Cobb's Creek Collaborators - Restoration Dreams

[Kyle Harris]

Mike,

Not sure I've ever heard an adult ever more excited than that night on the phone with me when you had the Dallin aerial finally and you realized that the golf course was largely sitting there waiting as opposed to our previous theory that the only original holes were the few around the clubhouse.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

At long last....Here is the official announcement:


https://www.phila.gov/2022-01-19-construction-plan-and-lease-agreement-announced-for-historic-cobbs-creek-golf-course/




From the Inky:


https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/cobbs-creek-golf-course-philadelphia-20220119.html

[MCirba]

Thanks, Steve...for everything!
Copied and pasted below;

   Construction Plan and Lease Agreement Announced for Historic Cobbs Creek Golf Course                           For immediate release: January 19, 2022Published by: Parks and Recreation Commission, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Contact: Maita Soukup      Maita.Soukup@Phila.gov        PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia today announced a multi-year lease agreement with the Cobbs Creek Foundation to restore and revitalize the Cobbs Creek Golf Course and create a brand-new education and community center on the site of this historic course. The Cobbs Creek Foundation (The Foundation) will invest at least $65 million to restore the historic course and surrounding areas into a high quality public space for all Philadelphians, with construction scheduled to begin Spring 2022. When completed, the course will generate sustainable tax revenue for Philadelphia through the creation of more than 150 jobs – including more than 120 jobs to support the golf course and 16 at the community and education center.
   The revitalization of the Cobbs Creek Golf Course will breathe new life into the 105-year-old course, following years of erosion and flooding from the creek that washed away large sections of the greens and fairways, making the course essentially unplayable. In addition, a 2016 a fire destroyed the golf course’s historic clubhouse.
One of the finest public golf courses in America when it opened in 1916, the Cobbs Creek Golf Course welcomed players of all ethnicities decades before other courses and the PGA allowed non-whites to play. The newly unveiled plans celebrate the golf course’s long-standing history of accessibility and inclusion for all Philadelphians.
“For more than a hundred years, Cobbs Creek Golf Course served as a public course welcoming players of all backgrounds, ethnicities and skill levels,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “We are partnering with the Cobbs Creek Foundation to invest in this local treasure, and make sure that Cobbs Creek maintains its place on the map of America’s first, best, and most welcoming public golf courses. The plan for the Cobbs Creek golf course celebrates our city’s identity, embraces a history of inclusion and brings forth a shared message of unity within our city that we can all rally around.”
Construction
Facing significant capital needs and course safety concerns, in 2020 the Cobbs Course Golf Course closed. Today the course is poised to make a triumphant return, promising to put Cobbs Creek Golf Course back on the map as one of our country’s most beautiful and inclusive public golf courses.
“We are very proud to partner with the city of Philadelphia in the restoration of this historic landmark,” said Chris Maguire, chairman of the Cobbs Creek Foundation. “We are fortunate to have a national treasure in our backyard and our mission is to utilize this resource for the direct benefit of the youth of the surrounding community.”
The project will improve the course by rehabilitating the severe erosion along Cobbs Creek and its tributaries, helping to ease area flooding and create a more resilient ecosystem. The plan calls for the revitalization of more than three miles of Cobbs Creek and related tributaries, as well as the restoration of natural habitats that could create up to 37 acres of wetlands. Improved roadway and pedestrian enhancements will ensure the community has safe access to the site.
Additionally, a new Cobbs Creek education and community engagement center, driving range, short course and restaurant on the Cobbs Creek campus are also planned, with an expected completion in 2023.
Finally, a 9-hole course, short course and an 18-hole championship course capable of hosting PGA Tour events, designed by the renowned golf course design team of Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, will open to the public in 2024. Currently, Philadelphia is the largest U.S. city without a stop on the PGA Tour.
“The comprehensive restoration of Cobbs Creek’s Golf Course will have a lasting impact on the Overbrook Park community. The project will create jobs, educational opportunities, and will be an anchor for the neighborhood, West Philadelphia and the region,” said District 4 Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr.
Education and programming
Along with the physical restoration of the course and expanding the campus, the Cobbs Creek Foundation will establish robust programming for the Cobbs Creek community, designed to grow visitation, drive revenue, and raise awareness of the course’s significant role in America’s golfing history.
