The architecture of William Mitchell

[Ian Andrew]

I have been asked to interview at a club designed by William Mitchell. I’ve spent some time collecting information on the club, but he remains an architect I know very little about. I was wondering if anyone had anything they could share about his work.

I would love to see some photos of some of his courses and old photos would be even more helpful to understand his style.

Thanks in advance.

Ian

[Robert Emmons]

We have one green and green complex built by Billy in 1962, along with a renovation plan which was not implemented for Huntington CC. Let me know if your going to be on Long Island....RHE

[Steve_ Shaffer]

There is one Mitchell course in the Philadelphia area on this list- Cedarbrook CC

http://www.worldgolf.com/golf-architects/william-f-mitchell.html

http://www.cedarbrookcc.org/modules/ct_tour.cfm?id=65

[Jim_Kennedy]

Ian,
I've played a handful of his courses and a lot of his greens slope back to front, and they all seem to be sized for distance. I prefer the occasional roller coaster, or spine, or knob in a green but he didin't employ any of that to my knowledge.      
He used bunkers inside the corner of doglegs and he like to go uphill or down, but rarely along a ridge. I do remember some long par 3s on his courses. None of his bunkers were 'hidden' and I'd say that the more a greensite rose up from its surrounds, so did the flash of iits bunkers.

His courses(at least the ones I've played more than once) are enjoyable.

[Michael Moore]

Ian -

We used to go down to New Seabury in Mashpee, Massachusetts in the off-season. It was a trip we always looked forward to. I thought that he did a fine job there, making good use of the oceanfront, and squeezing some very good holes in between the homes on the back.

I also played the Colonial in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, which is now the King Rail Reserve, operated by the town, and I think nine holes have been lost there. Can't remember much, it was a while back. Now it's just strange to drive past an overgrown par four by the side of the highway.

I would describe his style as similar to that of Robert Trent Jones - big and bold, difficult and long, with huge tee boxes and bunkers.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Ian,

An older gentleman I know, a former club corp guy, did some work with Mitchell years ago. On a recent project, he described to me - in awe that wouldn't be seen on this site - how Mitchell had "formulas for everything."  He sized greens, fw width, green front openings, etc. according to a chart he had. 

While I never saw that chart, it sounds similar to ones I know Dick Nugent had when I started working there and were basically proportional to distance - like a 200 yard shot having a 30 yard wide green opening whereas a 100 yard shot had a 15 yard opening.

The upshot for you would be not too much guessing as to what Mitchell might have done (if this course has been changed). You could make a pretty good guess, if need be, based on other surviving courses.

Call me tomorrow if you have time. Besides talking about this, I need to know what transpired in your think tank with Mike Young.....

[mark chalfant]

Ian,

I caddied at Old Westbury (27 holes by W.M.) many years ago, and I felt it had a cookie cutter quality except for a few holes  back in the woods. I would like to see Mt. Pleasant which is on some nice land in Boylston, Massachusetts.  Noyac in Sag  Harbor L.I is the only one of Mitchells courses that  I have heard effusive praise for .  I found Jim Kennedys  take on his greens accurate. Pine Hollow on LI also maybe looking into. Sorry but I have no pics.Good luck on your project

[JNC Lyon]

Ian,

I caddied at Old Westbury (27 holes by W.M.) many years ago, and I felt it had a cookie cutter quality except for a few holes  back in the woods. I would like to see Mt. Pleasant which is on some nice land in Boylston, Massachusetts.  Noyac in Sag  Harbor L.I is the only one of Mitchells courses that  I have heard effusive praise for .  I found Jim Kennedys  take on his greens accurate. Pine Hollow on LI also maybe looking into. Sorry but I have no pics.Good luck on your project

Mark, I have family that live 3 minutes from Mount Pleasant.  I have driven by it dozens of times, but I have never once played it.  The land does look interesting, I agree.  Certainly it would be preferable to the neighboring and extremely severe Cyprian Keyes.

[Ian Andrew]

Thanks for the comments.

