Blind Brook (Raynor)

[mark chalfant]

Blind Brook(1916) is a sporty layout over nicely varied terrain near White Plains, New York. It has several fine holes including number 3, 11,12, and the superb par four 17th that includes a slashing stream. Fortunately Jim Urbina and his disciple Jeff Stein are doing some restoration at Blind Brook. It would be great to see photos and hear a report on the progress. Jim has done some great work at Midland Hills, Bob O Link, and at Devereux Emmet's Rockville Links where Jeff has often contributed.
 

[Tim Martin]

There has always been some mystique associated with the club as you rarely hear much about it. It was reputedly the most lucrative caddie loop in Westchester County back in the day.

[Philip Gawith]

A well connected golfer told me the course used to have the largest overlap of members with Augusta (now Seminole he thought).

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Some pictures here on the club's very low key website:


https://blindbrookclub.org/Home

[Tim_Weiman]

A well connected golfer told me the course used to have the largest overlap of members with Augusta (now Seminole he thought).

I knew one person who was a member at Blind Brook. Pretty sure he was also a member at Seminole.


Don’t know much about the golf course, but apparently their Sunday Brunch is pretty awesome.


Nice to see Jim Urbina get this work.

[Joe Hancock]

Urbina was here at Midland Hills the past few days, now on his way to Blind Brook. I am lucky enough to have been a part of both projects, each special for their own reasons. I will alert Jim of this thread so he knows of it.

[Paul Rudovsky]

I played Blind Brook about 10-15 times from 1973 until about 1994.  I knew three members fairly well.  Absolutely huge overlap w ANGC at least back then.  Short fun golf course and must admit back then I didn't know who Seth Raynor was.  Hole #10 was a par three Redan as I recall but my first few times I had no idea what a Redan was and since it was "maintained" to feel like a Redan...didn't know it later.


First time there was Friday 10 days before Labor Day in August 1973.  Our host led us into the locker room about noon and asked the locker room attendant if any members were around.  The locker room attendant replied..."Mr. XXXXX, you are the first member here since last Sunday".


I went to the handicap list...and counted 60 names.  Mostly CEO's with very recognizable names.  Our host that day only belonged to one other club and he said everyone else there belonged to at least 2 other clubs and most many more (back then people did not collect club memberships like they do today).  He also said about 1/3 of the members did not live in NYC area (e.g.  CEO's of Coca Cola and US Steel).  As I recall Cliff Roberts was a member then but I can't be sure about that recollection.  Very different from the old $$ courses on Long Island...as most of the Blind Brook members worked their way up from very humble roots.  They had no desire for some sort of championship course...they we're looking for a quiet place where they could enjoy a day on the course with their buds.   


Fabulous food and exceptional service.  Members complained about not being about to get a game...but for these guys it was great in that they could bring guests galore without busying up the place.


Gather today they have about 200 members and I know two.  Membership back 40 years ago was extremely "corporate".  Would guess that it still is with a heavier mix of Wall Street mixed in and entrepreneurial types.  In atmosphere probably most like Burning Tree about 25 years ago, and Old Elm (but golf course does not compare to Old Elm's).

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

A well connected golfer told me the course used to have the largest overlap of members with Augusta (now Seminole he thought).

I think this is one of Jimmy Dunne's many clubs

[Tom Dunne]

Dwight Eisenhower is most famous for his connection to Augusta National, but after WWII he came to NY and served as the president of Columbia University from '48 to Jan. '53, when he entered the White House. During that time he was a member of two clubs--Deepdale and Blind Brook. His library has a fair amount of correspondence from that time--he loved to write letters to his brother talking about his games at those two clubs.   

[CMP]

This is quite funny; the member that I know at BB is also at Seminole; not to mention a few other gems. It's true about not hearing much about it, but I'm always cautious as to why.


I'd love to see photos as well; the work Jim at Bob O Link was so tastefully executed, I realized my first time out on it that I needed to stop drinking as much as I normally did at the course pre-renovation.

