likely involved in that work.

By December of 1914, Wilson abruptly and understandably resigned as Chairman of the Merion Green Committee, citing pressure of business at his day job in his Insurance Company. 

{more to come}

[MCirba]

(continued)

It may be helpful to consider the basic facts of Hugh Irvine Wilson's life and place in early Philadelphia golf as background for understanding his reputation and experience to that point. 

·      Early Life
o   Born November, 1879 in Trenton, NJ
o   Father fought in Civil War at Gettysburg
o   Father died before Hugh’s 6^th birthday at age 46
o   Mother moved Hugh and two older brothers to home in West Philly
o   Schooled at Penn Charter and Hamilton Schools

·      Philadelphia Golf
o   Golf formally started in the city at Philadelphia Country Club in 1893/94, first competition in Nov 1894 (18 players)
o   Wilson likely learned golf there where older brother Alan was a member
o   1897 4 clubs created Philadelphia Golf Association including Belmont, which later became Aronimink
o   Hugh was member at Belmont by 1896 – beat first Philadelphia Amateur Champion Ab Smith in team match that year
o   1897 first Philly Amateur - 17-year-old Wilson was 2nd medal to Smith but lost in Match-Play
o   Attended Princeton and became Captain of Golf Team and served on Green Committee while new golf Willie Dunn Golf Course was designed and built at Springdale
o   Joins brother Alan in Family Insurance Brokerage
§  Clerk – 1902-1905
§  Partner 1905
o   Joined Merion by 1903 and played with Philadelphia City Team who beat New York in 1903 matches against New York (CB Macdonald & Dev Emmet played for NYC, while AW Tillinghast played for Philly)
o   Marriage & Children – Mary (wife) 1905, Louise 1906, Nancy 1910
o   Playing career peaked by 1905
o   Became Green Chairman of Merion likely by 1908

[MCirba]

(Continued)

Hugh Wilson likely had the best intentions to step back from golf course design and construction when he resigned as the Chairman of the Merion Cricket Club's Green Committee in December 1914.   

However, fate intervened and in January of 1915 the good word was announced at the annual Golf Association of Philadelphia meeting that agreement had been reached with the City of Philadelphia on a design plan produced by Hugh Wilson's GAP-appointed committee.  Construction would begin in the spring and that same committee was appointed to guide that effort.   It would be reported that Hugh Wilson spent six months on attending to details of the construction, from early April through seeding in September. Merion Superintendent William Flynn was pressed into service as the "shaper" of greens and hazards and did a stellar job.  The course would open to near universal plaudits in May of 1916.

During that summer Merion Cricket Club would throw their hat into the ring expressing interest in holding the 1916 US Amateur, at the time the most prestigious tournament in the country.   As one of the only clubs with two 18-hole courses available, it had an advantage.   However, the Merion East Course that opened in 1912 had "less bunkering than an average nine-hole course", as it was believed that bunkering should only be placed after observing play over time to ensure optimum strategic impact.  The West Course had even less.

With such an opportunity in the headlights, and the shaping of Cobbs Creek largely complete, William Flynn went to Massachusetts in early August, 1915.   Much like Hugh Wilson's voyage abroad to study the best golf course architecture abroad in the spring of 1911, Flynn went to Myopia, The Country Club, Essex County, Woodland, Brae Burn, Newton Commonwealth and other leading courses of the state "seeking ideas". 

Was he sent by Merion?  By Hugh Wilson?  Or did he go on his own volition?   We don't know for sure.

I'm now going to steal liberally from my IMO piece on Wilson, as I think the following paragraphs describe their relationship and respective roles very well.