The Cobbs Creek Foundation will expand community partnerships at the site, collaborating with local schools to provide youth programs that build students’ life and career skills through the prism of playing golf. Foundation educators have begun to engage residents with the goal of creating an educational model that is created by the community and for the community. In early 2022, the Foundation will begin offering new community-driven education programs and support services to families in partnership with neighboring schools.
“The investments that Cobbs Creek Foundation is making will forever change Overbrook Park,” said State Representative Morgan Cephas. “I’m grateful that the Foundation has found a way to expose minority youth to non-traditional sports and activities and that they are committed to working with their neighbors and being true community partners in their efforts.”
The Cobbs Creek Foundation’s revitalization plan calls for a minimum investment of $65 million to restore and develop the golf course, as well as the education and community center, and includes up to $15 million to restore Cobbs Creek itself. Restoration efforts will support more than 750 jobs and provide more than $56 million in total employment compensation. When fully operational, the campus is expected to create 150 jobs, providing staff with compensation totaling more than $6.5 million annually, and generating more than $350,000 in tax revenue for the local economy.
History of the Cobbs Creek Golf Course
Designed by legendary local architect Hugh Wilson, who created Merion Golf Club, with the help of other notable architects of the early 20th century, Cobbs Creek quickly established a reputation as the best public course in the country when it opened in 1916. In a time when most golf clubs only allowed white men, Cobbs Creek welcomed all races as well as women. Along with hosting the 1928 United States Public Links championship, two “Daily News Opens” on the PGA tour, the course hosted the United Golfers Association (UGA) Championship four times, an organization for Black golfers that paralleled the all-white PGA. Charlie Sifford, the first African American to win a PGA tour event, called Cobbs Creek Golf Course his home. Cobbs Creek was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame in 2021, one of only seven courses to ever receive the honor, due in large part to its history of inclusion.
“Cobbs Creek is legendary because Cobbs Creek opened itself up to golfers like Charlie Sifford, the first African American golfer to be admitted to the PGA tour,” said State Senator Vincent Hughes. “For 14 years, Mr. Sifford, who I spent time with when we honored him as an African American Legend of Golf, battled to integrate the PGA Tour. Without places like Cobbs Creek, pioneers like Mr. Sifford may never have had the opportunity to break down barriers and make the sport fully accessible. The revitalization of Cobbs Creek invests in and honors a place that welcomed Mr. Sifford and other golfers of color. Additionally, Cobbs Creek’s new innovative programing will introduce a new generation of black and brown children to both the sport, and the business of golf. And that is certainly an investment worth making.”
The Cobbs Creek course faced setbacks that nearly cost Philadelphia a crucial element of its cultural heritage. During the early years of the Cold War, the U.S. military annexed 15% of the property for use as an anti-aircraft battery. The resulting loss of acreage created a need to significantly re-route the golf course, damaging some of the course’s most renowned and dramatic holes.
“The revitalization of Cobbs Creek isn’t just preserving Philadelphia’s past, it’s an investment in our city’s future,” said Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “With the renewal of this beloved pillar of our community we can provide educational opportunities for students, generate revenue for the city and increase tourism, all while cultivating community togetherness and protecting our green spaces for our children and grandchildren for decades to come.”
To learn more about the Cobbs Creek Golf Course, including the education and community engagement center, please visit https://cobbscreek.org/.
###
About Cobbs Creek Foundation
Cobbs Creek Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in 2018 whose mission is to create an economically sustainable golf and educational campus which provides opportunity for the diverse youth of Philadelphia. In addition to building and improving the physical assets, the Foundation is focused on partnering with local schools and engaging continually with the community to ensure the most beneficial outcomes.
About Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR)
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) advances the prosperity of the city and the progress of its people through stewardship of nearly 10,200 acres of public land and waterways, and management of 500 recreation buildings, 166 miles of trail, and 250 playgrounds. PPR offers safe, enjoyable recreation, environmental and cultural programs and events throughout Philadelphia’s parks and recreation system. PPR promotes the well-being and growth of the city’s residents by connecting them to the natural world, to each other and to fun, physical and social opportunities. In 2017, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell, set about implementing the park system’s first strategic plan: Our Path to 2020 and Beyond. As a result, PPR is undertaking a period of historic change, setting the department on a course to become a modern, equitable and exceptional parks and recreation system. Visit us at www.phila.gov/parksandrec, and follow @philaparkandrec on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
   ###