[Tim_Weiman]

This is quite funny; the member that I know at BB is also at Seminole; not to mention a few other gems. It's true about not hearing much about it, but I'm always cautious as to why.


I'd love to see photos as well; the work Jim at Bob O Link was so tastefully executed, I realized my first time out on it that I needed to stop drinking as much as I normally did at the course pre-renovation.

I grew up in Westchester and lived in Greenwich during my college years. Never heard of Blind Brook perhaps because my interest was always in the great golf courses and/or country clubs that were active in swimming or tennis competitions for kids.


Actually just learned of Blind Brook a couple years ago from a college classmate at Princeton whose father was a member. The member fit the profile: CFO of ITT during the Harold Geneen years and a Board member at Citibank.


The member passed away last year. It was my sad fortune to see him at the funeral service for his daughter (my friend and classmate) who took her own life about five months before he died.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

When I played there in 1993, they had no golf professional, and to be a member was based upon corporate rank.  The member had to be a president or ceo of a large company or at least executive vp of of a company ranked in the top 50 of the Fortune 500.  Based upon the number of ceo's, it is no surprise that there is a huge ANGC connection.

[V. Kmetz]

Because one usually ruins things by jumping up and down about how great they are, I usually refrain from posting about it, but I've caddied and played there many times over the last 40 years; it is my favorite course and maybe the most unique of all Raynor work.


Raynor (working with Banks, who did Tamarack 2 miles over the CT/NY border down King Street) was charged with making an elderly gentleman's walking course over the gently sloped property.  So, the result is a blend of typical and not-so typical Template holes, carrying all the amusement, but a bit less of the rigor of high Raynor style.


Among other delights, there is a 275 yard Cape (#5) that might be the most fun hole I play; the most attractive Road Hole (#11) I know of in the US; a memorable, semi-blind exciting Short (#15), replete with Spectacle bunkers and a bathtub/thumbprint green, as well as a very short, unique "Knoll" (# 12) (played for last 35 years at 215 yards) where Jim U has recovered/is uncovering a tee at about 260 yards that changes the mindset and the golfers idea of attack entirely.


Beyond tree clearance and badly needed drainage in the S/E quadrants of the property, Jim U has also brought back a proper kick plate to the now-polished, proper Redan (#10)... significant expansion and recapture of the entire Alps (#4), rehabilitating the Biarritz (#3), and perhaps the most significant work of all, the recapture of the old Punchbowl (#6) green in the approach short of the Cornish green that was made in the 60s and 70s.  I'm told it will now play as a par 4 (from 5) on the card, but like the 12th Knoll, I really don't care about an individual hole's carded "par" in awarding merit. (It all adds up to about 72, and thus every hole is treated as a solution of 4...a view my many rounds at Blind Brook help instill.)


To confirm and/or dispel some of the notions made earlier in the post:


It was conceived as a retreat for that old line wealth, containing familiar names to students of America's early golf years (Findlay Douglas, Ellis Knowles, Horace Hotchkiss, Robert Gardner, Morgans, Whitneys, Pomeroys... the entire Mayflower manifest) and in the zeitgeist of the first organizations devoted to Senior Golf, most prominently the USSGA and their annual tournament (still tri-hosted by BB with Apawamis and Round Hill)... Consequently, yes, its members and the club have had a lot of cross-pollination with ANGC, Seminole, Old Elm...you know the names.... Yes, Eisenhower was a member (I own what I believe may have been his favorite club chair). Paul Rudovsky's post about membership and its ethos are spot on...both 50 years ago and his observations about the current day.


Yes, for almost all of its existence I know about, there was no Golf Professional; there was so little play  (3000-4000k annual rounds), it was no place to ply ones wares, give lessons or run a "program."...Instead the Caddiemaster sold some sundry items and a shirt/hat or two (and even gave occasional lessons). 


Tim M's post of most-lucrative caddying around is perhaps mis-drected because there was a unique situation.  The reason that rates were always ahead of their time, perhaps better than that, is that because with such a dearth of play, it turned into caddie-by-appointment... there were only about 6-10 "daily caddies," (almost all older men, retirees) which was adequate for walk up play, anything greater, they knew about it and Roland or Charlie would call the caddiemasters at all the nearby Purchase/Greenwich clubs (six others within 3 miles) and you'd get set up. 


