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GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 07:47:52 AM

Title: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 07:47:52 AM

 8)  Thanks to Sylvanus Pierson Jermain, and his fostering of public and private golf in Toledo, Ohio and nationally at the turn of the 20th century, the USGA created the US Amatuer Public Links Championship (Publinx), which was held 89 times arounds the USA every summer between 1922 and 2014.  A distilled listing of the venues is presented below from

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/media/online-media-center/usga-records/u-s--amateur-public-links-results--1922-to-2014.html (https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/media/online-media-center/usga-records/u-s--amateur-public-links-results--1922-to-2014.html)

SP was quite a guy as you can check out at
https://www.usga.org/articles/2011/07/jermain-father-of-golf-in-toledo-21474840994.html (https://www.usga.org/articles/2011/07/jermain-father-of-golf-in-toledo-21474840994.html)


Having grown up playing the Publinx's first venue, Ottawa Park in Toledo and living on its immediate west flank in Old Orchard, we considered it "The Country Club" superior to Inverness, Sylvania, Highland Meadows and other CC's in the area, only cost 50-75 cents to play before 10 am... it was the melting pot for baby boomer kid golfers that all ended up at Thomas A. DeVilbiss High school, and you could get a Dudley's chili dog at the 11th tee... we're having our 40th Goo Memorial tourney there this summer.


I've played 11 of these, partly sought out from interest, others by accident... I know of some "no longer existent" (NLE) that are a shame like Pecan Valley in San Antonio which I always played when in the area, and some great history at many of Publinx venues... what say you?

1922    Ottawa Park, Toledo, Ohio
1923    East Potomac Park, Washington, D.C.
1924    Community C.C., Dayton, Ohio
1925    Salisbury C.C., Salisbury Plains, N.Y.
1926    Grover Cleveland Park, Buffalo, N.Y.
1927    Ridgewood G.L., Cleveland, Ohio
1928    Cobb’s Creek, Philadelphia, Pa.
1929    Forest Park G.C., St. Louis, Mo.\
1930    Municipal Links, Jacksonville, Fla.
1931    Keller G.C., St. Paul, Minn.
1932    Shawnee G.C., Louisville, Ky.
1933    Eastmoreland G.C., Portland, Ore.
1934    South Park Allegheny C.L., Pittsburgh, Pa.
1935    Coffin Course, Indianapolis, Ind.
1936    Bethpage State Park (Blue Course), Farmingdale, N.Y
1937    Harding Park, San Francisco, Calif.
1938    Highland Park G.C., Cleveland, Ohio
1939    Mt. Pleasant Park G.C., Baltimore, Md.
1940    Rackham G.C., Detroit, Mich.
1941    Indian Canyon G.C., Spokane, Wash.
1942    1942-45: No Championships, World War II
1946    Wellshire G.C., Denver, Colo.
1947    Meadowbrook G.C., Minneapolis, Minn.
1948    North Fulton Park G.C., Atlanta, Ga.
1949    Rancho G.C., Los Angeles, Calif.
1950    Seneca G.C., Louisville, Ky.
1951    Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee, Wis.
1952    Miami (Fla.) C.C.
1953    West Seattle Golf Course,Seattle G.C., Seattle, Wash.  (Edit - Thanks Charles Lund)
1954    Cedar Crest G.C., Dallas, Texas
1955    Coffin Municipal G.C., Indianapolis, Ind.
1956    Harding Park G.C., San Francisco, Calif.
1957    Hershey Park G.C., Hershey, Pa.
1958    Silver Lake G.C., Orland Park, Ill.
1959    Wellshire G.C., Denver, Colo.
1960    Ala Wai G.C., Honolulu, Hawaii
1961    Rackham G.C., Detroit, Mich.
1962    Sheridan Park G.C., Tonawanda, N.Y.
1963    Haggin Oaks Municipal G.C., Sacramento, Calif.
1964    Francis A. Gross G.C., Minneapolis, Minn.
1965    North Park G.C., Pittsburgh, Pa.
1966    Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee, Wis.
1967    Jefferson Park G.C., Seattle, Wash.
1968    Tenison Memorial Municipal G.C., Dallas, Texas
1969    Downing G.C., Erie, Pa.
1970    Cog Hill G. & C.C. (No. 4 Course), Lemont, Ill
1971    Papago G.C., Phoenix, Ariz.
1972    Coffin Municipal G.C., Indianapolis, Ind.
1973    Flanders Valley G.C., Flanders, N.J.
1974    Brookside G.C., Pasadena, Calif.
1975    Wailua G.C., Kauai, Hawaii
1976    Bunker Hills G.C., Coon Rapids, Minn.
1977    Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee, Wis.
1978    Bangor (Maine) Municipal G.C.
1979    West Delta G.C., Portland, Ore.
1980    Edgewood Tahoe G.C., Stateline, Nev.
1981    Bear Creek Golf World (Masters Course), Houston, Texas
1982    Eagle Creek G.C., Indianapolis, Ind.
1983    Hominy Hill G.C., Colts Neck, N.J.
1984    Indian Canyon G.C., Spokane, Wash.
1985    Wailua C.C., Lihue, Hawaii
1986    Tanglewood Park, Clemmons, N.C.
1987    Glenview G.C., Cincinnati, Ohio
1988    Jackson Hole G. & T. C., Jackson, Wyo.
1989    Cog Hill G. & C.C. (No. 4 Course), Lemont, Ill.
1990    Eastmoreland G.C., Portland, Ore.
1991    Otter Creek G.C., Columbus, Ind.
1992    Edinburgh USA, Brooklyn Park, Minn.
1993    Riverdale Dunes G.C., Brighton, Colo.
1994    Eagle Bend G.C., Bigfork, Mont.
1995    Stow Acres C.C., Stow, Mass.
1996    Wailua (Hawaii) G.C.
1997    Kearney Hill G.L., Lexington, Ky.
1998    Torrey Pines G.C. (South Course), La Jolla, Calif.
1999    Spencer T. Olin Community G.C., Alton, Ill.
2000    Heron Lakes (Great Blue), Portland, Ore.
2001    Pecan Valley G.C., San Antonio, Texas
2002    The Orchards G.C., Washington, Mich.
2003    Blue Heron Pines G.C. (East Course), Galloway, N.J
.2004    Rush Creek G.C., Maple Grove, Minn
2005    Shaker Run G.C., Lebanon, Ohio
2006    Gold Mountain G.C. (Olympic Course), Bremerton, Wash.
2007    Cantigny G.C., Wheaton, Ill.
2008    Murphy Creek G.C., Aurora, Colo.
2009    Jimmie Austin OU G.C., Norman, Okla.
2010    Bryan Park G. & Conference Center (Champions Course), Greensboro, N.C.
2011    Bandon Dunes G.R. (Old Macdonald and Bandon Trails), Bandon, Ore.
2012    Soldier Hollow G.C., Midway, Utah
2013    Laurel Hill G.C., Lorton, Va.
2014    Sand Creek Station, Newton, Kan.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Jeff Evagues on May 11, 2022, 09:06:58 AM

