Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Jim_Kennedy on October 24, 2014, 05:12:29 PM
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Was at the Harlem Race Track. The area is now known as Forest Park but it was incorporated as the Town of Harlem in 1884.
Horse racing/gambling was outlawed shortly after the track was opened, so car races were held there and in 1901 a golf course was built on the site by the owner, John Condon.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3937/14997681774_ec1358bf26_o.jpg)
The clubhouse and scorecard:
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3936/14998283843_20f471a3da_o.jpg)
And the layout:
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3942/14997681844_eb0086e617_o.jpg)
About the famous statue of Cleopatra:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-object-at-hand-4-121205387/?page=2&no-ist
(http://www.dougcooperspencer.com/uploads/3/0/7/5/3075318/7271923_orig.jpg)
Today there is a Walmart, a mall, and a humongous USPS warehouse on the site.
It seems that in 1917 the town tried to regain some revenues it lost from the racetrack - they used to charge an amusement fee on it, so they decided to levy the fee on the golf course. I like the pluck of Mary Condon - taking on the township (and winning) so she wouldn't have to pay it. ;D
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3951/15431937129_2c578247e2_o.jpg)
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A map of the nine hole course in 1901 - it 'fits' into the N/S layout of race track. The second nine (no map) is on the E/W leg of the property.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3950/15619657242_89f080951a_o.jpg)
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Harlem GC (first called Harlem Jockey Club GC) had two lives.
The first was private, from 1900 to 1904. It was private and designed by James Foulis and or the track's landscaper, Thorpe, first name unknown. The course closed after about four years of play. (It opened either late 1900 or early 1901.)
The Newspaper GC used it in 1901. The group was renamed the Tecumseh GC in 1902.
There was no golf from 1905 through 1909.
Harlem reopened with a new layout designed by David McIntosh within the old confines of the race track in 1910. It was this course that was open to the public, though in 1911, the Harlem Golf Club, a private group, began to use it as well. By 1913, two other non-real estate clubs were using it.
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Tim,
Thanks for the info. Does the 1911 date still give it the title of first daily fee?
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Jim, How does Jackson Park fit into the timeline? The article mentions Washington Park as a precursor. Was that a mistake? And, if there was a course in Washington Park, was it private? If not, andd Jackson Park was public, how could Harlem be the first daily fee?
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Adam,
A "daily fee" is open to the general public, but privately owned. As you know, early on it was munis or privates.
I'm pretty sure that JP and WP were munis.
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I don't use the term "daily fee" myself because it can cause confusion. The real meaning is pay once, play all day, and that's all but non-existent today. It wasn't common in the old days, either.
Jackson Park was the first course open to the public in the area. Harlem may have been the first privately-owned course open to the public in the area, but I'd have to check my list.
Washington Park was a private club, most of it in the infield of the original Washington Park Race Track on the south side of Chicago (as opposed to the relocated track in Homewood).
There was also an informal Washington Park course in the actual park, but that was shuttered by the park board after a short while.
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Tim,
Thanks for the info.
Confusing or misnomer, the term "Daily Fee" was also used at least as far back as the 1920s to differentiate a muni from a privately owned golf course that was open to the public, and it's still in use today.
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Tim:
Did you write the article on the Lincoln Park Golf Course a few months back in the CDGA newsletter?
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Jim, going through my list, yes, Harlem in the second phase of its golf life was, as far as I can tell, the first privately-owned public course in the Chicago area. American Golfer's May 1910 issue has a story on it opening 9 holes. The 9 outside the race track came a few years later – I haven't nailed down a date yet.
John, that was Rich Skykinski who mentioned Lincoln Park in the August issue.
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Tim,
Thanks for your searching this out. Being the first P.O.P. is not earth shattering info, but it does add something to the golf record of Chicago.
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Tim,
Thanks for your searching this out. Being the first P.O.P. is not earth shattering info, but it does add something to the golf record of Chicago.
You would have thought it would have happened sooner, considering the huge numbers racked up at Jackson Park and the other park district courses.
