Whitemarsh Valley

[Sven Nilsen]

Mike:

It begs the question as to why the club would want to make the course look like its in California.

From the early images I've seen, it certainly seems incongruous, and makes one wonder if Thomas himself would have applied these changes if he had gone back to the course after his work and continued golf architecture education out West.

Sven

July 1917 Golf Illustrated -



Golf Architecture In America -



Oct. 1934 Golf Illustrated -

[MCirba]

Sven,

I'm not sure what Thomas would do with the bunkers if he returned, but other than the pics of the 9th, where the original green was raised by member Lou Deming, most of the others were created by Ross and Flynn, respectively.

Thanks for sharing those pictures.

[Sven Nilsen]

Sven,

I'm not sure what Thomas would do with the bunkers if he returned, but other than the pics of the 9th, where the original green was raised by member Lou Deming, most of the others were created by Ross and Flynn, respectively.

Thanks for sharing those pictures.

Don't forget the photo of the 12th Matt posted.  Gives us a pretty good idea of the original look of the place.


Sven

[MCirba]

Sven,

Yes, I provided that one to Matt from Geoff Shackelford's "Golden Age..." book, but it's undated so I'm not sure the timeframe.

I'm also not sure of the timeframe (or author) of the course map I took a picture of the other day, but on this one the 12th (seen at the top of the map) looks to have a similar bunker scheme although it's tough to detect from the quality of the photo.

[Kyle Harris]

Sven,

I'm not sure what Thomas would do with the bunkers if he returned, but other than the pics of the 9th, where the original green was raised by member Lou Deming, most of the others were created by Ross and Flynn, respectively.

Thanks for sharing those pictures.

Don't forget the photo of the 12th Matt posted.  Gives us a pretty good idea of the original look of the place.


Sven

Wrong.

They show the way the course looked the day the photo was taken.

[MCirba]

Sven,

I just looked closer as I was re-sizing the picture and posting and then put my glasses on and modified my previous post.   

[Sven Nilsen]

Sven,

I'm not sure what Thomas would do with the bunkers if he returned, but other than the pics of the 9th, where the original green was raised by member Lou Deming, most of the others were created by Ross and Flynn, respectively.

Thanks for sharing those pictures.

Don't forget the photo of the 12th Matt posted.  Gives us a pretty good idea of the original look of the place.


Sven

Wrong.

They show the way the course looked the day the photo was taken.

Kyle:


That was quite Muccian of you.  Just interpret original to mean early, should work.


Sven

[Bill Crane]

Still and all, there are many, many fine golf holes at WM, and in a tough neighborhood at least the revitalized course now has a cohesive theme and playability.

Mike:
 I like your comment about Whitemarsh being in a “tough neighborhood" for golf courses.  For those not familiar with the Philadelphia suburbs, I think what you are referring to are the large number of golf courses, many really good ones, most private, within about 20 minutes of Whitemarsh on a Saturday with no traffic.  As a former club Membership Chair it has always fascinated me how so many private clubs can sustain themselves in this area.  As a map reader I quickly just eyeballed the following list on a purely non scientific way:
 
Phila Cricket (45 holes)
 Green Valley
 Ace Club
 Sunny Brook
 Flourtown
 North Hills
 Manufacturers Golf and CC
 Lulu
 Twining Valley
 Huntingdon Valley (27 holes)
 Philmont (36 holes)
 Abington (9)
 JC Melrose
 Bala
 Commonwealth
 Squires
 Old York Road
 Talamore
 Merion   (36)
 Cedarbrook
 Meadowlands
 Blue Bell
 Center Square
 Plymouth
 Westover
 Jeffersonville
 Glenhardie
 Gulph Mills
 Philadelphia Country (27 holes)
 Westover
 Jeffersonville
 Gulph Mills
 Radnor Valley
 St Davids
 Overbrook
 Aronimink
 Llanerch
 
And there are so many more on the periphery of this group. I guess it is not that different than Westchester County NY, parts of Long Island and Northern NJ (especially Essex, Morris, Union Co.s).  Since this is a non scientific list, yes, there will be courses that I missed, or that maybe leak outside of a 20 minute drive, but if anything we could add more within the 20 minute drive time. 
 
And by the way, there are at least two courses in this are that I have played in the last 20 years that N L E including Ashbourne and the Old Cedarbrook that at the end was just 9 holes.
 
Bill
 
A K A Wm Flynnfan

[Joe Bausch]

Very challenging lighting for much of the time at WVCC last weekend, but I still put together an album:


http://xchem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/albums/WhitemarshValley/

[Mark_Fine]

Mike,
I am sure you know the "frilly edged" (I call them lacy edged) bunkers never existed at WV.  That look came from Thomas' collaboration with Bell on the West coast).  Shackelford and I used to cringe at why the club was trying to instill a look that never existed there.  The club should have embraced the original Thomas look from that time as they had something unique!
Mark