[Mike Sweeney]

Mike,


Congratulations. I am confused/disappointed that none of our GCA Friends are recognized on the new CC website.


I get it, they may have turned it into a money game, but that is not right. You guys did ALOT of work, and if you send me CL's contact info, I will send him a note.


Thanks

[mike_malone]

I’m confident that the launch of this work is enough to send Bausch/Cirba over the moon and that’s sufficient reward.

[MCirba]

Mike S. & Mike M.,


We got the ball rolling and pushed it up some hills and down through some swamps over these many years.


We aren't in the Foundation but we are in with the Foundation and architects and have been coordinating efforts for a long time now.  This is way bigger than the both of us as it should be and as it had to be to achieve a successful outcome.


They said it could never be done.  Future dreamers take note.


All is as it should be and I'm pretty sure we wouldn't change a thing.

[archie_struthers]

 




Mike ...Joe et al     


great news !


my fondest wishes for project and mission ....


as I read the posts from 2007 and on realize the monumental achievement you were instrumental in , CONGRATS

[Peter Pallotta]

Mike, Joe: big congratulations, and even bigger respect. That you not only pushed to get the ball rolling, but that you kept pushing it even long after you realized (as I'm sure you did) that your thanks was very likely to be in the pushing itself -- well, not one in a hundred of us can do the former, and not one in a thousand would do the latter. Hats off to you both.
Peter

[Mark Molyneux]

I grew up playing Walnut Lane as a kid. Over the ensuing decades, I've played all the courses at Bethpage, two each at Cog Hill and Torrey Pines. I played Harding Park and I played Audubon Park. Other cities have similar "premiere courses" that have excited followings and for good reasons. All very different tracks but what they share in common is the appreciation and pride of the locals. Cobbs Creek can be that for Philly... I feel confident in saying that because I know it once was the town's pride and joy.

I can personally recall playing #1 & #2 as the finishing holes, when #3 was the opener. I have a special spot in my heart for Cobbs since I worked at a Philly public school for a few years and I made every effort to get in some golf before going home to score papers. It was rough around the edges, even dangerous at times... I recall having indoor recess for a month, after someone claimed to have seen a mountain lion near the old #11!

In December 2021, I walked the existing property noting the stakes planted for greens and tees. For the record, I had seen the 1930 aerials before my walk and I struggled to make sense of them. I did not see the #6 or the #12 and especially not the #13 that all the folks, posting before me, are describing. Having said that, I heartily approve of the thinking reflected in the Hanse plans. I saw a blurb on this evening's news about the 10s of millions of dollars planned for the restoration of Cobbs and I find that encouraging but far from guaranteed. It'd be nice. I'll wait and see and maybe kick in some good faith dollars in the meantime.