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One thing I can be comfortable with; if Tim suggests something about Golf history in Chicago, it has been well researched.
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One thing I can be comfortable with; if Tim suggests something about Golf history in Chicago, it has been well researched.
Or stumbled upon. Amazing what I find out after I think I know something. :)
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One thing I can be comfortable with; if Tim suggests something about Golf history in Chicago, it has been well researched.
No doubt.
Or stumbled upon. Amazing what I find out after I think I know something. :)
That's exactly how I found the info - I was looking for something else in some old articles and saw the reference to Harlem. I guess it "pays" to be easily sidetracked. ;D
Thanks again for clarifying this.
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A followup piece on Harlem (mentioned as the only Daily Fee in Chicago in this May 1919 The American Golfer blurb):
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/ChicagoDailyFee-TheAmericanGolferMay1919_zpsec3e9fd9.png)
Question for Tim, the Bendelow ASGCA List notes Harlem GC with a date of 1910. The only mention I've seen for him working there is a Nov. 18, 1914 The Day Book article which notes plans to have Bendelow lengthen the course from 9 to 18 holes. Do you know if he did any work on the course earlier than 1914?
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/Harlem-TheDayBookNov181914_zpsa42d5d7b.png)
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Sven, I do not.
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Tim Sven, I recently saw a reference to a rudimentary links in Washington Park being open to the public in 1892 for World's fair visitors. have either of you seen anything like that?
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I haven't; I'd think that would have been widely publicized.
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More on the 1910 opening of the "daily fee" or "pay as you play" course at Harlem (from the April 1910 edition of Golf Magazine).
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/Harlem%20-%20Golf%20Magazine%20April%201910%201_zpsah292cbf.png)
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/Harlem%20-%20Golf%20Magazine%20April%201910%202_zpsd9kqzhsm.png)
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Is the Wheaton club mentioned above CGC?
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Is the Wheaton club mentioned above CGC?
Different course, Adam.
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Tim Sven, I recently saw a reference to a rudimentary links in Washington Park being open to the public in 1892 for World's fair visitors. have either of you seen anything like that?
Maybe this?
From the USGA Golf Journal
The world’s fair came to Chicago in 1892 and Sir Henry Wood was appointed England’s commissioner general to the fair. He was bringing a group of college men who had played golf at their universities and wanted to play here. Hobart Chatfield Chatfield-Taylor (believe it or not!) knew of Macdonald’s enthusiasm for the game, and he asked Charley to lay out a course on the estate of Senator John B. Farwell, Chatfield-Taylor’s father-in-law, at Lake Forest, north of Chicago. Macdonald agreed and produced seven holes. The longest hole wasn’t more than 250 yards, and four others were from 50 to 75 yards. It was hardly real golf, but it was a start. By then golf was being played on the east coast in New York, Newport and Boston.
The little venture at Lake Forest breathed fresh vigor into Macdonald’s dream of playing golf steadily and so he passed the hat around the Chicago Club. Twenty or so friends contributed $10 each and armed with little more than $200 he laid out a nine-hole course on a farm in Belmont, III., about 24 miles west of Chicago. There was no clubhouse – only a barn for shelter – but it was better than anything else in the West.
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On what Chicago course did Chandler Egan grow up playing?
Bob
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...and there is this article about the Fair, Jackson Park, and golf. It's from the Chicago Tribune and dated Aug. 7th, 1892
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/16186686918_316ffc84b9_o.jpg)
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Bob:
Exmoor
Jim:
Do you have a date on that USGA Journal?
Dan:
Any more info on the Washington Park course? There's a report of Tweedie's death that discusses a rudimentary course near Washington Park (39th and Indiana) from around that same time period (as well as early play in Jackson Park). Don't think its the layout you're referring to, however.