The course I'm going to interview at is from the late 1950's and is really pretty good. There have been modifications and each has done a disservice to what was originally there (I saw the course nearly 20 years ago and it was a damned sight better then). The property is outstanding, with enormous rolls in the landscape, and the routing uses the property very well.

I was hoping to get a feel for the original bunkering, through his other work and see if anyone had any insight on his strategic concepts. I do have an aerial of the course just after construction, but I wanted a better feel on what he liked to do.

Many of your comments reinforce some ideas that are present on the remaining greens.

[mark chalfant]

I think Mitchell  may have worked on Brooksville, Florida  CC (9 holes)  and the new holes at Timber Point on Long Island

[Joe Bausch]

I think Mitchell  may have worked on Brooksville, Florida  CC (9 holes)  and the new holes at Timber Point on Long Island

Mark, I think you are right about Brooksville CC.

I also think Mitchell did all 18 holes at a rather pedestrian, but entirely functional, muni on the outskirts of Philly called Shannondell.  This 1950's course has changed little over time afaik. 

Photo albums:

http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/Brooksville/index.html  (front nine Mitchell, but back nine Weed)

http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/Shannondell_2021/index.html

[Ben Stephens]

The name rang a bell and worked out that William Mitchelll did the original A, B and C nine hole loops at Quinta do Lago in the Algarve, Portugal - is this the only Mitchell designed layout in Europe??

Cheers
Ben

[Jim_Kennedy]

Ian,
There is a golf course in Northport L.I. called Crab Meadows GC that is a Mitchell design. I happened across it while doing a search for Northport CC.
The website for the club has a couple of photos but you can go to Historicaerials.com to see the course when it was built.they have an aerial when the course was a couple of years old. There is also an overlay feature at that site which you can use to see the changes made from different years.
Surprisingly the routing and bunker placement is pretty much the same today as in the mid '60s when the course was built.

One noticeable change: Mitchell had a 'spine' juting into many of his bunkers that have been removed in the 'modern' (2004( aerial).

p.s. The NLE Norhtport CC has been identified as a Devereux Emmet design, but I've seen an article that attributes it to his brother, Temple Emmet. Actually Emmet had two brothers with the name Temple, one was Robert Temple and the other was Charles T..
Robert was a war hero and Charles graduated from Yale School of Forestry. Charles had a farm in Stony Point and it's a possibility that he laid out the NCC course, perhaps with some help from his brother.

  

[Chris_Blakely]

Bedford Valley GC in Battle Creek, MI is a William Mitchell GC

http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.aspx?course=510445

http://www.gulllakeview.com/bedford-valley.htm

http://michigan.twoguyswhogolf.com//reviews/bedfordvalley.html

I played it earlier this year and took a bunch of pictures, but I am not sure I can find them quickly enough.

I have also played several Mitchell courses in the NYC area.

Chris

[Chris_Blakely]

Ian,
There is a golf course in Northport L.I. called Crab Meadows GC that is a Mitchell design. I happened across it while doing a search for Northport CC.
The website for the club has a couple of photos but you can go to Historicaerials.com to see the course when it was built.they have an aerial when the course was a couple of years old. There is also an overlay feature at that site which you can use to see the changes made from different years.
Surprisingly the routing and bunker placement is pretty much the same today as in the mid '60s when the course was built.

One noticeable change: Mitchell had a 'spine' juting into many of his bunkers that have been removed in the 'modern' (2004( aerial).

p.s. The NLE Norhtport CC has been identified as a Devereux Emmet design, but I've seen an article that attributes it to his brother, Temple Emmet. Actually Emmet had two brothers with the name Temple, one was Robert Temple and the other was Charles T..
Robert was a war hero and Charles graduated from Yale School of Forestry. Charles had a farm in Stony Point and it's a possibility that he laid out the NCC course, perhaps with some help from his brother.

  

It must have been with a TON of help from Dev b/c the bunkering looks very much like his work!!!