A bit of meta-analysis, if I may. I read the many posts that came before this one but I don't recall seeing mention of, let alone discussion of, the outward nine being 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4. #10 and #11 make it 11 straight par 4s, which has to be some sort of record. Individually, I have no problem with the holes but that's a load of consecutive two-shot propositions. If I read the plan correctly, I see a lot of new fairway bunkering, starting with the fairway bunker left on #1, presumably to make longer hitters think about flying a drive over the creek at its nearest point to the tee. Number 2 picks up a centrally positioned bunker and a left side bunker off the tee... and so on and so on. Other observations about the front side the new #7 (formerly #12) is a brilliant golf hole that picks up some added defense in the form of fairway bunkering on the right. Not sure how I feel about forcing play on #5 to the right (at least it appears that way). I rarely went left off the tee and I always wondered about the path crossing the creek back to the right side... A. Why would anybody hit left except by mistake? B. The creek is too damn deep to walk or ride through.

The inward nine is certainly more varied with a trio of one-shotters and the lone par 5. It appears that 10 is the old #8. Did I read that right?! Number 11 is a par 4 playing over 500 yards, including a substantial rise to the green. Wow! If I manage par 4 at the new 11, may I claim it was really a personal birdie after all. I suspect it may ultimately appear on the card as, "#11, 515 yards Par 4/5". Number 12 will be a new experience for me. Even at 145 with the elevation change and a little wind, I hope for a drop zone. Number 13 is the newbie. I can't see the last 25% of the hole on the Hanse plans but I bet it's gonna be special! Far better use of the property than a Nike missile installation. I'd prefer #14 at 370 rather than 330 so long as there's a flat area. I played Alpine CC and I did not appreciate watching my tee shot roll back 15 yards only to leave me with a second shot that can only be practiced on The Wall in Manayunk from somewhere around Fleming Street up to the top of The Wall. My hope for #15 is that they retain the mounding in the fairway. The 16th will be, as it has been, a solid drive and a long iron. I am not sure if I ever played the tee on 17 that's directly to the right of the 2020 short 4, #16. I love how it brings players in over a deep front bunker! Keeping that tee box and the more commonly used tee setting bunkers left and right of the green seems smart. Except for a proposed bunker at the turn, it's pretty much the 18 that I knew and worried about because of the blind tee shot. Can we have a bell at the bottom of the hill?

One final thought, the practice courses appear to eliminate at least three (maybe 4?) holes from Karakung. My presumption would be that Karakung might become a nine holer. Could there be a chance to shrink the remnant down to a track for juniors and seniors? Might there then be space for a first tee facility? Might there be chance for public school kids out of Saul High School (or a similar program) to work internships, maybe even with a classroom in the clubhouse or the maintenance facility? Listen... Saul used to have a golf hole on the property, north of Henry Avenue where the students learned about golf course construction and maintenance. They also work Fox Chase Farm successfully. I think putting a kid into the Penn State program out of Cobbs Creek would be at least as exciting as the first double eagle on #13.

As for any GCA gathering to talk more and hear more about Cobbs Creek, count me in!

[MCirba]

Archie and Peter, your kind words of support mean more to me than I can express.   This project has been a labor of love for all of us who got the ball rolling and I'm reminded of the old adage that goes something like if you love what you're doing it's not really work.   

Mark,


One of the downsides of unearthing this old thread is that there are so many broken links, photos that no longer show, etc., and I'm not sure which version of the Master Plan you're looking at.   I am thrilled that you were able to walk the property to see the stakes so that probably gives us some frame of reference.   I will mention a cautionary note about the bunkering that Jim Wagner told me which is sometimes these mockups that are used for project promotion and presentations just show bunkering to show bunkering if you know what i mean.   Whether those are what goes in the ground is another story and likely to be more reflective of additional time spent on the property and what makes sense once the trees are cleared from the forest, so to speak.

I'll send you a message offline, thanks!

[Rory Connaughton]

Joe and Mike,


All of this effort has been an incredible gift to the  City of Philadelphia, the game, those who love it AND those who will come to the game and realize the ancillary benefits wrapped into this project. Rarely do ambitions result in transformational outcomes like this. Congratulations to you and the rest of the Cobbs team.


