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Joe Bausch

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1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« on: June 07, 2015, 01:11:11 PM »
Who would have thunk it!

A writer by the name of Jason Rogers penned at least 12 course reviews in later 1909 for 'The Monitor'.  Some are pretty good.

Here are the 12 courses he wrote about (and there may be more):

Myopia
Chicago GC
Brae Burn
Essex County (MA)
Tedesco
Salisbury
Essex County (NJ)
Wykagyl
Apawamis
Garden City GC
Montclair
Fox Hills

Here they are all cleaned up and easy to read:

http://xchem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/1909_CSM_reviews/

Please, enjoy (as I head out for some Sunday afternoon golf, grin)!
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Jim_Kennedy

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2015, 03:36:45 PM »
What a great find!!

Thanks Joe.
"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

MCirba

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2015, 03:53:39 PM »
Great find Joe..

Wow..not a fan of Chicago Golf Club.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Jim_Kennedy

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2015, 04:13:58 PM »
Great find Joe..

Wow..not a fan of Chicago Golf Club.

Did you arrive at that conclusion right after you read: "Nevertheless, it has had two previous championships, in 1897 and 1905, and is first class."

 ??? ::) ;)
"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

Scott Sander

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2015, 05:10:25 AM »
For what it's worth, that'd be the Mac routing that Raynor almost completely re-worked.

Did anyone else chuckle when reading "out-of-bounds for a pull" on six consecutive holes?

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2015, 09:16:41 AM »
I think it was the sentence prior saying the course looked like a miniature hurdle track.   :-X
« Last Edit: June 08, 2015, 09:46:58 AM by MCirba »
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Jim_Kennedy

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2015, 10:10:44 AM »
Mike,
Only a moron (®Pat Mucci)   ;) would read this paragraph and come to the conclusion that its author was implying that the course itself looks like a "miniature hurdle track" when it's plain to see he is referring to the effect of the map size.

The fact that the course was built on 200 acres should have alerted you to the true meaning behind the word "miniature".   :o

   
"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2015, 10:33:15 AM »
Jim,

I'm sure it was the finest course of its kind in the midwest.  ;)

Course reviewers for a number of reasons tend to write in shorthand, lest they directly offend.   But phrases like "have had to" to me translate into somewhat featureless land, while descriptors like "hurdle track" I think refer to the Victorian cross bunker architecture.  "Nevertheless" means, "despite these shortcomings".   "First class" means it has some very well-to-do, influential members that I don't want to offend so I can play it again next time I'm in town.  ;)  ;D

Something I've wondered regarding this 200 acre layout is what they were saving the middle for?  
« Last Edit: June 08, 2015, 10:34:53 AM by MCirba »
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Joe Bausch

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2015, 10:34:26 AM »

Something I've wondered regarding this 200 acre layout is what they were saving the middle for?  

A place to celebrate a Cubs World Series title.
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Jim_Kennedy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2015, 11:48:11 AM »


Something I've wondered regarding this 200 acre layout is what they were saving the middle for?  

Cottages -  wait a minute, wrong thread.
"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2015, 01:39:53 PM »
Jim,

Too funny!  ;)

There needs to be a "Like" button on GCA. 
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #11 on: June 09, 2015, 12:18:51 PM »
Maybe they used the middle ground to stage the Naval Battles advertised at bottom right of the review.



As for a LIKE button: God, no. Please, no.
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #12 on: June 09, 2015, 01:04:01 PM »
Damn...think we missed the Carnival of Fire, Dan.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Brad Tufts

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #13 on: June 09, 2015, 03:31:00 PM »
Hi Joe,

GREAT FIND!!!

I may be the only one on here going bonkers over the Tedesco review, but in my first read I have already cleared up a couple longtime mysteries.

Just as an example...I always wondered why our current 8th hole, a 130y par three, was listed as 175 on an old scorecard I have.  I know where that green would be according to distance, but no evidence to back it up.  The description of original hole #4 in the CSM review describes a green located in a bowl with a berm in front, which describes the land forms still there just perfectly!  The current green sits in the face of the rise 40 yards in front of the old green.

Most of these 1909 holes still are holes today.

257y #1 (in 1909) is the 200y par three 3rd today
456y #2 is the 430y par four 4th today, with less of a dogleg.
224y #3 is the 365y par four 5th today, with the same ditch in front of the green as the first version.
175y #4 is the 130y par three 8th today, with a green 40 yards short of the original green.
303y #5 is the 505y par five 9th today, with the tee shorter than today, and the green at the bottom of the hill 80y short of the current hilltop green.
537y #6 is the 560y par five 10th today, almost identical to the original.
441y #7 is the same hole as the long par four 18th today.
356y #8 is the 430y par four 1st hole today, with a tee playing somewhere right of the current tee on the rise where our clubhouse sits, to a green about 75y short of the current 1st green.
275 #9 occupies the the last 2/3rds of the current #2, though no mention of a green in the old quarry like the current one, so perhaps the green was short or left of it.

Just awesome, awesome stuff.  Love when I can add something to the archives.  Our longtime greenskeeper is going to go nuts!  Not that I have the know-how or time to do the research myself, but I'm convinced there is something still out there that definitively says whether Ross designed the second nine in 1912 (my opinion is no, but the style certainly makes it look very plausible).