In July of 1915, as construction efforts at Cobb’s Creek were nearing completion and the grow-in process begun, the following article appeared in the “Evening Ledger”; “Merion is not trapped and bunkered at present because of the 90 per cent of the club’s golfers who are not cracks. It is sufficiently hard for the remaining 10 per cent and not too difficult to take away a portion of the enjoyment from the others. Should the national championship be awarded to Merion, traps and bunkers could be placed in short order.”
Within months, it was confirmed that Merion would host the prestigious US Amateur championship, which in those days was the most important tournament in the country. Naturally, Hugh Wilson was pressed back into service, this time to add teeth to the club’s course through the creation of stringent bunkering strategies and an attempt to improve some of the course’s basic weaknesses.
Previewing the tournament for “American Golfer” in February 1916, Tillinghast wrote; “Certainly a reference to the Merion course over which the championship of 1916 will be played must be of interest. The course was opened in 1912, and the plans were decided upon only after a critical review of the great courses of Great Britain and America. It was the first of the two eighteen hole courses at Merion, the West Course being opened several years later. The distances are admirable and altogether Merion presents a good test of golf, but in view of the fact that the National title is to be decided there next September, a number of hazards will be introduced to bring the play closer to championship demands.”
With the limited time available to get the course ready before September, Wilson and Flynn must have tore across the landscape of Merion East like a storm bent on construction. Adding over fifty strategically-placed bunkers, all new tees, they also ripped up and rebuilt greens on what are today’s holes 6 and 9, created brand new greens on the 8th and 17th and planted new fairways on holes 10, 11, and 12. Remarkably, the course was in superb condition by the time of the event.

By April 23, 1916 the “Philadelphia Inquirer” reported; “Nearly every hole on the course has been stiffened so that in another month or two it will resemble a really excellent championship course. Hugh Wilson is the course architect and Winthrop Sargent is the chairman of the Green Committee. These two men have given a lot of time and attention to the changes and improvements. Before anything was done to the course originally Mr. Wilson visited every golf course of any note not only in Great Britain, but in this country as well, with the result that Merion‘s east course is the last word in course architecture. It has been improved each yearuntil it is now nearly perfect from a golf standpoint. The club has been very fortunate in having as its greenkeeper William S. Flynn. He is a New Englander and before coming to Merion was a professional in Vermont.”
On the same day William Evans concurred in the “Evening Ledger”; “These changes have been made by the Green Committee under the most efficient chairmanship of Winthrop Sargent and Hugh Wilson, to whose genius Merion owes both its courses. In addition, Mr. Wilson, for many years chairman of the Green Committee at Merion, also constructed the Seaview course and so altered the Philmont course by adding two new holes that it now ranks among the best courses in Philadelphia. Merion is particularly fortunate in having as its groundkeeper William S. Flynn, under whose personal direction all this work is being done. In intelligence he is heads above the average greenkeeper and in addition is an excellent executive.”
(To be continued)

[MCirba]

(Continuing)


The 1916 US Amateur turned out to be a highly successful event with both Merion courses receiving plaudits, but particularly the East.   


It's also important to remember as backdrop that at this same time the whole question of what constitutes an "amateur" vs a "professional" golf course architect was heating up in USGA circles.   Some argued that anyone taking anything, even travel and lodging costs, should be banned from the amateur game while others thought it should be more specific to accepting direct payment for design and construction.  In any case, it wasn't until early 1917 that the USGA finally made a determination which led to the "professionalism" of Walter J. Travis, A. W. Tillinghast, and a few others.  As such, people like Hugh Wilson who were being asked for design help at various clubs needed to tread carefully, or work behind the scenes with the assistance of a professional, if possible.


No one today knows the motivation, but it seems clear that Hugh Wilson definitely encouraged William Flynn to expand his architectural knowledge and presence in the industry.   As such, even though he was the full-time greenkeeper of two geographically dispersed 18-hole golf courses hosting national events and a growing membership, in 1916 Flynn was also sidelining and even advertising his architectural services in "American Golfer" magazine under the company "Flynn & (Joseph) Peters", the latter being a landscape architect.   


