In researching for a history of his club, reading through all the existing minutes, Keith Fitzgerald discovered a note that in 1921 they paid Mackenzie £19 to remodel the bunkers on 4 of the holes on the Men’s course. The total cost of this work, including fees, was £156 pounds seven shillings and sixpence. Until then it was believed that prior to the Second World War all 36 holes were the work of Taylor.
Photographic evidence from those times is slim but here is the most intriguing picture.
That clubhouse burned down in 1926 so if the picture is earlier than 1921 its Taylor. Even if was taken between 1921 and 1926, mathematically its 14:4 probability towards Taylor.
However in those days this was the 18th and isn’t it more likely that you would pay for the bunkers to be redone on an important hole like this?
The hole plays as a one shotter of approx 155 yards, across a pond with the ground beyond rising upto the green. The bunkers are cut into a mound at least 15yards short of the green. I love the way they overlap across the face of that mound. The top of the mound tends to obscure the lower half of the pin. All in all a great example of a hole playing easier than it looks.
So I know it can only be speculation but I’d love to hear the opinions of those with more experience.
But first can someone identify this course. The hole still exists in a similar form today...
(If I’ve told you about this then you’re d/q’d. OK?)