Willie Park Jr (Course Listings) and (Photo tours)

[Bret Lawrence]

Karl,


Thank you for your reply.  The closest estimate I can come up with is early 1922.  Judging by the listing for Mt. Bruno they had selected the site for a Championship but likely hadn’t played it yet.  A course that didn’t make the list is Shorehaven Country Club in Norwalk, CT, which Willie had visited as early as April 1922.


Here is an article about Willie Park at Shorehaven from April 03, 1922:  This course was designed by Park, but constructed by Robert White when Park went back to Scotland. There are a few Shorehaven articles in this thread, but I’m not sure this one has been posted.





Bret

[Karl Jensen]

Karl,


Thank you for your reply.  The closest estimate I can come up with is early 1922.  Judging by the listing for Mt. Bruno they had selected the site for a Championship but likely hadn’t played it yet.  A course that didn’t make the list is Shorehaven Country Club in Norwalk, CT, which Willie had visited as early as April 1922.


Here is an article about Willie Park at Shorehaven from April 03, 1922:  This course was designed by Park, but constructed by Robert White when Park went back to Scotland. There are a few Shorehaven articles in this thread, but I’m not sure this one has been posted.





Bret

Bret,


I can't explain why Shorehaven CC is not on the brochure advertisement. Perhaps it is not perfect, lord knows it has spelling errors. The Maidstone Club in Easthampton, Long Island is on the brochure advertisement. The earliest I have found Park Jr.'s name associated with the Maidstone Club extension is Dec 1922 and work on the added course was still going on in Mar 1924 after Willie had returned to Scotland in Oct 1923 and his brother Jack Park had left the Club as their professional. See the below images.


BTW, Do you know what the eighteen hole design of Park Jr.'s was in Syracuse, NY? It is mentioned in the below 1923 newspaper clipping. I know that Park did some preliminary work for a Springfield, MA municipal golf course project that appears did not happen till after Willie's death sometime in the late 1920s by Stiles and Van Kleek.


Karl


Maidstone Club article, 1 Dec 1922 New York, NY Evening Post newspaper



Willie Park article, 12 Jul 1923 Washington, DC Times newspaper



Willie Park Jr. Sails Away article, 24 Oct 1923 New York, NY The Sun and The Globe newspaper



Maidstone Club article, 5 Mar 1924 New York, NY Evening Post newspaper

[MCirba]

Karl,


Great stuff.  Anything on Gullane?  Thanks.

[Joe Bausch]

Since the original starter of this thread can't edit the original post, I thought I would provide the photo albums I have of courses designed by WP, Jr in full or part.


Rolling Road:


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


Atlantic City CC:


http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/AtlanticCity_2020/index.html


Greate Bay:


http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/GreateBay_2020/index.html


Maidstone:


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


Sylvania:


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


Ashbourne:


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


Berkshire:


http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/Berkshire_2021/index.html


Philmont North:


http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/PhilmontNorth_2019/index.html


Pittsburgh FC:


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


Schuylkill:


http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/Schuylkill_2021/index.html


Princess Anne:


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

[Karl Jensen]

Karl,


Great stuff.  Anything on Gullane?  Thanks.

Mike Cirba,


I can find evidence of the No. 2 course being laid out in 1899 by the Gullane GC. Four different clubs used the courses, Gullane, East Lothian, Dirleton Castle and Gullane Nine Golf Clubs. I can also find evidence of the No. 3 course being laid out in 1910. Nothing attaches Willie Park Jr.'s name to either nor any rearrangement of the No. 1 course that I have found. The Gullane GC website does say it was Willie Park Jr. and Gullane is listed on his brochure advertisement.

[Niall C]

Mike/Karl


Archie Baird's book gives the story re no. 2 and no. 3.


"the end of the 19th century approached with a golf at Gullane booming. In 1898 a second, or relief, course was suggested. Willie Park junior was asked to look at the ground and direct the laying out of the new course. He came down from Musselburgh three times and went over the new course, giving his advice. He submitted an account for ten guineas. The committee of Gullane Club considered this excessive and directed the secretary to request Mr Park to modify his account. This Mr Park declined to do, so the amount was paid in full."


