In early March 1906, CB Macdonald wrote Walter Travis from abroad and wrote the following article. Note his mention that after he returns he’ll have a bunch of course and hole and then will confer with experts on both sides of the Atlantic and even vet this in the press as to the correct holes to select as Ideal. News articles of the time also mentioned that Macdonald went abroad to study the holes again because his earlier ideas about which holes to reproduce needed revision due to the relatively recent introduction of the Haskell Ball.
Upon his return in June of 1906, he still hadn’t selected a site, or the exact holes, but has
“draughtsmen now making exact diagrams of certain holes…” so it seems he is still working out his paper portfolio.
Three and a half months later on October 15th, 1906 an article is printed in the Boston Globe, reproduced in two parts below. CBM had just returned a few months prior with surveyor's maps of the great holes abroad. We know from the articles above that his intention was to continue conferring with experts here and abroad after his return with the golf course maps and photos in an effort to achieve some type of consensus as to which holes to reproduce.
Here’s how I think the Boston Globe reporter, who got numerous things incorrect as you’ll see below, interpreted those interchanges;
Years later, in CBM's 1912 Letter to the Founders, he includes this portion;
"We have also been helped by some of
the most eminent men in the game of golf
abroad, who have taken a most friendly
interest in the undertaking, and I have to
thank among these Mr. Horace G. Hutchinson,
Mr. John L. Low, Mr. 'Harold
H. Hilton, Mr. J. Sutherland, Mr. W. T.
Linskill, the Messrs. Walter and Charles
Whigham, Mr. Patrick Murray, Mr. Alexander
MacFee, and the late Mr. C. H
S. Everard,
for the maps, photographs,
and suggestions which they have given us."No mention of them evaluating the Sebonac Neck property, or looking at topographical maps of Sebonac Neck CBM sent to them prior to his purchase. I think the writer, who seems confused on a number of points as seen below (i.e. size of property, purchase vs offer, cost, etc.) also misunderstood that the maps in question were of famous holes abroad that were intended to be copied in whole and part on the new land in question.You’ll notice that he talks about the ongoing correspondence between CBM and expert opinions here and abroad but then seems to interpret those drawings as being of the new property. I don’t believe they were.
Instead, the property he describes seems to be the entire Sebonac Neck region. It should be mentioned that NONE of this information appeared in any of the New York City newspapers at that time and in fact, two weeks later on November 1st, 1906 New York papers mentioned CBM still considering multiple sites.
I think what likely happened is that this was around the time (Fall 1906) when the Real Estate Developer, obviously wanting a golf course in the region near the proposed development but having previously rejected Macdonald’s offer near the canal in the heart of the proposed development had recently offered in concept that they’d be willing to sell land up on Sebonac Neck.
I think this is roughly (Sept/Oct 1906) when CBM and Whigham took their first horseback rides on the property of Sebonac Neck.
I’ve seen nothing to date to indicate it was any earlier. Has anyone else?