San Francisco GC

[Bill_McBride]

Bell had also created a special tool to implement the bunkers he became known for. If I'm not mistaken, Hanse does alot of bunkers using a similiar technique. If memory serves, the area is sodded first then cut with the afore mentioned tool to acheive this look Bell did. 


TEP, Bell became the greenskeeper at Pasadena GC (now Alta Dena GC) in 1914 after serving as caddymaster there.

I need to get into the George Thomas book to see if he gives any biographical or other info on Billy Bell Sr.  As I understand it, he was Thomas' construction superintendent on the West Coast courses until Thomas retired, and then became a prolific architect in his own right.  I don't know much about the difference between Bell Sr and Bell Jr courses.

Bill, Bell had actully served as foreman/construction supervisor for Willie Watson in the late teen's/early 20's before striking out on his own. It was when Bell had done Castlewood in Pleasanton that Thomas, after seeing the course, had asked Bell to join him and the great run began. Bell had done some solo efforts during this period, but the bulk of his time was devoted to the partnership that he and Thomas had formed. After Thomas died, Bell had continued to do solo efforts, but sadly, the bulk of which have been lost to urban expansion. Bell of course had done a few projects in short lived partnership with Tillinghast that produced Brookside in Pasadena and Virgina CC in Long Beach.

Virginia CC was of course the scene of my famous one on two victory over two Long Beach St guys in a fourball match in 1962.  We only had five players so I volunteered to take on their 5 and 6 players.  Fond memories!

[DMoriarty]

TD
Can you post the old aerial?

A low quality copy, but here is an aerial of of the hole from 1946.   



Also, here is the 16th hole from the same year.   Notice how much room there was on the right side.   I still think this is the best possibility for the diagram of the Tillie hole posted in 1920.

[TEPaul]

"TEP, Bell became the greenskeeper at Pasadena GC (now Alta Dena GC) in 1914 after serving as caddymaster there."


DavidS:

Thanks for that info----very interesting stuff, and for it I consider you a better West Coast researcher than Tom MacWood whose modus operandi these days seems to be less direct info like you just produced and more "question responses" to the questions on here!  

[Jim_Kennedy]

Now that Seth Raynor's involvement at North Shore CC has been established (along w/White's) I was wondering if the question that has been asked on this thread has been answered?

Or, upon re-reading this thread I guess the question is:  Sean Tully, have you presented your information to SFGC and if so, are you going to post it here?