I have found courses where Braid and Colt worked together, Braid & Vardon, and many where he made alterations, remodels, extensions and re-bunkering of others work. And vice versa.
Simon welcome to the board and this is an excellent start.
Can you give examples of where Braid and Colt worked "together". I am aware of many courses where they made sequential visits but wasn't aware of them working together?
I'm guessing this is post WW1? I may have something for you?
Writing as proud member of 2 courses where he worked magic.
Thank you Tony, very kind.
The single course I was referring to (for the Braid/Colt combo) was Bishops Stortford (and I will follow in some, perhaps too much, detail as Adam also has asked effectively the same question)
George Payne's superb Trilogy "The Divine Fury of James Braid - Vol 3" notes that Sir Walter Gilbey (of the Gin company) originally commission Braid's cousin, Douglas Rolland to lay out an 18-hole course c.1906/7.
The Club also paid James Braid for a visit and advice in February 1909, Carter & Co provided the seeds and the course was opened on 11th June 1910.
One newspaper report noted "the course covered 140 acres, laid out by Colt and Braid and the holes varied from 130-500 yards, which were liberally studied with bunkers of various types."
Another attributed the layout solely to Braid.
'Golf Illustrated' reported the "course laid out by James Braid but also that evidence of the work of Mr. H.S. Colt in bunker and hazard designing are seen at several of the holes."
So, exactly what each of Rolland, Braid and Colt designed is therefore not entirely clear. (Note - Rolland had apparently fallen on tough times in the period concerned.)
John Moreton's "James Braid and his Four Hundred Golf Courses" notes:
"Golf Illustrated" March 1909 - James Braid the Open Champion, visited the course last week, at the invitation of the committee, and expressed his satisfaction wih the design of the course, and with the work as far as it has progressed.
Not sure if the committee was having a crisis of confidence in Rolland's design or that they had already engaged Braid for a redesign, we know he was paid for the visit.
Moreton goes on to note that the tees and greens had to be reseeded in 1908, so evidently there were problems.
The Opening match was 36-Holes between Braid & Arnaud Massy (Biarritz & North Berwick) against Taylor & Vardon.
The prize was £100 (as per earlier item in the threads, from Tom D, that was more than The Open which Braid won for the 5th time later that year)
Nisbet 1910 notes that "the course was laid out by Braid, and Mr H.S. Colt has also made some valuable alterations"
He then notes the same "Golf Illustrated" article as George Payne does.
Nisbet 1912 repeats the same quotation as in 1910 above.
Now from my own research:
"The Observer" 12th June 1910 notes that Horace Hutchinson was the Referee on the Opening, and that:
"When the architects of this course became known (they were Mr Harry S Colt of Sunningdale, and James Braid) we had no fears about the equity of the bunkering of the fair-way or of the fortifications of the green; the earthworks thrown up form some of the nearest things to nature that one has struck in golf - and we know of a nice variety."
Also interestingly for those who love a "steeplechase" ridge or bunker (no stump grinders back then so simple burying of this linear feature was necessary):
"The griefs of the hedgerows at the 15th green in the afternoon virtually decided the match"
(other reports tell me that Taylor and Vardon took 7 on the 15th hole to be Dormie 3 down)
Lastly, at Luncheon the reporter noted on the content of the speeches:
"As Lord Lieutenant of Essex the Earl of Warwick said that Essex at least was grateful, and no doubt Hertfordshire had similar feelings. He dwelt on the work of Mr. Colt and James Braid, and mentioned that Douglas Rolland and Ayton had formed high opinions of teh possibilities of this course."
Also, "The Sunday People" June 12 1910 wrote:
"The new 18-holes course which has been laid out at Bishops Stortford under the advice of James Braid, the ex-champion, and Mr H.S. Colt, was formally opened on Saturday"
So, it seems that whether collaboration directly or consequently the work was completed by both in the same short 15-month period (March 1909 to June 1910).
And it sounds as if H.S. Colt's naturalisation and construction of hazards, and Braid's routing and strategic bunkering combined to make a challenging and well-regarded layout.
The patronage of a wealthy landowner, who no doubt wanted the very best, may have brought them "together".
I think the point I was really trying to make is that there must have been a flow of information, collaboration (formally or otherwise), imitation and observation at this period between many participants, which brought the art into the "Golden Age".This particular project seems to have brought them far closer together than anyone previously may have realised, and my presumption was that Harry Colt would, given the eulogising at Luncheon, possibly have been present too.
The other factor to my contention is that James Braid was always fiercely unhappy with others modifying his work, and as such the work itself by Colt, and the subsequent public acknowledgement of this in speeches and print, would not have occured without his blessing/permission.
I hope that all makes sense, and I don't think this is just a "reach" but a genuine discovery of importance...but I do defer to Adam on matters Colt of course!
I can't believe that the two never met or shared information beyond this example given the close proximity of Walton Heath to Sunningdale, and the sheer amount of golf Braid played on that great links and others that HS Colt was involved with.
Braid certainly played in the Opening tournament at Colts's St Georges Hill for a single "off the top of my head" example.EDIT - In fact on checking he played St. Georges Hill 5 times between 1913 and 1932.Re. Sunningdale he played there 13 times between 1913 and 1940
Hope that all helps, and is of interest to the group.