Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: DonJ on January 30, 2006, 04:59:26 PM
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I was just reading a book called Only In New York. 400 Remarkable Answers to Intriguing, Provocative Questions about New York City.
1943 the airport(Idlewild now JFK would rise on the sandy links of Idlewild Golf Course. Anyone know anything about Idlewild Golf Course? Architect? Anything similar to some of the other coastal LI courses?
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Here is Daniel Wexler's response to my email to him requesting information:
"I had no recollection of a course located on the JFK site and, at least so far as prewar sources go (e.g. American Annual Golf Guide, Golfer's Yearbook and others) I find no record of one. That said, it clearly did exist by 1942 as several internet sources indicate the city buying it out prior to constructing the airport. As my 1939 Federal Writer's Guide to NYC (whose maps were reasonably thorough where golf courses are concerned) shows nothing even in the immediate vicinity, I wonder if it was actually an open, completed facility or maybe something under construction or, at any rate, very new. The likelihood that it was anything notable is, I'd expect, extremely low."
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Here is what I've gathered about Idlewild, an NLE located basically where the JFK airport sits:
It started as a 9-holer in 1930. It was very popular and soon expanded to 18 holes, where the additional nine holes was laid out by the local pro from Old Country Club, Isaac Mackie.
It lasted until 1941, perhaps early 1942.
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Joe,
Thanks for posting these articles. I'm sure Daniel Wexler appreciates your efforts.
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Joe,
Thanks for posting these articles. I'm sure Daniel Wexler appreciates your efforts.
Maybe I can get a signed book out of it, huh?!
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The golf course is mentioned in the wikipedia entry on JFK Airport:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_International_Airport
And here too:
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/ramblersville/ramblin.html