Chris

[Jim_Kennedy]

Chris,
Here's the article. It's nothing definitive, just mentions Temple as the archie. The writer could have mixed up the names, although Devereux's not that common a name and Temple's even less so.   
I've never seen an aerial of Northport, but if my big brother was an archie and I had the opportunity to plan a course I'd have him right by my side.   

http://tinyurl.com/323qr7l

[Stewart Abramson]

I belong to a club that was designed by William F Mitchell in 1957. I did a club history a couplemof years ago and in doing some research learned that WFM had designed or remodeled approximately 200 courses between 1948 and his passing in 1974. He designed courses in at least 12 States from Maine to California and also in Canada  (Maple Downs among others) and Portugal (Qunita De Lago in the Algarve) My file is at my offcie including  a list of of his courses that I complied. I'll send it to you or post it here on Monday. I had contacted the ASGCA (Mitchell was a member) but they never provided any info. He was a New Englander and has many courses in Mass, CT and NY. Also many in Florida, including I believe the course that Caddyshack was filmed at. He apprenticed under Orrin Smith from 1935 to 1947. He was a friend of Geoffrey Cornish and I found some complimenatry quotes from Cornish about WFM. I believe that Mike Nuzzo, a GCA member has done a redisgn of Mitchell's Walden Course in Aurora OH. Gil Hnase re-did the bunkering at WFM's Pine Hollow on Long Island. I read that WFM designed 4 holes at Van Cortlandt Park in the 1950's when the Mosholu Parkway was re-constructed requiring the holes to be moved.

Here are links to some photos of WFM courses I've played:

http://sports.webshots.com/album/558463780jPicEN

http://sports.webshots.com/album/572282298EufJij

http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2639878840100544033QMxyrB

[Stewart Abramson]

Ian - I found a paper copy of my WFM course list and info. I scanned it but can't figure out how to post it here. I'll e-mail it to you.

[Stewart Abramson]

William F Mitchell Golf Courses (originals and renovations)

California•   Canyon South  - Palm Springs, CA - Redesign By WFM 1965, renovated by Robt Muir Graves, 1987; Redesign by Casey O'Callaghan/Amy Alcott 2004.  -  Palm Springs

Connecticut•   Birchwood CC – Westport CT (1946) (Orrin Smith & Wm F Mitchell)  9 holes – rated top 10 9 hole courses in US by Sports Illustrated  http://birchwoodcc.memberstatements.com/tour/tours.cfm?tourid=64249
•   Meadowbrook CC Hamden. CT (WFM Re-design 1947)
•   Minnechaug Golf Course – Glastonbury, CT (redesign)
•   Old Lyme CC , Old Lyme CT,  opened 1916, redesigned by WFM195? (remodeled by Stephen Kay)
•   Sleeping Giant,  Hamden CT (redesign 1951)
•   Rockledge Golf Club, West Hartford, CT opened 1924 as 14 holes – redesigned as 18 holes by WFM (196?) http://www.ctgolfer.com/yearbook/2009/pdf/rockledge.pdf  http://www.golfrockledge.com/course.html

