Aerial of the Day #181 - 26 Aug 2002

[Scott_Burroughs]

What is this, Pleasantville GC?  (YAPCR comment)

Here's a new twist: a half color, half B&W aerial.  Just love
the "full" coverage of MapQuest.com!  Interesting thing is, is
that I could have done a 1/4 color, 3/4 B&W aerial of
Inverness for last week, but it just didn't look right.  So
here's your "Pleasantville" aerial for today.

And remember, Canada is not covered, so this isn't Banff, if
that's what you might have been thinking!  It certainly
reminds me of what I've seen of Banff.

[Mike_Cirba]

It's a shame that more of the original architect's work isn't still "on" display here.  

[Will W]

the archie's first design.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Will took my next clue.

The views from this course in the fall are magnificent (but
it's not in New England).

The name of the course is Native American (but it's not in
New England).

[Mike_Cirba]

For a long time, this whole resort was owned by a bandleader, but I guess that started "Waring" thin.  The third nine was by some guy just "diddleing about".

[WilliamWang]

sorry

[RJ_Daley]

Were the changes to the original design brought about by
 Killkenny Kats?
It looks like someone Diddeled around with the original layout. :-/
Who did Vinnie kill there anyway?

[Scott_Burroughs]

Will,

I should have posted a smiley next to what I said.  No
offense, of course.  I don't know what people are going to post.  


Arnold Palmer met his future wife Winnie at this course
during a tournament.

This was a bit of a celebrity hangout in the past.

You could ski here in the morning and play golf in the afternoon.

[ChipOat]

Played here in a junior tournament 35+ years ago.  The 2 par
3's across the river (100 feet above the water, it seemed)
looked mighty good to a 14 year old.  Wonder if they'd look
so impressive today.

150 markers were red/white/blue trash cans - good layout
but not much atmosphere.

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[Dan Grossman]

Hmmm...I played in a college golf tournament
here a couple of years ago.  Having played the
course 2 or 3 times, it is not my favorite in
the area.  

I guess I am at a loss for the architect.  I thought
it was orginally done by AWT, but clearly not
much remains of his work, if that is true.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Chances are, a few of you or your parents have honeymooned
in this resort area known for such things.

This area also includes at least two golf courses that double
as downhill ski runs in the winter (or at least used to).

Buford T. Justice learned to play golf here.

[Scott_Burroughs]

This is the Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort, in Shawnee-on-the-
Delaware, PA, on the Delaware River, on the edge of the
Poconos.  This was A.W. Tillinghast's first design, though it
has been whipped, chopped, and pureed since it ws first
built.  Don't the history of the changes.  Notice there are 27
holes.

Shawnee hosted the 1938 PGA Championship, won by "Little
Poison" Paul Runyan over Sam Snead, 8&7 (!), and the 1967
NCAA Championship, won by U. of Colorado football team
defensive back, Hale Irwin.

Shawnee is one of the Poconos' top resorts, and was a bit of
a celebrity hangout long ago, as people such as Jackie
Gleason, Art Carney, Perry Como, and Ed Sullivan stayed
here.  Shawnee also has a downhill ski resort.

It's location is in the beautiful canyon of the Delaware river
bisecting PA and NJ.


here's the layout:

http://www.shawneeinn.com/scorecard.pdf

from the web site:

http://www.shawneeinn.com/poconogolfing.htm


and clues include:

Banff's golf course is also located on a narrow island in the
middle of a river, I believe.

"On" = "On-the-Delaware"

Native American name = Shawnee

hills of river canyon aflush with abundant colors in the fall.

I assume Bill "Diddle" did the other nine holes.

"honeymooned here" refers to the Poconos, a longtime
honeymoon retreat area.  My parents did too.

2 Poconos golf courses that double as downhill ski slopes in
the winter:  Mount Airy Lodge's course, and Tamiment's
course (by RTJ Sr.).

"Buford T. Justice" = Jackie Gleason's character in "Smokey
and the Bandit".


Also, the "Pleasantville" reference refers to the movie of the
same name that starts in B&W and slowly turns to color, a
little at a time.  Have to see it to understand why. Much of
movie is in both B&W and color.

[Dave_Miller]

Is this course in the Delaware River Water Gap???

Best
Dave

[RJ_Daley]

Scott, I think some of my clues were too oblique.  
Although Mike also posted at the same time hinting at
Bill Diddel remodeling and adding on the the course.  

Info on Shawnee can be found on p19, 31 and 109 of "The Course Beautiful".  
And, I don't really know exactly what AWT was referring to with Kilkenney Cats
other than they must have been some singing group that made a lot of noise!  
I only assumed his chapt 48 was making reference to changes
 at Shawnee brought about by a loud minority of members, though he didn't say so specifically.  

Who did Vinnie kill was a really far out attempt at a Norm Crosby like misconscrewsion of Binnikill river...

[Mike_Cirba]

Sorry for the oblique clues...

One that even Scott missed was ""Waring" thin."

For a long time during its glory days, the Shawnee Inn and Resort was owned by Big-band-leader Fred Waring and his family.

He also owned another golf course near York, PA called Grandview GC for a time in the 30s and 40s, and redesigned some holes.

Along with William Diddle's addition of a new nine, and reshuffling of Tillie's holes, it's reported that Waring actually is responsible for design changes at Shawnee, as well.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Actually, I didn't miss the "Waring" clue, I just forgot to
mention it in my rundown.  Waring's ownership is
mentioned on the web site I listed above.  I think the Arnie-
meeting-Winnie tidbit was interesting.  

Did anyone also see the Jackie Gleason mention?  His first
time playing at Shawnee, he shot a 143.  Within 15 months,
he was shooting under 80.  Don't know if it was a Bill Clinton
80, but still a remarkable improvement.

[Dan Grossman]

Dave,

This course is in the Delaware Water Gap and
it is about 20 or 30 minutes north of I-80.

The nines are the Red, White and Blue.  I think
the Red/Blue combination is preferred as it is
a little tougher than Red/White.  I think the
best holes are the par 3's.  There are two
over the river (at the top of the picture in B&W)
that are very good.  However, most of the
par 4s and 5s aren't anything special.  The greens
seem to be just mowed in a flat area and the
bunkering is pretty uninspired.  The bunkers are
not deep and don't look very good.