I am a member at Five Farms and recently played Brook Hollow. I thought the bunkering was very similar, but BH was much shorter. BCC has a great deal more elevation change which make it play longer than the actual yardage. BH's greens were also similar to BCC as you do not want to be above the hole. The same cross bunkering on one of the par 5s on the back. One big difference was the opening holes  which at BH was an easy par 5 and an easy par 4 while BCC you start with 2 monster 4s. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed Brook Hollow as I felt right at home.

Tom, Where does Brook Hollow fit in the Bell Curve of Tillinghasts designs??

Pat,

There is a picture in the clubhouse from the old days.  The fairways were originally separated by hundreds of bunkers, and virtually no trees.  So, its not unreasonable to assume it was trying to recreate the basic challenge - but not the exact holes of Pine Valley.  I don't know when the decision was made to go Parkland, but it is quite a change.

Coore and Crenshaw redid the greens and bunkers a dozen years ago, or so.  They did a great job.  However, no attempt to recreate the "original intent" of Tillie by reinserting hundreds of fairway bunkers.  Tree ordinances and member expectations probably stopped that idea, if it ever started....

Cameron Buxton was a founding member and friend of George Crump.

Here is a 1926 aerial scanned from Gleanings from the Wayside.

Looking at the picture the course appeared to be a cross between Oakmont and PV. The 15th hole looks to have Tillie's favorite -- Hells Half Acre.

Reic
Thanks for the picture.

Technology has changed Brook Hollow more than many old courses,I'm not quite sure why.I think the 10th is as good a par 3 as there is.Removing trees here would mean instant death in the summer.Oddly,the trees and terrain remind me of the lower holes at the Broadmore.I love this old course.

Played with a low HCP BH member last month who said that, while a Tillie, the course wasn't in any way great today.  Think he plays most of his golf at Dallas AC, where the competition is more echallenging.

I've got news for you Mr. Goodale, Brook Hollow blows away Dallas AC.  While DAC is a great course, there's a reason they've never even considered returning there fora  major - it's just not that interesting of a course.  

I've played BH probably 10 times and is an awesome course IMO.  BH's green complexes are wonderful - great bunkering!  While I know Crenshaw supposedly restored BH, I'm not sure if he got it quite back to Tillie's approval.

While BH does lack some serious elevation changes, it does have a nice rolling feel to it.  #3, #4, #5, #6, & #7 are a great stretch of holes.  #10, #13, #14 I remember as being strong as well.  I especially liked #14, a great short hole with typical Tillinghast crossing hazards, that tempted you to drive over them every time you stepped on the tee.  And when you put your ball in the deep trap, or behind the grove of trees encroaching into the fairway, you always remembered why you keep telling yourself to lay-up on this hole damn it!

I could play BH every day.  For a Texas course with bent-grass greens, it is in remarkable shape.  You can play BH & Colonial side-by-side, and not be sure which course is better.

The rankings finally got it right by moving BH up to it's well deserved #2 ranking in the state this year.

I would have to say yes.  Although from what I remember, they're very private and I don't think they allow reciprocity of any kind.  Though I know the Dallas Stars have no problem getting on there.  

I think's it's a subtle course that hits you the more you play it.

I played there in the winter months and the greens were perfect.  You have to deal with the dormant bermuda, but they make great fairways, as they're not so tight.


If there are 2 courses to get on in Dallas, it's Brook Hollow and Preston Trail, farther north about 20-30 min.

good luck
dorse

Rich Goodale,

Might that BHGC/DAC member have been one Bryan Collins?

Mark,

The aerial really is remarkable.  Thanks to Trebus, Wolffe, and Wolffe for digging it up and publishing.

Look at the number of squared-off greens and really angular features.  I wonder how it compared at the time to other courses of quality in Texas.  There just weren't too many around, but it would be interesting to see it beside say, a River Oaks of that circa.

I've never seen the place in person.   I grew up on the coast and played most of my golf around Galveston/Houston.  Totally different country from up there!  

Since noone knew the answer:

The USGA first at Brook Hollow is that the same golfer had two (2) holes in one in the same round.

It occured during the mid-amateur and I believe the fellow's name was Don Bliss from Arkansas or Missouri.

The course had some work done to it in 1940 by Perry Maxwell.  He was working up in Fort Worth at Colonial at the same time.  I don't have any details of what he did at Brook Hollow though.  My guess is that the bunkering was altered for maintenance cost purposes, but don't know if Maxwell did any of it.