California Aerials pre-1942: Then and Now

[Michael Chadwick]

Alphabetical Index:

Annandale / Watson, O'Neil - 1906 / Watson - 1919 / Bell, Croke - 1923 (OP)
Bel-Air / Thomas, Bell, Neville - 1927 (Reply 11)
Cal Club / Macan, Locke - 1920 / Mackenzie, Hunter - 1927 (OP)
California Country Club / Watson - 1921 / Bell - ? (after 1928) (Reply 23)
Clover Field Municipal Golf Links / Merritt - 1927 NLE (Reply 31)
Cypress Point / MacKenzie, Hunter - 1928 (OP)
Del Paso / Black - 1916 / Fowler - 1921 (Reply 15)
El Caballero / Bell - 1928 (Reply 4)
Fox Hills - 1927 Thomas/Bell (Reply
Griffith Park / Thomas - 1923 (OP)
Haggin Oaks / MacKenzie - 1932 (Reply 15)
Hillcrest CC / Watson - 1922 (Reply 12)
Hollywood CC / Watson - 1919 (?) NLE (Reply 28)
La Cumbre / 1917 Bendelow, Bryce - 1917 / Thomas, Bell - 1925 (OP)
Lake Merced / Locke - 1922 / MacKenzie - 1929 (OP)
Lake Norconian Club / Dunn - 1928 (Reply 18)
Lakeside / Behr - 1924 (OP)
Los Angeles (North) - 1921 Fowler, 1927 Thomas/Bell (Reply 20)
Midwick / Watson - 1913 / Bell - 1929 NLE (Reply 22)
Montebello Park / Behr - 1928 (Reply 4)
Orinda / Watson - 1924 (Reply 32)
Palos Verdes GC / Bell, Thomas - 1924 (Reply 34)
Pasadena Golf Club / O'Neil, Croke, Bell - 1920 NLE (Reply 9)
Pasatiempo / Mackenzie - 1929 (OP)
Pebble Beach / Neville, Grant - 1919 / Fowler - 1920 / Mackenzie - 1927 / Egan, Hunter - 1929 (Reply 4)
Rancho / Fowler - 1921 (Reply 12)
Rancho Santa Fe / Behr - 1929 (Reply 4)
Redlands / Hornby, with consultation from MacKenzie - 1927 (date of 18 hole grass course opening, previous versions/locations date to 1897) (Reply 33)
Riviera / Thomas, Bell - 1926 (OP)
Royal Palms / Bell - 1925 (NLE) (Reply 4)
San Francisco / Tillinghast - 1920 / Bell - 1930 (OP)
San Gabriel / 1907 / Macbeth - 1912 / Watson - 1920 / Bell - 1930 (OP)
Sharp Park / Mackenzie - 1929 (OP)
Stanford / Bell, Thomas - 1930 (OP)
Sunset Fields #1 / Bell - 1927 NLE (Reply 26)
Sunset Fields #2 / Bell - 1928 NLE (Reply 26)
Valley Club of Montecito / Mackenzie, Hunter - 1929 (Reply 35)
Victoria / Heath - 1903 / Fovargue - 1918 / Behr - 1924 (Reply 4)
Westwood Hills / Behr - Date Unknown NLE (Reply 30)Wilshire / Macbeth - 1919 (OP)

------
Thank you to Bret Lawrence in a different thread for tipping me to UCSB Library’s interactive trove of historic state aerials. Though the initial interest was Lakeside, we might as well cover as much of the state as possible.


My plan over time is to check for aerials of every course mentioned in the “California 1930” thread and post what’s available. Course date(s) and architect(s) are copied from there, so don’t pin mistakes on me, just indolence: https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35387.msg718612.html#msg718612.


For courses that still exist, Google Maps screenshots will be used to complement historic images. There will inevitably be some overlap with what’s featured on http://www.golfcoursehistories.com.


