1927 Evening Courier reviews by Jack Nuneville

« **on:** February 07, 2009, 01:53:25 PM »

In late September of 1927 pro Jack Nuneville reviewed 11 courses in New Jersey over about a month period. I'll present the first five in this first message. You might have heard of the first.

« **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2009, 02:33:59 PM »

The Camel cigarettes ad, featuring with the review of Pitman Golf Club, is funny. These old cigarette ads infer that you're almost crazy not to smoke! How times have changed, eh.

« **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2009, 04:22:25 PM »

Here are the other six reviews:

« **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2009, 06:33:24 PM »

Joe,

Oak Valley is Pennsauken, right?

And Carney's Pt. is Sakima.

« **Reply #4 on:** February 07, 2009, 07:07:37 PM »

Quote from: MikeCirba on February 07, 2009, 06:33:24 PM

Joe,

Oak Valley is Pennsauken, right?

And Carney's Pt. is Sakima.

Mike, I have no idea quite honestly! But I will check.... and I'm guessing you are right.

Joe
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« **Reply #5 on:** February 07, 2009, 07:44:44 PM »

Joe:

That 1927 article on Pine Valley is definitely one I've never seen before and it brings up a few really interesting points (at least one of which I doubt is true)----ie that Crump bought that ground in 1910 as a hunting preserve. I believe that Crump bought that land from Sumner Ireland in the fall of 1912 and the deed and club records appear to confirm that.

However, the part in that article that mentions he worked 'silently' on that land (perhaps just looking at it carefully on his own) from perhaps very late in 1910 (he was abroad in the fall of 1910 and until December) until the fall of 1912 when he bought it makes a lot of sense and also pretty much confirms the accuracy of a Tillinghast article from March 1913 that he (Tillie) had known about it for a golf course for over a year but was asked by Crump not to say anything about it.

Crump was definitely a very avid hunter and some have said he was on that land for hunting previous to identifying it for a golf course. That might be the case and if he did hunt it perhaps he had some kind of hunting rights on the land that he paid something to Ireland for.

Ironically, once he bought the land he banned all hunting on it for all time to come.

« **Reply #6 on:** February 07, 2009, 07:53:59 PM »

Joe/Tom,

Coming off hand surgery Thurs so i cant type much.

plus, meds make me groggy....catch up soon

« **Reply #7 on:** February 07, 2009, 07:59:40 PM »

Quote from: MikeCirba on February 07, 2009, 07:53:59 PM

Joe/Tom,

Coming off hand surgery Thurs so i cant type much.

plus, meds make me groggy....catch up soon

Dear Mike,

People on 'ludes should not drive.

Sincerely,
Jeff Spicoli
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« **Reply #8 on:** February 07, 2009, 08:11:34 PM »

Im wrong...Pennsauken was Valley Brook.

does it say where Oak Valley was located?

Also...today's Valley Brook...which used to be Blackwood...was not Findlay.

turns out from that historicaerials site that it didn't exist until the 60s. Trying to find info...all i came up with is that Jamie won a tourney there for 14 and under.

Also..Springfield in NJ was not Garrett Renn...it opened after 1970 and he died two years prior.

« **Reply #9 on:** February 07, 2009, 08:41:13 PM »

It is also interesting to me that the article on Pine Valley lists the 15th hole as 597 yards. That would probably place the tee on the land behind the 14th green. That would not surprise me as the club seriously considered creating a low bridge across the lake around 1921-22. I think that idea may've been Alison's. It was rejected and the hole's tee was henceforth (until recently when the new back tee was place behind the 14th making the hole 615 yards) just to the left of the 14th green with the bridge on the left and shorter that includes the famous "nature walk" around to the left to the 15th fairway.

That article needed a bit more edit checking. In the photo caption they got pro/greenkeeper/Crump's original foreman Jim Govan's name right but in the article they called him Johnny Goran.

« **Reply #10 on:** February 07, 2009, 08:56:15 PM »

Just reading the headlines and some of the larger text, the words "beauty" and "attractive" jump off the page.

Fascinating how early on the culture of placing an emphasis on aesthetic was treated in media.(marketing?)

« **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2009, 10:00:40 PM »

Adam:

The tone and the descriptions in almost every single article in these old newspapers is so similar, particularly in the early Philadelphia newspapers, I would be very surprised if there is a single person on this website who still thinks those reporters were interested in doing some really informative and objective architectural reviews as to the differences between good and not so good golf course architecture or beauty or lack of it. It sure sounds to me like those newspapers and their reporters were doing a ton of good old fashioned and fairly blatant marketing of clubs and such!

My great, great (or maybe one more great) grandfather essentially owned one of those Philadelphia newspapers (The Public Ledger) and to him and the guy who ran the paper for him, development (real estate expansion, clubs, business, whatever) was generally good for overall business which they were all interested in and certainly extrapolated into selling more newspapers.