-R

[MCirba]

Thanks very much, Rory...greatly appreciated and this news is indeed gratifying.

Just a cautionary note for everyone.   Although target dates have been announced, this is hardly the end but instead only the beginning.   Who knows what obstacles may be encountered once tree and creek work begins?   Lots of hard work ahead, I suspect but great to see the commitment on everyone's (Foundation, City of Philadelphia, State, us architectural geeks) part.

[SL_Solow]

Mike, thus is wonderful news for all of us who love architecture and who are working to support municipal golf.  Congratulations.  You are wise to anticipate future obstacles.  As a wise man once said, " it ain't over till it's over".

[Mike_Trenham]

There are a lot of golf fans here in Philadelphia that hope the timeline can be met close enough that the USGA and Merion Golf Club will be in a position to confidently extend an invitation for Cobbs Creek to act as the second course for medal play in the 2026 US Amateur.

[mike_malone]

I’m sharpening my axe.

[MCirba]

Mike, thus is wonderful news for all of us who love architecture and who are working to support municipal golf.  Congratulations.  You are wise to anticipate future obstacles.  As a wise man once said, " it ain't over till it's over".

Shelly,


Thank you very much for the kind words.  Yesterday was spent in celebratory emotional excitement and perhaps a glass or two more than the doctor recommends.  Today, especially after reading some of the social media commentary on some Philadelphia media sites I'm back at the sober reality of understanding that more hurdles; regulatory and public relations-wise with sincere community education and outreach need to be cleared at one of the most divisive times in our nation's history.  Eyes on the prize!

[JESII]

Way to go Mike, Joe and everyone else that jumped in with you guys!


I'm every bit as happy for you as I am proud of you for getting this far.

[Tommy Williamsen]

It looks like an enormous project that includes the surrounding area. It is a wonderful investment in the future and a restoration of what was. Congratulations to Mike, Joe, and all the others that pushed for this project,. It was nice to watch the progress from afar. When I was in Philly a few years ago I purposely walked the property. I can't wait to play it.

[MCirba]

Way to go Mike, Joe and everyone else that jumped in with you guys!


I'm every bit as happy for you as I am proud of you for getting this far.

Jim,

Great to hear from you and appreciate the kind words.   You'll need to come over and play the course with us in a few years and perhaps we can stop at that wine bar in Ardmore where we solved the world's problems a decade or so back.

See...and people say nothing good ever came out of those Merion threads!   

[MCirba]

It looks like an enormous project that includes the surrounding area. It is a wonderful investment in the future and a restoration of what was. Congratulations to Mike, Joe, and all the others that pushed for this project,. It was nice to watch the progress from afar. When I was in Philly a few years ago I purposely walked the property. I can't wait to play it.

Tommy,

Please do let us know when you're in the area, even prior to it re-opening.   We'd love to meet you and give you the grand tour.

[Mike Sweeney]

Letter sent via email and old fashioned hard copy. Neither Joe nor Mike asked me to do this. It is simply the right thing as I know some Board members via Philly golf friends:


Cobbs Creek Foundation
300 Conshohocken State Road,
Suite 405,
West Conshohocken, PA 19428