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/Tweedie%20-%20Golf%20Magazine%20Aug.%201906%201_zpszwfmaxgg.png)
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/Tweedie%20-%20Golf%20Magazine%20Aug.%201906%202_zpsc8tdnmjo.png)
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/Tweedie%20-%20Golf%20Magazine%20Aug.%201906%203_zpsv2jftjno.png)
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Sven,
http://www.usgamuseum.com/about_museum/news_events/news_article.aspx?newsid=148
An article on Joe Davis - Chicago's "Dean Of Golf".
http://archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/tribune/trib12051937/trib12051937009.pdf
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On what Chicago course did Chandler Egan grow up playing?
Bob
Egan was first introduced to golf at Lake Geneva CC and also played quite a lot at Onwentsia. Exmoor was his home club.
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Thanx Sven.
Is it implied CBM had something to do with Jackson Park?
Side note. The article calls CBM an American. Another example of journalistic errors?
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Adam,
CBM laid out the Washington Park course in the interior of the Washington Park racetrack in 1896. Jackson Park came later and I have not seen anything indicating CBM had any role in the golf course there.
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Adam,
CBM laid out the Washington Park course in the interior of the Washington Park racetrack in 1896. Jackson Park came later and I have not seen anything indicating CBM had any role in the golf course there.
It was a big deal at Washington Park in 1897, when they lengthened the course and replaced steeplechase hurdles (think of the Grand National at Aintree) with bunkers!
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H. Chatfield Chatfield-Taylor's remembrance of the beginnings of golf in Chicago. He mentions a few Scots hitting balls in Jackson Park, but not arranging a course.
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/Outing/Volume_36/outXXXVI05/outXXXVI05o.pdf
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Since this has segued into the early history of golf in Chicago and I have extensively researched this for the book I'm working on, here is the early chronology of golf courses in the Chicago area. I'm still filling in a few blanks but this is pretty complete and well documented.
1875 CBM and friend sink 3-4 cans and play on the grounds of Camp Douglas, a notorious Civil War POW camp located at 31st and Cottage Grove on the south side of Chicago. No other reports of CBM playing golf in Chicago until April 1892.
1887 first reported golf match in Chicago played by members of the Tweedie family (James, L.P. and Alec) and friend R. W. Chanler on informal links set up in Jackson Park close to the site of the Jackson Park links, the 1st public golf course in Chicago which opened 1899.
1887 Tweedie family members also play on informal links at the Wanderer’s Cricket Field. The 39th Street Grounds aka South Side park served as the playing field of the Chicago Wanderers cricket team during the 1893 World's Fair. It was located on the north side of 39th Street (now called Pershing Road) between South Wentworth Avenue and South Princeton Avenue.. After Charles Comiskey built a wooden grandstand on the site in 1900, it became the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League. It served as home to the White Sox first in 1900 as a minor league team, and then from 1901 to June 27, 1910 as a major league team. Park later became home to Chicago's negro league teams.
April 1892 Chatfield Taylor gets CBM to lay-out stakes for a course on bluff of Lake Michigan on the Lake Forest estate of Sen. Farwell. Takes 2 years for Chatfield Taylor to build interest in golf. CBM quoted in August 1892 "A number of men are pretty keen on golf here and have found a course on Senator Farwell's place along the lake where we have got a fairish links of about 10 holes" The links are not without some disadvantage: they are too far, to small “but until we can do better they answer the purpose.” “The ground is slightly rolling, has almost no underbrush, and although smaller than many other links having only ten holes, is as good as can be easily obtained.”
July 18, 1893 Chicago Golf Club charter filed.
July 1893 Riverside GC organized but not incorporated. Oldest Western Club still located on its original grounds.
August 26, 1893 Chicago Tribune reports golf played on new links in Belmont. Not sure if this is the date of Sir Henry Woods playing there.
May 1894 Belmont links described as "16 holes, 8 out and 8 returning and are marked with white flags going out and red flags coming back. Holes have names First Hole, Road, Hillside, Stile, Schoolhouse, Smith, Puffer, Osage, Swamp, Fence, Field, Gap, Deadhorse, Orchard, Old Home, Home distance is from 100 to 400 yds."
