Sean/All,
To get into more specifics, it's probably easier to just again quote from the materials we put together last year, so please excuse the "sales" language in the following.
However, we think it does layout some very creative options that could yield other enhanced revenue sources.
Restoration Dreams
It’s difficult to imagine any golfer walking off the Cobb’s Creek Golf Course who
doesn’t think to themselves, “what a great course that could be”. Indeed, it’s likely that most people playing across the historic links wouldn’t have any idea of how renowned it once was or how they are treading in the footsteps of golfing giants even today.
For years local golfers and other interested parties have dreamed of someone, somewhere doing something because it seems so obvious that somehow this gem should be polished.
Until these recent findings, it was unclear exactly what could or should be done to honor the great golfing legends from Philadelphia like Hugh Wilson who were responsible for this course and for Cobb’s Creek to reclaim its noble birthright. Now, however, it seems crystalline that what is needed is a committed private/public partnership driving a concerted effort to restore the golf course to its former original routing and greatness, as well as to upgrade its basic infrastructure and conditioning.
There are a number of converging reasons why we believe the time is now ripe for determined action;
• The unearthing of the original routing maps from 1915 and later, as well as vintage aerials charting the historical evolution of the golf course.
• The unearthing of historical accounts and original documentation that not only proves Hugh Wilson’s design involvement, but also directly implicates other legends such as George Crump, Ab Smith, George Thomas, and Walter Travis.
• The unearthing of historical accounts that tell the stories of home-grown Philadelphia champions like Joe Coble and Charlie Sifford who developed their games at Cobb’s Creek.
• The return of the U.S. Open to Merion in 2013, the 100th year anniversary of the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) resolution that led to the creation of Cobb’s Creek. Merion will also host the Walker Cup in 2009.
• A new mayoral administration in Philadelphia that has promised to be amenable to creative public/private partnership for the benefit of all citizens in the region.
• A new golf management company (Billy Casper Golf) with a history of strategic capital investments signing a long-term lease with the Fairmount Park Commission to run the city courses.
• The founding of an independent committee of dedicated local golfers (“Friends of Cobb’s Creek Golf Course’) who are committed to helping move this important sporting initiative forward.
• The strong historic ties between the golf course, minority golf, local neighborhoods, and current USGA initiatives supporting growth in the game such as First Tee, and the Tiger Woods Foundation.
• The Tiger Woods-sponsored AT&T Independence weekend Tournament being hosted in Philadelphia (Aronimink) in 2010 and 2011.
• The success and publicity surrounding similar restorative efforts at historic golf courses like Bethpage Black on Long Island, Memorial Park in Houston, Brackenridge Park in Dallas, and Papago in Phoenix.
• The possibility of engaging nationally prominent golf course restoration specialists who may be interested due to the historical significance and visibility of the project.
• The fact that it would likely be possible to complete the restoration work without having to close the golf course.
• The fact that due to the unique way in which Cobb’s Creek is laid out, it would be possible post-restoration to play either the current, post World War II layout, or the original restored course designed by Hugh Wilson and friends on any given day, as desired.
• The fact that once again, Cobb’s Creek would be a shining treasure for the city of Philadelphia, and a “must play” by visiting golfers when in town.
The following two aerial photos provide a sample of what would be required and what might be done to achieve a full restoration. The lynchpin to any restorative effort will require a creative solution to the use of the existing driving range along City Line Avenue.
Ideally, the Driving Range/Sports Center would be moved to the present driving range across Lansdowne Avenue from the clubhouse, where it could be expanded as necessary. Under that scenario, it would become a teaching facility for Cobb’s Creek professionals and assistants, and would draw a far greater community presence than the present course out along a four-lane suburban highway.
Indeed, if there is a draw for the local community, as there should be, it would be well within the confines of the Cobb’s Creek property itself, and not at an area accessible only by automobile, and with no discerning connection to the golf course property.
The present location of the driving range suggests that one can come to Cobb’s Creek to practice, but go somewhere else to play. Future planning should consider this situation.
The first picture shows today’s course and the second picture details the proposed complete restoration visually. The rest of any restorative effort would mostly require tree and brush removal to recover the former corridors of play to future golfers, effectively restoring this once proud gem to its historic challenge, interest, and great national prominence. For the sake of completeness, this drawing shows the original 14th par 3 in the NW corner, but it is unlikely that hole could be restored, especially given its early replacement circa 1927 by the wonderful 17th.
Of course, it may not be either financially feasible or otherwise desirable to completely remove the driving range/sports center facility on City Line Avenue, so it may be necessary to come up with a creative solution that recognizes that reality yet achieves the goal of restoring the great holes and routing. The following illustrates one possible approach to achieve that seemingly incongruous result.
This option proposes moving the driving range further down the property by clearing the brush at the end of the existing range, extending the fencing further down, turning the range into a 2 or 3 tier, heated, lighted facility (which would have 36 or 54 stalls instead of the present 27), a state-of-the-art indoor training facility, miniature golf, and batting cages. Other possibilities include fencing including locally-painted murals illustrating the story of integrated golf history and the legends who played there, or perhaps a small museum section on those men who were profiled in "Uneven Fairways", and other local greats like Joe Coble, and the Philadelphia School of Architects.
This should provide adequate room to place the original 13th hole back into the routing, which creates the space needed for the rest of the restoration.