Dear xxx
In the history of the Saint Joe’s Prep golf teams, my status as the #4 player on the 1980 team that choked very badly in the Catholic League Championships will be very difficult to find in the archives of 17th and Girard!! That said, I still count today many friends from that team that I play with at many fancy clubs in Philly, da Shore, Florida, Rhode Island, and I even got XXX, my 1980 Captain, out to Sand Hills Golf Club.
While my family were “House Members” at Overbook GC, and The Prep had Monday matches at The ‘Brook, my Dad did not play golf, so my learning of the game started in my Freshman year (cut from the Prep team) at Walnut Lane. Of course it grew at Cobbs Creek where The Prep Golf Team had Friday matches and most of our practices. I have lived in Manhattan for 30+ years, and I have been fortunate to play at and be a Member many wonderful golf clubs from around the world, but “Cobbs” has always remained my “Hometown Home Course”.
In those golf travels, I discovered the website GolfClubAtlas.com via my host and friend at Sand Hills Golf Club. This was when 97+% of golfers had never heard of Sand Hills. One of the first reviews I read on GCA.com was about Walnut Lane Golf Course, and it is still there today!! https://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/walnut-lane/
What kind of a website would write about Walnut Lane???
It is somewhat embarrassing to admit, but I have been on GCA.com for 20+ years, and I remain because of the passionate golfers, historians, architects, and kooks that love the game and playing fields of golf.  Mike Cirba, Joe Bausch, and their “Architectural Appreciation” friends have posted volumes of information about Cobbs Creek, and their work reminds me of the famous Winston Churchill quote:
“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” Winston Churchill.
It is my suggestion/request that they be recognized on: 1) the Cobbs Creek Foundation website, and 2) the grounds of the new-Cobbs Creek Golf Course. I believe they possess many “Ignatius Qualities”, and please understand that while they are occasional golf partners, they did NOT ask me to write this letter.
“Love ought to show itself in deeds more than in words.” Saint Ignatius Loyola.

In addition, the new-Cobbs Creek looks like it aspires to be very inclusive. In my journey of life, I have become an Advocate for the Developmentally Disabled, focused on People with Autism like my son Dustin. If you should be interested to speak about playing and caddying opportunities for People with Autism, I am happy to help at my “Hometown Home Course”. My wife and I have been strong Advocates for Broadway for our son and his friends -
https://www.tedxbroadway.com/talks/2017/1/11/theater-for-all-katie-sweeney


Sincerely yours,



Michael W Sweeney
4th Man of the 1980 St Joe's Prep Golf Team

[Chris Roselle]

Thanks for sharing Mike and well said.  I played on the golf team at The Prep in the early 90's and was captain of the team my senior year.  By that time we had moved from playing matches at Cobbs to courses like Juniata, Bala and finally Twining Valley.  I would love to speak about playing this wonderful game to People with Autism, as my oldest son is on the spectrum.  I can be reached via my email below.


Chris Roselle | GAP Tournament Director
Celebrating Amateur Golf Since 1897
610-687-2340, ext. 29
 
www.gapgolf.org | croselle@gapgolf.org

Letter sent via email and old fashioned hard copy. Neither Joe nor Mike asked me to do this. It is simply the right thing as I know some Board members via Philly golf friends:


Cobbs Creek Foundation
300 Conshohocken State Road,
Suite 405,
West Conshohocken, PA 19428


Dear xxx
In the history of the Saint Joe’s Prep golf teams, my status as the #4 player on the 1980 team that choked very badly in the Catholic League Championships will be very difficult to find in the archives of 17th and Girard!! That said, I still count today many friends from that team that I play with at many fancy clubs in Philly, da Shore, Florida, Rhode Island, and I even got XXX, my 1980 Captain, out to Sand Hills Golf Club.
While my family were “House Members” at Overbook GC, and The Prep had Monday matches at The ‘Brook, my Dad did not play golf, so my learning of the game started in my Freshman year (cut from the Prep team) at Walnut Lane. Of course it grew at Cobbs Creek where The Prep Golf Team had Friday matches and most of our practices. I have lived in Manhattan for 30+ years, and I have been fortunate to play at and be a Member many wonderful golf clubs from around the world, but “Cobbs” has always remained my “Hometown Home Course”.
In those golf travels, I discovered the website GolfClubAtlas.com via my host and friend at Sand Hills Golf Club. This was when 97+% of golfers had never heard of Sand Hills. One of the first reviews I read on GCA.com was about Walnut Lane Golf Course, and it is still there today!! https://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/walnut-lane/
What kind of a website would write about Walnut Lane???
It is somewhat embarrassing to admit, but I have been on GCA.com for 20+ years, and I remain because of the passionate golfers, historians, architects, and kooks that love the game and playing fields of golf.  Mike Cirba, Joe Bausch, and their “Architectural Appreciation” friends have posted volumes of information about Cobbs Creek, and their work reminds me of the famous Winston Churchill quote:
“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” Winston Churchill.
It is my suggestion/request that they be recognized on: 1) the Cobbs Creek Foundation website, and 2) the grounds of the new-Cobbs Creek Golf Course. I believe they possess many “Ignatius Qualities”, and please understand that while they are occasional golf partners, they did NOT ask me to write this letter.
“Love ought to show itself in deeds more than in words.” Saint Ignatius Loyola.