Lakeside / Behr - 1924

1927




Cypress Point / MacKenzie, Hunter - 1928

1939




Pasatiempo / Mackenzie - 1929

1940




Riviera / Thomas, Bell - 1926

1928




San Francisco / Tillinghast - 1920 / Bell - 1930

1941




Stanford / Bell, Thomas - 1930

1930




Cal Club / Macan, Locke - 1920 / Mackenzie, Hunter - 1927

1941




San Gabriel / 1907 / Macbeth - 1912 / Watson - 1920 / Bell - 1930
San Gabriel is strangely not mentioned on the 1930 thread, though it claims to be the oldest club in Southern California occupying the same land. Work completed by Todd Eckenrode bears a close resemblance to the 1938 aerial. The land was initially part of Mission San Gabriel. A surprising amount of mature oak trees were kept on property in ‘38.



1938




Lake Merced / Locke - 1922 / MacKenzie - 1929

1941



Fortunately this will look much different in 2023!


Sharp Park / Mackenzie - 1929

1941




La Cumbre / 1917 Bendelow, Bryce - 1917 / Thomas, Bell - 1925

1929




Griffith Park / Thomas - 1923
I’d like to know more about this. Was it always two courses?

1927





Annandale / 1906 Watson, O'Neil - 1906 / Watson - 1919 / Bell, Croke - 1923

1934




Wilshire / Macbeth - 1919

1938

[Bill Seitz]

San Gabriel / 1907 / Macbeth - 1912 / Watson - 1920 / Bell - 1930[/size]San Gabriel is strangely not mentioned on the 1930 thread, though it claims to be the oldest club in Southern California occupying the same land.[/color]

David Ober may know for sure, but I'm pretty sure that Victoria Club in Riverside makes the same claim.  I seem to recall Redlands may be older, but moved at some point.  Back when I was in school and Vic was our home course, "1903" was all over a lot of the merchandise. 


And on another San Gabriel note, the house at the corner of Francisco and Hermosa, just east of the first green, is where my mom grew up.  Driven by there a million times, but never played it.  I grew up about 2 miles away.

[MCirba]

Really cool stuff here Michael...thanks!

[Kalen Braley]

Michael,

Terrific stuff.  Can you post the link to the UCSB site?

[Michael Chadwick]

Kalen, of course: https://mil.library.ucsb.edu/ap_indexes/FrameFinder/

Bill, interesting intel about Victoria. I don't actually see the claim made on San Gabriel's website (though I thought I did once in the past), but it's made here in SCGA's magazine on behalf of the club: http://www.foremagazine.com/classic-course/enchanted-valley/
 
A few more to add:
 
Royal Palms / Bell - 1925 (NLE)
Very familiar with this terrain in San Pedro/Palos Verdes. Can only imagine how good this course once was! What a pity.

1927
 

Some bones still appear to exist as part of a 9-hole course associated with the Palos Verdes Shores Mobile Home Community.
 
 
Rancho Santa Fe / Behr - 1929

1939
 

 

El Caballero / Bell - 1928

1928
 

 

Montebello Park / Behr - 1928

1928
 

 

Pebble Beach / Neville, Grant - 1919 / Fowler - 1920 / Mackenzie - 1927 / Egan, Hunter - 1929

1941
 

 

Victoria / Heath - 1903 / Fovargue - 1918 / Behr - 1924

1931
 

 
Will search for more NLE courses in time as well. Is there a good list of CA NLE somewhere?

