Drawings Discovered of Two Seth Raynor Courses That Were Not Built

[Charlie Goerges]

There may be more plans in the Olmstead archives.


Not everything in the archives is scanned, or at least not everything was scanned back in the late teens.


Most of what's now available on Capilano (British Properties folder) were from two years of continuously requesting dozens of different drawings every few weeks until I finally found what I was looking for. They have a searchable data base and its a case of reading descriptions for what's on the drawing file or who drew it. They were incredible with requests and I can't say enough about the people at the archive.

Yes! That folder is incredible. Full of plans, photos of the course and Stanley Thompson, and even a cool birdseye of the clubhouse (and hundreds of street layouts and designs). There are probably a hundred cool research projects in the archive for GCA-types. I’ve even done a few myself. Can’t recommend it enough.

[Phil Young]

David, on March 9, 1918, the San Francisco Chronicle announced, "Olympics Will Take Lakeside On March 20. The article that followed stated, "Arrangements were completed yesterday by the Olympic Club to formally take over the Lakeside golf course om March 20. William Humphrey, president of the Olympic Club, and Arthur Vincent, representing the Lakeside interests, had a long conference yesterday and everything was arranged successfully.
      "Seth J. Raynor, famous golf course architect of Southampton, Long Island, is in San Francisco to suggest changes and improvements in the course of the Lakeside Golf club.
      "Raynor, who arrived yesterday put in the afternoon strolling over the Lakeside links, but it will be some time before he is prepared to make any suggestions or to plan a model course, as he frequently does in laying out links. He has seen enough to announce that the soil conditions are such as exist on some of the best courses in this country and abroad and that the 'setting' is remarkable...
      "The Olympic Club, determined to have its new links equal to any, sent for Raynor without the blowing of trumpets. And here he is to help out in the work.
      "He will make his home temporarily at the new San Francisco Golf and Country Club." [SFGC officially opened for play at its new and current site just two weeks before.]

[David_Tepper]

Phil Y.


Thanks for that information. It certainly clears up the timing of what happened back then. I presume the reason the OC did not use Raynor's plan for remodeling the existing Wilfred Reid-designed course was the subsequent decision by the OC to buy more land and build 2 courses.

DT


 

[Nigel Islam]

The Shotwell routing was never built likely because he died. In February of 1922 he travelled from Johnstown to Florida, but his tractor overturned on top of him.