Feature Interview with Anthony Gholz on Colt & Alison is posted

[Ran Morrissett]

Imagine leading a life that was full of so many accomplishments that people later wrote about you. Let’s hope it’s for good, not naughty, deeds! Now suppose you accomplished enough to where four books were warranted. That’s hard to fathom and yet, this month’s subject - Colt & Alison - may well lend themselves to just that. Specifically this month, we talk to Tony Gholz and discuss his latest book, Colt & Alison in North America: Golf Course Architects.

I was amazed to learn that they touched 43 courses in North America. Several (Orchard Lake, Kirtland, Milwaukee) are absolute favorites; others (e.g. Timber Point) are shells of their former selves, and some are gone (e.g. Colony Club). Two of the three courses I would most like to see in North America (Toronto and Davenport) are by them as well. Here’s the thing: Tony makes it quite clear that his own, wildly time-consuming endeavor is but a piece to a very large puzzle. To understand the scope and scale of Colt & Alison, they could have three other books devoted to their work: one UK based, one for Alison’s work in Japan, and one for continental Europe/Africa. How is that for reach?!

The Feature Interview section is dotted with people who have devoted thousands of hours of work/research in chronicling one architect. Most recently in October, there was Dr. James Harris on Stanley Thompson. Yes, Thompson did work in the US, especially Ohio, but he really was a creature of his home country and all his best work is found there. Same can be said for the ones we have done with the leading experts on Macdonald, Tillinghast, Emmet, Thomas, etc. In regard to Ross, my good friend Chris Buie wrote just of Ross and Pinehurst in The Early Days of Pinehurst and I always find such accounts reveal much heretofore unknown information. Again, and like with Tony, we are talking about taking a subject matter and drilling down on just ~25% of it. Talk about a deep dive! To me, it is how you learn the most. As a bonus, Tony is a very fine writer and that makes perusing it a treat (in stark contrast to Colt’s Essays, which I find impenetrable).




Hard to believe that GolfClubAtlas went ‘live’ in 1999. Now we are about to close the chapter on 2018 and there is no more fitting way to do so. People can argue what design firm has had the greatest global impact. MacKenzie was a one-man wrecking crew from the UK, to the USA, to South America and Australia/New Zealand. And of course, he was tied to Colt & Alison for a brief period too but the scope of Colt & Alison’s might be even greater. No fair, you cry, as it is two and against one. Plus, a couple of modern firms might have a say in the matter before they are finished. In the meanwhile, though, Tony’s efforts are a celebration and fresh reminder this holiday season of the efforts/importance of Colt & Alison. More of Tony’s work can be found under In My Opinion on his beloved Port Huron and his new book can be ordered by clicking here. 

Dan Wexler neatly sums up the merit of Colt & Alison in North America: Golf Course Architects in its Forward when he writes ‘The book you are about to read is the real deal.’ Don’t miss it.

Best,

[Sven Nilsen]

Well done, Anthony.


Been looking forward to this book release for a while.


Sven

[Thomas Dai]

Given the nature of travel 100-plus years ago it’s always amazed me the extent to which folks got around the globe...and got home safely again, often numerous times.
As an aside, the photo of Timber Point looks pretty spectacular. Are there any more photos of TP? (ones posted previously on GCA threads seem to have disappeared).
Atb

[Tom_Doak]

Here’s the thing: Tony makes it quite clear that his own, wildly time-consuming endeavor is but a piece to a very large puzzle. To understand the scope and scale of Colt & Alison, they could have three other books devoted to their work: one UK based, one for Alison’s work in Japan, and one for continental Europe.

Well we are now 3/4 of the way through that project:  we still have Europe and Africa to cover, although I think Mr Morrison deserves more credit than Mr Alison or Mr Colt for the firm's work on the Continent.  But I guess none of them had any courses in Volume 2? 

[Jay Mickle]

I have not played any North American Colt and/or Alison courses but after reading this I will be sure to seek them out. I am in awe of the authors level of commitment to the project of researching and publishing this book. Great work Anthony.

[Anthony Gholz]

Thanks Sven
Tom Dal:  No more from the ground.  There are more in that Golf Illustrated 6/1932 issue.  You can probably find that at the USGA On-line library.  I do have 3 images from the work that Frank Pont and Mike Bourgeois did in creating a theoretical master plan.  One of the images is an historical aerial of the original course.  It's side by side with an aerial of the 27-hole course there now for comparison.  Even in the areas that are relatively original there is so much foliation and shoreline definition that the "wild" look of the original doesn't exist.  BUT the wind does still blow free and the Gibraltar hole is as hard as ever.
Tom D: For fun I took a look at Vol's 2&3 and came up with roughly 23 C&A courses that you covered of the 33 I believe still exist.  I need to look closer but Timber Point is on your Long Usland map of courses, but I can't find it in the book.  I'll look again.  I thought that was pretty good that you and your team thought family highly of at least 2/3rds of the remaining C&A courses in NA.  BTW I agree regarding Morrison, but only for GB and Europe, not Africa.  I did discover he made two trips to NA once as a cricketeer and once as a golf course architect when he was a partner of C&A.  However, I could come up with no info that he met with Alison, although it would seem unlikely that he wouldn't.  Still mystery's to solve.
Jay: Thanks for your kind words.  All you need to do it is retire, and work on a narrow area of golf course history for seven years, traveling all over the Midwest and Eastern seaboard.  It helps to have "an unusually patient" wife.
Anthony

[Tony_Muldoon]

Thank you Tony and Ran, wonderful interview and really illuminating.


http://golfclubatlas.com/feature-interview/feature-interview-with-anthony-gholz/

[Terry Lavin]

Just bought the book as a Christmas present to myself!