[Sven Nilsen]

Here's a list of NLE's that would have been around during the time the aerials were taken (not a complete list):


Atascadero CC (Atascadero)
Athens Golf Links (Los Angeles)
Baywood CC aka Laurolawn CC (Hayward)
Biona G&CC (Los Angeles)
Brae Mar Public GC (Par 3) (Santa Monica)
Capuchino G&CC (Millbrae)
Charlie Chaplin Estate GC (Beverly Hills)
Coronado GC (Coronado)
Dana Point Yacht & CC Temporary Course (Los Angeles)
Del Mar CC (Del Mar)
East Bay CC (Hayward)
El Merrie Del CC (Sunlands)
El Mirador Hotel GC (Palm Springs)
El Sereno CC (Los Angeles)
Encino CC (Encino)
Flintridge CC (Pasadena)
Fox Hills GC (Culver City)
Golfers' CC (Calabasas)
Hillview GC (San Jose)
Hollywood CC (Los Angeles)
Hotel Green GC (Pasadena)
Hotel Raymond GC (Pasadena)
Idyllwild CC (Idyllwild)
Inglewood CC (Inglewood)
Lake Elsinore GC (Lake Elsinore)
Lake Norconian Club (Norco)
Lomita GC (Los Gatos)
Los Turas Lake Club (Los Angeles)
Midwick CC (Los Angeles)
Monterrey Bay G&CC (Sequel)
Mountain Meadows G&CC (Los Angeles)
Oak Knoll CC (Oakland)
Parkridge CC (Corona)
Pasadena GC (Pasadena)
Pasa Robles GC (Pasa Robles)
Peter Pan CC (Big Bear Lake)
Portrero G&CC (Los Angeles)
Rancho CC (Los Angeles)
Sacramento CC (Sacramento)
San Gorgino CC (Banning)
San Joaquin GC aka Stockton Municipal GC (Stockton)
Santa Barbara CC (Santa Barbara)
Santa Monica Municipal GC aka Clover Field (Santa Monica)
Saticoy Regional GC aka Ventura County CC (Saticoy)
Sepulveda CC (Los Angeles)
St. Andrews GC (Laguna Niquel)
Sunset Fields GC (Los Angeles)
Tulare County G&CC (Strathmore)
Urban GC (Los Angeles)
Valley Park G&CC aka Whitley Park CC (Los Angeles)
Westward Ho Club of California (Los Angeles)

[Sven Nilsen]

You might find some additional NLE's in this old thread: 


https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,54866.msg1269420.html#msg1269420


Look for Tommy's post listing them out by architect.

[Sven Nilsen]

There are a couple of California related maps in this thread that might help you locate some of the listed course:


https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,62664.msg1518679.html#msg1518679

[Michael Chadwick]

Thank you, Sven, this is incredibly helpful. Plenty to keep me occupied.


Fox Hills / Thomas, Bell - 1927 NLE
Looks unbelievable! The 1934 images are clearer, but the photographer made the poor choice not to frame the entire property in a single shot.

1934, majority of property



1934, northwest corner missing in previous photo



1928


This area is now fully developed in Ladera Heights, adjacent to the 405 FWY and bisected by La Cienega Blvd.

[Michael Chadwick]

Pasadena Golf Club / O'Neil, Croke, Bell - 1920 NLE

1928. Striking amount of sand and incorporation of native desert/scrub.


From the William Bell Society: “in the foothills above Altadena, the 6,291-yard Pasadena Golf Club opened in 1920. Originally intended to be the cornerstone of a luxurious 54-hole development (two-time PGA Champion Leo Diegel was the club’s professional), the course was designed by Chicago professionals George O’Neil and Jack Croke and drew somewhat attenuated comparisons to New Jersey’s famed Pine Valley, largely due to its irrigated fairways being surrounded by native desert. Known for its ravine-crossing 110-yard 5th hole, the layout withstood the Depression better than most but fared less well against the epic rains that deluged the region in 1938, causing damage beyond repair. The Altadena Golf Course, a less-ambitious nineholer, occupies part of the site today.” https://williambellsociety.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/william-p-bell-and-southern-californias-lost-courses/ 




Ouch


More information provided by the Golf Historical Society: http://www.golfhistoricalsociety.org/ghswordpress/tag/pasadena-golf/

[Bret Lawrence]

Thank you, Sven, this is incredibly helpful. Plenty to keep me occupied.


Fox Hills / Thomas, Bell - 1927 NLE
Looks unbelievable! The 1934 images are clearer, but the photographer made the poor choice not to frame the entire property in a single shot.