His portfolio pamphlet produced in the late 30s/early 40s listed that he did one hole at Tedesco, which is the only substantial change we made after his visit and his set of suggestions was produced in 1937.  Even if Ross did the second nine in 1912, he may not have considered it "his" anymore after Wayne Stiles made substantial changes to it in 1927-1930 when we added a third (and fourth) nine that are now both NLE.
So I jump ship in Hong Kong....

BCrosby

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #14 on: June 09, 2015, 04:08:37 PM »
Joe -

Do we know why the series was called "Rational Golf"?

Bob

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #15 on: June 09, 2015, 04:20:43 PM »
Hi Joe,

GREAT FIND!!!

I may be the only one on here going bonkers over the Tedesco review, but in my first read I have already cleared up a couple longtime mysteries.

Just as an example...I always wondered why our current 8th hole, a 130y par three, was listed as 175 on an old scorecard I have.  I know where that green would be according to distance, but no evidence to back it up.  The description of original hole #4 in the CSM review describes a green located in a bowl with a berm in front, which describes the land forms still there just perfectly!  The current green sits in the face of the rise 40 yards in front of the old green.

Most of these 1909 holes still are holes today.

257y #1 (in 1909) is the 200y par three 3rd today
456y #2 is the 430y par four 4th today, with less of a dogleg.
224y #3 is the 365y par four 5th today, with the same ditch in front of the green as the first version.
175y #4 is the 130y par three 8th today, with a green 40 yards short of the original green.
303y #5 is the 505y par five 9th today, with the tee shorter than today, and the green at the bottom of the hill 80y short of the current hilltop green.
537y #6 is the 560y par five 10th today, almost identical to the original.
441y #7 is the same hole as the long par four 18th today.
356y #8 is the 430y par four 1st hole today, with a tee playing somewhere right of the current tee on the rise where our clubhouse sits, to a green about 75y short of the current 1st green.
275 #9 occupies the the last 2/3rds of the current #2, though no mention of a green in the old quarry like the current one, so perhaps the green was short or left of it.

Just awesome, awesome stuff.  Love when I can add something to the archives.  Our longtime greenskeeper is going to go nuts!  Not that I have the know-how or time to do the research myself, but I'm convinced there is something still out there that definitively says whether Ross designed the second nine in 1912 (my opinion is no, but the style certainly makes it look very plausible).

His portfolio pamphlet produced in the late 30s/early 40s listed that he did one hole at Tedesco, which is the only substantial change we made after his visit and his set of suggestions was produced in 1937.  Even if Ross did the second nine in 1912, he may not have considered it "his" anymore after Wayne Stiles made substantial changes to it in 1927-1930 when we added a third (and fourth) nine that are now both NLE.


Brad,

Great to see your excitement.   Joe (and I) love to do this type of what we call "golf course archeology" on courses we play great and small.   Digging up the past or finding old abandoned holes, greens, tees, etc., is a blast.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Jim_Kennedy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #16 on: June 09, 2015, 05:00:44 PM »
Joe -

Do we know why the series was called "Rational Golf"?

Bob

His approach?

"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #17 on: June 09, 2015, 07:06:03 PM »
Golf is anything but rational.  ;D
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #18 on: June 09, 2015, 08:02:11 PM »
What is the date on that article, Jim?
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

DMoriarty

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #19 on: June 09, 2015, 08:08:07 PM »
Thanks for posting these Joe.

As for the Chicago Golf Club article there is little in it to suggest that the author had ever actually seen the course.   Look at the difference in style between the CGC articles and the other articles.  

My guess is that he included an article on CGC because of the the Amateur was being held that that week, but that he was not writing from his own experience.
Golf history can be quite interesting if you just let your favorite legends go and allow the truth to take you where it will.
--Tom MacWood (1958-2012)

Joe Bausch

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #20 on: June 09, 2015, 08:11:28 PM »
Thanks for posting these Joe.

As for the Chicago Golf Club article there is little in it to suggest that the author had ever actually seen the course.   Look at the difference in style between the CGC articles and the other articles.  

My guess is that he included an article on CGC because of the the Amateur was being held that that week, but that he was not writing from his own experience.

Agreed.
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #21 on: June 09, 2015, 08:16:47 PM »
And I'll make a plea to my fellow spelunkers on the Fulton History site to try to unearth more articles in this series.  I know I'm adept at using that finicky search engine but know there are others here as good, actually probably better.
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

DMoriarty

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #22 on: June 09, 2015, 08:18:36 PM »
Joe, is there any possibility at Fulton History that they will ever retroactively index by date?  That alone would make a huge difference? 
Golf history can be quite interesting if you just let your favorite legends go and allow the truth to take you where it will.
--Tom MacWood (1958-2012)

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #23 on: June 09, 2015, 08:28:45 PM »
Joe, is there any possibility at Fulton History that they will ever retroactively index by date?  That alone would make a huge difference? 

Good question.  I'll try to remember to ask the owner of the site tomorrow.
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

MCirba

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Re: 1909 course reviews in The Christian Science Monitor
« Reply #24 on: June 09, 2015, 10:46:34 PM »
Agreed on the indexing.

Like virtually every writer of the pre_1910 era, our Rational Golf writer cited Myopia and Garden City as head and shoulders the best courses of the time


Although, of any of the others the first course at Salisbury and the early Essex (MA) looked unusually appealing for their vintage.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

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