Later on there is a reference to no. 3 being built in 1910 for the cost of £1,000 but frustratingly no mention of the architect. I hadn't looked at the book for a few years and had thought it confirmed Park as the architect of no. 3 but couldn't find any reference.


Niall

[Niall C]

Should have added re Gullane, the original 7 hole course dates back to the 1840's and then finally went to 18 holes in early 1880's. Judging by the plan of the course in the book, when the relief course or no.2 was built, I'd suggest that some of the holes for no.1 were incorporated into no.2 and new holes built for no.1 so it wasn't just a case of adding a new course. Could be wrong about that but that is how it appears to me from a quick look at the plans.


Also no.3 ground was held under a separate lease which again suggests to me that when they built it in 1910 that it was an additional course and didn't impinge on either no.2 or no.1. As ever, could be wrong about that. The book includes a series of maps done by B. Hall Blyth of the different courses. Apparently they were hanging up in the clubhouse at one point but I can't recall seeing them the last time I was in the main clubhouse which admittedly was nearly 20 years ago.


Niall

[Sven Nilsen]

BTW, Do you know what the eighteen hole design of Park Jr.'s was in Syracuse, NY? It is mentioned in the below 1923 newspaper clipping.


Karl

Willie Park article, 12 Jul 1923 Washington, DC Times newspaper

Karl:


First I've seen of the Syracuse reference.


The most likely candidates are:


Bradford Hills - only 9 holes built, and
Golfmore - opened in 1926


Sven

[Karl Jensen]

Thanks Sven.

[Bret Lawrence]

Karl,


I have never seen a reference to Willie Park at Syracuse.  Thanks for posting these articles.  They are a great addition.


 I have several articles from Canadian Golfer that I’ve been meaning to post on here.  I will try to get them up here this week.  The Canadian Golfer articles cover a great deal of Willie Park’s work throughout Canada.


Bret

[Bret Lawrence]

Here is an Instruction by Illustration featuring Park from a 1901 Golf Illustrated:

[MCirba]

Thanks, Niall & Karl!

I was actually with Ron Whitten recently but forgot to ask him the source of the Willie Park, Sr. attribution for Gullane #1 in "The Architects of Golf" that he co-wrote with Geoffrey Cornish.    Perhaps I'll send him a follow-up query but I also know he's really busy at the moment.

[Karl Jensen]

Niall and Mike Cirba,


Below are images from The Golfing Annual for 1898-99, 1900-01, 1901-02 and 1909-10. Looks like there was an old course, then a new course in 1898-99, then a rearrangement in 1901-02 and finally a 3rd course in 1909-10 that was rearranged with the old and new. Willie Park Jr. must have been proud of his work there because Gullane is listed on two below 1916 advertisements. Willie arrived in the US on 14 Apr 1916 and by the end of the year had quite a few design projects in the works.


Karl


Gullane listing, 1898-99 The Golfing Annual



Gullane listing, 1900-01 The Golfing Annual



Gullane listing, 1901-02 The Golfing Annual



Gullane listing, 1909-10 The Golfing Annual



Willie Park Jr. golf courses, Jun 1916 Golfers Magazine



Willie Park Jr. golf courses advertisement, Dec 1916 The Golf Course Magazine

[MCirba]

Brilliant, Karl...thanks!

[Karl Jensen]

Karl,


I have never seen a reference to Willie Park at Syracuse.  Thanks for posting these articles.  They are a great addition.


 I have several articles from Canadian Golfer that I’ve been meaning to post on here.  I will try to get them up here this week.  The Canadian Golfer articles cover a great deal of Willie Park’s work throughout Canada.


Bret

Bret,


Below are images from the Canadian Golfer magazine concerning Willie Park Jr. and the Abitibi Golf Club in Iroquois Falls, Ontario. Abitibi is listed on Park Jr.'s advertisement brochure. Park Jr. designed the course in 1920.


Interesting, the below 1929 hole by hole description of the nine hole course. There are six par 3 holes in which five of them are from 220 to 245 yards. Seems an unusual course layout let alone the monstrous length par 3s for that age.


