News:

Welcome to the Golf Club Atlas Discussion Group!

Each user is approved by the Golf Club Atlas editorial staff. For any new inquiries, please contact us.


Jim Sherma

  • Karma: +0/-0
Frank Murray and Russell Roberts
« on: August 02, 2017, 09:52:23 PM »
In the past 16 months I've been slowly playing my way through the courses of Baltimore. In Cornish and Whitten I came across the names Frank Murray and Russell Roberts as the architects of Maryland Golf and Country Club. Turns out I've played another of their courses, Fairview in Lebanon, PA. A decent public with a handful of interesting holes.


A search here came back with a big fat doughnut. Looking for some insights on the architects in general and also whether or not Maryland G&CC is worth a play.

Bret Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Frank Murray and Russell Roberts
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2017, 11:16:06 PM »
Jim,


Here is a link from the MSU Archives with some background information on Frank Murray from August 1956.  It appears he and his associate Russell Roberts built several of Alfred Tull's designs in and around Maryland early in their careers, before branching out on their own.


(Scroll to page 5, titled "Next Meeting" and page 6, titled "Know Your Host")

http://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/matnl/article/1956aug.pdf


Bret





John Emerson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Frank Murray and Russell Roberts
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2020, 11:14:03 AM »
Roberts is accredited in 1969 for Maple Dale CC in Dover, DE as well.  I live right down the road and have yet to check it out.
“There’s links golf, then everything else.”

Tommy Williamsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Frank Murray and Russell Roberts New
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2020, 12:36:23 PM »
Jim, the course is definitely worth a play. It isn't long and you will hit a bunch of short irons, but the terrain is rolling and the holes are interesting. I think they did a renovation not too many years ago.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2020, 01:37:34 PM by Tommy Williamsen »
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Bernie Bell

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Frank Murray and Russell Roberts
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2020, 12:55:08 PM »
Jim, I can't tell you about Maryland G&CC.  Russell Roberts was a Montgomery County MD native and did most of his work in DC metro and MD/DE beach.  The most prominent would be Andrews AFB, I think.  He did the older 2 of the 3 courses.  Obama played there when he was in office.  I've played there 4 or 5 times but so long ago that I can't recall much about the courses, or even which ones we played.  He did two courses at the Bay Club in Berlin MD, just outside Ocean City, of which I played the more challenging one.  Bay Club is recently NLE but used to see a lot of package traffic -- not enough I guess, or maybe the land was worth too much.  It had an island green par 3 and a double green for 9 & 18 par 5s.  Fun golf, not "worthy of study"  ::)  but solid in a Dark Ages way.  He did Rehoboth CC in the early 60s.  It looks interesting on Google Maps, but I've never played it.  One of these days I'll get to Hidden Valley Resort up in Laurel Highlands; I've heard mixed reviews on the golf.  Pretty tough to drive past Bedford Springs to play Hidden Valley.

Ira Fishman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Frank Murray and Russell Roberts
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2020, 12:56:29 PM »
Roberts designed Patuxent Greens in Laurel, Maryland (NLE). I played it a bunch in the late 80s. Solid layout with some variety for a small mostly flat site. He also designed the course at Hidden Valley resort in Pennsylvania. Horrendous first hole, but scenic and good after that.


Ira

Jim Sherma

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Frank Murray and Russell Roberts
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2020, 09:03:23 PM »
I see this is from 2017 - still haven’t made it to Maryland Golf and CC. Kind of fell off the radar. This deep into the lockdown Maryland and my office seems far away from Hershey.