The Original Architect is Unknown - Jackson CC Updated w/ Pictures

[Mike Hendren]

This course has been renovated but some of the original features remain:




Mounding between parallel fairways - 3 more examples:






Left greenside from adjacent fairway:


Close miss right of another green:


Long right of another green:



I have a theory.  What's yours?

Bogey

[Ronald Montesano]

Donald J. Ross

[Jason Thurman]

Langford and Moreau. I'd wager $20 on it. Maybe more if I could see it in person.

[Chris_Blakely]

Based on the grassed in bunkers and raised greens, I would say Langford and Moreau as well.

Chris

[Nigel Islam]

I agree with Chris and Jason. Especially since those mounds look like grass bunkers. Where might this course be? If it is in Tennessee then that would strengthen the case for Langford and Moreau.

[Pat Burke]

Emmet

[William_G]

Langford

[Tim_Cronin]

The last three shots especially have Langford and Moreau written all over it. Where are we?

[Thomas Dai]

Any idea how do they cut this bank (mower on a long rope or what?)

And...

Did you manage to keep your balance when playing the ball towards the pin from this bank or did you fall over? If you did chip it near the pin, a big well done!

ATB

[Mike Hendren]

Good eyes, gentlemen.  My theory is that Langford designed/routed this course in Jackson, Tennessee and that instead of Moreau he employed a local engineer named Hugh Miller to build it:

From The History of Tennessee Golf - 1894 - 2001, an outstanding book by Gene Pearce:

"The late Dr. Jackson Thompson, longtime administrator of the Jackson-Madison County General Hospitall, said in 1989 that soon after he joined the club in 1928 he was made chairman of the green committee.  He said a course designer had already been hired and work was underway when he took the job.  Dr. Thompson was not able to recall the designer's name, but remembers he was from Memphis.  Jack Wenzler, the retired golf professional at Ridgeway Country Club in Memphis, said Hugh Miller, an engineer by profession, designed only two courses - Chickasaw in Memphis and Jackson Country Club.  William B. Langford, a noted golf architect from Chicago, built Chickasaw in 1922.  He also designed the old Colonial course (1914) and Ridgeway (1919) in Memphis, Green Meadow Country Club (1925) in Maryville, Gatlinburg Golf and Country Club (1956) and the Country Club of Morristown (1957).  It appears that Chickasaw or Langford hired Miller to build Chickasaw.  Miller used this new expertise to design the course for Jackson.  Hugh H. Miller's obituary said he built Colonial, Chickasaw, Rugby Park, and Galloway in Memphis and the course in Greenwood, Mississippi.  Albert Stone Jr. who has played at Jackson since the 1930's said he was told the club hired a famous architect.  He and other can remember an architect's drawing of the course that once hung in the old golf shop."

I returned there this summer after 38 years.  Sadly, gone are the birthday cake pushed-up greens but overall I thought John LaFoy's wholesale rebuilding of the greens was well done, though decidedly "modern."  The course I last played in the 70's would rival Holston Hills as a genuiine article, though what's there today is quite good as well and should be visited if one is traveling between Memphis and Nashville..  I'll post more photographs later.

Bogey

[Sven Nilsen]

Bogey:

Here's what I have for golf courses in Jackson:

1.  There was a 9 hole course built before 1901 known as Jackson Golf Club noted in the 1901 Harper's Guide.

2.  Jackson CC is first noted as a 9 holer in the 1920 and 1921 Annual Guides.  Credit is given to Bendelow with a date of 1914 in other sources.

3.  The 1929 and 1931 Annual Guides note the course was extended to 18 holes.

Dr. Thompson's account coincides with the lengthening of the course.  What I don't know is whether there was any connection between Jackson GC and Jackson CC (where they on separate pieces of land) and what exactly happened to Bendelow's original 9 hole layout (was it blown up or incorporated into the new 18).

Perhaps the answers are out there somewhere.  In any case, if anyone was building a family tree of golf architects it seems that you'd have to add Miller to the L/M branch.

[Carl Johnson]

Seth Raynor

[Chris_Blakely]

I returned there this summer after 38 years.  Sadly, gone are the birthday cake pushed-up greens but overall I thought John LaFoy's wholesale rebuilding of the greens was well done, though decidedly "modern."  The course I last played in the 70's would rival Holston Hills as a genuiine article, though what's there today is quite good as well and should be visited if one is traveling between Memphis and Nashville..  I'll post more photographs later.

Bogey

Well that is a bummer, I was thinking I need to get out and see another lost Langford!!!

Chris

[RJ_Daley]

I think another factor pointing to Langford and Morreau, is that there was some sort of successor relationship, given Bendelow took over American Park Builders from Langford.  One would think it was the other way around.  But there had to be some sort of natural relationship.  Maybe L&M were just the go-to guys to shine up some of Bendelow's early rudimentary 'laid-out' courses.  But, all the green pads and a bit of gullwingishness in the grass bunkers have that "look" of L&Ms stuff.  

Ron Whiten years ago once stated he found many of L&Ms drawings in the family home basement in Chicago, IIRC.  It would be nice if some one would who knows RW would just call and ask him to share what he found, if at all relevant.  

I'd like to see the work LaFoy did, and try to compare the original design, which looks like the real deal L&M or other classic archie.  I suppose the severity of slopes around greens and how they effected maintenance is the reason.  One only has to look at Art Hills and Gills work at West Bend, CC to see how distracting it is if the work isn't sympathetic in style.  

[Mike Hendren]

Lafoy's work:

The 163 yards (one set up from the tips - 6480 total yards) uphill 3rd:


My miss just right of the 3rd - more troublesome than it appeared from the tee (solved by a rare deft pitch to a foot):


Left of the 16th green from the 4th fairway:


Internal fairway  mounding at the lengthy uphilll par four 4th:


The radically contoured 6th green replaced a steeply two-tiered original:


The 7th, at 335 yards is a short par four with a blind drive over the hill.  Fairway bunkers have been added but weren't necessary with the original oval green which was half the size of the current one.  Originally, one of the all-time toughest greens to hit and hold as the bunkers wrapped around the front of the green leaving only a small gap to bounce the ball on.Today's deeper green makes the hole a half shot easier.  

More later.

[Lawrence Largent]

Bogey,

Played the State Mid-Am last year and the State Am there in 2000.  Course has that time period feel to it with some really good holes.  Par 3's are really good and very tough.  How fast were  the greens when you played?  They said they slowed them down for the tourney last year.  I know in the practice round they were running in the 14 range.  What are your thoughts on the 8th and 10th holes.

Lawrence

[Mike Hendren]

Lawrence, perhaps the quickest greens I've played, period.  I simply could not get the ball to stop.  

The 8th is isolated and awkward.   Very constricted off the tee and the dogleg is a little too far from the tee.  It's one of those holes where I feel like I'm fighting the terrain.

10 through 12 were always the make-or-break holes for scoring.    I though the 10th was a fantastic hole in the 70's where just about everyone could hit driver from the tee, though as demanding a tee shot as I can recall.    I also like the way the fairway opens up for the approach.  I'm guessing it's hybrid-hybrid for today's better players.  I still needed driver (slightly pulled) and 3-wood to reach the front edge.    

While I miss the Langford work, I think LaFoy did a solid job with the exception of converting the 17th from a par 4 to par 5.   What did you hit there?

With the exception of the three extremely short par fives, I thought the course plays a little tougher than the card indicates.  

Cheers,

Mike

[Rees Milikin]

Mike,

What year was the last renovation?  I never played it when I lived in Nashville, but your pictures are making me reconsider bringing my clubs during my trips to visit family in Nashville.