Does anyone have an opinion? Would Willie Park Jr. have designed such a 1929 course? By 1938 a newspaper article below states the course had a new layout. The nine hole Abitibi Golf Club is still open for play today.


Abitibi Golf Club article, Jul 1920 Canadian Golfer magazine, page 186



Abitibi Golf Club article, Jan 1929 Canadian Golfer magazine, page 741



Abitibi Golf Club article, Jan 1929 Canadian Golfer magazine, page 742



Abitibi Golf Club article, 2 Sep 1938 North Bay, Ontario Nugget newspaper

[Bret Lawrence]

Karl,


I can’t say for sure whether Willie Park Jr. designed the layout you posted in 1929.  If you look in the American Annual Golf Guides for 1926, 1929 and 1930-31, the course is listed at 3 different lengths in three separate years.


In 1926 Abitibi was a 2,950 yard,  9-hole course established in 1921. 
In 1929 Abitibi was a 2,604 yard, 9-hole course established in 1925
In 1930-1931 Abitibi was a 2,620 yard, Par 34, 9-hole course established in 1925.


To me it sounds like the course may have been reestablished in 1925 and they seemed to tinker with the layout regularly. The guides are sometimes unreliable, so it’s hard to say if Willie designed the course you posted in 1929.  It would be helpful to find more information on this club to answer your question.


Bret

[Bret Lawrence]

I have several Canadian Golfer articles to post concerning Willie Park Jr.’s work in Canada.  The first article is from June 1916 announcing Willie Park coming to The United States.


Canadian Golfer., June 1916:





Willie Park visits Canada in late 1917, early 1918.
Canadian Golfer., January 1918:





By December of 1918, Willie Park accepts a position at Mount Bruno Golf Club.
Canadian Golfer., December 1918:





An advertisement from 1919 listing Mount Bruno as Willie Park’s Canadian address.
Canadian Golfer., March 1919:

[Bret Lawrence]

This article lists some of the Canadian courses Willie Park is working on in 1919, including Mt. Bruno, Brightwood, Winnipeg, and Laval-sur-le-Lac. The article also notes he is working on Atlantic City Country Club in New Jersey.

Canadian Golfer., July 1919:





Willie Park, recently back from Winnipeg is now working on the the Beaconsfield course in Montreal.


Canadian Golfer., August 1919 (lower left):





“Willie Park of Montreal tells Britishers Some Interesting Things About the Royal and Ancient “Over Here””   The advertisement included on the second page of this article now lists Park’s Canadian address as: 133 King St. East, Toronto, Ontario.


Canadian Golfer., March 1920:

[Bret Lawrence]

I will keep these in chronological order as opposed to separating the stories by club.  These articles cover courses Park worked on, but many of these courses have changed since 1920. I will need some help from our Canadian friends in sorting out which courses are still Park and which no longer exist, or have moved.  This is more of a resume of Park’s Canadian work in the 1920’s and confirms some of the courses listed in this thread.


Willie Park to design an 18-hole course for Ottawa Hunt and Motor Club.


Canadian Golfer., April 1920:





This article doesn’t mention Willie Park, but there is an impressive illustration showing the planned Mount Bruno Clubhouse.



Canadian Golfer., May 1920:







Willie Park visited Weston in April of 1920 to design an 18-hole course.


Canadian Golfer., May 1920:





From the same Canadian Golfer., May 1920:

[Karl Jensen]

Karl,


I can’t say for sure whether Willie Park Jr. designed the layout you posted in 1929.  If you look in the American Annual Golf Guides for 1926, 1929 and 1930-31, the course is listed at 3 different lengths in three separate years.


In 1926 Abitibi was a 2,950 yard,  9-hole course established in 1921. 
In 1929 Abitibi was a 2,604 yard, 9-hole course established in 1925
In 1930-1931 Abitibi was a 2,620 yard, Par 34, 9-hole course established in 1925.


To me it sounds like the course may have been reestablished in 1925 and they seemed to tinker with the layout regularly. The guides are sometimes unreliable, so it’s hard to say if Willie designed the course you posted in 1929.  It would be helpful to find more information on this club to answer your question.


