Jim,
There was a rumor that Vardon was going to design a public course for Philadelphia in Fairmount Park during his visit here in the spring of 1900.
At around the same time a committee of amateurs of the Golf Association of Philadelphia selected a site in Fairmount Park near Belmont Mansion and laid out a 2,850 yard nine hole course and presented the map of same to Jesse T. Vogdes who was the Chief Engineer of the park. While the matter was being determined within the city, this committee suggested that perhaps a professional could do a better job and suggested perhaps Tom Dunn, Willie's brother.
The men on the committee included, George Fowle, who did much design of the early Philly Country Club, Samuel Heebner, who did likewise for Philly Cricket, Rodman Griscom and C.S Farnum of Merion, and William P. Smith of Huntingdon Valley. The Philadelphia Inquirer article from 1900 mentioning the men of this committee noted,
"It was recognized that men experienced with the laying out and maintenance of club courses would be in an excellent position to have valuable ideas in regard to laying out a public course." We have their Committee report but don't have their map, unfortunately. Their report notes;
"We do not say that this is the best possible course that could be laid out upon the ground mentioned, but it would be a very good one. Many changes that would improve the course might be made by a professional golfer devoting more study to this question on the ground."This was all for naught as the course was never built due to some of the reasons I previously mentioned.
Cobb's Creek was not identified as a potential site for a public course until the early spring of 1913. During that season, GAP appointed a Committee of Hugh Wilson, George Crump, Ab Smith, and William Slattery to locate a site for a public course within the parks system. At first they again recommended a site near Belmont Mansion and the familiar objections were again raised.
At a meeting of the Fairmount Park Commission in June, 1913, the Committee had an alternative. It was reported;
"The proposed golf course in Cobb's Creek Park is a tract of land in the northern end and is described by the Committee as an ideal site..."It took another year or so for monies to be appropriated but while that was happening, GAP again named a committee to help the city design and build the golf course, with much of the design work happening in 1914, although the project wasn't officially announced as a "go" until the January 1915 GAP Annual Meeting, at which time the plans were made public, including the final approved routing.
The Committee named to design and build the course, again based on their individual prior experience in such matters at their own respective clubs included;
Hugh Wilson - Merion
George Crump and Dr. Simon Carr - Pine Valley
Ab Smith - Huntingdon Valley
Franklin Meehan - North Hills
George Klauder - Aronimink
The plan we located recently in city archives was identified as Plan #6 although it wasn't dated. So far, we have only located this earlier one and the one that was approved that includes Jesse T. Vogdes signature citing approval dated in early 1915.
Here's Plan 6;