Florida•   Atlantis Golf Club  East Course (9)- Private in Atlantis Lake Worth FL (1961)  http://www.atlantisgolf.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=223736&ssid=70613&vnf=1
•   Atlantis Golf Club  South Course (9)- Private in Atlantis  Lake Worth FL (1960) http://www.atlantisgolf.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=223736&ssid=70613&vnf=1
•   Atlantis Golf Club  North Course (9) - Private in Atlantis  Lake Worth FL  (1960) http://www.atlantisgolf.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=223736&ssid=70613&vnf=1  one of the Atlantis courses redesigned byJohn Sanford
•   Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks,  Brooksville  FL (1971) http://www.brooksvillecc.com/ (redsign Booby Weed 2003)
•   The Claw at University of South Florida Golf Course - The Claw,  Tampa FL (1967)
•   East Bay Golf Club - Semi-Private,  Largo FL (1961)  http://www.gulfcoastflorida.com/eastbay/#score  http://www.eastbaygolfclub.com/
•   Grande Oaks Golf Club,  Fort Lauderdale FL (1959) –  Private 27 holes (renovated by Raymond Floyd Assoc)
•   Islandside at Longboat Key Club & Resort - Resort,  Longboat Key FL  (1961) http://www.longboatkeyclub.com/GolfTennis/Golf/Islandside/
•   Lochmoor Country Club - Semi-Private,  North Fort Myers  FL (1971 or 1972)  (hosted LPGA event 1972-1975) http://www.golfcoursesguide.com/florida/north-fort-myers/lochmoor-golf-course.htm
•   Palms Course at Palm-Aire Country Club - Semi-Private , Pompano Beach  FL (1959) renovated in 1996 by Karl Litten and Lorrie Viola http://www.palmairegolf.com/page/19-522-437.htm
•   Pesidents Golf Club  North  Course (n/ka “Patriot Course”)– Private - West Palm Beach FL (1970)
•   Pesidents Golf Club  South Course (n/k/a “Eagle course) – Private - West Palm Beach FL (1972) (redesigned by RTJ Jr) http://www.oobgolf.com/courses/course/3961/The_President_Country_Club.html
•   Rolling Hills Country Club, Davie, FL (Near Ft Lauderdale?) – (Caddie Shack was filmed here)
Maine•   Limestone CC, Limestone ME  - 9 holes   http://www.limestonecountryclub.com/lcc1.htm
•   Augusta CC, Augusta ME – front 9 designed by Donald Ross 1916, back 9 designed by Wayne Stiles & John Van Kleek 1926; remodeled by Orrin Smith & WFM 1939    http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/sports/stories/3018968.shtml
•   Riverside Golf Course, Portland, ME (1935) WFM with Orrin Smith
Maryland•   WestWinds Golf Club - Semi-Private,  New Market (MD) near Frederick  (1971) http://www.westwindsgc.com/courses.php?CourseID=695c47ef59ccbcd2dede5e0ef3c5baba&HoleNumber=1 http://www.westwindsgc.com/courses.php   http://www2.cybergolf.com/sites/images/289/West_Winds_Brochure.pdf

Massachusetts•   Colonial CC, Wakefield MA  orig 9 1929 - n/k/a Sheraton Colonial WFM designed front nine in 1963, back 9 in1967   http://www.golfable.com/golfcourses/courses/Wakefield_MA_Colonial_Golf_Club, renovatd by Forest Richardson & Mark Fine  200_?
•   Framingham CC , Framingham MA – orig 9  Orrin Smith 1902 - WFM second 9  1960)  http://www.gcsane.org/golf/images/newsletter/2007NL/gcsane-newsletter-jan07.pdf http://www.oobgolf.com/courses/course/7255/Framingham_Country_Club.html
•   Franklin CC – Wrentham MA (orig 1921 Donald Ross) (1926 Wayne Stiles/John VanKleek)  (remodel by WFM 1958 & added 2 holes 1962 ) remodel by Phil Wogan & 10 holes1974 http://www.franklincc.com/club/scripts/section/section.asp?GRP=11369&NS=GPUB
•   Furnace Brook – Quincy, MA (1947) 9 holes - http://www.golfable.com/golfcourses/courses/Quincy_MA_Furnace_Brook_Golf_Club
•   Holden Hills Country Club - Public,  Holden, MA (1957)   http://www.holdenhillsgolf.com/TheCourse.htm
•   Mount Pleasant CC, Boylson, MA  http://www.mountpleasantcc.org/MPCC_golf.html hosted MA open
•   New Seabury Country Club - Dunes Course  (f/k/a Green Course?), New Seabury  MA (Cape Cod) (1962)  (renovated by Mary Armstrong 2001) http://www.golf.com/golf/courses_travel/coursefinder/course/0,28290,1256437,00.html http://209.18.100.21/fw/main/Golf-16.html   http://www.golfarchitect.com/pressrelease.html
•   New Seabury Country Club - Ocean Course (f/k/a Blue Course?),  New Seabury  MA 1964 (redesign by Reese Jones 1987)
•   North Hill Country Club - Public,  Duxbury  MA (Town of Duxbury muni) (1968)
•   #2 at Ponkapoag Golf Club - Public ,  Canton , MA (1955)  http://ponkapoaggolf.com/golf/proto/ponkygolf/course/course.htm
•   Presidents GC – North Quicny MA (Wayne Stiles 1920, WF Mitchell 1956, T & G Fazio 1976)