[Eric Smith]

Just bought the book as a Christmas present to myself!

I like your thinking, Judge - just did the same.

[John Emerson]

This was totally enjoyable to read.  Thank you

[Patrick Kiser]

Enjoyed the interview as well and I think it’s great to see the Colt & Alison work getting more attention as of late.


Also noticed Port Huron’s master plans are posted to the club’s site and are worth a look. Some really stuff here.
https://www.phgc.net/getmedia/a1ef225c-84b1-4925-9ef9-081027a275d2/2014_09_30_Port_Huron_GolfClub_Renovation_Booklet_Email.aspx

[Jeff_Brauer]

Just got my copy, looking forward to reading it!  I still think back to realizing most of my favorite old Chicago courses were Allison.  Loved the way he contoured his greens, compared to my mentor's take on the same design philosophy.

[Anthony Gholz]

To Tom D (again):  As we discussed off line the Timber Point pics are from Golf Illustrated, but 2/1925.  Probably not the first mistake I ever made. 
Patrick:  Thanks for posting the 2014 Master Plan.  It's an ambitious renovation which would help to get back to a 1920s look in sand and grass as well as recapture some of the Alison tees now unused due to tree growth.  Some of the tree removal discussed in 2014 has been accomplished.  There's a picture in the book of the sand ridge bunkers on #7 which can now be seen from the tee and not buried in foliage.  You use to have a shot from the middle of the bunkers while you stood with your head in the bushes.  The tee program is now being debated by the club.  It looks like current sentiment is to do half the tees (picked by the committee) and spend the rest on the pool house project.  I'm told that's necessary to attract younger members.  Unfortunately our club, although debt free, can do a major project about every 20 years, so if we don't do all the tees now it will probably not happen in my lifetime. 
jeff:  I hope you enjoy the book!


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
Anthony

[Jeff Schley]

Given the nature of travel 100-plus years ago it’s always amazed me the extent to which folks got around the globe...and got home safely again, often numerous times.
As an aside, the photo of Timber Point looks pretty spectacular. Are there any more photos of TP? (ones posted previously on GCA threads seem to have disappeared).
Atb

Thomas I'm in the same boat..... travel back 100 plus years ago was spartan compared to now and took enormous amounts of time as it was all on ships.  There were obviously perils that go with that such as weather, mechanical, disease, etc. So for transoceanic travel it was a month or more of your time minimum and very expensive. Glad they made it to Japan.  Mackenzie to Australia produced some iconic courses as well.

[Anthony Gholz]

Jeff: (and Tom)


I agree re the travel times and conveyances.  When I realized 3-4 years ago that a book might actually be a possibility I started to put together a timeline, just as I had done for my club histories.  For me it was necessary so I would remember the relationship between what happened and who dun it, and I wouldn't get confused (or at least less so).  I kept that timeline as a part of the appendix.  By itself it reminds of the weeks of travel between continents and the different ports of entry, and where Alison kept postal addresses.  I later added pictures of a couple of the ships that Colt and Alison went back and forth on.  Those pictures are quite interesting as a comment regarding ship design, and with the dates of travel, how the trans Atlantic travel time changed between Alison's first visit in 1903 and his last in 1931.  I always wondered why Colt didn't make a 1912 visit.  When you look at the vessels from his 1911 and 1913/14 visits you can't help but conjure up an image of the Titanic.


Not everybody made it every time.


Anthony

[Anthony Gholz]

To All:


Before this thread drops like a stone and is long forgotten, I wanted to thank all who commented and read the interview.


Since no one has read it yet and thus there is no specific feedback, I wanted to point out the 3-4 courses that I think might be up for debate as to where I placed them in the book.  More is needed to confirm Alison's involvement and the specific dating of the Panama CC aka St Andrew's Bay in Florida.  Also Phil Young and I have a little different view re Old Oaks and Alison's involvement as "builder" of Tillinghast's design original 27 hole design.  Although My Quirin did a wonderful history of the Canoe Club a couple decades back, IMO the book regarding the club's two courses has yet to be written. The original Travis (North) course was spectacular, although now (less than) half of what it was?   And I couldn't/didn't find as much solid information regarding the Alison routed (but not supervised?) South Course.


I'm sure there will be other courses that readers may find differences with, but these are the ones I feel could definitely use more research.  [size=78%]Good luck to someone with a shoebox and a roll of drawings in the attic.[/size]


Happy New Year!
Anthony