Both the enhanced notoriety of the two Merion courses as well as the social, travel, and financial connections of the Merion membership led to some outside jobs that same year and William Flynn took design commissions at Country Club of Harrisburg, Doylestown Country Club, and Eagles Mere Country Club, all over an hour travel from Ardmore.   Flynn expert Wayne Morrison speculates in his book "The Nature Faker" that both Hugh Wilson and possibly Joseph Peters may have been involved offering architectural advice, as well, but we know in the cases of Harrisburg and Eagles Mere that Flynn was the one who travelled to those sites.   In any case, if anyone at Merion objected to loaning out their talented Greenkeeper as a professional golf course architect, they were seemingly overruled.


American involvement in WWI intervened and during wartime, Hugh Wilson and Winthrop Sargent turned some of the Merion course into "Victory Gardens" to grow crops and actually hired women to maintain the golf courses.   William Flynn took a job supporting the war effort in a Steel factory, if memory serves, and golf went on the backburner until the end of 1918 when an armistice was signed.


During that bleak February of 1918, with the world at war and George Crump's dream of Pine Valley costing him much of his family fortune while struggling to grow grass on the sandy soil, he ended his life.  As the war was winding down, members of Pine Valley asked Hugh & Alan Wilson to help them develop the last four holes (holes 12 through 15) as well as help to solve the persistent agronomic issues.   


By June of 1919 it was reported in the Philadelphia "Evening Public Ledger", "Bill Flynn, the very excellent greenkeeper of the Merion Cricket Club, will begin work as the green keeper at Pine Valley tomorrow. The turf is not coming along as the club hoped, and there is no doubt that Flynn is the man to get results.  Howard D. Street, George A. Crump's brother-in-law, has charge of the course and he is being assisted by Hugh I. Wilson, who laid out the two Merion courses, Seaview, and most of Cobbs Creek.  These three make an ideal combination.   Clay was spread over the fairways three weeks ago, and it is expected this will do a lot of good."

In December of 1919 the "Philadelphia Inquirer" reported, "Hugh Wilson of the Rittenhouse Club, who is one of the leading amateur golf course architects in the country, is now in charge of the finishing of the course at Pine Valley.

(More to come)

[MCirba]

(continuing)

Also in 1919, as mentioned in the first post on this thread, Hugh Wilson and William Flynn worked together on the significant expansion/revision of Washington Golf and Country Club near Arlington, VA.   The club had recently acquired new land that permitted the expansion of the golf course that was originally designed by Donald Ross but the course played only around 4,800 yards.   Walter Travis was commissioned to draw up a new layout and hired William Flynn to do the construction.   However, Wilson and Flynn took significant liberties with that plan, almost creating a new golf course.

The four new holes at Pine Valley (12-15) that were turned over to Hugh Wilson (with Flynn doing construction) after George Crump's death opened for play in the summer of 1920.  It was reported that Hugh and Alan Wilson both spent four to five months onsite to ensure successful completion. 

As if he wasn't busy enough already, in January of that year, Hugh Wilson was voted onto the USGA Executive Committee.  He was voted to the Committee again in 1921 but in February of that year he resigned, with his brother Alan taking over.

During 1921 both Wilson and Flynn worked to add additional touches to Pine Valley that had been recommended by Charles Alison of Colt, Mackenzie, & Alison, as well as installed a much-needed irrigation system as the original did not provide the necessary coverage.   

In the spring of that year, Russell Oakley wrote to Hugh Wilson asking him to travel to St. Louis and the Glen Echo Country Club (at the club's request) for a few days to make architectural recommendations.   Wilson wrote back responding that he really thought he would need to play and study the course for at least a week before feeling comfortable making recommendations but felt that if he couldn't get away William Flynn might be able to do it.   In November Oakley again wrote Wilson telling them the club was willing to play Flynn $7,000 to oversee what was essentially a St. Louis area "Green Section".   Wilson politely declined, replying that Flynn had "a broader field ahead of him".

During those years Flynn was essentially responsible for superintending at both courses at Merion, as well as Pine Valley, but had begun significantly expanding his architectural endeavors, as well, including a 1920 commission to expand Lancaster Country Club to eighteen holes.  During the war while Flynn worked at Bethlehem Steel longtime Merion employee Joe Valentine assumed his Merion Superintendent responsibilities.   As Flynn's architectural work became more varied and time-consuming during the early 20s, Valentine stepped into the permanent role which he made legendary, retiring in 1964 at the age of 75.

