Lido competition

[Mark_Rowlinson]

We know that MacKenzie won the 1914 Country Life competition to design the 18th hole at Lido. Do we know any of the other entrants or what their designs were like? Considering that the hole was being built in the USA why was there so much British involvement - the magazine in question, and two of the three judges were British?

[Tom_Doak]

Mark:

I have all the articles at my office.  There were not that many entries, as I remember ... a couple dozen, or something like that. 

They did publish three runners-up in a subsequent article, plus an entry from Tom Simpson which was not considered.  It is a much under-publicized fact that Macdonald and Raynor used Simpson's hole, plus one or two of the runners-up, as models for holes at Lido, too ... in fact, their version of Simpson's hole was far more faithful to the drawing than the prize-winner.

I'm not sure why the competition was in "Country Life".  That magazine had also published the "Best Hole Discussion" which prompted Macdonald to start seriously looking for a site for the National Golf Links, so maybe Macdonald had a relationship with them.  Or maybe he was just at odds with the few American golf magazines at the time.  [Actually, I'm not even sure if there WERE any American golf magazines in 1914 ... I don't remember if The American Golfer or Golf Illustrated go that far back.]

[Mike Cirba]

Tom/Mark,

I'm sure others have the exact info, but I know American Golfer went back at least as far as 1908, with Travis at the helm.

[Tom_Doak]

Mike:

I believe that, by 1914, Macdonald and Travis had had their falling out, so it's unlikely Macdonald would have gone to Travis regarding Lido.

[George_Bahto]

Tom D said:  "I'm not sure why the competition was in "Country Life".  That magazine had also published the "Best Hole Discussion" which prompted Macdonald to start seriously looking for a site for the National Golf Links, so maybe Macdonald had a relationship with them."

The contest originated in a column written by Horace Hutchinson and Bernard Darwin that often appeared in British Country Life magazine - both men were good friends of Macdonald.

Seventy  designs were sent in.

Aside from the winning Mackenzie design, two other holes at Lido resulted from design submissions to the Lido contest. If you examine closely the green elevations on Mac’s green here, it shows the hole as a “plateau type” - really three plateaus - with a huge differential in elevations on two rear areas.

The 6th at Lido was one of the best holes on the course and was called Raynor's Prize Dog-Leg. Raynor used this hole a lot and apparently the (NLE) 9th at Ocean Links was the best version.

The other hole was the 15th at Lido and was called "Strategy" - that one too a very interesting option hole. Raynor used this hole best at Westhampton CC but over the years one option was removed. We turned in a mater Plan there which included restoring the hole as built.

[George_Bahto]

The earlier article - The Best Hole Discussion also appeared in Br Golf Illustrated 14 years earlier (1901) and inspired CBM's use of the "famous hole concept" he used at NGLA which his "henchmen" continued to use thereafter. (I mean, come on Charlie, do something original - will you?  hah)

again, the article appeared in a Horace Hutchinson column. Hutchinson was such a good friend he even had his picture in Scotland's Gift


Golf Illustrated

January 25, 1901

Which are the Most Difficult Holes in the World ?
by Horace Hutchinson

Notice:
For the purposes of this enquiry the questions to which we would request the answers of golfers of standing, both Amateur and Professional, are:   
   
   1. Which do you consider the best and most difficult one-shot hole?
   2. Which do you consider the best and most difficult two-shot hole?
   3. Which do you consider the best and most difficult three-shot hole?

Golfers may make their answers as long or as short as they please and they will greatly oblige by sending them as soon as possible to us for publication   ED

[Tom_Doak]

George:

I have never seen the origin of the "Best Hole Discussion".  I'm very surprised at the wording.  The title is "most difficult," and the questions are "best and most difficult," as if the two are synonymous!

I guess I know now why the Pit at North Berwick got no votes.