David,
The Evans timelines are only notable in the sense that he was already the golf writer of the Ledger by the time the new Merion course was planned and built, and according to Joe's findings, had actually been writing about golf for the paper as early as 1908. As mentioned earlier, he was an insider's insider, and as the head of the Green Committee of Lansdowne CC just a scant mile or two away, he would have been a keen observer.
I'm not sure why you feel compelled to mention Macdonald in conjunction with Tillinghast's observations? Tilly twice made very clear who designed Merion, both at its inception as "Far and Sure" and later in the 1930's when he bemoaned how sad it was that so few knew that Hugh Wilson designed the course.
We don't need to travel this road again...how about we just take the articles for what they're worth for a change.
I'd be glad to take information in the articles at face value, and have been for quite some time. But as far as I can see, the articles do not imply or mention that Evans must have been in-the-know in 1910 and 1911. That was you, not the articles. The articles have nothing to do with what Tillinghast said years later. Again you, not the articles. Nor do they state as a fact that Tillinghast was "Far and Sure." Again, you, not the articles. Nor do the articles misrepresent and take out of context both what Tillinghayoust and what "Far and Sure" (different people) said. Again, you, not the articles.
If we don't need to travel this road again, then when why on earth did you head down this road? Perhaps what you really mean is that think that you should editorialize down any road you want, but you would prefer to do so without critique or comment?
I don't think any reasonable conclusion can be drawn based on when Evans was writing for the Ledger.
I mention Macdonald because there is a very good chance that Tillinghast's "observations" about Merion came from his conversation(s) with Macdonald about Merion. He mentions in one of the two articles written at about the same time what Macdonald said about Merion. It is not much of a stretch to assume that Macdonald was the source of the information which formed the basis for Tillinghast's comments.
I don't think Tillinghast was Far and Sure. The article you think proves he was "Far and Sure" actually very likely proves the opposite. At the very least, you should not state it as if it was fact.
I don't want to get into this at all, but I will respond and set the record straight when it is mischaracterized, and will probably continue to respond to inaccurate or incomplete editorializing on your part. Perhaps Joe's friend the bird ought to fly over and tell you to stay away from these issues if you guys don't want to discuss them.
Thanks.
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Joe, I have seen mention of the plans for the indoor golf course, but I don't recall if I have ever seen any evidence that it was completed. Was it?