In addition, the new-Cobbs Creek looks like it aspires to be very inclusive. In my journey of life, I have become an Advocate for the Developmentally Disabled, focused on People with Autism like my son Dustin. If you should be interested to speak about playing and caddying opportunities for People with Autism, I am happy to help at my “Hometown Home Course”. My wife and I have been strong Advocates for Broadway for our son and his friends -
https://www.tedxbroadway.com/talks/2017/1/11/theater-for-all-katie-sweeney


Sincerely yours,



Michael W Sweeney
4th Man of the 1980 St Joe's Prep Golf Team

[Bret Lawrence]

Congratulations to Mike and Joe for your commitment to the project.  Congratulations to the Cobb’s Creek Foundation and community for supporting this endeavor.  Congratulations to the current and future municipal golfers of Philadelphia! 

[archie_struthers]

 


As usual well done Mr Sweeney. Had I not been on this site would not have had the pleasure of meeting you! It goes without saying that Mssrs Cirba and Bausch deserve the recognition.


Here's hoping that the project becomes all they envisioned.

[Mark Molyneux]

Thanks for sharing Mike and well said.  I played on the golf team at The Prep in the early 90's and was captain of the team my senior year.  By that time we had moved from playing matches at Cobbs to courses like Juniata, Bala and finally Twining Valley.  I would love to speak about playing this wonderful game to People with Autism, as my oldest son is on the spectrum.  I can be reached via my email below.


Chris Roselle | GAP Tournament Director
Celebrating Amateur Golf Since 1897
610-687-2340, ext. 29


Chris! I read your note about people with autism becoming more involved with the game of golf. I happen to think it's a great idea. I worked as a school psychologist for 39 years in the Philly schools with a lot of special kids, some of whom were on spectrum. I'll assume that you know something of the debate on Moe Norman. Was he an individual with an autism spectrum disorder or were his atypical behaviors the consequence of a sledding injury (TBI) as a kid growing up in Canada? If you are not familiar with Moe's story, do some reading. It's funny, tragic but most of all inspiring.

I'm a fellow Prepper (Class of '67) but I was too busy playing baseball in high school to be truly serious about golf. I'll note that I did give up my interlocking grip to a foul tip, while catching a game against Bonner at 33rd and Dauphin. That small incident taught me a lot about rehabilitating sports injuries but a lot more about adjustments (physical, mental and expectations) and  accommodations. Realizing that golf teaches much more than hitting straight drives and avoiding three-putts, it was heartening to see bags of clubs in principals' offices. First Tee has so much potential!

I've played with amputees. I've played with blinded golfers. They've taught me a great deal. I hope that I was able to share something valuable with them. There have to be half a hundred uses for the proposed learning center at Cobbs but there are a lot of genuinely talented teaching pros, who have a track record of working effectively with young golfers. I'm very interested to see people with all sorts of challenges gain greater access to the greatest game. Golf can satisfy as a completely solitary pursuit and it can satisfy as a stimulating social encounter. I've played it both ways as I'm sure you have too. Best wishes to your and to your son.