According to David's theory, sometime between June 1910 and November 15, 1910 Macdonald and Whigham routed the golf course for Merion prior to purchase.
Yet, the report of M&W's visit that went to the Merion Board mentioned nothing at all about any routing or any golf course design work that M&W did. In fact, we know that theirr July 1910 letter was realy just a single-page feasibility study making very guarded recommendations to Merion of largely acreage and agronomic advice.
Afterwards, the Merion Site Committee reported the following to the Board;
The Committee, through Mr. R. E. Griscom were fortunate enough to get Messrs. C.B. Macdonald and H.J. Whigham to come over from New York and give us the beneift of their experience.
These gentlemen, besides being famous golfers, have given the matter of Golf Course construction much study, and are perfectly familiear with the qualities of grasses, soils, etc. It was Mr. Macdonald, assited by Mr. Whigham, who conceived and constructed the National Course at Southampton, Long Island.
After the visit of these gentlemen Mr. Macdonald wrote to a member of the Committee, expressing the views of himself and Mr. Whigham, as to what could be done with the property. The report, as made to the Board, embodied Mr. Macdonald's letter, but it was not written for publication. We do not, therefore, feel justified in printing it. We can property say, however, that it was, in general terms, favorable, and the Committee based its recommendation largely upon their opinion.
Mr. Connell and his associates fully realize the benefit to the remainder of the property if a first class Golf Course could be established on the ground, and for that reason, offer one hundred (100) acres, or whatever would be required to lay out the Course, at $825 an acre, which we understand is about one half the average cost of the whole tract; this offer is conditional upon the property being promptly put in shape for a golf course.
It is probable that nearly one hundred and twenty (120 acres) would be required for our purposes, and provided they can be obtained at not exceeding $90,000, we believe it would be a wise purchase.
We particularly desire to impress upon the Board the fact that if this opportunity to aquire a permanent golf course is to be taken advantage of, prompt action is necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert W. Lesley
Horatio G. Lloyd
Samuel T. Bodine
Frederick L. Baily (who later sent the letter to Edmund Sayres asking them to hold a special dinner where they would aware Hugh Wilson with a special gift for his work laying out and constructing Merion - comment mine)
Edgar C. Felton
A few things come to mind here.
We all know what the Macdonald letter contained, which was nothing of a design nature.
David would also have us believe that Merion specifically bought not 100, but "nearly 120" because of a routing done by Macdonald and Whigham that needed this much land exactly...
Yet, here we have the Site Committee recommending to the Merion Board to purchase the land based simply on the Macdonald single-page letter....NOT ON ANY PRECONCEIVED ROUTING THAT TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO THEN!"
If Macdonald and Whigham had done a routing at this time...one land that required "almost 120 acres", SURELY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ATTACHED....OR EVEN MENTIONED!
In case anyone needs to be reminded of what Macdonald actually wrote based on his single day visit, here it is again;
New York, June 29, 1910
Horatio G. Lloyd, Esq.
c/o Messrs. Drexel and Co.
Philadelphia, Pa
Dear Mr. Lloyd:
Mr. Whigham and I discussed the various merits of the land you propose buying, and we think it has some very desirable features. The quarry and the brooks can be made much of. What it lacks in abrupt mounds can be largely rectified.
We both think that your soil will produce a firm and durable turf through the fair green quickly. The putting greens of course will need special treatment, as the grasses are much finer.
The most difficult problem you have to contend with is to get in eighteen holes that will be first class in the acreage you propose buying. So far as we can judge, without a contour map before us, we are of the opinion that it can be done, provided you get a little more land near where you propose making your Club House. The opinon that a long course is always the best course has been exploded. A 6000 yd. course can be made really first class, and to my mind it is more desirable than a 6300 or a 6400 yd. course, particularly where the roll of the ball will not be long, because you cannot help with the soil you have on that property having heavy turf. Of course it would be very fast when the summer baked it well.
The following is my idea of a 6000 yard course:
One 130 yard hole
One 160 "
One 190 "
One 220 yard to 240 yard hole,
One 500 yard hole,
Six 300 to 340 yard holes,
Five 360 to 420 "
Two 440 to 480 "
As regards drainage and treatment of soil, I think it would be wise for your Committee to confer with the Baltusrol Committee. They had a very difficult drainage problem. You have a very simple one. Their drainage opinions will be valuable to you. Further, I think their soil is very similar to yours, and it might be wise to learn from them the grasses that have proved most satisfactory though the fair green.
In the meantime, it will do no harm to cut a sod or two and send it to Washington for anlaysis of the natural grasses, those indigenous to the soil.
We enjoyed our trip to Philadelphia very much, and were very pleased to meet your Committee.
With kindest regards to you all, believe me,
Yours very truly,
(signed) Charles B. Macdonald
In soil analysis have the expert note particularly amount of carbonate of lime.
David, Sully, Patrick, Shivas...do you still want to contend that Merion bought the EXACT PROPERTY they needed based on an existing Macdonald and Whigham routing of the property??!?
This exchange of information PROVES THERE WAS NO GOLF COURSE ROUTING PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE and it also PROVES THAT MERION DID NOT BUY LAND BASED ON THAT SUPPOSED ROUTING!