Mark,
Agreed that this is a terrific example of how GolfClubAtlas can be used for positive, collaborative efforts. It was a great idea putting this out there for us research hounds to pursue.
As we discussed, here is an updated effort to list the chronology based on what we've learned to date. Others please feel free to criticize or comment if you feel something here is either unproven or based on shaky analysis. Thanks.
Chronology as best as I can account;
1892 - 1895 - John Reid Jr. lays out a few holes near a baseball batting cage (near the Infirmary) in a field near willows. An 1894 school newspaper article mentions that they are playing in "Green Field", which is near the McPherson House, which served as the Infirmary from 1929 to 1976. The infirmary originally was in a house that may still exist to the right of today's 3rd hole as was first used for that purposed around 1910. In 1929, however, a new infirmary was built that is today the "McPherson House" used for girls' housing, almost due south from today's golf course and very close to the area known as "Green Field". The article mentioning that Reid and friends played near the infirmary was from 1953, consistent with the timing and location of the McPherson House. It was used as an infirmary until 1976 when a building close to today's 9th hole became the new infirmary.
1895/1896 - It seems from a number of accounts that after John Reid Jr. graduated in spring of 1895 that golf went dormant in terms of a formal course, although the seed he planted seems to have generated continued interest. Strangely, one later account from the 1950s indicates that a ""Nat" Reid", who came to "Davis House" in "94 or 95" and a few friends laid out a few holes with tomato cans on land north of the creek that runs parallel to a road on pasture land at the time owned by "Mr. Mershon". This same article mentions that this would be the creek intersecting today's 1, 2, and 3rd holes. Besides John Jr., the only other son of John Reid to attend L'ville was Archie Reid, who attended from 1897 through 1901 and was captain of the golf team during the years Seymour Dunn was golf instructor. Like Dunn, he was evidently terrific at playing bagpipes. I suspect that the Reid in question was actually John Jr. and it's very possible that during his time at L'ville that he and his friends played makeshift golf on both the land of "Green Field" as well as some of the land north on today's golf course, at the time owned by Mr. Mershon.
1896 - James Swan is brought on as golf instructor and a January 1897 article mentions that enough land has been purchased for a full golf course according to "Dr. Mackenzie" who seemed to be the driving force. It is reported that Swan laid out a six hole course that could easily be expanded to nine holes, which happened before 1900. I suggested to Mark that he should track down the land purchase from 1896/97 that permitted the creation of the new course and it would be interesting to see if it was Mr. Mershon's land. In any case, Mr. Swan left in June of 1898 and was followed shortly after by Seymour G. Dunn, who first came to the US in June of 1897, working subsequently with his brother at Ardsley before moving on that summer to Hollywood and then to Mahopac (NY) the following year before ending up at Lawrenceville.
1899 - 1901 - It's difficult to tell if Swan's course was ever expanded to nine holes but according to an account of John Stout, the course was expanded around the turn of last century by the next pro, Seymour Dunn. A 1900 Harper's account detailed the nine hole course and said they were designed by Seymour Dunn in 1896, which seems problematic given other known dates. Another 1901 report mentions that plans to create a new, much longer nine hole addition to the first nine were under consideration (but never implemented). I think it is likely that Dunn expanded Swan's course to nine holes, probably lengthening it as well to just under 3000 yards.
1906 - New pro and instructor James Norton makes additional changes and improvements and his work creates a course of about 3000 yards.
Summer 1924 - Lower School Bldg. completion requires the 9th hole to be altered. In the same year it was determined to move the tennis courts to the 1st and 9th fairway. Two new holes had to be constructed to the East and South of the Rufus Dawes House.
Oct 1925 - A report that the two holes have been added includes the info that the old remaining holes were "divided up", leaving a new "7 hole course". It is most likely that John Stout, golf instructor since 1916, was responsible for those changes.
June 1930 - The second hole becomes the 1st to locate the 1st tee closer to locker rooms.
1934 - John Stout develops and implements a much revised course of nine holes by moving further east towards the Progress Golf Club. His course is also about 3000 yards.
1947 - The creation of a Central Heating Plant on the 8th fairway requires the elimination of two holes, now making Stout's course again a 7-hole affair.
1953 - William Gordon plans a nine hole course, keeping holes 1-3, and hole 7 of Stout's course in the plan.
I'm not 100% certain but it does seem very possible that the 1st 3 holes are original to Swan's course, and possibly Reid Jr.'s. Those holes ARE there in a 1931 aerial prior to Stout's 1934 work.
Hope this helps!