Open Thread - Info on GCA's Lesser Lights?

[SPDB]

Rightly or wrongly, this website tends to focus on the big names in golf course architecture, but I thought I would open up a thread to discuss some of the lesser lights of architecture or courses that may have at one point been more considerable but the passage of time has relegated to lower status or anonymity.

An example of this is Madison Country Club (CT), a seaside course that I have played most of my life. It is a Willie Park, Jr. course that I suspect he designed while designing New Haven CC (++), Woodway (++) and perhaps Shuttle Meadow (-+). I can't make much from the old aerials (including those that Colin Sheehan posted a while back). Probably a hit and run for Park, Jr., but who knows anything about this course?  

What are your lesser lights that you want to know about?

[Tom_Doak]

Where is Madison Country Club?  I grew up in Connecticut and I don't remember anyone ever mentioning the name.

[Tom MacWood]

I don't know much of anything about Madison, but I can tell you Park did list the course as one he designed. Between 1916 and 1921 the golf guide lists it as a nine hole course of 2500 yards founded in 1900. In 1922 the length increases to 3058, and its noted 'have also opened a new course, sea side.' It remains a nine hole course in guides until 1927, when it becomes par-71, 6126 yards. In the 1930-31 golf guide its par-70, 6152, but the founding of the club is changed to 1909. In the 1930 golfers year book, which was another similar golf guide, the course is listed par-68 and 5460 yards. Its all pretty confusing I'd say.

There can be some disparity in quality among Park's designs, often due to construction IMO. On occasion he just sold the design to the club, and they were completely responsible for building it. In late 1923/early 1924 Park had what was described as a nervous breakdown and went back to Scotland. He died in 1925. 

[Jim_Kennedy]

Here's some insight on Madison from Bill Whedon:
 
http://www.madisoncountryclub.org/ClubInformation/History.aspx

[Ronald Montesano]

This is so easy, I'm almost insulted. Mark Bourgeois has my back on this one...do a photo thread!!!

I toats agree with the notion that lesser lights deserve the klieg light treatment. Do it right. Don't ask people to do what you can do yourself. Take a camera to the course, shoot 54 pictures (average 3 per hole) and think about what you want to say.

Not every course is a CP, an NGLA nor an XYZ. You'll find that you're a better writer after the fact, as you won't be so tempted to use excessive praise to describe every visual orgasm you had. Instead, you'll write with restraint and precision, two guns worth having at all times.

[Dan Herrmann]

I think James Blaukovitch deserves mention here.  I really enjoy his designs, none of which is ever going to host a US Open or be on a Top 100 list.  But who cares - they have really good bones, are fun to play, and won't break the bank.

[Mac Plumart]

There are a pretty good amount of threads on lesser lights.  I've done one on Rivermont, contributed to a Wexford Plantation one...and I'm sure quite a few more.

The only issue is that because these courses are lesser lights, not many have played them.  So...not many can contribute.  Contrast that to Bandon Dunes or something of that ilk in terms of popularity, where the majority of GCAers have played it/them.  Those threads will get tons of posts.

Like Bruce mentioned, if you are impressed enough to post on a lesser light course...I think you really need to take the lead and provide well thought out commentary with key pictures to highlight the aspects of the course that made it special to you.  Most likely a long detailed opening post is not going to do it.  You'll need more.  Perhaps multiple posts and different holes and/or different aspects of the course.  Why?  Because no one else has likely played it...or at least very few.  To get interest and to educate, you will need to take charge and provide enough content to educate us all on they the course is worthy of our interest.

FYI...I love the threads that highlight the hidden gems.

[Mark Saltzman]

Mac, I've posted about some 'lesser lights' before, but they almost never receive any discussion.

For example...

Perry Maxwell's Oakwood CC: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,52534.0.html

Doug Carrick's Bigwin Island GC: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,52307.0.html

Stanley Thompson's Thornhill G&CC: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,53549.0.html

Stanley Thompson's Uplands GC: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,52370.0.html

Tom McBroom's Heron Point Golf Links: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,52944.0.html

Perry Maxwell's Twin Hills GC: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,53605.0.html

And several more.

Just look at the view count on most of these threads, most people don't bother to read them, let alone reply to them.

[Joe Bausch]

Mark, I'm derelict in not replying to these 'lesser' threads, which aren't less to me at all.  I'll commit to commenting in the future to help generate the discussion they deserve.

[Jim_Kennedy]

About Madison CC, I noticed Bill Whedon speaks about how the course played pre and post 1938. Wonder if the very intense hurricane that year washed away parts of the original layout?

A note about Bill Whedon: in the '55 Insurance City Open, precursor to the GHO, he had two aces in the same round (67mil to 1 odds) and the balls he used went on display at the WGHOF. I loved this line from the '55 SI article sbout the incident:  His wife Polly, who ran out to the course when she heard the news, said breathlessly, "He was so excited I can't remember what he said."  

 

[JC Urbina]

SPDB,

How about a discussion on Red Lawrence.

UNM - Desert Forest -   of the famed William S Flynn camp. 
 
The founding father of Desert Golf. many may challenge that notion.