1934, majority of property



1934, northwest corner missing in previous photo



1928


August 1, 1927

This area is now fully developed in Ladera Heights, adjacent to the 405 FWY and bisected by La Cienega Blvd.

I included an aerial from the Fox Hills/Baldwin Hills site dated August 1, 1927.  You can see the land prior to the second course being built. These two aerials are dated 5 months apart.

[Michael Chadwick]

Bel Air / Thomas, Bell, Neville - 1927

1927





1927 and 2021 aren't looking too different thanks to Doak, Iverson, Goalby, and Conant!

[Michael Chadwick]

Rancho / Fowler - 1921 and Hillcrest CC / Watson - 1922

1927
Which course was more highly regarded at the time? Wouldn't surprise me if it were Rancho.


Sadly, there's no contest now, especially after what Kyle Phillips and his team achieved at Hillcrest.

[Mark Kiely]

Wow, those are some pretty major changes at Rancho Park with the encroachment of the par-3 course, the driving range, the park/baseball fields, and tennis courts. Any clue how many of the current holes are original or close to it?


Loving the thread, btw.

[Tim Leahy]

I can't seem to get the 1933 b&w photo of Haggin Oaks golf course in Sacramento built by MacKenzie. Can someone please help me out.

[Michael Chadwick]

Mark, it looks like there aren't any original holes. A few similar playing corridors, but the direction of play seems to have been reversed, which makes me think original greens are lost under a few teeing areas nowadays.


Tim, thanks for the request:


Haggin Oaks / MacKenzie - 1932

1937


And a few shots of its neighbor:


Del Paso / Black - 1916 / Fowler - 1921

1937



1945





Fairly shocked that Del Paso was renovated by Kyle Phillips in 2006, given its current day contrast to the historic images. The club seems to have wasted an opportunity with a skilled architect.

[Bill Seitz]

I worked at Altadena GC, the former Pasadena GC, for a number of years in and after college back in the '90s (and it's sister course, Eaton Canyon GC).  Someone put together a course history and I wish I remembered more of it, but I'm sure it's encapsulated in the GHS link.  I do remember the bit about the land being purchased for the location of Westmont College, but they were not allowed to build there and had settle for slumming it in Santa Barbara. 

[Dan Grossman]

Michael -


Thanks for posting these photos.  I've spent some time looking at the old aerials, but I certainly have not lined them all up with current day. 


With respect to El Caballero, the original Bell course is unfortunately NLE.  It was founded by Edgar Rice Burroughs (of Tarzan fame) in the 1920s and occupied adjacent (but different) land than the current course.  The original course used the Burroughs estate as the clubhouse.  I have a few ground level photos somewhere that I will try to figure out how to post.  It hosted the 1927 LA Open, but went under during the Great Depression.  The course is featured in one of Dan Wexler's lost links books.  I don't remember if it was Missing Links or Lost Links. 


The current course was laid out in 1957 and then redone / upgraded by Robert Trent Jones, Sr in the 1960s.  The current course is a bit east of the original course.  It just reopened recently after a renovation / restoration by Rees Jones - but it is a wholly different course than the original Bell design. 

[Michael Chadwick]

Lake Norconian / Dunn - 1928 NLE

1931



1931, showing southwest corner of property



1938





More information on Dunn can be found here: https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,13078.0/nowap.html

[Michael Chadwick]

Michael -


Thanks for posting these photos.  I've spent some time looking at the old aerials, but I certainly have not lined them all up with current day. 


With respect to El Caballero, the original Bell course is unfortunately NLE.  It was founded by Edgar Wright Burroughs (of Tarzan fame) in the 1920s and occupied adjacent (but different) land than the current course.  The original course used the Burroughs estate as the clubhouse.  I have a few ground level photos somewhere that I will try to figure out how to post.  It hosted the 1927 LA Open, but went under during the Great Depression.  The course is featured in one of Dan Wexler's lost links books.  I don't remember if it was Missing Links or Lost Links. 