Once you had made a visit successfully, you were on "the list" and Roland or Charlie would call you direct. It worked out great because BB had their "outings" (24 - 40 people) on the dead mid week days at your regular club... so it was sweet extra work, guaranteed, because they were one of the few clubs to pay for a rain-out/cancelled loop.


As all things must (sadly), Blind Brook is changing...the new young wealth, the expensive (though needed) reno-storation; there's a young pro now, who is looking for these new 8 and 9 figure guys to play, buy, take lessons, gets their wives playing (you know the story). So the Blind Brook 5-10 years from now will have like 12,000 rounds, be active, there will be a calendar and new sorts of stresses and not resemble the original ethos of the club in any respect except top wealth.


But its a great, great course -- of which I'm continually surprised more people don't know of. ...a facet soon to be over.

[Bruce Katona]

My spouse's former boss (the CEO of a publicly traded advertising agency) was a member at BB for many years.  He used the club as his 2nd club, for weekday business play and entertainment as it was only 45 minutes from the office to the club and he'd be out playing 15 minutes later (as opined earlier 5,000 rounds was an active year). 


My wife's boss main club was an East of of LI club (no, not one of those as his pedigree didn't match membership qualifications at the time and Sebonic didn't yet exist).  He was also a member at Lyford Cay in the Bahamas. Valley Club i Sun Valley and finally CPC.


I had the opportunity to play BB with him as his guest more than 1x.


I enjoyed the course but the food nd service in the clubhouse were amazing.

[JC Urbina]

VKmetz,


Well said.

[V. Kmetz]

Hi Jim...


Well done

Eddie told me you were down yesterday; I'm sorry I couldn't match up with your visits so far; usually I'm right down the street most weekends. (Not this crazy f'n year!)


If you wish, PM me, but I'll ask out loud here:


If the strict Template names even apply, do you categorize:

• #2 as a Leven?
• #17 as Raynor's Prize Dog Leg?
• #18 as a Bottle?

Also, what would you call #8?... Is #16 (amazing work there btw) best called a Drive and Pitch?, or a Valley Hole?


I called #12 a Knoll in the coverage below, which makes more sense from that 255-65 tee, but less so from the traditional one-shot tee at 210-15.  *** I can verify that when I first played there in 1983, that little plaza below 11 green was indeed a mowed tee; I don't know when Les/the Club abandoned it, but it wasn't in use/gone by my post 1991 playings.***


Again, great work and I hope you have time to reply.


cheers  vk

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Thanks V Kmetz for reminding me.


I need to join the USSGA (US Seniors) as I am now eligible. My Grandfather, Father and Uncle were all members.


Great Venues!!

[Bret Lawrence]

VK,


I have never played Blind Brook, but always enjoy your take on it.


Here is a description of some of the holes from the Club’s 1947 history book:


“Citing Findlay S. Douglas, who must rate as an authority because of his long association with golf as an enthusiast, champion and world traveler, salient features of certain Blind Brook Club holes include:


The third hole, a replica of a well-known hole at Biarritz, the finest course in France.


The fifth is very similar to the first hole at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton.


The seventh is a fine replica of the famed eleventh at St. Andrews.


The tenth is much like the Redan at North Berwick.  The name comes from military lore, a flying buttress, and in golf, a Redan signifies a flying green, with slopes down from three sides.


The approach and the green on the eleventh at Blind Brook Club duplicates the renowned seventeenth at St. Andrews, perhaps better known to the golfing world as the: “Road Hole,” the scene of so many tragic championship losses.


The fourteenth is reminiscent of the fifth at St. Andrews, while the fifteenth at Blind Brook Club bears a close resemblance to the Glen Eagles hole named the “Wee Drappie.” ”


It’s important to note that Findlay Douglas wrote this in 1947 about 30 years after the course opened.  Gleneagles was built around the same time as Blind Brook so it’s more likely that the Wee Drappie reminded Douglas of the hole,  rather than Raynor trying to replicate that hole.


