I always liked this one as it sheds some light on the determination of his personality.  It also shows his keen interest in agonomy.  Tilly was a champion of the Greenkeeper and founder/supporter of the USGA Green section.

Houston, Texas, January 3rd 1936

The President of the P.G.A.

Dear Sir:

Yesterday was given over to the long drive here from New Orleans, 406 miles.  I will scarcely attempt this distance again in one day for it is a bit too much.  The hard storms throughout the night of the first had flooded the low lands and for some miles the going was extremely bad.  For one stretch of probably five miles the road was entirely submerged and the water was over the running-boards.  Nothing to do for it but to keep the wheels moving ahead.  There was no going back.

Today I went over two courses, - the River Oaks Country Club, at the request of p.G.A. member Jack Burke, and the Houston Country Club at the request of the president of the Texas section of the P.G.A. – Willie Maguire.

At River Oaks I was accompanied around the course by Jack Burke (an old friend of mine, Greenkeeper Jack Maguire and H.A. Kipp (a member of the executive committee and an engineer who had collaborated in the original preparation of plans.  My general observations concerned the elimination of unnecessary traps, the gradual correction of sharp slopes by blending and softening, the rearrangement of hazards about numerous greens but in particular the reconstruction plan for the fifth, a hole of 348 yards, which had been recently partially destroyed by the breaking of a levee bank during a flood.  The rearrangement of the second green also received special attention.  This course furnished another illustration of a gradual skimping of green mowing, which in many instances had pulled the greens entirely away from the guarding traps, which never had been quire close-up.  Apparently they appreciated the service very much and expressed satisfaction.

I was particularly pleased with my inspection of the course of the Houston Country Club, which was made in the company of Willie Magure, his greenkeeper C.P. Welti and E.G. Goforth, Chairman of the Green Committee.  Maguire’s long experience in developing Bermuda turf and winter greens of Bermuda base is will proved here.  Indeed he has produced the best greens of this type that I have ever observed.  A very valuable conclusion is this; - Instead of introducing Italian Rye with the Bermuda, for winter greens, he uses instead Red Top, Meadow Fescue and Blue Grass.  A fine putting turf is the result and these strains do not linger in the spring, battling with the Bermuda, but quickly disappear and the summer greens rapidly find themselves.

I made many suggestions, particularly on the hole of the first nine, excepting the 6th, 8th and 9th.  These holes; - 1, 2,3,4,5 and 7, were those which do not equal the holes of the last nine and it was concerning these that they particularly wanted me to cover with my advise.  This I did completely, particularly rearranging the third.  There were numerous unnecessary pits of obsolete types and these of course were condemned.  I also made a sketch for rearrangement of the fourth green, which was much too big for the shot.  I may remark that the eighteenth hole here is one of the best to be found anywhere, and altogether I found the course generally of unusual charm.

Tomorrow I continue on to San Antonio, to resume my schedule for Texas and Oklahoma.

Very truly yours

A.W. Tillinghast

Rick:

Thank you from me too for putting so many of Tillinghast's PGA tour letters up here. His theme from those letters during that tour seems to be sort of equally divided between identifying and/or making recommendations for holes the club has identified as weak or problematic in some way as well as identifying and condemning DH and other useless bunkers as well as resizing greens and correcting drainage problems and the slope of greenside bunkering to meld into the green sides correctly.

It seems obvious, as well that he's intent on both specifically identifying and naming those at each club that're of help or can be--eg green chairman, President, pro and superintendent.

"Tilly afraid that Donald will blow the whistle on his "selling out," slips the Don a package with his share of the PGA greenbacks.  Oops, sorry, I am slipping again."

After the subject of this 14 page "discussion", that's beautiful!

So the great Donald Ross after perusing one of the PGA articles (PGA "Number") that we've all been perusing changed his mind and approved of what Tillinghast was doing on his tour!?

Perhaps at this point Tom and Mike should make their case that Donald Ross was also "selling out" or compromising his architectural principles for complimenting Tillie on what he was doing!  

Tom MacWood,

Hollywood isn't in North Jersey.

Are you sure you're not confusing the west coast club with the east coast club ?

Sorry Pat...I should have said the NYC Metro sphere of NJ that Tilly visited. That is an important distinction....thank you for your imput.