The current course was laid out in 1957 and then redone / upgraded by Robert Trent Jones, Sr in the 1960s.  The current course is a bit east of the original course.  It just reopened recently after a renovation / restoration by Rees Jones - but it is a wholly different course than the original Bell design.

Dan, thanks, I probably should've noted NLE, but chose not to given the club's continued name. Is there not any overlap of land at all? I would've thought the eastern side of the original course may be on the same terrain the club owns today.


Please message or email me if you need assistance with your photos. I'd love to see them. The original El Cab looks like one of LA's most significant design losses. Thanks.

[Michael Chadwick]

I'd like people in the know to chime in on this next one:


LACC North / Fowler - 1921 / Thomas, Bell - 1927
The 1927 aerial is dated Aug. 1. Was the renovation not completed yet? I cannot see today's 11th hole among others, for instance, though it appears in the 1940 aerial.



1927



1940





Would love to hear more from someone more familiarized with the club's history.

[Sven Nilsen]

LACC North / Fowler - 1921 / Thomas, Bell - 1927
The 1927 aerial is dated Aug. 1. Was the renovation not completed yet? I cannot see today's 11th hole among others, for instance, though it appears in the 1940 aerial.

The renovation by Thomas and Bell was still very much underway in 1928.  The plans to abandon the old 11th and create the new hole were being discussed in the papers in February of that year.


Feb. 2, 1928 Los Angeles Evening Express -

[Michael Chadwick]

Terrific, thank you, Sven.


Another mournful NLE, one Robert Hunter considered to be among the country's best:


Midwick / Watson - 1913 / Bell - 1929 NLE
Per Tommy N. this design is a Watson, not a Macbeth. Bell's bunkering begins to appear in the interval between the 1927 and 1928 aerials. Also adding in the "Water Distribution System" plan posted by Sven on a different thread that shows routing.



1927. The 14th hole with the island green (left center) surrounded by bunkering looks like a wonderful straight par 4



1928. Bell's beautiful bunkering bears close resemblance to MacKenzie. Noticeable on holes 1, 2, 5, 6, and 9



Putting green complex north of 18 green



Routing


Site

Additional info: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-07-19-me-14670-story.html

[Michael Chadwick]

California Country Club / Watson - 1921 / Bell - ? (after 1928) NLE
This club was located just south of Rancho and Hillcrest in Cheviot Hills. More information can be found here: https://www.cheviothillshistory.org/california-country-club



1927



1928



1938. Bell bunkering has appeared in the intervening years



Site
 

[Dan Grossman]

Michael -


Thanks for posting these photos.  I've spent some time looking at the old aerials, but I certainly have not lined them all up with current day. 


With respect to El Caballero, the original Bell course is unfortunately NLE.  It was founded by Edgar Wright Burroughs (of Tarzan fame) in the 1920s and occupied adjacent (but different) land than the current course.  The original course used the Burroughs estate as the clubhouse.  I have a few ground level photos somewhere that I will try to figure out how to post.  It hosted the 1927 LA Open, but went under during the Great Depression.  The course is featured in one of Dan Wexler's lost links books.  I don't remember if it was Missing Links or Lost Links. 


The current course was laid out in 1957 and then redone / upgraded by Robert Trent Jones, Sr in the 1960s.  The current course is a bit east of the original course.  It just reopened recently after a renovation / restoration by Rees Jones - but it is a wholly different course than the original Bell design.

Here are some ground level photos of the original El Cab from 1929.  Unfortunately, I don't remember what holes.  I am always struck by the scale of the greens, slopes and bunkers. 




I believe the below photo is taken from the tee of #1, a 355 yd par 4.






Below is an oblique aerial of the new El Cab from about 1960, before RTJ, Sr came in and redid the golf course.  The original El Cab shared some land, but wandered into the canyons on the right side of the picture where the trees have been cleared and buildings are starting to pop up.