Today, in the mail, I received a good quality 1938 aerial of the property. We know that Emmet had already been there by then but based on the '38 property, Tripp's work is darn near close. Overall, the bunkering location and style is very close.
On first look, the most predominant feature that had been lost and that was restored is the bunker complex on the inside of dogleg on the par 5, 10th (Strong's 9th).
Some notable observations that I think will surprise many here, and least they certainly surprised me, and this is why when you get into the Tom MacWood game of "restoration" the date you pick matters greatly.
Keep in mind this is 1938, while Strong was still alive, I presume and available to consult. It’s only 18 years after the US Amateur, still the same membership with likely many founding members very much active with the greens committee, etc:
By 1938:
1) The string of pearls down the right of 16 is gone;
2) There's an added cross bunker short of Strong's par 4, 11th green (today's 12th), which was taken out in the past few years I understand as it's not there today and once again permits a run up second shot, evidently as Strong intended; and
3) The middle bunker just short of the short par 4, 7th was already added. Strong's bunkering left a gap where the middle bunker is presumably to entice a driver off the tee to run something up.
The bunkering styles are clearly varied in the 1938 aerial, some discs, some grass island bunkering between 1 and 18, (still there) that looks like Emmet, some kidney beans (still there) some small pots and skinny trenches on 2 or 20 (still there).
Some other observations:
The half a tree gate on 13 guarding the entire right side approach was clearly there, answering a question I'd had.
There were cross bunkers off of the 6th tee, looks like cut into the ridge line that were quite menacing looking but only 100 or so yards off the tee.
The greenside bunkers to the right of 18 green (no grassed over) were imposing in 1938.
The large sandy waste bunker between 9 and 11 was there and it's now a series of bunkers.
While there are some additional bunkers today overall the locations and style of the bunkering on the ground today is very similar to the 1938 aerial and some excellent bunker restoration was performed. The only bunkering today that looks out of style is that on the 7th hole, but location wise, by 1938 there was already a third fronting bunker and two fairway bunkers down the right side.
According to Tom MacWood’s standards, by 1938 it is clear that the course had already been re-designed, so whose re-design should have been restored Tom . . . ?
The obvious answer is that it’s a balance, after all over its first 20 years under the guard of the first generation of members the course evolved significantly, most noticeably by the addition of a strategic bunker short of 11 green, adding the fronting bunker of 7, (their 6) and removing the string of pearls on 16. In addition, the varied bunkering styles also leads me to conclude that Emmet laid his hand in a number of spots.
After seeing how much the course changed in just its first 20 years, what Tripp did and what’s on the ground right now is a remarkably good effort all things considered. While the genius of Engineers once again shines, there are certainly a couple more things that could be done, mostly bunker restoration and removal (i.e. the bunkers greenside on 18 and the cross bunkers on 6 restored, and the bunkering restyled on 7 and the center bunker removed).
Seeing this 1938 aerial has been a good lesson for me and once again reinforces my position that courses are living dynamic things. All courses, including the great ones evolve and our job is to protect them but also guide them in the right directions . . . Engineers has been guided back onto the path it had when it was a GCA marvel and I hope more people will appreciate this in the future.