I've actually played 9 of them but the only one I knew had hosted was South Park in Pittsburgh which was my "home course" growing up.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Peter Sayegh on May 11, 2022, 09:10:49 AM

Steve, I've been intrigued by Pecan Valley for years. A gentleman I met years ago played there often in the 50s/60s and spoke lovingly about it. (He was kind enough to gift me a logo hat to complete my birth year collection of majors venues).It's been mentioned here in the past, but only from a handful of posters that highlighted conditions and PV's neighborhood. Very few hole/routing details were offered. I got the feeling its closing wasn't met with a great deal of sadness.
Hominy is an absolutely bear when the rough is grown and a very underrated course. Blue Heron has always been overrated in my opinion.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: MCirba on May 11, 2022, 09:37:16 AM

Being a muni rate, I've played 21 to date, and hoping to play Rackham next week and at least 2 or 4 more this year.


Ottawa Park
East Potomac Park
Community
Salisbury
Grover Cleveland
Cobb's Creek
South Park
Mount Pleasant
North Fulton
Miami
Cedar Crest
Hershey Park
Papago
Flanders Valley
Hominy Hill
Edinburgh USA
Riverdale Dunes
Torrey Pines (South)
Pecan Valley
Blue Heron Pines
Laurel Hill

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Jeff_Brauer on May 11, 2022, 10:02:06 AM

I humbly submit that they saved the best for last. ;D

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: MCirba on May 11, 2022, 10:03:10 AM

Oops...I may be wrong on 1952.


Does anyone know if "Miami Country Club" still exists or is named something else these days?

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 11:53:33 AM

Quote from: Jeff_Brauer on May 11, 2022, 10:02:06 AM

I humbly submit that they saved the best for last. ;D

... and is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: John Blain on May 11, 2022, 12:08:32 PM

For the longest time the Publinx was a true bona fide public links championship that had roofers, waiters, cab drivers etc. playing and many times winning the championship. Unfortunately over the years it morphed into what was jokingly referred to as the "NCAA Summer Match Play Championship."

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Jeff_Brauer on May 11, 2022, 12:21:02 PM

Quote from: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 11:53:33 AM

Quote from: Jeff_Brauer on May 11, 2022, 10:02:06 AM

I humbly submit that they saved the best for last. ;D

... and is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary

I wonder if that was a part of the selection criteria in the newly aware USGA?


