[Mark Bourgeois]

So I've been working on a comparison between c1930 and 1969 aerials* of Fishers Island. (Possibly a 1928 aerial but probably 1930.)

After getting past the shock of how rectilinear the course appeared in 1930, even by Raynor standards -- could this be due to Raynor's not overseeing the shaping, irrigation practices, or both? -- I was intrigued to see what appears to be a very cool-looking island tee for the 14th hole:



Anyone know the story? Photographic artifact, steady erosion, low tide in the photo, redesign, rip-rapping, what?

FYI the US Govt 1941 aerial appears to show an island tee as well, which if true eliminates the '38 hurricane. Actually, the wind would have been wrong to have caused erosion in that spot. (I think.)

* http://golfcoursehistories.com/FI.html

Man, if there's an architect where letting greens devolve into little ovals is really wrong it's Raynor. Also note a lost bunker here, an added bunker there. Who dunnit?

[Tim Gavrich]

Mark, I opened up a new browser tab and tried to line up its orientation of the 14th at Fishers as close as I could and as near as I can tell, the back tee of the 14th is in the same place relative to the previous green as it is in your aerial. What seems to be going on, I think, is that that tee box was surrounded by a bit of a beach of sand on either side, but over the years either that sand has fallen into the water by erosion or its been built up and rocks serve as a retaining wall of sorts for that tee box now.

It also appears that the fairway short of the green was more generous in olden days. Rising sea levels?

[Mark McKeever]

Agreed Tim.  I think shrubs etc. have begun to grow on what was originally beach.

Mark

[Mark Bourgeois]

Good stuff, Tim. Check out that cove: what appears to be land / beach in the older photo is water in the newer. Perhaps due in part to the timing of the photographs viz the tides? Did water levels rise that much from 1930 to 1969?

It would appear the course suffered from neglect during that period -- the greens at least: if the course had no irrigation and was played as it was found, well, there's that.

Speaking of the financial side, if you look at the comparo in the link, check out the clubhouse lower left.

This broadly annoying article from Sports Illustrated has the story:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1077602/2/index.htm

Clubhouse losing $50,000 per year? Detonate the sucker! (FYI, in per-capita GDP terms that's $741,000 in 2011 dollars. Yikes!)

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