This book was one of about 10 recently purchased. Here are my highlights.
1. Page 56 Adjustable Tees
"The modern course should either have tees fifty yards long, or three or four seperate tees at every hole.
2. Page 65 Long and Short Par 4's
"The drive-and-long approach is a pleasing length and must have its place on every first-class layout. By this I mean one that demands a lond second to the green, a hole say, from 425 to 450 yards, according to the lay of the land and wind conditions. I favor at least two holes of this length on each 9...Tees should be located as near to the putting greens as possible without endangering players. Long walks to the tees cause much dissatidfaction."
3. Page 68 Many long courses are uninteresting
"The desireable length for a good course is from 6000 to 6400 yards"
4. Page 86. Picture of Dayton (OH) country club green complex
5. Page 183. Dornoch
"Modesty forbids me saying more than it is the most beautifully situated links in the world, and that no American golfer should omit to go there, where he will find the best golf, a royal welcome, and no rabble"
Rabble meaning a disorderly crowd or mob.
6. Behind the scene on a project (Bob O'Link, Chicago IL, 1916)
"I could see propositions here and there, but I had to be cognizant of such things as these: a) alternating holes with the wind ... b) taking advantage of the lay of the land for long and short holes...c) presenting every possibility as I saw them. One of the main things to get away from is the cut-and-dried idea of having one parallel hole after another. d) wasting no ground e) making no holes overlap or conflict f) staking out my hazards with an eye toward their usefulness, not only on one hole, but as help for another...The course should be a pleasure to golfers, rather than a monotony. Putting greens must not be flat and regular. They, too, must present their puzzles. The putt must be just as much a reason for study as the drive or pitch...I do not believe in making the course too hard. That is quite easy to do. I believe a course should be laid out in such a manner that the good short golfer can get to the green quite as well as the long hitter. You know, the average players is the man whose game ranges between 90 and 108, and he has to be taken into consideration. Taking it all around, the demand today for up-to-date golf courses contains these points: a) It must be a sporty course, not an easy drive, pitch, and putt affair b) It must be as scenic as possible c) The hazards should be real, not merely holes cut in the ground here and there and banked, or ditches dug, and streams deflected d) trees must be removed where they interfere, but so many must not be taken away as to spoil the beauty of a course f) above all, it must be a test of the best golf a player is capable of"
Overall a very easy read similar in format to Doak's "Little Red Book" The end also has a course list of course listed by state so you can find options to play both locally and afar. In 1935 he listed work in 45 of 48 states excluding Arizona, Montana and Utah (also Hawaii and Alaska which had tey to become states).
For others that have read this, what was your take?
Justin