One thing I learned having the event at one of my courses is just how much course set up is geared to protecting the lower half of the field on lower level tournaments.  The course maxes out at 7,360 yards, but they never played it that long for the Publinx, and I think on windy days, it was set up at 6,700 yards.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: David_Tepper on May 11, 2022, 12:22:29 PM

Per John B's comments, maybe the USGA should have changed the tournament to a 25 years & older/mid-am event.


I grew up in Monmouth County, NJ, in the 1950's & 60's not far from Hominy Hill. When the course was built in the 1960's it was a very private/personal course (designed by Robert Trent Jones) built for Henry Mercer, a shipping magnate. He used the course mostly (and very rarely) to entertain his business clients. I can't remember seeing anyone ever playing the course back then.

From Mr. Mercer's NY Times obituary in 1978:

"As a successful businessman, Mr. Mercer was named a director of the Chase Manhattan Bank, the Magnavox Company and the Republic Steel Corporation. But he went beyond the corporate world to develop a prize‐winning herd of Guernsey and Charolais cattle at Hominy Hill Farms in Colts Neck, N. J. His interest in golfing led him to commission Robert Trent Jones, the golf architect, to design and build a private course for him‐the Hominy Hill Golf Course‐which was sold to Monmouth County two years ago for $2.6 million."
 

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 12:22:43 PM

John,


It started well-intentioned a 100 yrs ago, had a lot of great stories, a good life... and unfortunately morphed into something SP Jermain probably would not have liked...  I wonder how long the USGA's replacement US Am. 4-ball event will last? 

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Peter Pallotta on May 11, 2022, 12:58:06 PM

Thanks, Steve. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the USGA because of the early democratic spirit (and/or noblesse oblige) expressed in the creation of the Publinx championship. It's a bit sad to think that the earnestness and generosity that lay behind the early 20th century efforts of men like Mr Jermain would by the dawn of the 21st century be supplanted by a rather more cynical and opportunistic attitude.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 01:03:45 PM

Quote from: Peter Sayegh on May 11, 2022, 09:10:49 AM

Steve, I've been intrigued by Pecan Valley for years. A gentleman I met years ago played there often in the 50s/60s and spoke lovingly about it. (He was kind enough to gift me a logo hat to complete my birth year collection of majors venues).It's been mentioned here in the past, but only from a handful of posters that highlighted conditions and PV's neighborhood. Very few hole/routing details were offered. I got the feeling its closing wasn't met with a great deal of sadness.
Hominy is an absolutely bear when the rough is grown and a very underrated course. Blue Heron has always been overrated in my opinion.

Peter, I played the original Press Maxwell layout a couple of times, and the Bob Cupp reno a handful of times and saw that course go from bad to good to bad.  When you start turning the water off, things dry out real quick here in the TX heat.  PV had good bones and interesting corridors over and along the hills and valleys through the pecan and oak trees, with a meandering creek that came into play.  When the grass was green things would stay in the fairways with appropriate guidance, when dry, things usually rolled into trouble.  Hard to appreciate the gca when you're playing recovery shots from burnt grass and under trees... in its early TX Open and PGA heyday period, quite a challenge.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 01:22:08 PM

Quote from: PPallotta on May 11, 2022, 12:58:06 PM

Thanks, Steve. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the USGA because of the early democratic spirit (and/or noblesse oblige) expressed in the creation of the Publinx championship. It's a bit sad to think that the earnestness and generosity that lay behind the early 20th century efforts of men like Mr Jermain would by the dawn of the 21st century be supplanted by a rather more cynical and opportunistic attitude.

PP, I couldn't agree more. 


Seems green spaces like public parks and golf courses are almost impossible to develop now, land is more valuable to be developed into condo/apartment complexes for the people instead of providing spaces to play and appreciate nature...

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: John Blain on May 11, 2022, 01:39:27 PM

Quote from: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 12:22:43 PM

John,


It started well-intentioned a 100 yrs ago, had a lot of great stories, a good life... and unfortunately morphed into something SP Jermain probably would not have liked...  I wonder how long the USGA's replacement US Am. 4-ball event will last?

