[Powell Arms]

As many of you know, I am a member at Philadelphia Cricket Club.

I had the pleasure of hosting Jay and a couple of other golfclubatlas members which lead to Jay’s piece.  I was going to refrain from posting on this thread because I did not want to be a homer, and I would have been a homer because I simply love the Tillinghast course, known as our Wissahickon course.

I did not realize that Gib Carpenter was preparing the piece posted in the “In My Opinion” section.  Mr. Carpenter, your piece is absolutely fantastic.  Well researched and well illustrated.  I admire the piece and the willingness to post it in a public forum.

As many can appreciate, the discussion of controversy in private matters such as this is likely without controversy.  However, it has the opportunity to serve as the first public step to bring this debate to the fore, and give other members comfort that they are not alone when they think that active care is required to preserve the treasure - the Wissahickon course.

While many may quibble with the scope of work to be completed, I am hopeful that more of the membership will see that inaction does not preserve the course: it alters it and consequently an action plan must be undertaken ensure preservation.  We can debate the level of restoration and whether it remains truer to Tillnghast or Flynn or the unique collaboration of both, which is the best course of action in my opinion.  What should not and cannot be neglected are the turfgrass issues on the course as it exists today, regardless of restoration intent, that are caused by the lack of tree management.

I believe this debate is a wonderful debate and not something that the membership should be ashamed of in any way.  I don’t want to comment to extensively on the course, so I leave it for other participants to do so.  That said, I believe the Wissahickon course is a wonderful layout with wonderful holes, and it can and should be as higly regarded as other, more famous Tillinghast courses.  Our problem is indeed a very high class problem.  The course has issues, but those issues are largely cosmetic and completely solvable.  The removal of trees and the restoration of bunkers is not a trivial task, but it is not daunting from a construction standpoint.  It merely requires the will to move forward and the recognition that passivity is this matter is the antithesis of preservation.

Mr Carpenter – Thank You.


Powell

[Jay Flemma]

Here here....well said Powell.

[wsmorrison]

For clarification, while the Philadelphia Cricket Club was started in 1854, moving to its Chestnut Hill location in 1883, golf at the club did not start until October 19, 1895.

[Jay Flemma]

If you read my piece carefuly, you see where I say that the golf was just over 100 years old, not 150...

[Powell Arms]

For clarification, while the Philadelphia Cricket Club was started in 1854, moving to its Chestnut Hill location in 1883, golf at the club did not start until October 19, 1895.

It is the oldest country club in America, and one of four founding members of the Golf Association of Philadelphia, which was founded in 1897 by Merion Cricket Club, Philadelphia Country Club and the Belmont Golf Association, which later became Aronimink.

Members of Philly Cricket in the early 1900's included Tillinghast and George C Thomas Jr, who was club champion on the old course in 1914 and 1916.

More importantly, the Wissahickon course represents a treasure and an interesting historical case study.  The course was designed by club member AWT and opened for play in 1922.  In preparation for the 1928 seaon, the course brought in Flynn to consult on some matters.  

Wayne, you were kind enough to share some of your research with me, and I'd love it if you'd post it here.  I find it fascinating that changes were made rather quickly, and would love to learn if there was any interaction or discussion between Tillinghast and Flynn about the project.  Surely, the two men knew each other.

[Mike_Cirba]

Quick update...I only have 2 minutes but will try to expand through the weekend.

Philly Cricket I hold in that rare pantheon of Tilly courses that are hard as bricks, yet consistently fun, varied, and even whimsical.  Others in this category include Five Farms and Fenway.

Later...

[Jay Flemma]

For clarification, while the Philadelphia Cricket Club was started in 1854, moving to its Chestnut Hill location in 1883, golf at the club did not start until October 19, 1895.

Wayne, you were kind enough to share some of your research with me, and I'd love it if you'd post it here.  I find it fascinating that changes were made rather quickly, and would love to learn if there was any interaction or discussion between Tillinghast and Flynn about the project.  Surely, the two men knew each other.

I agree...it was good detective work Wayne.

[wsmorrison]

Powell,

Drop me a line and we can get together so I can share the information with you and the club.  I gave the club drawings (I think they had facsimiles copied) and then came up with the evolution report, which I think I shared with someone at the club.  I don't know what the general membership knows about our findings or what is imparted to guests such as Jay.  Are the drawings on display somewhere in the clubhouse?  

