GCAofTD - #5 - Herbert Leeds

[Sven Nilsen]

There has been a lot written about Herbert Leeds on this site, but most of if it has been tangential to other subjects.  As Ian Andrew noted on his blog (http://thecaddyshack.blogspot.com/2007/05/architect-25-mike-strantz.html), not much is known about the man himself, but you cannot say the same about his courses.  Kebo Valley was undoubtedly one of the first courses built in the U.S.  Myopia Hunt was considered one of the finest courses in the land and hosted four early U.S. Opens.  Palmetto was known as one of the best courses in the South, if not the best.

Leeds' attributions are very difficult to nail down to specific dates, partially due to the fact that he worked on certain projects for years at a time.  If there's a word that sums up the career of his work, I think it would be "improvement."  It is unclear where his gift for his craft (or perhaps hobby is the better word) came from, perhaps gleaned from his post-Harvard travels.  But his desire to improve his own base of knowledge is evidenced by his trip abroad after the turn of the century.  His work at Myopia was a pursuit of perfection and that course's influence on other early golf architects may not yet be fully understood.

His courses:

Kebo Valley (1891) - Golf was played here as early as 1888.
Palmetto (1892) - A vacation destination for many Northerners, the team behind Kebo Valley had strong connections to the Aiken area.
Myopia Hunt (1896) - Leeds added the second nine in 1898.
Bass Rocks (1913) - Leeds did work on the existing course (attributed to Alex Findlay).
Essex County (unk.) - Leeds may have had a hand in the early work done here.

[Will Lozier]

Kebo is one of my favorite places to play period.  After traveling west for a month (following the Dead) during the summer after college graduation, I moved to Bar Harbor for the summer-fall months and used to play twilight rounds - for I swear $25 in '96 - a few times a week, probably a total of 25 rounds plus the other 5-10 other rounds I've played on other visits to see family who remained there for many years.  If found firm and fast, it plays like a wonderful heathland course (minus real heather) featuring a number of fun short par-4's that have real variety.  Although the terrain isn't rippling with movement, Leeds understated features blend well with the broad twists and turns of the property.  The greensites and greens themselves have some real interest -  1 (slope!), 3 (just a great perched/benched green on a fun hole), 6 (skyline knob), 8 (one of the greatest natural holes I know of), 9 (!love this hole with its use of the creek and big green movement), 10 (setting), 13, 16, 17 (!!!!).  To boot, the views of Cadillac Mtn. are phenomenal and the weather during that period is perfect.

Cheers

[Ronald Montesano]

Will-Man...I played Kebo once, with wife on honeymoon and loved Leeds. Have not played another since. That's life.