If we want more objective, critical and in-depth analysis of any of these early courses probably a better place to find it is in the early golf magazines and not necessarily the local newspaper reporting.

« **Reply #12 on:** February 08, 2009, 01:41:02 AM »

In the Pine Valley article, the author says #4 is not so fascinating. What do you guys think about that?

He says #7 is comparatively easy. Yes/no?

Finally, he says #8 has a windmill. Is it still there?

« **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2009, 10:08:14 AM »

JimN:

Yes, #8 still has the windmill on it. Today it's something of a halfway house. As for what Nuneville said about #4 and #7 that pretty much conclusively proves that reporter and course reviewer (if anyone actually wants to claim he is that) has his head pretty far up his ass. I'm sorry but there is just no other way to say it properly.

Or alternatively, I guess one could say if a golfer hits two really great shots on #4 and three really great shots on #7 neither hole is all that hard!

By the way, Jack Nuneville is actually that reporter's pen name. His real name was Jack Nunbrains. The library where his article has been reposited for the last 82 years did their level best to hide his article on Pine Valley from ever seeing the light of day again but that ultra-uber research mole Joe Bausch apparently has done faked them out and found it.

« **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2009, 07:10:41 PM »

I suddenly have the urge to go out a buy a pack of Camels.

« **Reply #15 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:52:34 AM »

I believe Jack Nuneville grew up caddying at Philadelphia Cricket Club.

« **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2009, 12:33:54 PM »

Also, Oak Valley was previously Altwood CC, a course I introduced in an earlier thread, and designed by Alexander Findlay:

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,33428.msg710219.html#msg710219

« **Reply #17 on:** February 10, 2009, 12:39:38 PM »

Not to be a cynic...

But its no wonder so many clubs are addicted to having the biggest and best clubhouses. Every single one of those articles included an obligatory shot of their facilities. Guess this isn't a recent phenomenom and goes way back...

« **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2009, 12:42:14 PM »

Quote from: MikeCirba on February 07, 2009, 07:53:59 PM

Joe/Tom,

Coming off hand surgery Thurs so i cant type much.

plus, meds make me groggy....catch up soon

Have a couple of drinks, you'll perk right up!

« **Reply #19 on:** March 05, 2009, 05:19:13 PM »

I've updated many of the original articles above with better quality scans. More of the pictures are less dark now.

« **Reply #20 on:** December 23, 2020, 01:21:01 PM »

Reviving this old thread which has some great articles on South Jersey courses. If anyone has any updates on any of the courses in this thread, I'd love to hear it.

In 1931 the Courier-Post published a similar series of articles written by Otts Hulleberg. I have only been able to track down six of these so far.

First up - Spring Hill CC, Maple Shade, NJ

Note: This was a different course than today's Pennsauken CC, Spring Hill being located on the East side of Maple Grove with Pennsauken on the West.

In 1930 Spring Hill took over the Valley Brook GC 9 hole course which had been laid out by J. Franklin Meehan in 1927. From what I can tell, the course was taken over by housing in the early 1970's.

April 14, 1931 The Morning Post -

« **Reply #21 on:** December 23, 2020, 01:25:42 PM »

Second, Merchantville CC, Merchantville, NJ

Unfortunately the image of this article is blurred out. Leaving it here with the hopes a better copy shows up.

One of the oldest clubs in the area. Pretty sure I attended a wedding here in 1999 and snuck out on the course to play a few holes.

April 21, 1931 Courier-Post -

« **Reply #22 on:** December 23, 2020, 01:29:46 PM »

Moorestown Field Club, Moorestown, NJ

Another throwback to an earlier time. The early guides attribute this to Willie Campbell, but I've seen Findlay's name here as well.

April 28, 1931 Courier-Post -

« **Reply #23 on:** December 23, 2020, 01:32:51 PM »

Riverton CC, Riverton, NJ

Riverton has been discussed in detail on this site.

May 5, 1931 Courier-Post -

« **Reply #24 on:** December 23, 2020, 01:36:14 PM »

Woodbury CC, Woodbury, NJ

Originally laid out by Dr. H. H. Clark in 1897, Findlay was involved here at some point.

May 12, 1931 Courier-Post -

News:

Joe Bausch

Jeff_Mingay

Joe Bausch

Mike_Cirba

Joe Bausch

TEPaul

Mike_Cirba

Joe Bausch

Mike_Cirba

TEPaul

Adam Clayman

TEPaul

Jim Nugent

TEPaul

Bradley Anderson

Joe Bausch

Joe Bausch

Kalen Braley

Bill_McBride

Joe Bausch

Sven Nilsen

Sven Nilsen

Sven Nilsen

Sven Nilsen

Sven Nilsen