Mike,
You asked a few questions. "Hey Phil...I was just thinking...wouldn't Tillinghast have been 37 years old when the "Far and Sure" article came out in January 1913?"
He was actually 38 but who doesn't mind looking a year or two younger!
"And just so I'm clear, he started work on Shawnee in 1909 and opened it in 1911?"
Yes, though he may have begun planning the work at Shawnee as early as very late 1907 or early 1908.
"Did he start work on any courses in 1912 or any others in that period from 1909 through 1912?"
Yes. He was working on Abington Hills which is NLE, Belfield CC and Wanango CC all of which work was finished by 1913-14. In addition, we have recently learned of several other courses that he may have been involved with as early as 1912 and possibly even late 1911 following on the tails of the successful Shawnee opening. I am not at liberty to share these yet as we are still researching to confirm them and the exact dates.
"Do we have much of a record of what Tilly spent his time doing between say age 21 in 1897 and his first effort at Shawnee in 1909 at age 33?"
Yes we do. First of all he really was working very hard at his father's business, the Tillinghast Rubber Good's Company. What had started out as a simple rubber goods store specializing in the sale of rubber suits for use in baptisms by Baptist ministers grew to at least 4 locations in and around Philadelphia. They produced any and all things for the public's use.
As spectacularly successful as B.C. was in building it up, Tilly was in screwing up. For example, he was given the task of obtaining the patents for several items. He neglected to get this done and it has cost the family millions of dollars over the years for royalties on the squuegee and the spatula...
Still, B.C. put up with his ineptitude and poor business abilities and supported his son and his family through all tghese years.
Tilly also wrote a good deal. The earliest known article of his can be found in the December 1899 issue of GOLF magazine and is titled "A Visit to St. Andrews." In this he writes of his visit the year before and is his first mention of Old Tom in writing and is contains the first use of his most famous photograph, that of Old Tom in the doorway of his shop. There are several other highly memorable photos of his in this article as well including one of his caddy and another well-known image he called the "Fishwives of St. Andrews."
During this time he did play a lot of competitive golf, as did his father. This might explain why he was so indulgent with Tilly in this area.
You mentioned, "I know I should buy the book..." I must agree with you there!
Tom Paul asks, "In your opinion, how long and over what timespan did Tillie consistently contribute to and writer for American Golfer?"
In the American Golfer magazine As "Hazard" Tilly wrote a total of 92 articles from November 1908 to May 1919 in the following sections of the magazine: Eastern Department, Eastern Pennsylvania Notes, Middle Atlantic States, Middle Atlantic Notes and Around Philadelphia. In addition, he also wrote in it under his own name a column titled "In the Bag" which appeared in the December 1914 issue.
During this same time period in 1914 - 1915 he also wrote 19 articles under his own name in the magazine Golf Illustrated and Outdoor America. These were mainly under the byline "The Humor of the Game" "The Kingsmen" The Grouch" etc... and they contained many of his "Cobble Valley Yarns" which served as the basis for his book, Cobble Valley Yarns and Other Stories.