Scott
I can understand your point of view, but as a golfer with other reasons I have looked into the so called the pre Golden Age pioneers of the game.
In doing so I have realised that the achievements of the pre 1900 golfers/designers was way outside the box and overshadows the so called Golden Age of the 1920’s. These early guys not just set the standard, they made the game accessible to all, they moulded the course from more or less the natural to manmade creating what we have to this day. The classic is TOC, it was changed from the 1820 to the last 1890’s, it’s not a course designed by nature but by the hand and eye of man.
The knowledge lost in just 100-150 years is unbelievable yet when we consider that many clubs kept their records in old timber shacks called Club Houses which in many cases have burn down destroying all the early records. Nevertheless they are for the most part out there, one has just got to look.
Other information available relates to who was commissioned to undertake certain designs and yet were unable for various reasons. Old Tom for Braid Hills, and Kinggussie, then we have the interesting reports of Old Tom sending people to courses to design them – Golfing - ‘James Mackie of St Andrews, who was sent by Tom Morris, went over to Pitlochry course with a view to its extension and improvements’. This is just but one name; the interesting point was this an Old Tom company effort or was it just a recommendation as Old Tom was want to do. There are many stories outthere. Also when searching for Askernish information to discover that another site albeit only 9 Holes was set up to mirror the Askernish scheme, this time in Aberdeenshire at Collieston just a few miles south of Cruden Bay. Also there is a link between, Braid Hills, Askernish, Collieston and Cruden Bay in the name of The Cluny Estates or a Lady Cathcart
Then we have the old lost courses, first finding that they existed, the designers name and then the location, wondering if they could be reborn like Askernish. Sites like ST Leonards Girl School Short 9 Hole Ladies course from 1893 (one of the first course for ladies), the Broughton Ferry Ladies Course, Dundee, Kelvinside Glasgow, Oban first 9 hole course, Dornock (Crieff), Crawford, and the one that has confused many researchers the Old Tom Course on Islay. Many thought that Old Tom had modified Willie Campbell’s Machrie course, but we have found the course map, the location map with course clearly mentioned and the report of its design in the national newspapers of the time. This cleared up much misunderstanding with people like Robert Kroeger and his book The Golf Courses of Old Tom Morris who looked for proof at Machrie.
As you research the Victoria Age, you will come to realise that the later so called Golden Age hardly achieve 1% of what was done in the 19th century. Yes they moved the development and understand further but it was no Golden Age, it was dubbed the Golden Age because no one had actually bothered to research the earlier designers, Some might call that ignorance, I call it not understand the complexity of the game, perhaps because we regards those past days as the Dark Ages.
Dark Ages, why maybe because it is regarded as too penal, too testing and hard, a complete contrast to today where many golfers want the game easy. IMHO betraying the traditions of the game that made it attractive in the first place and which it interested many into playing.
Golf is not just playing it every weekend, yet when questioned on the course or GCA the player looks at you as if you are talking a foreign language. That just a player play his game, a Golfer is one with himself, his game (whatever level) and understand the magic of thinking how he/she is going to navigate the course ahead. If it’s the first time on that course the enjoyment builds as you walk to the first Tee, telling the Caddie not to give any assistance just carry the clubs. For many the challenge of the unknown is worth far more, I have never understood why people want the experience spoiled by outside information that might not even relate to your game. I suppose one could compare it to the wife expecting a baby, do you want to know the sex – no because be it a he or she, that child will be love whatever and it’s the journey you take with mother and child that actually counts.
Deep, perhaps but as you said you believe me too fat to play golf, so I have to direct my interests in other directions (well while I can). I am certain you have far more to offer (than ill-informed comments about my health problems) with your background, but that depends upon you.
Melvyn