Michigan•   Bedford Valley Golf Course at Gull Lake View Golf Resort,  Battle Creek, MI   (1964) 4.5 stars GD 2008 http://www.gulllakeview.com/bedford-valley.htm   http://www.glgmagazine.com/SepOct08GLG/Bedford_SO08.html
New Hampshire•   Amherst Country Club - Public,  Amherst NH (1965)
•   Country Club C of New Hampshire, North Sutton, NH  (former GD top 10 in NH) (Original 9 holes By Wayne Stiles & John Van Kleek 1930) (WFM designed additional 9 holes and redesigned the original 9 in 1963 or 1957) http://www.golf.com/golf/courses_travel/coursefinder/course/0,28290,1381582,00.html
•   Countryside Golf Club - Public,  Dunbarton , NH (9 holes) (1963 or 1964)

New York•   Bergen Point Golf Club - Public,  West Babylon , NY (LI) (1962) (now Suffolk County Muni) http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/departments/parks/Begren%20Point%20Golf%20Course.aspx
•   Carvel CC, Pine Plains, NY (1968)
•   College Hill Golf Course - Public , Poughkeepsie  NY ( 9 holes  1933) city of Poughkeepsie muni) (WFM Renovation and added holes) http://www.mccanngolfcourse.com/chgc.htm
•   Crab Meadow Golf Course - Public ,  Northport  NY  (1963) http://www.crabmeadowgolf.com/kemper/courses/index.asp?id=134
•   En-Joie GC, Endicott, NY, opened 1927, redesigned by WFM 195?, renovated by Pete Dye 1984, & Michael Hurdzan 1988
•   Gardiner's Bay Country Club – Private, Shelter Island NY (Seth Raynor 1896, WFM 195?)   http://gardinersbay.org/gardinersbay/   http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p227764
•   Glen Cove Golf Club - Semi-Private,  Glen Cove NY (1971)
•   Indian Island Country Club - Public in Riverhead  NY (LI) (Suffolk County Muni) (1972 or 1973)
•   Kutsher's Country Club - Resort,  Monticello NY (1958) (or 1962)
•   Lochmor Golf Course - Public,  Loch Sheldrake  NY (1958)   www.lochmorgolf.com
•   Lowell Thomas Golf Course (Private 12 holes)a/k/a Hammersley Hill GC,  Pawling, NY (1955?) (Now Closed?) http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/edb/reader.html?magID=SI&issueDate=19570812&mode=reader_vault
•   McCann Memorial, Poughkeepsie, NY (1972) (renovation by Stephen Kay 2001)
•   Mohawk River Country Club & Chateau in Rexford  NY (originally Walhalla CC then f//k/a the Willows & Riverview CC) (1964) or 1966  http://www.mohawkrivercc.com/
•   Noyac Golf Club - Private,  Sag Harbor  NY – Private (1963)
•   Old Westbury Golf & Country Club (Private) Overlook course,  Old Westbury NY (1962)
•   Old Westbury Golf Club – Blue Grass course, Private Old Westbury NY (1962)
•   Old Westbury Golf Club – Woods course , Private, Old Westbury NY (1962) http://www.owgolf.com/
•   Otterkill Golf & Country Club, Campbell Hall, NY –Private (first 9 1957, 2nd 9 1958?)
•   Pine Hollow CC – East Norwich, NY (1955 or 1958) HFM’s first design on LI (Gil Hanse 1997 not clear if Hanse’s work was limited to renovation of bunkering or a redesign)  http://www.pinehollowcountryclub.com/history.html
•   Putnam National Golf Club in Mahopac  NY (f/k/a Lake McGregor CC , f/k/a Eagle Rock CC – private (1955 or 1956)  now Public http://www.putnamnational.com/about.asp
•   Saratoga Spa, State Park,  Championship Course, Saratoga Springs, NY (1959 or 1962)
•   Saratoga Spa, State Park, Executive Course,  Saratoga Springs, NY (1959 or 1962)
•   Swan Lake (f/k/a Stevensville resort)  –Swan Lake, (Liberty)  NY (1950)  http://www.hudsonvalleygolf.com/course_detail.php?HVG_CourseID=1049238
•   Tarry Brae Golf Course - Public , South Fallsburg , NY (1958) (or 1962 or 1967?)  http://www.tarrybrae.com
•   Timber Point, Great River, NY (LI) 27 holes  orig HS Colt CH Allison 1927, renovation by WFM
•   Town of Colonie Golf Course original 18 holes n/k/a/ the “White” and “Blue” nines, Albany, NY (1968) http://www.colonie.org/parks/golf/history.htm
•   Van Cortland Park GC, Bronx, NY opened 1895, WFM designed 4 new holes 195?) First public course in U.S.   http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_about/parks_history/golf.html
•   West Sayville Golf Course - Public , West Sayville , NY (LI) (1970) (Suffolk County Muni)
•   The Woodcrest Club Private,  Syosset NY (1963)  http://www.woodcrestclub.com/guests/dsp_course.cfm