Steve-
I think the USGA Four-Ball has become a pretty popular event and I would have to believe it is here to stay. I do find it sort of humorous that the USGA has scheduled the event to keep as many collegiate players out as possible but many of those kids maybe didn't make an NCAA Regional or their college golf season is over for whatever reason so they are freed up to play. And it sure hasn't kept high school players out as that age group seems to be in the mix virtually every year.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Peter Pallotta on May 11, 2022, 01:47:26 PM

Quote from: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 01:22:08 PM

Quote from: PPallotta on May 11, 2022, 12:58:06 PM

Thanks, Steve. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the USGA because of the early democratic spirit (and/or noblesse oblige) expressed in the creation of the Publinx championship. It's a bit sad to think that the earnestness and generosity that lay behind the early 20th century efforts of men like Mr Jermain would by the dawn of the 21st century be supplanted by a rather more cynical and opportunistic attitude.

PP, I couldn't agree more. 
Seems green spaces like public parks and golf courses are almost impossible to develop now, land is more valuable to be developed into condo/apartment complexes for the people instead of providing spaces to play and appreciate nature...

I hadn't thought of it from that angle, Steve, more in terms of the Publinx having become the 'NCAA summer championship' (given that I can't imagine many of today's top college golfers growing up on public courses); but yes, to your point, can anyone imagine an area like Central Park being set aside for the public good in today's version of NYC?

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Jim O’Kane on May 11, 2022, 10:12:38 PM

Quote from: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 07:47:52 AM

8)  Thanks to Sylvanus Pierson Jermain, and his fostering of public and private golf in Toledo, Ohio and nationally at the turn of the 20th century, the USGA created the US Amatuer Public Links Championship (Publinx), which was held 89 times arounds the USA every summer between 1922 and 2014.  A distilled listing of the venues is presented below from

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/media/online-media-center/usga-records/u-s--amateur-public-links-results--1922-to-2014.html (https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/media/online-media-center/usga-records/u-s--amateur-public-links-results--1922-to-2014.html)

SP was quite a guy as you can check out at
https://www.usga.org/articles/2011/07/jermain-father-of-golf-in-toledo-21474840994.html (https://www.usga.org/articles/2011/07/jermain-father-of-golf-in-toledo-21474840994.html)


Having grown up playing the Publinx's first venue, Ottawa Park in Toledo and living on its immediate west flank in Old Orchard, we considered it "The Country Club" superior to Inverness, Sylvania, Highland Meadows and other CC's in the area, only cost 50-75 cents to play before 10 am... it was the melting pot for baby boomer kid golfers that all ended up at Thomas A. DeVilbiss High school, and you could get a Dudley's chili dog at the 11th tee... we're having our 40th Goo Memorial tourney there this summer.

Never knew Rackham or Harding Park (obviously prior to TPC days) hosted the Publinx twice. Played Harding many times when it just seemed an avg place and your car wouldn't get broke into in the early 90's. Never have played Rackham but did visit. The old clubhouse building reminded me as something out of The Great Gatsby; I suspect it was back in the old Automotive Detroit heyday.


But, most interesting to me is your mention of Toledo golf. My wife is from there and we've driven by Ottawa Park a number of times. I've always wondered what lurked inside as we drove by. Next visit, I will make time to go play and investigate. That sounds like fun.


Thanks for sharing this neat list Steve.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 12, 2022, 12:24:20 AM

Jim, Send me a message when you get ready to play Ottawa Park, I'll give you some thoughts on play... till then some ideas to consider:
* OP was originally a Frederick Olmsted design
* the 1899 golf course was predated by some holes cut out of the woods by some Dutch farmers
* the routing was changed slightly in 1977 by Toledo's own Art Hills
* when you drive in, look to right before and after the bridge, the original #18 was a par 3 that crossed 10 Mile Creek (aka The Ottawa River) and the flood plain, the back tee was up on the hill, it was quite fun
* after 17, take the left path up the hill across the road (instead of a quick right down the road to the 18th tee) to what was the original #1 tee.  Imagine a small ProShop brick building and a horseshoe fence around the tee and dozens of kids waiting to tee off and approving or disapproving your opening tee shot down to the fairway...   


enjoy it if you can

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: MCirba on May 12, 2022, 07:49:41 AM

Steve,


Joe Bausch and I enjoyed Ottawa Park a great deal as the first ones out on a beautiful summer morning before playing some private course nearby.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Richard Hetzel on May 12, 2022, 08:34:44 AM

I have played 9 of them total. I plan on sneaking in Ottawa Park this summer. Glenview is a Cincinnati Recreation course, used to work there for a few years. I don't care for it all that much....