August 4, 1894 first competitive team match played between Chicago Golf Club and players from Lake Forest who had yet to form a club. Held at Belmont where “There were 18 holes each about seven inches deep and four inches in diameter, surmounted by flags which made them distinguishable from a distance.”
August 11, 1894 return match played in Lake Forest on the links on Sen. Farwell's estate. Note. CBM did not play in these matches.
January 1895 CBM and CGC purchase Patrick Farm in Wheaton to replace inadequate links at Belmont. In March James Foulis arrives from St. Andrews as CGC greenskeeper/pro and work on championship 18 hole course begins. Course would evolve over first few years and would be the first 18 hole course to host a USGA Championship in September 1897. Map of course published in early 1897, 1st golf map of a links in Chicago. 1st and 18th holes revised between date of map and September 1897 USGA Championships. Hosts 7 USGA Ams or Opens between 1897 and 1912.
1895 Lake Forest Golf Club founded with a 9 hole course on the McCormick Farm
1896 LFGC changed to Onwentsia GC and move to the Cobb's Farm Location. (9 holes in 1896 expanded to 18 in 1897.). Hosts US Am in 1899 and US Open in 1906.
March 1896 Lake Zurich Golf Club founded. 9 hole course.
April 1896 Washington Park 9 hole course laid-out.
Oct. 1896 Exmoor founded 9 hole course laid out in Spring 1897. Expanded to 18 in 1901
March 1897 Glen View Club founded 9 hole course laid-out Spring 1897. Expanded to 18 in 1898. Hosts US Am in 1902 and US Open in 1904.
By 1900 there would be around 30 golf clubs in the Chicago area with Chicago Golf Club, Glen View, Onwentsia, Midlothian CC, Homewood CC (now Flossmoor), and Westward Ho having 18 hole courses.
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Dan:
Can you clarify the history of Riverside?
There are a number of confusing reports out there all of which I'm sure you've seen. These include:
1893 - Havemeyer
1894 - The 1900 Harpers notes the course was laid out in Sept. 1894 by Robert Foulis
1896 - The 1899 Guide notes the present 9 hole course was laid out in 1896 by David Foulis
??? - The Green Book of 1901 notes the course was laid out by Havemeyer, Driver and Hannah.
Thanks,
Sven
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Sven,
Langford 1919. ;-)
I don't have that at my fingertips. I do know Riverside opened a new 9 hole course in 1896 and Robt Foulis didn't arrive in Chicago until June 1895 with David coming to the CGC in 1896.
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Dan,
So when does this book arrive? I would be all in to be one of the first ten to buy......
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Anybody here care to tell the story of why Chatfield-Taylor has 2 Chatfields in his name? It's pretty bizarre.
$$$$-lots of it.
Wayne B. Chatfield (1839-1892) a "bachelor whose family pride was tenacious", left his nephew Hobart Chatfield 2.5 million dollars coupled with the stipulation the he add Chatfield to his surname. Hobart who was born with the middle name Chatfield then became known as Hobart Chatfield Chatfield-Taylor.
THis snippet from "Golf In America" has an interesting take on the rise of golf in the 1890s:
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=TWygfs3jzQ0C&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PR12
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New name for my book Early golf in Chicago: the Chatfield-Chatfields and the Oldest Macdonald.
Sven,
When I get home from my trip tonight I'll look at Riverside some more. From what I found on my computer I'm not sure what I wrote about Riverside is 100% accurate and I'll see if I have any documentation on a Foulis connection. I have a 1896 article on the layout that cites professional advice, but no name.
Jeff,
Want to be the honorary chair of my Kickstarter campaign? Hoping to have it finished late '16.
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Dave.
Could be, I have read that it was 3.5 mil in a couple of other places. Also, his father H.H. left the bulk of his fortune to charity when he died in 1875.
H.H. 'only' left Hobart $50k (ca. $1,087,000.00 today), but he contested the will and ended up with all of H.H.'s $2 mil pie (ca. $43,500,000.00 today)