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Neil_Crafter

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Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« on: April 29, 2020, 02:50:35 AM »
I came across a small article in the Oakland Tribune of 18 Feb 1930 saying that Chandler Egan had been retained to prepare an improvement plan for the course. From what I can tell he prepared plans but little work was actually undertaken from them. I also understand that the overall plan is on display at the club. Is that correct? If so has any one seen it or better yet taken a photo of it that they could share? I read a GCSANC document about Egan that said Egan and MacKenzie were hired in 1930 to remodel the Sequoyah course and "the drawing of their work may be seen in the Sky Room at Sequoyah." I'd love to know if this is correct.


I'm endeavouring to determine whether the Sequoyah project was still a MacKenzie & Egan project or whether Egan had gone out on his own this early in 1930, given that their partnership had only been formed in March 1929, less than a year earlier. We know that their partnership was dissolved sometime in 1930 as they were both competing for the same Pacific Grove Muni project at the end of 1930/early 1931.


Thanks in advance for any assistance.
cheers Neil

Sven Nilsen

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Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2020, 09:57:16 AM »
Neil -


There was a thread from last year that touched on Egan and Sequoyah -


https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,24894.75.html


Sven
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Neil_Crafter

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2020, 07:47:47 PM »
Yes Sven thanks I saw that before I posted. I'm specifically looking for confirmation that he did the planning work under the Mackenzie and Egan banner, which is why I am hoping someone has seen the plan in the clubhouse and can confirm or otherwise. If not I'll contact the club direct. Neil

Sean_Tully

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Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2020, 07:20:01 PM »
Neil-


I have seen the routing map as prepared by Chandler Egan. It was from March or Feb of 1930. Only Egan listed on the plan. I have the photo, most likely in a folder waiting to get sorted and id’d. Took the photo a number of years ago.


Have not been through the club minutes to verify. It’s on display in the clubhouse. If I can’t find the photo I’ll have a friend snap an one as he should have access to the club.


Tully

Neil_Crafter

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2020, 12:18:22 AM »
Thanks Sean. Appreciate that. So that would indicate that the Mackenzie & Egan partnership was already over by the end of 1929, 9 months after it started! If you have seen the plan and it just says Egan then I don't need anything else, happy to take your word on this!

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2020, 08:15:09 AM »
A lot of things changed abruptly in the fall of 1929, for some reason?

Sven Nilsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2020, 01:44:29 PM »
I don't think we can assume the working partnership was over just because Egan worked on a course by himself.


In July 1930 they were traveling together to Coos County, Or to visit the Cocoos bent grass farms.
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Doug_Nickels

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2020, 01:24:33 PM »

The Egan plan for Sequoyah is dated May 20, 1930.  His work at Pacific Grove was late 1931/1932.  It also seems he was still involved with Mackenzie at Sharp Park in 1931.


Kevin_Reilly

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Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2020, 03:56:35 PM »
I have the club history.  There is no direct evidence of MacKenzie's work there, as detailed below.  Just noticed the typo in the photo caption of Doug's name.














« Last Edit: May 03, 2020, 03:58:41 PM by Kevin_Reilly »
"GOLF COURSES SHOULD BE ENJOYED RATHER THAN RATED" - Tom Watson

Neil_Crafter

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2020, 02:30:59 AM »
Kevin and Doug thanks for posting the Egan plan for Sequoyah. Much appreciated, along with the relevant extract from the club's history book.


To answer a few questions and to pose a few more.


1. Sequoyah was not on the list of debtors to MacKenzie's estate following his passing in January 1934.


2. MacKenzie and Egan competed for the same commission at Pacific Grove in late 1931. If they were still in partnership then surely they would have taken the commission into the partnership and both benefited from it?


3. The Sequoyah commission was certainly within MacKenzie's geographical sphere and given economic conditions in 1930 would have been one he would want to be involved with you would think. Why then did Egan go it alone if he was in a partnership? The suggestions Egan went it alone yet somehow Mackenzie contributed still even though it was not a partnership project doesn't make sense to me. Why would he?


4. There is evidence of the partnership being active up to 1931; MacKenzie & Egan were announced as the architects for the Soledad Hills course in December 1929. In January 1930 Egan and Robert Hunter Jr were at Harding Park checking on some plans earlier drawn by MacKenzie to expand the 6 hole course to a 9-holer. April 1930 Egan went over the Sharp Park course with Hunter Jr. In July 1930 Mackenzie & Egan announced by Sam Morse as the architects for a new course at the Polo field in Pebble Beach. Egan on site at Sharp Park in 1931. November 1931 MacKenzie played golf with Egan at Cypress Point. Then we have the Pacific Grove project late 1931 where they both submitted separately, which must be the break up point. They played golf together again in 1933 so the split would appear to have been amicable.


