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Brian_Gracely

Raynor routing / design at Cypress Point?
« on: December 04, 2003, 08:34:51 AM »
I've seen much discussion about early routing plans at other courses, but I haven't seen anything about Raynor's plan at Cypress Point.  Had he created a routing plan before his death, or was he still working on MPCC?  Do we know if McKenzie followed any of Raynor's plans, or if his routing was a collaboration with Marion Hollis?  

I got to thinking about this in the context of Jones' decision to use McKenzie at ANGC after his early loss in the US-Am at Pebble Beach.  If Raynor had not died, would Jones have still worked with McKenzie (did they know each other before that), or would he have looked at Ross or Raynor or tried to do it himself?  

Michael Dugger

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Raynor routing / design at Cypress Point?
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2003, 01:02:32 PM »
From Mackenzie's little book, Golf Architecture, there is a copy of Raynor's routing of Cypress.

It isn't that much different from what Mackenzie did.  
What does it matter if the poor player can putt all the way from tee to green, provided that he has to zigzag so frequently that he takes six or seven putts to reach it?     --Alistair Mackenzie--

TEPaul

Re:Raynor routing / design at Cypress Point?
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2003, 01:09:20 PM »
"If Raynor had not died, would Jones have still worked with McKenzie (did they know each other before that), or would he have looked at Ross or Raynor or tried to do it himself?

It may be somewhat apocryphal but some say Jones may never have worked with MacKenzie at ANGC if Jones had not lost in the first round of the US Amateur at Pebble when out there in the late 1920s. But he did lose in the first round and for some reason decided to hang around out there for the rest of the week and he saw some things (CPC) that led to what we all know. Apparently after he lost, Marion Hollins asked him to hang around because there were some things there she thought he should see.

T_MacWood

Re:Raynor routing / design at Cypress Point?
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2003, 01:59:02 PM »
An interesting question.

Jones actually played Cypress Point prior to the US Am so the famous loss was really of no consequence. And the reason Jones hung out for the week was because he was committed to play in an exhibition at Pasatiempo the day after the finals. Also Jones and MacKenzie had know each other prior to the US Am at PBGL. In fact Jones had an autographed copy of 'Golf Architecture' from 1927. Many of Jones architectural philosophies can be found in that book.

If Raynor hadn't died perhaps Jones would have hired him. But then again perhaps Jones were simply on the same page philosophically anyway.

I get the impression Hunter was the reason MacKenzie made the move to Monterey, and I believe that move was made prior to Raynor's death. So it hard to say what might of transpired had Raynor lived.

T_MacWood

Re:Raynor routing / design at Cypress Point?
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2003, 04:56:36 PM »
I don't believe that routing in Golf Architecture is Raynor's. I believe it is MacKenzie's drawn by another artist.

BCrosby

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Raynor routing / design at Cypress Point?
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2003, 05:18:09 PM »
The MacK/Jones friendship dates back to at least the Walker Cup in '26 at TOC. Jones and MacK spend some time together then. MacK remarks somewhere that Jones was one of the few people to note an error on his famous drawing of TOC, also done in '26. Apparently the error was found after it went to press and never corrected. Don't know what the error is.

My guess is that Jones and MacK were architectural blood-brothers from about that time. Jones's visit to CPC merely confirmed an already deep mutual admiration society. I don't think there was ever any doubt in Jones's mind who he would pick for ANGC, D. Ross's energetic pitch for the job notwithstanding.

Bob