This will explain my question.
http://www.gaffneyledger.com/news/2010-09-01/Local_News/TEE_IT_UP.htmlTEE IT UP
A mystery: Who inspired Gaffney Country Club?
By TIM GULLA Ledger Staff Writer tim@gaffneyledger.com
This 1950 sketch of a 9-hole golf course in Gaffney can be found in the Tufts Archives in Pinehurst, N.C., listed among the hundreds of courses that Donald Ross had a hand in. Mention the name Donald Ross to a golfer and most will know who you’re talking about.
A prolific golf course architect in his day, Donald Ross’ name is attached to some of the most prominent courses in the country, such as Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, N.C.
No matter the location, however, a course designed by Ross raises its cachet, especially among golfers with a sense of history.
Peruse the Tufts Archives in Pinehurst, where Ross’ life and history is preserved, and you’ll find a list of about 400 golf courses that Ross either designed, or redesigned, during his career.
Included among those archives is a 1950 topographic map and sketch, drawn on behalf of the Gaffney Development Corporation, for a 9- hole golf course in Gaffney. Interestingly enough, the sketched course is located on the exact site of Gaffney Country Club.
Some say they can see Donald Ross, a famed golf course architect, in Gaffney Country Club's turtleback greens. The real architect, however, isn't known. Spotted in the archives by local resident Bruce Wellmon, the find of this sketch touched off a “History Detectives”-like quest with a seemingly simple question.
Is Gaffney Country Club a Donald Ross’ course?
The short answer is: It’s doubtful, though Ross’ work may have served as some inspiration.
The 1950 sketch is not signed by Ross but by golf course architect J.B. McGovern. When The Gaffney Ledger sent some current photographs of the layout, as well as an undated aerial photograph from around the time of course construction, to a book author who has written about Ross, the reply was on the pessimistic side.
“The construction looks very circular, very mechanical,” the book author said in reference to the 1950sera aerial shots of the course. But, the author hedged, “It’s very hard to know what the original shapes looked like unless I’m seeing it myself.”
There’s other evidence that leads to doubt.
The 1950 sketch of the course found in the archives does not match the Gaffney County Club layout that members now enjoy, though there are some similarities.
And perhaps the strongest evidence yet comes from a simple fact. Ross died in 1948, two years before the sketch was drawn.
While it remains unclear how J.B. McGovern came to draw a sketch for the Gaffney Development Company, it’s not surprising to see his name attached to the work. McGovern worked for Ross and carried on several projects after Ross’ death before making his own mark on the game.
And since he worked so closely with Ross, an official at the Tufts Archives relayed, it’s logical that McGovern’s work would look similar.
The sketch in the archives is labeled a “Third Preliminary Sketch,” meaning there are at least two other sketches of the then-proposed course in Gaffney. No others can be found in the archives, though.
Ross still was alive when fundraising began to build the course as the Gaffney Development Company was selling shares for $25 each. Such fundraising was ongoing in 1947, according to a copy of one such stock certificate.
At Gaffney Country Club the course history is a little fuzzy.
Head professional Chris Wood, who has worked there for 20 years, said there are few records about the early days of the club, though several photographs of the course construction do hang on the walls there.
“Who did it, I do not know,” Wood said in reference to the course’s architect.
Several golf courserelated Web sites list the course’s designer as Bert Yancey. While professional golfer Bert Yancey once served as a pro at the club, he wasn’t born until 1938 and would have been only 12 years old about the time construction began.
Wylie Hamrick, who joined the club in the 1950s after returning to Gaffney from school, recalled that the course opened with just three holes, which members would play from different tee boxes multiple times to complete a round of golf. Additional holes were added in stages during ensuing years to complete the nine-hole layout, he said.
“I don’t believe there was ever a contract with a golf course builder who actually built the course,” Hamrick said.
Even if Ross didn’t have a hand in the course, however, some say his spirit can be felt there, especially on the course’s sloping, turtle-back greens, and closelymowed areas that make it a challenge.
“There’s a buddy of mine, he’s always called it a miniature Pinehurst No. 2,” offered Wood. “All the greens are built like upside-down saucers, just like his (Ross’) designs are, especially Pinehurst No. 2.”
Such spirit can also be found in club members, who share a passion for the game.
Regardless of its roots, Hamrick said, “It is a fun golf course to play.”