It seems at some point Charles Alison in 1921 had proposed an expanded American version of "Colt, Mackenzie, and Alison" to include William Flynn, Howard Toomey, and seemingly (as will be seen later), Hugh Wilson, as well.

(to be continued)

[MCirba]

If World War I slowed down the architectural work of Hugh Wilson, by 1922 and the start of the Roaring 20s and economic prosperity, he once again found himself in high demand.
 
 In early 1922 he and Ab Smith were once again named by GAP and the City Council (along with with Park Engineer Alan Corson) to a committee to recommend two new sites for additional municipal golf courses in Philadelphia.   The recommended sites at Tacony and League Island eventually became respectively Juniata (1927), and League Island (aka FDR) (1940) golf courses.   It is highly likely that Wilson also participated in the layout of Juniata in 1924 before his untimely death in February 1925.  From the IMO piece;
 
 In August, 1924, when work began in earnest to build an additional public course at Juniata (Tacony) the following news item appeared in the Philadelphia Evening Ledger; “The city will be saved a big fee for a golf architect, in the program for the erection of a course in Tacony, Mr. Corson said. He announced that he himself, a golfer, and Frank Meehan, Hugh Wilson and A. H. Smith, all members of the Philadelphia Golf Association, would probably design the course. Mr. Meehan, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Smith gave their aid in laying out the course at Cobbs Creek,” stated the chief engineer, “and I am sure that they will help us with the Tacony links.”

In the spring of 1922 Wilson and Flynn were also apparently heavily involved in the design of Kittansett, being named the principal architects according to Frederick Hood as mentioned above, but Hood did all construction himself.

Also that spring, it was announced that a new private club would be built on the estate of the late Wayne McVeagh, one of the founding members of Philadelphia Country Club.   In May of 1922 the "Philadelphia Inquirer" reported, "Hugh I. Wilson has agreed to supervise the laying out and construction of the golf course, assisted by a well-known firm of English golf architects, which is now doing much work in this country and which laid out the Pine Valley course.

"The "Conshohocken Recorder" provided a bit more definition that same month; "The golf course will be one of the finest in the country of a moderate length.  It is expected that it wll be designed and laid out by Capt. C. H. Alison of Colt, Mackenzie, and Alison, probably the best known firm of golf architects in the world.   Hugh I. Wilson will supervise the laying out and construction while the actual construction work will be done by William S. Flynn, of Merion."

For reasons unknown, this proposed partnership never took place and the golf course/club never materialized.

By 1922, Ardmore Avenue had become a point of contention at Merion Cricket Club as what was once a desolate country road had become a busy suburban thoroughfare.  Apparently, the club had initially desired to purchase land south of Cobb's Creek (which would have avoided the crossing of Ardmore Avenue on original holes 10, 11, and 12), but the land was unavailable.   Sometime in 1922 that situation changed, and the club was able to complete that purchase.   That led to the creation of new holes at 10, 11, 12, and 13 as they exist today.

The club was once again applying for the 1924 US Amateur (won by Bobby Jones) so once again there was definite pressure to get the work completed in an efficient manner and architecturally worthy outcome.   Wilson and Flynn did not disappoint.

A February, 1923 article by J. E. Ford under a pen name stated the following; “The new holes are the realization of hopes held by the builders of the course in the days when golf in this country was virtually unknown. At that time it was found impossible to obtain the ground necessary for the construction of ideal holes at the turn. After a lapse of two decades the club has gained title to the necessary land and the new holes, as near ideal as most ever will be, await only spring to prove their worth….”

“Responsible for these improvements in the already unsurpassed east course is Hugh Wilson, a pioneer golfer here and chairman of the Merion green committee for seven years – or until his voluntary retirement. Mr. Wilson was one of the original designers of the Merion course and the holes just constructed are ones he wished for but was prevented from building when the course was designed. He is still an active member of the greens committee, to whom all questions of architecture and grasses are referred as a matter of course.”