Bret

[mark chalfant]

Thank you all for the informative replies about Blind Brook. I played the course 3 times many decades ago. I am thrilled to hear about the recent changes to recapture Seth Raynor's original vision. I enjoyed looking at a 2020 aerial. Number 10 and 11 are vastly improved. In 1988 The Redan tenth was malnourished. The green complex/surrounds had emaciated features that needed vitamins. Number 11 (Road) was a neat downhill drive, but it suffered from diminished, often poorly shaped bunkering. I remember the twelfth being a fascinating downhiller measuring 215 yards with a creek on the right boundary.


It was a great walking course where Raynor's routing captured so much of the golf- rich nuances of the terrain. The course back then was not tree- choked. However the on going tree evacuation should reveal some impressive vistas and long views across the charming property. I also imagine that the recaptured putting surfaces will be a blast to play. Back in 1988 the greens felt compromised. Blind Brook is more forgiving than Camargo or even Fox Chapel. However. it is very serious golf architecture and fun to play.!  Blind Brook is an important early example of Raynor's artistic mastery. I am glad that Jim and his team are bringing it back to life.

[V. Kmetz]

VK,


I have never played Blind Brook, but always enjoy your take on it.

Here is a description of some of the holes from the Club’s 1947 history book: VK: A book I must see sometime; I have a little tiny scorecard-sized brochure about the course that includes some of your following excerpts, but I would dearly love to see the book itself.

“Citing Findlay S. Douglas, who must rate as an authority because of his long association with golf as an enthusiast, champion and world traveler, salient features of certain Blind Brook Club holes include:

The third hole, a replica of a well-known hole at Biarritz, the finest course in France. VK: I haven't yet seen Jim U's final surface contouring, but the rehabilitation of the approach pad and trough and surrounds have brightened the hole substantially.

The fifth is very similar to the first hole at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton. VK: You know, now that I think of it, while I call it a Cape, it really does fit the profile of the NGLA Valley hole just as well, Douglas may only have known the hole before a retention pond was built along the left of the first 200 yards of the hole, wherein the resemblance may have been even stronger to NGLA's first... regardless, as I said previously it is the most fun hole I play and the first hole I covered when I was pursuing The Perfect Golf Hole thread some months back.

The seventh is a fine replica of the famed eleventh at St. Andrews.  VK: I full well know an established, vintage club with a serious investment in this renovation can't feature ideas from an amateur longhair like me, but I hope someday the powers that be consider creating a second tee in the location of Cornish's 6th green, now dormant, as JimU has brought back the old Punchbowl green of that previous hole.  His resto-vation of the Eden's bunkering and green margins would permit the "Eden" challenge to remain, even from what would be a 45-55 degree different angle, and slightly shorter (150-60 yards) shot.

The tenth is much like the Redan at North Berwick.  The name comes from military lore, a flying buttress, and in golf, a Redan signifies a flying green, with slopes down from three sides.

The approach and the green on the eleventh at Blind Brook Club duplicates the renowned seventeenth at St. Andrews, perhaps better known to the golfing world as the: “Road Hole,” the scene of so many tragic championship losses.

The fourteenth is reminiscent of the fifth at St. Andrews, while the fifteenth at Blind Brook Club bears a close resemblance to the Glen Eagles hole named the “Wee Drappie.”

It’s important to note that Findlay Douglas wrote this in 1947 about 30 years after the course opened.  Gleneagles was built around the same time as Blind Brook so it’s more likely that the Wee Drappie reminded Douglas of the hole,  rather than Raynor trying to replicate that hole.  VK: I don't know the Gleneagles hole to compare, but the 15th and its bathtub, semi blind green makes you laugh everytime, even when you screw it up.  And if you hit the green, you can't wait to discern just where it is on the in relation to the tub, the pimply rim and that days flag. It is such an honest, simple, charming, amusing hole of which so many exist at BB.

Bret