Ohio•   Pebble Creek Golf Club - Public,  Lexington OH  (WF Mitchell &  Richard LaConte) (1972)  http://www.golfatpebble.com/home/index.php
•   Shady Hollow Country Club - Private,  Massillon Ohio (1950)
•   Tanglewood Country Club - Private, Chagrin Falls OH (1966 or 1967)
•   Walden Golf & Tennis Club - Private,  Aurora OH (1969)  (renovation 2001  Craig Schreiner/  Mike Nuzzo)
Pennsylvania•   Cedarbrook Country Club - Private,  Blue Bell PA (1962)  http://www.gapgolf.org/clubs.asp?cid=21  http://www.cedarbrookcc.org/index.cfm?menu=6186
Tennessee•   Big Creek Golf Club – Millington TN (1965) http://www.thegolfcourses.net/golfcourses/TN/7949.htm redesigned 2009  n/k/a Mirimichi Golf Club  http://www.golflink.com/golfcourses/course.aspx?course=1051756
Vermont•   Basin Harbor Club, Vergennes, VT, orig A Campbell, renovated by WFM, then by Geoffrey Cornish
•   Brattleboro CC, Brattleboro, VT opened 1914 (WFM redesign1949)
•   Crown Point Country Club - Semi-Private,  Springfield  VT (1953 Henry Duskett/Geoffrey Cornish) back 9 designed by WFM and his brother Sam Mitchell and front 9 re-designed 1958) http://www.crownpointcc.com/heritage.php
•   Stowe Country Club – semi-private ,  Stowe Vt opened 1950 as 9 hole course (New 18 hole layout designed by WFM 1962) http://stowegolfassoc.org/sga/DownLoadFiles/A%20StoweGolfHistoryV61.pdf
Portugal•   Quinta De Lago – South Course – Algarve Portugal (1974) Hosted Portugese Open on Euro PGA tour 8 times, #5 in Portugal  http://www.visitalgarve.pt/visitalgarve/vEN/VisiteOAlgarve/Golfe/Sugestoes/Golf+at+Vale+do+Lobo+and+Quinta+do+Lago.htm?res=1280x1024   http://www.algarvepremiergolfhire.com/golf-courses-in-the-algarve.php
•   Quinta De Lago – North Course (f/k/a Rio Formosa GC)– Algarve Portugal (1974) # 6  in Portugal, WFM designed 9 holes (1-5 and 15-18). Joe Lee & Rocky Roquemore designed oter 9 holes
Canada•   Maple Downs Golf & Country Club #33. In Ontario #67 in Canada (1954)
•   Mataquac GC, Mataquac, New Brunswick (1970)  http://www.mactaquacgolf.com/about.html
•   Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, opened 1911, Stanley Thompson, redesign, Clinton Robinson & renovated by WFM 1954, Ontario  http://www.fairwaysgolf.ca/article.php?id=101

[Jim Haley]

Ian,

I worked for Rees Jones for a number of years. Mr. Mitchell has a nephew Phil Mitchell who I worked with for 6 years.

Jim
 

[David Harshbarger]

Ian,

The public course at the Saratoga Spa park in Saratoga, NY is a Mitchell design.  It features wide fairways, large bunkers, and large greens with a variety of broad internal green contours.  The course is fun and engaging throughout.

