[Stuart Hallett]

Having trouble finding the architect. The course opened in Febuary 1900 and looks similar to other works of the Dunn brothers. No archives at the club, as per usual, but still signs of victorian symetrical architecture, square greens, penal bunkering & some interesting green complexes. I suspect the architect had experience given the tricky routing on 28 hectares & evidence of skilled earth works that are still intact.

Can anyone help ? Do we know if the Dunn's documented their courses ?
Thanks 

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Bump. This is too interesting to let it get to page 935.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Stuart,
There is a reference to the club's history-   
 
Golf Bordelais - 1900-2000. 
  2000  66pp  Comité du Centenaire du Golf Bordelais 
  A complete history of the famous golf club. 

-at this website-
http://www.golfika.com/index.html

-although it's not available online. 

[Mark Bourgeois]

Stuart

Earlier this year I tried to find out more about the Old Course at Ravenstein -- but the club does not know who designed it! Their "best guess" is Seymour Dunn.  So, another data point to suggest the Dunns traveled below the radar.

The local Bordeaux paper, Sud Ouest, seems to have digitized their archives back to 1944, its annee naissance.  So that's not helpful.

Not sure what Bordelais journals existed then -- have you queried the local biblioteque?

The main digital source I found was Gallica, the Bibliothéque Nationale de France.

There I found L'Oest-Éclair archives back to 1912.  But frustratingly, while online it does not appear searchable -- plus of course it's one province north! If you knew a few anniversary dates for the club, you might try looking at those papers before and after the date.
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb41193642z/date

Also, here's the main search site for the BNF -- I tried a few Dunn / golf / Bordelais combos but came up dry. Perhaps you will have better luck:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/

I did find one on of BNF's pages mention of problems with their search function and a beta / version 2 site which apparently is improved:
http://gallica2.bnf.fr/advancedsearch?submitAdvsearch=Advanced+search

I entered "golf" and "Bordelais" and date before 1920 and came up with 9 pages of results -- would narrow down but have to run!

Bonne chance,
Mark

[Stuart Hallett]

Thanks Chaps !

Just noticed I had some answers after loosing hope a few days ago.

I'll certainly follow up the advice & keep you informed on my findings. I had some good news today, a member has agreed to hand over some dust covered archives that may, or may not shed some light on the matter. An old plan would be nice, but then, I think the same about winning the lottery !

A bientôt..

[Mark Bourgeois]

Stuart

I did spend time Sat nite at the BnF site but couldn't come up with anything. Maybe you will have better luck.  FWIW, the first course in France (and Europe!) was designed just down the road, in Pau, in 1856 or thereabouts, by the senior Dunn.

Minor support for your hypothesis, but hopefully something!

Who knows, maybe Pau has an archive? They do have a history page on their website but nothing relevant.

Mark

[Christoph Meister]

Having trouble finding the architect. The course opened in Febuary 1900 and looks similar to other works of the Dunn brothers. No archives at the club, as per usual, but still signs of victorian symetrical architecture, square greens, penal bunkering & some interesting green complexes. I suspect the architect had experience given the tricky routing on 28 hectares & evidence of skilled earth works that are still intact.

Can anyone help ? Do we know if the Dunn's documented their courses ?
Thanks 

Hello Stuart,

here something to again practice your French: The entry for Bordeaux GC from Arnaud Massy's "Le Golf", published by Pierre Laffite et Cie., Paris 1911.

Don't try to look into the English Edition of this book, it doesn't have the part at the end describing the Golf courses in France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Unfortunately there is no layout/routing of Bordeaux GC in Massy's book, the ealiest one I have is from 1931 (pls. see below). Also there is no mentioning of who is was the architect. I keep searching....

Cheers

Christoph

[Bill_McBride]

Having trouble finding the architect. The course opened in Febuary 1900 and looks similar to other works of the Dunn brothers. No archives at the club, as per usual, but still signs of victorian symetrical architecture, square greens, penal bunkering & some interesting green complexes. I suspect the architect had experience given the tricky routing on 28 hectares & evidence of skilled earth works that are still intact.

Can anyone help ? Do we know if the Dunn's documented their courses ?
Thanks 

Hello Stuart,

here something to again practice your French: The entry for Bordeaux GC from Arnaud Massy's "Le Golf", published by Pierre Laffite et Cie., Paris 1911.

Don't try to look into the English Edition of this book, it doesn't have the part at the end describing the Golf courses in France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Unfortunately there is no layout/routing of Bordeaux GC in Massy's book, the ealiest one I have is from 1931 (pls. see below). Also there is no mentioning of who is was the architect. I keep searching....

Cheers

Christoph

Great layout!  I love that the 17th hole crosses three other holes!  I hope they issued hard hats to all players..... 

Of course in France at that time there probably weren't 40 players in the country. 

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