"Most of Tilly's ideas were excellent during this period. The idea of orienting greens and the master pit found in Simplicty and Tucking (by the way I agree with Mike C's interpretation, this article has nothing to do with Duffers range) is excellent...he seems to have adopted many of Tom Simpson's ideas."

Tom MacW:

Yes, I'd like this post to show I very much do disagree with you and apparently Mike Cirba too on your interpretation of some of these articles and what Tillinghast meant by those articles.
 
That quotation I gave you yesterday in Chapter 29, in my opinion, very much does relate to the things he said in Chapter 28 (Simplicity in Bunkering which very much does relate to DH zone bunkering among other things) particularly since the sentence in chapter 29 relating to not considering his system invariable begins with the words "It may be recalled that my last article...." The last article he's referring to is "Simplicity in Bunkering".

And he did submit chapter 28 in August and chapter 29 in September.

As you well know I think the thing you need to do more of or do better is to look at Tillinghast articles and what he was doing during that time in its entirety (as Phil and apparently RickW have mentioned before) and stop fixating in a vacuum on these little issues of yours to make some major point like Tillinghast was compromising his architectural principles.

You still don't seem to have admitted that this 7,000 bunker issue you've been thowing around on this thread to help prove your point about Tillinghast may not related to JUST that first DH zone bunkering.

"Tilly afraid that Donald will blow the whistle on his "selling out," slips the Don a package with his share of the PGA greenbacks.  Oops, sorry, I am slipping again."

After the subject of this 14 page "discussion", that's beautiful!

So the great Donald Ross after perusing one of the PGA articles (PGA "Number") that we've all been perusing changed his mind and approved of what Tillinghast was doing on his tour!?

Perhaps at this point Tom and Mike should make their case that Donald Ross was also "selling out" or compromising his architectural principles for complimenting Tillie on what he was doing!  

Actually, as part of the deal, and to express his thankfulness to Tillie for removing many useless DH bunkers from Pinehurst #2, Ross pledged to the Philadelphian Tillinghast that he would do some future product adverts.

Tom;

Is the picture not showing up on your PC?  

It's a clear picture of Donald Ross, posed next to a Philadelphia product he has "sold out" for years to shill, Tillie's "Quaker Oats".   Now that we know they secretly met during this timeframe, can their be any doubt they were co-conspirators beyond more than hyperbole and salesmanship.

I also believe Tillie scolded Ross for creating so many top-shot, useless DH bunkers through the years, and Ross clearly saw the light and stopped the practice forthwith.

"And now......you know the rest of the story!!  Page Fifteen"    

Mike
I think you might be on to something...I am absolutely convinced the fellow on the oatmeal box is RTJ...the pieces are just now starting fit!

Coincidence?  

I think not.

I see my lame attempts to introduce some much needed levity to this thread went over like a lead balloon.  

Oh, by the way, I'd like to thank Rick Wolffe for his sharing of some really interesting historical material.  

I still think this thread uncovered some really interesting facts and some passionate, if differing opinions.  

Hmmm... Perhaps Tillie was being paid under the table and that is how he came up with the funds to buy the Don.


Harrington Park, N.J. October 1st 1935

President of the P.G.A.

Dear Sir:

Yesterday I went over to the south shore of Long Island and went over parts of the Inwood course with Jack Mackie, of the Executive Committee of the P.G.A.  There we were joined by Jack Pirie, at whose request I made the visit for the purpose of advising him about several improvements at his nearby course of the Woodmere Club.  There we partially prepared a model for a new twelfth green but as the chairman of his green committee was prevented from being present, I arranged to revisit the Woodmere course today, when he could be there.

This afternoon I again visited Woodmere and after a careful survey of the site for the new green, completed the model, and met Max Hesslein, the chairman.  With him and Pirie, I examined the eleventh and thirteenth holes, which are to be rearranged and new teeing grounds introduced.  Mr. Hesslein was evidently pleased with our service and intimated that he would like me to again be with them at some future time to advise concerning further improvements.  We said that he would be glad to pay the P.G.A. for the service but I informed him that this was not consistent with our policy and that the service was rendered freely only to such clubs where a P.G.A. member was affiliated.  He then suggested that the club be permitted to make some donation to the Benevolent Fund of the association.  I told him that this matter must remain fro you to decide.

Very truly yours

A.W. Tillinghast