[Powell Arms]

Wayne,

There are no Flynn drawings on display at the club.  There are Tillinghast drawings and older course photos on display.

Interestingly, many aerial photos ca. 1938 are on display, and in very large scale.  Their prescence will facilitate more discussions about tree removal.

I appreciate your offer and wil call you this weekend.

Powell

[Powell Arms]

It has been an incredibly active 48 hours since Gib’s essay documenting the need for tree removal has been posted here.  Golfers at the club were all discussing the essay on Saturday.  So, the first goal of the essay, namely discussion, is being accomplished.

I also had a few hours of conversations over the weekend with gca members, and I greatly appreciate the input to date, both the historical input and the practical input of how to move efforts to action.

Just a bit of background, Tillinghast was a member of Philadelphia Cricket Club and designed the 18 holes now known s the Wissahickon course in Flourtown, PA.  This 18 was commissioned to replace the club’s original 18, opened in 1895, because it was on leased, not owned, land.  This situation was not uncommon for early Philadelphia golf courses.  (After constructing its new course, Merion Cricket Club split into the Merion Cricket Club and Merion Golf Club.  Philadelphia Cricket maintained two facilities aprox 4 miles apart, and does so to this day.)  Tillinghast actually designed 36 holes at the Flourtown property, but the project was scaled down and a different Tillinghast routing and design for only 18 was used.  (In 2002, a second 18 was opened, designed by Hurdzan & Fry.)

In 1928, after six years of play, the club brought in William Flynn to solve some turfgrass issues.  Along with a regressing of the course, Flynn renumbers a couple of holes on the front nine, added some bunkering a built a few new tee boxes.  (More on the details of the changes in future posts.)

What exists today, and what is shown ion the 1938 aerials in the essay here, is a wonderful combination of Tillinghast and Flynn.  There are holes that have Tillinghast bunkers guarding the left of the green and Flynn bunkers guarding the right.  The trained eye can clearly tell the difference.  (My eye is not that trained eye.)

After quick bit of research and discussion with Wayne Morrison, it appears that the Wissahickon course is the only course on which Tillinghast and Flynn design elements coexist.  (Excluding Pine Valley, which was a different, collaborative, design process.)  The quick overlay of the course after six years makes one wonder if animosity was created between Tillinghast and Flynn as a result of the 1928 work being awarded to Flynn.  Again, it’s a preliminary result, but the evidence suggests that far from animosity, it may well have been done with approval from Tillinghast.  Tillinghast writings as early as ca 1914 identify Flynn as one of the four foremost turfgrass experts in the United States.  Letters from Tillinghast exist from the early 1930’s recommending Flynn for turfgrass projects.  This leads to the conclusion that if there were hard feelings, they certainly were not lasting.  (Thanks to Phil Young from the Tillinghast Society for the research.  Phil, you’re not done yet!)


The history of the course and its designers is unique, and the tree management essay and this thread has brought the matter of proper long-term care to the fore in the minds of many.  This interest will allow us to continue to gather historical information on the course and, hopefully, build a consensus for an action plan that honors the two golden age masters that created our course.

Sorry to ramble.  If interested, there will be more updates to follow.

Powell

[Mike_Cirba]

Powell,

This is absolutely fantastic, and the sort of thing that this site is best at.

I just read Gib Carpenter's article for the first time and it was obviously a labor of love (and concern) for him, and the results of his efforts show clearly.

As you know, I think very, very highly of Philadelphia Cricket Club.  Not only is it a first-class challenge of highest magnitude, it manages at the same time to be charming, seductive, whimsical, and has a low-key class and sophistication that is reminiscent of a well-bred, fine-mannered, and coquettish early Katherine Hepburn or Grace Kelly.  

During a year where I've played a number of Tillinghast courses for the first time, Philly Cricket stood prominently with the finest of them, which included Baltimore East Five Farms.   Certainly, the greens at the Wissahickon course are among the very most vexing and complex of any Tilly greens I've played, and rate at the very top with Fenway in terms of variety, overall slope, difficulty, and imaginative internal contour.