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Doug Bolls on May 12, 2022, 11:08:15 AM

As an inveterate "public golfer" I have played 18 of them over the last 40+ years.  I still enjoy Cedar Crest and Tenison Park fairly often in Dallas.  Rancho Park in LA was a treat as I played it a week after the old LA Open back in the day - remember meeting Calvin Peete there during the tournament.  The last one I played was Jeff Brauer's Sand Creek Station - have a few photos of the train going right by one of the greens on the front 9.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Jim O’Kane on May 12, 2022, 02:05:23 PM

Quote from: Steve Lang on May 12, 2022, 12:24:20 AM

Jim, Send me a message when you get ready to play Ottawa Park, I'll give you some thoughts on play... till then some ideas to consider:
* OP was originally a Frederick Olmsted design
* the 1899 golf course was predated by some holes cut out of the woods by some Dutch farmers
* the routing was changed slightly in 1977 by Toledo's own Art Hills
* when you drive in, look to right before and after the bridge, the original #18 was a par 3 that crossed 10 Mile Creek (aka The Ottawa River) and the flood plain, the back tee was up on the hill, it was quite fun
* after 17, take the left path up the hill across the road (instead of a quick right down the road to the 18th tee) to what was the original #1 tee.  Imagine a small ProShop brick building and a horseshoe fence around the tee and dozens of kids waiting to tee off and approving or disapproving your opening tee shot down to the fairway...   


enjoy it if you can

This is great info to think about. Looking at the overheads from Google maps right now. There seem to be some VERY interesting holes out there. I will most certainly reach out when I get up that way later this summer. Sadly, I won't be traveling much at all until sometime mid July, so it will be a while. But I will keep this in my back pocket. Thank you Steve. Very cool info and now I have another great place to learn about.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Matt_Cohn on May 12, 2022, 06:46:55 PM

Quote from: Steve Lang on May 11, 2022, 01:03:45 PM

Quote from: Peter Sayegh on May 11, 2022, 09:10:49 AM

Steve, I've been intrigued by Pecan Valley for years. A gentleman I met years ago played there often in the 50s/60s and spoke lovingly about it. (He was kind enough to gift me a logo hat to complete my birth year collection of majors venues).It's been mentioned here in the past, but only from a handful of posters that highlighted conditions and PV's neighborhood. Very few hole/routing details were offered. I got the feeling its closing wasn't met with a great deal of sadness.
Hominy is an absolutely bear when the rough is grown and a very underrated course. Blue Heron has always been overrated in my opinion.

Peter, I played the original Press Maxwell layout a couple of times, and the Bob Cupp reno a handful of times and saw that course go from bad to good to bad.  When you start turning the water off, things dry out real quick here in the TX heat.  PV had good bones and interesting corridors over and along the hills and valleys through the pecan and oak trees, with a meandering creek that came into play.  When the grass was green things would stay in the fairways with appropriate guidance, when dry, things usually rolled into trouble.  Hard to appreciate the gca when you're playing recovery shots from burnt grass and under trees... in its early TX Open and PGA heyday period, quite a challenge.

I played that Public Links at Pecan Valley. It was awesome and hard! I had a share of the lead after the first day; I think I shot -1. That 18th was crazy if you couldn't hit it long enough to clear the creek (which few could).

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Charles Lund on May 12, 2022, 10:12:36 PM

1953 U.S. Publinks was at West Seattle Golf Course, one of three municipal courses in Seattle.  Seattle Golf Club is private, so it appeared to be a misprint.


Charles Lund

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: JLahrman on May 13, 2022, 08:22:21 PM

I've played 6, and only knew 2 of them had hosted:


Community (1924)
Coffin (1935, 1955, 1972)
Harding Park (1937, 1956)
Glenview (1987)
Otter Creek (1991)
Shaker Run (2005)


Man if Coffin hosted three times, they really did take it to public joints! That's a fun course but I never would have guessed it had hosted three USGA championships.


I also didn't know the Publinx dated back to 1922!

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Ronald Montesano on May 13, 2022, 10:19:33 PM

Trivia Question

Only course to host the USGA Open and the USGA Public Links is ...?

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Bret Lawrence on May 13, 2022, 10:24:44 PM

I have played four US Amateur Public Links venues.


Rancho Park I played many times in college and I enjoyed the course.  The only problem was many rounds were 6 hours long and we played in fivesomes.  The city really liked to pack those courses full of people.  Sometimes you’d have to wait an hour or more to get into that 6 hour group, so you could pretty much kiss the rest of your day goodbye.  After playing many rounds in LA I can say I never tried to seek out other populated cities most popular golf courses which may explain why I only played four.


Brookside was a really nice change of pace from the LA city courses, because rounds there were only five hours long and you could hit balls into the Rose Bowl.


I played Bryan Park by mistake on a road trip and remember liking the course but I don’t remember much else about it.