In early 1924, in a preview article for the US Amateur that year, golf writer Frank McCracken provided a bit more insight; “Merion has been improved upon. The improvements have brought out more of the course’s beauty. That is not all. It will be a test to try the mettle and might of our greatest golfers. Hugh I. Wilson, one of the best known turfologists in these United States and an authority on golf architecture in proportion, is the man mainly responsible. He is chairman of the Greens Committee at Merion. Hugh Wilson does not court attention for his knowledge. He prefers to do things and allows his accomplishments to go unsung. Yet he is considerate. He has the interest of golf at heart, especially the Merion course and the national amateur championship. Trying to keep himself in the background, he has explained what has been done at Merion. In making ready the bunkered battleground for the next national amateur grapple, the first thing considered was the elimination of three shots over a much-used highway. This has been done. Four entirely new holes have been constructed. They are all beauties.”


The 1924 US Amateur was a stunning success, with wunderkind Bobby Jones vanquishing George Von Elm in decisive fashion in the final 8 and 7.

In that same period work began on the new public golf course at Tacony, which would open in 1927 as Juniata Golf Course.   It was reported in 1923 that outgoing Philadelphia Mayor Kendrick cited the initial steps toward development of Juniata Golf Course as the outstanding business achievement of the year 1923 for the Fairmount Park Commission saying, "the terrain will make possible the construction of one of the most up-to-date golf courses in the country."  The course was laid out on 66 acres plus 40 acres from Tacony Creek park as planned by Alan D. Corson, Fairmount Park's Chief Engineer "in conjunction with local golf architects.", that almost certainly included Hugh Wilson and Ab Smith.
 
 Finally, 1924 saw Hugh Wilson collaborate with William Flynn on the design and creation of a new "pay as you go" public golf course in the Philadelphia suburbs at a course called Marble Hall.  It was reported that Wilson was still working on that course at the time of his death in February 1925 "after a short illness".   William Flynn owned and operated the golf course for twenty years until the end of WWII.  The course still exists today as private "Green Valley Country Club".

 Happy to entertain any comments or questions, thanks!

[MCirba]

Unlike many of his contemporaries, one of the terrific things for those of us who live in the Philadelphia area is how many of his works remain, many relatively untouched.  I'm going to avoid mentioning things like bunker projects, new tees, etc.,

Merion East - Continued routing and green construction improvements by William Flynn through the mid 1930s.  Some green reconfigurations and conversion to USGA spec by Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner in recent years.

Merion West - Three greens rebuilt by William Flynn.

Seaview - Routing intact with some limited bunker work additions Donald Ross and later, William/David Gordon.  The latter also created a new green on 5, eliminating Wilson's punchbowl. 

Philmont (South) - Course sadly NLE.

North Hills - Routing and greens largely intact.

Phoenixville* - Some routing tweaks and a few greens rebuilt by Bill Kittleman and one by John Thompson.

Cobbs Creek - Routing changed in 1950s to accommodate an Army Air Defense site is being restored by Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner who will also rebuild greens to USGA spec with planned reopening 2026-27.

Doylestown* - Five of original nine holes remain largely intact.  Course expanded to 18 holes by William/David Gordon in 1970s.

Pine Valley - Holes 12 through 15 remain largely as Wilson/Flynn left them based on George Crump's plan, excepting Tom Fazio-created bunker field on left of 12 that stands out of character to original design.

Washington Golf & CC - Hoping to get down there this year to track course evolution but routing seems largely untouched.

Kittansett - Routing and greens largely untouched with recent restoration/tree removal work by Hanse/Wagner.

Bryn Mawr - Never built

Juniata - Original nine I believe Wilson was involved with creating largely intact.

Marble Hall - Much of the original Wilson/Flynn design & routing lives on at Green Valley CC although a variety of architects have tweaked.

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