I'd characterize the design as contemporary/modernist as befits the era, but not expressway.  The features are done in broad strokes. Fairway.  Bunker. Green. Mound. Trees. The features are not bold, though, or ostentatious.  Nor are they subtle.

However, from a strategic perspective, the course is diverse.  There are holes that challenge you to take on narrowing landing areas for better approaches, many variations in green slope, cross bunkers in landing areas, hazards vs. angles, deep greens, shallow greens, blind shots, carry temptations.  The strategy is not intricate nor dense within a hole, but it has variety and is persistent from hole to hole.

Aesthetically, it's a lovely course in a pine woods, where you feel largely isolated through your round. 

It will be interesting to see if this style of course will age well.  50 years on, it still plays well, though the era's designs are out of fashion.

Dave

[Matt_Ward]

I played a few of his designs and like what he did at New Seabury -- although I feel the best part of the course comes early in the round -- sort of like at Spyglass Hill.

On the muni front -- his work at Tarry Brae on the footsteps of the Catskills is quite good.

Want a sleeper candidate -- try Noyac on the east end. Not going to be mentioned with the heavyweights there -- but the 18th hole is one of the best holes on Long Island.

[David Harshbarger]

Matt,

From what I've read the era these courses hail from is the dark age of course design, but, these Mitchell course are still good fun.

While not heavy hitters, do you see these as having lasting power?

Dave

[Phil Carlucci]

Sorry to bump an old thread but I came across a few similar ones on the work of William Mitchell and thought I could contribute in the event any of the original posters are still interested.  I have a 1967 profile that Newsday (Long Island) did on Mitchell, likely because of his heavy workload on Long Island and also because he operated out of Huntington at the time.  It goes into detail about his course-design principles and philosophies, with a few solid quotes provided by Mitchell as well.

It refers to Mitchell as golf's "public defender" because of his focus on the average public player, which might explain why, as some previous posters have said, many of his courses, though not particularly memorable, have held up over time, especially on the muni level.  His goal was to challenge skilled players but not detract from the experience for the high handicapper.  He believed in subtle greens and visible bunkers.

Some quotes from Mitchell:

"Maybe the thing that gets me maddest is the feeling some people have about public golf courses.  For the public they say, ... 'Get 'em on, get 'em around and get 'em off.'  Just because a man has to play a public course, why should he be marched around and regimented?  I don’t see why a man’s financial standing should have anything to do with his appreciation of a really good golf course.”

"I don’t like to hide a trap.  If you bury a beginner in sand all day long, the game isn’t fun to him."

He was a proponent of executive courses as well as 27-hole facilities to accommodate more players and offer versatility for golfers and management.

Apparently he was in the midst of designing a female-oriented course on Long Island and was reviewing several locations when he passed away in the early '70s.

On Long Island, he was hired by Suffolk County to build three of its four new county munis -- on the fourth, Timber Point, he designed the White nine and modified what remained of the original 18.  He also designed Crab Meadow (Huntington muni).  On the private side, his work at Pine Hollow CC on a former Vanderbilt estate was the first new design on the Island in several decades.  And it likely helped usher in the wave of new clubs that would soon open up in the early '60s on the grounds of former estates nearby. 

[Phil Carlucci]

In 1978, several years after Mitchell's death, Newsday in a feature entitled "First Aid for the Average Golfer" outlined Mitchell's "personal code of proper golf course architecture."

Among the tenets were:

*No green should require putts longer than 20 yards
*Fairway traps must be visible and designed so a player doesn't need a wedge to get out
*Greens should not have gimmicky contours that could possibly punish good shots and benefit bad ones

It describes Mitchell as "one of the first advocates of non-symmetrical tee areas.  He believed the lines of a tee, caused by either poor design or grass-cutting techniques, worked to the disadvantage of the average golfer."

" 'I don't like elevated greens, mammoth sand traps, tees that are miniature fairways, ravines that cut into greens making putting impossible and hazards that catch a well played shot and reward a poorly hit ball,' he once said."