I really miss the Public Links because that was one tourney I felt like a muni golfer really had an outside shot of making.  I tried out for the Public Links every year from 2003-2014.  In 2013, I was lucky enough to qualify for the US Publinks at Laurel Hill in Lorton Virginia. The week of the tournament, the temps were in the 100’s and the heat index was somewhere between 108-115.  It was like playing golf in a sauna.  Unlike Matt, I had a feeling shortly after I arrived that I probably shouldn’t be here.  After all, I was a second alternate in the qualifier and only really got in through shear luck.  Needless to say I shot an 81 in the first round and was only 18 shots off the leader who broke the course record with a 63. The course was probably the shortest course they had played in recent years,but it was far too long for me.  I had to hit 5-6 approach shots with 2 hybrids or 3-woods.  I remember playing an uphill 615-yard Par 5 with a good drive, good 3 wood and 8 iron. Some of these guys were getting on in two with less than 3 wood.  I was clearly out of my element, but the USGA treated all the participants like kings that week and it will always be a fond memory.


I wish the Public Links would come back.  Perhaps with recent restorations at Cobb’s Creek, Keney Park, Memorial Park, East Potomac Park, etc, these municipal courses could hold the tournament themselves.  Maybe make a National Municipal Links championship to provide a championship for city players.  I know one of the problems we ran into in Connecticut was finding public sites willing to give their golf course away for an entire day while the USGA ran their 36-hole qualifiers.  The season is short in the Northeast and giving away a days worth of play is hard to overcome for many truly municipal courses.  Today, many states still run their own Public Links tournaments and the new tourney could just select the top finishers from those events to alleviate the qualifier issue they ran into in the past.  Cobb’s Creek looks like they are setting themselves up for big tournaments, how about hosting your own National Public Links?

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Jeff Evagues on May 13, 2022, 11:53:45 PM

Quote from: Ronald Montesano on May 13, 2022, 10:19:33 PM

Trivia Question

Only course to host the USGA Open and the USGA Public Links is ...?

Torry Pines South

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Ronald Montesano on May 15, 2022, 09:15:13 AM

I should have done better research. I guess that there are two!

The Country Club of Buffalo hosted the USGA Open in 1912. In 1923, the club moved out to its present location, and the course was turned over to the city of Buffalo. The Grover Cleveland golf course hosted the USGA Public Links in 1926.

Thanks to Jeff for dispelling my homer notion of the city of Good Neighbors as being the one and only.

Quote from: Jeff Evagues on May 13, 2022, 11:53:45 PM

Quote from: Ronald Montesano on May 13, 2022, 10:19:33 PM

Trivia Question

Only course to host the USGA Open and the USGA Public Links is ...?

Torry Pines South

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 15, 2022, 01:02:04 PM

Quote from: Charles Lund on May 12, 2022, 10:12:36 PM

1953 U.S. Publinks was at West Seattle Golf Course, one of three municipal courses in Seattle.  Seattle Golf Club is private, so it appeared to be a misprint.


Charles Lund

Thanks Charles, edit to OP made and attributed

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 15, 2022, 01:15:30 PM

Quote from: Ronald Montesano on May 15, 2022, 09:15:13 AM

I should have done better research. I guess that there are two!

The Country Club of Buffalo hosted the USGA Open in 1912. In 1923, the club moved out to its present location, and the course was turned over to the city of Buffalo. The Grover Cleveland golf course hosted the USGA Public Links in 1926.

Thanks to Jeff for dispelling my homer notion of the city of Good Neighbors as being the one and only.

Quote from: Jeff Evagues on May 13, 2022, 11:53:45 PM

Quote from: Ronald Montesano on May 13, 2022, 10:19:33 PM

Trivia Question

Only course to host the USGA Open and the USGA Public Links is ...?

Torry Pines South

RM,  Did the Anchor Bar ever change names before 1964?

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Ronald Montesano on May 16, 2022, 07:30:11 PM

it was originally Frank & Terresa's Anchor Bar, but they dropped the first names a bit ago.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: MCirba on May 18, 2022, 07:30:32 AM

Played Rackham yesterday. 


It could have been a poster child for golf's revitalization during Covid. The place was jammed and humming with all ages, genders, ethnicities, and abilities.


I felt good for golf.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Jason Topp on May 18, 2022, 11:27:28 AM

Quote from: Peter Sayegh on May 11, 2022, 09:10:49 AM

Steve, I've been intrigued by Pecan Valley for years. A gentleman I met years ago played there often in the 50s/60s and spoke lovingly about it. (He was kind enough to gift me a logo hat to complete my birth year collection of majors venues).It's been mentioned here in the past, but only from a handful of posters that highlighted conditions and PV's neighborhood. Very few hole/routing details were offered. I got the feeling its closing wasn't met with a great deal of sadness.
Hominy is an absolutely bear when the rough is grown and a very underrated course. Blue Heron has always been overrated in my opinion.