Bret

Bret,


Thanks for pointing me to The American Annual Golf Guides. I compiled the image below of all the Abitibi Golf Club listings. Seems the course was probably 2950 yards as Willie Park Jr. designed it. Then something happened in 1927 when the length went down to 2490 yards and the Club went from being established in 1921 to the new date of 1925. By 1929 the course length was up to 2604-05 yards and in 1930-31 it was 2620 yards. Today's Abitibi GC nine hole course is like 3000 yards. I'm pretty certain the Club remains at the same ground, next to the now closed Abitibi Paper Mill as can be seen on modern aerial photos. I have not been able to locate any historic aerial photos that show any detail of the course.


Abitibi Golf Club listings, 1921-31 The American Annual Golf Guide

[Bret Lawrence]

Here are some more Willie Park articles from the Canadian Golfer 1921 and 1922:


Work is underway at Ottawa Hunt and Motor Club with Carters Tested Seeds in charge of construction.
Canadian Golfer., January 1921:





Improvements and alterations suggested by Willie Park at Birds Hill in Winnipeg.
Canadian Golfer., July 1921:





Winnipeg Golf Club at Birds Hill holds the Twenty-third Annual Canadian Amateur Championship won by Frank Thompson.  Some of Willie Park’s work is noted in this article on the second page.
Canadian Golfer., September 1921:








Willie Park with a suggestion on pace of play.
Canadian Golfer., January 1922:





Recalling when Willie Park was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Musselburgh.
Canadian Golfer., March 1922:





Southwood Golf Club, Winnipeg secured the land of the old Winnipeg Hunt Club. Willie Park designed an 18-hole course on this property and work was started in the Fall of 1919. The course is described in this feature on Southwood Golf Club.
Canadian Golfer., April 1922:






















Abitibi Paper Company is mentioned again in April 1922.  Karl posted an article on Abitibi from 1920, earlier in this thread.


Canadian Golfer., April 1922:




Willie Park makes suggestions at Calgary Golf and Country Club, Bowness and St. Andrews in Calgary. This article also mentions he has two courses in Pittsburgh to lay out.
Canadian Golfer., May 1922:





Willie Park designs 27 holes for Summerlea Golf Club in Montreal.
Canadian Golfer., May 1922








A second article on Summerlea Golf Club, Montreal. Willie Park has personally supervised the finishing of each green.
Canadian Golfer., August 1922





Southwood Golf Club of Winnipeg is being rounded into shape.
Canadian Golfer., September 1922:





An article from 1923 suggests that Park’s plans to revamp the Calgary Golf and Country Club course have been accepted.


Canadian Golfer., March 1923:

[Bret Lawrence]

Willie Park on Putting.
Canadian Golfer., May 1924:

[Wayne_Kozun]

@Bret - I don't know if this is published anywhere, but my club, Scarboro Golf and Country Club, spoke to or perhaps even retained Willie to renovate the course in the summer/autumn of 1924.  My understanding is that Willie returned to Scotland over the winter, late in 1924, and died in the spring of 1925.  So Scarboro looked for someone else and eventually retained Tillinghast.

[Bret Lawrence]

Wayne,


That is interesting information.  I have never seen a reference to Willie Park at Scarboro Country Club before. I’d be curious to know if Carters Tested Seeds was responsible for constructing Scarboro?    Tillinghast had ties to Carters as well. If Willie Park was retained by the Scarboro club it was likely earlier than 1924, unless it was by mail.


Karl posted an article earlier on this page that reported Willie Park was sailing back to Scotland in October of 1923.  Willie Park spent 1924 in Scotland trying to regain his health before passing away in 1925. 


Thanks for this information.


Bret

[Wayne_Kozun]

Not sure about Carters - Scarboro was built in 1912 and originally a George Cumming design.  Apparently the reason that the course was built was that East Toronto golfers wanted another course since in 1910 or so TGC moved from the East End of Toronto, from what is now sometimes called the Upper Beach, to Dixie Rd in Mississauga. In the 1920s the club decided that they wanted to upgrade the course and started looking for an architect.