Overall, there is not a single hole on the course that is lame, or dull, or without merit.   And unlike some of Tillinghast's most difficult courses, it is neither dour nor stern, but instead seems to play with the golfer in an almost comedic way that let's you know you've been beaten, but only because you were outsmarted by a master.

Despite a somewhat sprawling property, the course has an intimacy that is refreshing.   For instance, how many courses share two-shortish par threes on a wedge of land that most architects wouldn't have considered putting a single hole into?   Yet, both the 3rd and 10th work wonderfully, and the 3rd green is as original a green as I've seen in concept.   How many courses share parallel par fives, each running in the same direction, but both creatively different in concept and playability?   And how wonderful is the area around the clubhouse, with the first tee, 18th green, 2nd green, 3rd tee, and 10th green all located in an area just slightly larger than a football field?

The scary thing, as Gib's essay points out, is that it could be better...considerably better.    And, the inescapable fact is that it also should be better, especially considering that this is Tillinghast's only remaining course in his hometown; a course he built for his own membership.

Personally, I would love to see the type of tree managment program that Gib outlines coupled with a restoration of some of the tremendous Tillinghast bunkering schemes that have been lost or altered over the years.

Philadelphia Cricket Club is in a very enviable position in that there have fortunately been very few changes since Tillinghast built it and Flynn refined it during the 20s.   There is absolutely nothing that so altered the course over time as to be irrecoverable.   It is already among the very top echelon of PHiladelphia golf courses, and in the highest pantheon of Tillinghast's brilliant efforts as well.    

It just needs a little concerted effort and loving vision to bring out the shine in this gem.

[JSlonis]

That is an excellent piece by Gib Carpenter.

Powell,

If you are interested in putting together a presentation for the club regarding tree removal, or would just like some help regarding the issue at Philly Cricket, I'd like to make a suggestion that could really help you out....

Try to contact:

David Oatis,  Northeast Regional Director, USGA Green Section

USGA Green Section Department
P.O. Box 708
Far Hills, N.J. 07931

Phone: 908-234-2300
Fax: 908-781-1736
E-mail: greensectionemail@usga.org

Dave will usually set up a half a day visit/consultation with the Supt. and whoever else you want to attend.  He also puts on a terrific presentation about the strategic and agronomic benefits of proper tree removal and management.  He was invaluable to us at Tavistock in educating our membership during the presentation regarding our Master Plan and Restoration a couple of years ago, and he continues to be a great help in an ongoing consultant role.  I highly recommend getting Dave involved if this is as important to your club as it seems.  Dave is wonderful to deal with and his expertise and knowledge on the subject of tree removal and turfgrass is very extensive.

Good luck.  I agree wholeheartedly with Gib's piece on the tree issue at the Cricket Club, and I hope this can help in some way.  You guys have a tremendous golf course there and an equally tremendous opportunity to do something very special with a proper tree management program.  From what I've seen at the several clubs that have undertaken this task, it will only serve to highlight the already great architecture that you have in place.

Here is a link to Dave's page @ the USGA site:  http://www.usga.org/aboutus/green_section/staff/david_oatis.html

   

[Noel Freeman]

Dave Oatis did tremendous work when I was at Alpine CC on the greens committee helping us to get about 2000 trees out from a membership that was hard to please.. Too bad they havent taken out about another 1000 easy that could improve the play there.

[Mike_Cirba]

Powell,

One other thing I was thinking about is simply the number of prominent local clubs that have initiated and/or completed comprehensive tree management programs over the past decade.   As you know the list includes Merion, Philadelphia Country Club, Rolling Green, Lancaster, Lu Lu, Manufacturers, Tavistock, and Aronimink.  I'm sure there are others.

This is not simply a fashion trend.  It makes agronomic sense, playability sense, and architectural sense.  

Thankfully, almost everyone out there is getting the message (with the exception of ANGC, and PV, the latter of whom say they're on board, but have a LONG way to go to prove it).  

[John Mayhugh]

Mr. Carpenter certainly makes a compelling case.  It's hard to see how anyone could read his essay and not want to grab a chainsaw.  But then I have a friend who is a golf professional and told me he felt sorry for me not getting to play Oakmont before they "ruined it" by cutting all those trees...

This topic is a perfect example of why I love GCA.

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