5. So is Sequoyah a project where MacKenzie didn't want the partnership involved for some reason and said to Egan you can go it alone on this one? Which doesn't seem right but may be what happened.


5. Sven you mention MacKenzie and Egan travelling together in July 1930. I don't have that, can you share please? :-)


I don't put much stock in the club's stated "reason to believe" MacKenzie gave Egan a hand at Sequoyah. if they had any evidence they would have used it, and the rationale as they explain it in the book is ultra flimsy.


Tom D, yes there was a big event in 1929 ;-) but MacKenzie didn't really start to see the full effects of it until 1932 and 33 when his work really dropped off and he became a nearly full time golfer.




Sven Nilsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2020, 12:43:44 PM »

July 28, 1930 Coos Bay Times -

"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Sven Nilsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2020, 12:46:39 PM »
Could this all be due to Mackenzie having been out of the country when Sequoyah was in the works in the Spring of 1930?


I have a number of updates for the timeline from my files.  What's the best way to get them to you?
« Last Edit: May 06, 2020, 12:49:55 PM by Sven Nilsen »
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Gib_Papazian

Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2020, 03:31:29 PM »
Gentlemen,


20 or so years ago, George Bahto found a registration card (for a routing plan) in the Southhampton, NY surveyor's office. It was for the design of Sequoyah CC in Oakland. Some time later, I got a call from a Kaithern Hyndschaw, who I believe was the club historian - asking if I might come over and have a look at the archives in the Boardroom.


To the best of my recollection, there was a fairly primitive routing plan drawing, framed - and hung on the wall behind the large, heavy door of the meeting room.


There were some archival books, but most focused on the Oakland Open and articles that Hogan shot this and Snead did that. There was also a fabulous series of remodeling drawings, looked to have been dreamed up by Chandler Egan. Again, this is out of memory . . . . the club was founded in 1913, but I never got further into my research.


My half-baked conclusion - since I found nothing specific about Raynor - although the dates matched up when he was out here on his way to & from Hawaii - was the course was probably originally built using the Raynor plans, but with all sorts of deviations. I recall a terrific, alternate-route Channel Hole, but it looked as if it was either never built, or the land was surrendered to homes adjacent to the back side of the property.


My recollection is the 14th hole - a 225 yard par-3 - had formalized furrows adjacent and behind the green. It looked like bunkers had been built, but there were a line of trees planted in them. Was it once a Biarritz? It sure looked like it to me, but the club could not produce any original pictures from the original course.


#5, a short, drop-shot par-3 (I wondered if it was a Raynor Short) turned out to be a fill-in sometime in the late 1950's. I was asked for my recommendation and - echoing George's thoughts - if it was ever actually a Raynor there was almost nothing left, but in any event, the Egan plans provided the opportunity to bring a work of art back from the grave.


Kudos to Doug Nickels, who did the work; it is definitely worth a visit. He took a hodge-podge of tin-soldier tree plantings, homemade remodels and Green Committee meddling and put Humpty back together with some elegant panache and strategic competence. I'd love to see about 1/2 the trees removed, but the fun-factor is quite high for a members course. You'll have to ask him how faithful he was to Egan's plans.


I've no doubt Raynor breezed through there at some point - but archives had no reference to paying him for consulting or drawings. That stated, there has to be an explanation for that registration card in Southhampton . . . . . specifically for Sequoyah in Oakland.


 

V_Halyard

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Sequoyah Country Club - A MacKenzie & Egan project?
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2020, 07:16:08 PM »
I have a buddy at Sequoyah and have had the pleasure of playing there though their long term restoration.
[/size]I rooted around a bit in their history section and found that there is some mention of  Raynor Plans and revised Chandler Egan plans with the ultimate construction done by the Willie Locke in a May 17, 1914 Oakland Tribune in their history.
[/size]
[/size]It remains unclear and unlikely if [/size]any[/size] of the Rayor plans were built but there were some Bay Area clippings that mentioned his visit and layout.
[/size]
[/size]Nice current work being done restoring some dramatic lost vistas of SF bay which have been liberated with tree removal.
[/size]
"It's a tiny little ball that doesn't even move... how hard could it be?"  I will walk and carry 'til I can't... or look (really) stupid.