Pecan Valley was terrific for a short stretch of time after it was renovated and before its conditioning declined.  I played it in that sweet spot around the time of the Publinx and found it delightful. 

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Jason Topp on May 18, 2022, 11:31:21 AM

I counted 13 that I have played.  Most are true public courses - largely municipal and nothing like the destination resort courses you see today.  You can see how public golf changed by comparing the venues for most of the life of the event as opposed to the last hew years.

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Chris_Blakely on May 18, 2022, 09:00:44 PM

Quote from: MCirba on May 18, 2022, 07:30:32 AM

Played Rackham yesterday. 


It could have been a poster child for golf's revitalization during Covid. The place was jammed and humming with all ages, genders, ethnicities, and abilities.


I felt good for golf.

Terrific Ross course at least after hole 6. Jerry Mathews redid the first five holes because of 696.  The holes on the back 9 especially near the zoo are very good. One could argue the clubhouse is worth the trip alone.


At one time Detroit had four Ross courses.


Chris

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 20, 2022, 10:55:43 AM

 8)  Chris,
You need to get outside the city limits... don't have to cross into Ohio, but there's lot more Ross around Detroit.. :o

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Pat Burke on May 20, 2022, 11:16:04 AM

I played in ‘85 and ‘86


It was really a great tournament to play.


A lot of players were gaming the system of “public” golfer and it did just become another college dominated event. Too bad, starting at the qualifiers, it was a unique event

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Chris_Blakely on May 20, 2022, 11:34:59 AM

Quote from: Steve Lang on May 20, 2022, 10:55:43 AM

8)  Chris,
You need to get outside the city limits... don't have to cross into Ohio, but there's lot more Ross around Detroit.. :o

Steve,


I don't live in Michigan.  Just enjoy golfing there - it unfortunately or fortunately has more to offer than my home state.


There isn't a public Donald Ross Course that I have not played in Michigan and Ohio.  Including a few that have closed (Rogell being one of them).


Thanks,
Chris

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Steve Lang on May 20, 2022, 12:07:53 PM

 8)  Chris,
Cool,... ever list your Mich-Ohio Ross Trail in a thread?   


ps I get amused that sometimes folks along the freeways from Toledo to Ann Arbor to Flint claim to be Detroiters... ::)

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Chris_Blakely on May 20, 2022, 01:24:40 PM

Quote from: Steve Lang on May 20, 2022, 12:07:53 PM

8)  Chris,
Cool,... ever list your Mich-Ohio Ross Trail in a thread?   


ps I get amused that sometimes folks along the freeways from Toledo to Ann Arbor to Flint claim to be Detroiters... ::)

I would never claim to be from ANY city in Michigan, but that just an OH- IO thing . . .


I may have listed the  MI / OH Ross courses I like in a thread (but I don't remember at this point), I can say the following are / were very good public:


* Manakiki
* Shadow Ridge
* Rogell (NLE)
* The Higlands (Grand Rapids - NLE)
* Monroe (has a few good holes and some wild greens - Mathews did not do this course any favors)
* Denison (has a great layout, but many of the greens appear to have been altered)
* Ellks CC (McDermott)




I have played a handful of the private ones in both states, but the ones I have not played and hope to one day are Springfield, Mansfield, Franklin Hills and Zanesville.


Thanks,


Chris

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Philip Caccamise on May 22, 2022, 11:43:11 PM

The Public Links was my favorite championship and the only one I ever came close to qualifying for. My thought is they dropped it because of the challenges in defining private course access and didn't want to deal with it anymore. A shame they let it go

Title: Re: The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Venues 1922-2014
Post by: Greg Hohman on May 25, 2022, 03:19:10 PM

From pamphlet prepared for Thirteenth Annual National Public Links Golf Championship, South Park County Course (design: Riis), Pittsburgh PA, July 30, 31, August 1, 2, 3, 4, 1934.
 
The South Park course is situated eight miles from the downtown district of Pittsburgh or about a 20-minute ride with a yardage of 6,590 and a par of 72. The original golf course began on what is now #17.
 
No. 1, 507 Yards, Par 5
 
Reverse dog leg, right, left, right, running 200, 200 and 107 yards to green; easy grade; five fairway traps at vantage points, with two large sand traps guarding green; the longest hole on the course; will challenge the skill of the best golfers; a birdie here will be well earned.
 
No. 2, 368 Yards, Par 4
 
Fairway dips to a point 200 yards in direction of two magnificent oaks, one at either side at this distance; the fairway flanked somewhat by shrubbery with a rather acute rise from the 200-yard line. A not too easy four. Round, undulating green surrounded by three traps, with four fairway traps at strategic points.
 
