Madison (NJ) Golf Club - Anyone know its architectural history?

[Ed Oden]

Thirty years or so ago, I learned to play the game tagging along with my dad at Madison Golf Club, a quaint little 9 hole course that barely registers on the greater Northern NJ golf landscape.  I am no researcher, so I'm probably missing the obvious.  But I can't find any real architectural information about the course online.  The club's website says it opened in 1896, making it one of the older courses around, but has no other information.  A couple of websites reference Bill Newcomb as the architect, which seems like it must be a mistake since I believe he is a modern GCA.  I have tried to make contact with the club on a number of occasions, but they have not responded.  Does anyone have any architectural or historical information about Madison GC or have any suggestions on where I find it?  Thanks in advance.

Ed

[Tim Gerrish]

Ed,

The Architects of Golf/The Golf Course does not even list it....  hmmmmm...

[Mike_Cirba]

Ed,

By 1898, the course was listed as a "six hole practice course", with talk of addding three holes.

The accounts I've seen never list an architect or notable professional.   It seems that a membership committee were the likely designers.   

[Thomas MacWood]

In 1930 Madison was listed as par-30 2072 yards. Is it still that short?

[Ed Oden]

Tom, the course is a par 31 of 2240 yards.  There are 5 par 3s and 4 par 4s.  While the course is very short, it does have some good and challenging holes.  The 5th is a par 4 that (at least back in the 80s) was consistently ranked as one of the best holes in the area. 

Mike, you may be right.  When I played there three holes were on a portion of the property on the other side of a road.  It could be that these holes were added later.  Were most pre-1900 courses designed by informal committees?

Ed

[Ed Oden]

No doubt many of you haven't slept well in over a year endlessly worrying about the history of Madison Golf Club.  Well, you can finally rest peacefully.  The club has substantially upgraded its web site, including a brief history...

http://www.madisongolfclub.org/sites/courses/layout.asp?id=786&page=43493

Seems Mike Cirba was correct that the course was designed by members.

Ed

[MCirba]

Ed Oden,

I can't say that I've exactly spent every day these past 14 years looking for this ,  but I've recently learned that Madison Club has quite interesting origins and was started and designed by Benjamin Hardwick who had been a member of Royal Blackheath.