Old Orchard CC, Eatontown, NJ - A Tillinghast Myth?

[Karl Jensen]

Old Orchard Country Club of Eatontown, NJ advertises their course is a Tillinghast design. The Tillinghast Association also indicates that Old Orchard CC is a Tillinghast design. Old Orchard was originally known as the Long Branch Country Club and numerous newspaper articles from 1929 fully credit a Plainfield Country Club pro and golf course designer named Martin J. O'Loughlin for having designed it. O'Loughlin wasn't just a one trick pony having also designed the Preakness Valley Park Golf Course in Wayne, NJ.



Old Orchard CC Clubhouse, Eatontown, NJ



29 May 1930 Long Branch, NJ The Daily Record newspaper


Long Branch Country Club article, 16 Jul 1929 Long Branch, NJ Daily Record newspaper



Long Branch Country Club article, 17 Jul 1929 Asbury Park, NJ Press newspaper



Long Branch Country Club article, 19 Jul 1929 Camden, NJ Courier Post newspaper



Long Branch Country Club article, 26 Jul 1929 Long Branch, NJ Daily Record newspaper



Long Branch Country Club article, 29 Jul 1929 Long Branch, NJ Daily Record newspaper



Long Branch Country Club article, 31 Jul 1929 Long Branch, NJ Daily Record newspaper



Long Branch Country Club article, 27 Aug 1929 Long Branch, NJ Daily Record newspaper



Martin J. O'Loughlin photo, 28 Aug 1951 Bridgewater, NJ The Courier News newspaper



Preakness Valley Park Golf Course article, 24 Apr 1931 Bridgewater, NJ Courier News newspaper

[David_Tepper]

Karl J. -

Thanks for the research. Old Orchard came close to being closed for a housing development around 2008.

At the risk of dating myself, I played Old Orchard a few times as a kid in the 1960's. A next door neighbor was a member there.

After working for the Department of the Army at Fort Monmouth for 34 years, my father's retirement luncheon luncheon was held at Old Orchard in the 1970's.

There is also a tenuous connection to Tillinghast being made on the Jumping Brook CC (Neptune, NJ) website:

https://www.jumpingbrookcc.com/golf-course/course-history

DT


 

[Bret Lawrence]

Karl,


Thanks for sharing that information.  Poor Marty gets no credit!  Martin O’Loughlin also designed the Hydewood Golf Club in Warren, NJ.  Today the course is known as Watchung Valley Country Club.  In the last few decades the course has been associated with Seth Raynor, but there is no evidence Seth Raynor was ever there.  Mike Cirba posted an article a few years back stating “Marty” O’Loughlin was the designer and architect of Hydewood Golf Club.


Bret

[David_Tepper]

If not the first, Old Orchard must have been one of the first courses to have an island green. 

[Joe Bausch]

Mike Cirba researched this topic about 5 years ago:

https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63329.msg1507781.html#msg1507781

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Not a Tillinghast myth...the Island Green 13th hole at Galen Hall in Wernersville, PA, also known as the ' Moat Hole':








https://golf.com/travel/galen-hall-25-dollars-first-island-green/

[Peter Sayegh]

Karl, I played at least 30 rounds at Old Orchard 1986-1992. Before I knew what golf architecture was, the course did boast of a "pedigree." Couldn't tell you the specifics they advertised back then.
Maybe the worst opening hole I've ever played. Dogleg was much too severe. However, there was always a "lemonade stand" of golf ball sellers at the inside of the dogleg and behind the green. The island green was, indeed, the first I ever encountered.

The interior routing was confusing for first timers.

Overall, a very enjoyable golf course...however, it's proximity to the DMV was always a negative to the locals. Yes, it was that bad, trying to navigate to the course through the mile-long wait for car inspections.

[Jaeger Kovich]

I went searching for the ghost of Tilly out there 2 winters ago or so. If he was there, I don't think he would have been very satisfied with the result. It would not measure up to the majority of his work.

[MCirba]

Karl,


I was the original source of that misinterpreted attribution.


As Joe B. mentioned, I corrected it a few years back with the course, the Tilly Society and here on GCA after finding one of those articles you posted. 


Thanks.

[Karl Jensen]

Mike,


I too have written both the course and the Tilly Assoc. about a year back with no response. Neither has changed their websites. I'm guessing the Old Orchard CC is not interested in changing their brand to a lesser designer. I did make my friend Phil Young aware of this error.