No. 3, 388 Yards, Par 4
 
The tee runs due south, bordering the practice fairway, overlooking a beautiful valley. Fairway runs to a slight dip at a point 165 yards from tee, rising slightly from that point to an oblong, undulating green; both fairway and green well trapped and bunkered.
 
No. 4, 378 Yards, Par 4
 
Trap on left 165 yards; on right 185 yards, fairway running straightaway to double oblong green; approach to green on left well bunkered and trapped in rear and on sides.
 
No. 5, 474 Yards, Par 5
 
Fairway banked on right with dip 200 yards from tee; slight dog leg, right, left, with three fairway traps, two to left and one to right at this point; fairway rising to a beautiful saucer green surrounded by six traps, the green, unlike most of the others, recessed, inviting accurate iron shot.
 
No. 6, 409 Yards, Par 4
 
This fairway banked on right similar to No. 3, leading downgrade to point 200 yards, trapped on both sides; fairway from this point leads upgrade straight to green, which rests just below crest of hill, shelved out of solid rock; green and approaches surrounded by sand and grass traps.
 
No. 7, 470 Yards, Par 5
 
Slight dog leg to right; traps 200, 300 and 350 yards leading to oblong, saucer green well trapped on sides and rear. This green cut out of solid rock formation.
 
No. 8, 245 Yards, Par 3 (You can still see the remnants of this tee above and to the left of what is now 5 green.)
 
Straightaway, on a slight rise; two fairway traps; undulating green surrounded by grass and sand traps. This green skirts the fairway of the practice ground.
 
No. 9, 428 Yards, Par 4
 
From an elevated tee the fairway drops down unto valley, with slight dog leg to left at 250-yard mark. Three large sand traps to right of fairway at 200 yards. A rolling fairway from dog leg to green which has traps on both right and left with bunkers on right. Green is large and elevated slightly at back to hold full shot played to carry to green.
 
No. 10, 148 Yards, Par 3
 
A short hole, which is one of the most beautiful water holes in the Western Pennsylvania district. Slightly to the right stands "patriarch," a massive 400-year-old oak; fairway dips keenly to a waterfall where a shallow lake separates tee from green, rising rather abruptly up hill to green.
 
No. 11, 441 Yards, Par 4 (This one played to what is now the putting green.)
 
This fairway extends along shelf to a rather acute dip 200 yards from tee, forming somewhat of a natural hazard, with three fairway traps well placed, one short of dip and two beyond; from this point fairway rises rather keenly towards club house 240 yards straightaway.
 
No. 12, 451 Yards, Par 5
 
A right hand dog leg from tee down a rather acute grade to dip, 165 yards from tee; from this point fairway extends along plateau to green, skirted on left by a magnificent oak; shot must be placed well to right in order to reach this green on second or approach shot; fairway shirted by five traps, including approach to green on right of fairway. Green surrounded by four sand and two grass traps.
 
No. 13, 429 Yards, Par 4
 
Fairway bears to right into rising ground; slight dog leg, left, right; three fairway traps on right at strategic intervals; in order to drain traps on fairway, excavation of nine feet was made; one of the best constructed holes on the course, with double, undulating green, which rests in front of three beautifully placed oaks, the center tree on direct line to hole.
 
No. 14, 345 Yards, Par 4
 
Acute right, left dog leg; tee built on an elevation. A fine hole but good golf necessary to make par. Fairway skirted by four sand traps, the green, a beautiful double saucer effect, with mound at mouth, separated into two sections, surrounded by five well-placed traps in rear and sides.
 
No. 15, 239 Yards, Par 3
 
Overlooking a beautiful valley in the north-western corner of the course; abounds in natural hazards; the green rests between a clump of trees, one of the many intriguing characteristics of the South Park course. A hard three with three sand traps surrounding the green. A sporty hole.
 
No. 16, 398 Yards, Par 4
 
Slight left, right dog leg; starting with gentle rise to a more acute elevation from a point 200 yards from tee; natural hazards bordering rough; fairway skirted by three sand traps, one at 200 and two at 300 yards from tee; undulating, elevated round green, surrounded by three sand traps, commanding beautiful view.
 
No. 17, 151 Yards, Par 3
 
Tee and green on equal elevation, with beautiful dip between. An oblong, undulating green; being trapped on sides and rear. A sporty three, all carry.
 
No. 18, 321 Yards, Par 4
 
Affording sporty approach shot to an elevated, undulating, oval green, overlooking 100 acres of wooded valley. Three fairway traps, well placed, with two large sand traps guarding green; straightaway; a fine hole.
 
 
Pamphlet source: Jim Stanko, Friends of South Park.