Dean Knuth's piece on William Watson now posted under IMO

[Sven Nilsen]

Lafayette Club - Minnetonka Beach, MN 1899 (9 holes), still operating

Reports have this as laid out by John Ball.

1900 Harpers -




Edit:  The May 8, 1910 article referenced above confirms Watson having laid out the course.  My best guess is that Ball did indeed lay out the club's first course, with Watson doing the new course that was referenced to in 1900.




May 2, 1900 Star Tribune -

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Bryn Mawr Golf Club - Minneapolis, MN 1899 (r)

I haven't seen anything yet that confirms Watson's involvement here.  Not ruling it out, but it would be helpful to see a contemporaneous account.

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Hotel Raymond - Pasadena, CA 1900 & 1901 (r)


Reports indicated the course was built in 1901 by a Willie Smith.


April 17, 1901 Los Angeles Times -





Watson did work here later.


May 1914 Fargo Forum and Daily Republican -

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Pasadena Golf Club - Pasadena, CA 1900 (r) & 1920 (r) and since 1946 is the Altadena Town & Country Club


Here's the basic timeline of Pasadena/Altadena:


1898 - Pasadena CC laid out by C. E. Orr
1900 - Watson engaged by Pasadena CC as professional
1911 - Watson lays out an 18 hole course for the Altadena CC (this course is covered later in the listing)
1920 - Pasadena GC took over the land of Altadena CC with George O'Neil and Jack Croke to build three new courses


There is more to the story, but this is enough to note the timing of the three different courses.  Watson may have had some involvement renovating the early Pasadena CC while he was professional, but this course was gone by 1920 and was not the course that later became Altadena T&CC.

[Sven Nilsen]

Garvanza Links - Pasadena, CA 1901, also called Los Angeles Golf Links


Watson did lay out a course in late 1901, but it was commonly known as the Los Angeles Public Links.  I can find no mention of a "Garvanza Links" in the early press.  I have also found nothing to confirm that the course was funded by the city of Los Angeles, as the essay suggests.


Edit:


Here are two early articles referencing the course, its name and Watson's involvement.


July 15, 1901 Los Angeles Times -





Dec. 1901 Golf Magazine -

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Seattle Golf Club - Laurelhurst, WA 1901


This is one where I'd like to see a contemporaneous report of Watson's involvement.

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Hotel Frontenac Golf Club - Round Island, NY 1904 (r ex)


Another one it would be helpful to see a contemporaneous report of his work.

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Presidio - San Francisco, CA (Rebuilt by Watson in 1905)


Later reports from the 1920's note this as a past Watson project, but don't list the date.  I have not seen anything that confirms the exact timing of when he worked here.

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Annandale Golf Club - Pasadena, CA 1906, 1919 (r)


The 1919 work has previously been confirmed.  Still haven't seen anything that discusses any work prior to that.

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Denver CC - Denver, CO 1907 (r)


I don't have anything that confirms Watson did any work here, but a W. Watson was noted as the professional in the 1908 Golfers' Guide.

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La Cumbre GC - Santa Barbara, CA 1908


Noted as a Watson project in a 1920's listing of Watson's work, but I have seen nothing that confirms the exact dates of his involvement. 


I also haven't seen anything that dates the club itself back to 1908.  The reports I have seen indicate the club was organized in 1916 with a 9 hole course first built by Charles Clark and replaced shortly thereafter by an 18 hole Bendelow course.

[Sven Nilsen]

Virginia Country Club first site, now Recreation Park GC - Long Beach, CA 1909


Watson was involved at this course around 1924 with Willie Bell after VCC moved to its new site and the old course was taken over by the city of Long Beach.  I have not seen any evidence that he did any work on the course prior to then.

[Sven Nilsen]

Brentwood CC - Brentwood, CA 1910


Brentwood did not get its start until around 1915/16.  When it was first built, Watson did not have anything to do with the project.


Jan. 11, 1916 Los Angeles Times -

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The La Crosse Club - La Crosse, WI 1912


I can find no evidence of Watson working in La Crosse or of a new course being built here around this time.

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Ravisloe CC - Homewood, Il 1912 (r)


Watson did work here, but the date should be 1910 as his remodeling was reported in the Dec. 1910 American Golfer.

[Sven Nilsen]

The Golf Links - Wellesley Island, NY 1913

The Aug. 17, 1913 edition of the Syracuse Herald notes Watson working on the course of Frank Lowden on Wellesley Island.  It is possible that this private course became the Wellesley Island Club which is noted in a July 1922 Golf Illustrated article and the 1923 Annual Guide.

[Sven Nilsen]

San Marcos Hotel Golf Course - Chandler, AZ 1913 (w/ Harry Collis)

There were two courses built at the San Marcos Hotel, the first in 1913 and the second around 1927/28.  All reports on the first course note it was designed by Collis, with no mention of Watson.

Watson was involved with the second course.

Nov. 11, 1928 Arizona Republic -



Dec. 30, 1928 Arizona Republic -

[Sven Nilsen]

Lincoln Park - San Francisco, CA 1914 & 1922 (r)


This course is noted twice on the list in the essay.

The article below discusses the 1922/23 work, but I have seen nothing to confirm the 1914 work. 

July 16, 1923 Oakland Tribune -

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Tucson CC - Tucson, AZ 1914 (now the site of Randolph North)

A couple of articles note Watson visiting Tucson to locate a site for the new club.

Jan. 27, 1914 Los Angeles Times -



Feb. 26, 1914 El Paso Herald -



March 1914 American Golfer -



However, several other sources note the course was laid out by Jack Adams.

Feb. 18, 1914 Arizona Republic -



April 1914 American Golfer -





Jan. 1916 Golfers Magazine -

[Sven Nilsen]

Kalamazoo CC - Kalamazoo, MI 1915 (r & ex)

Bendelow laid out a 9 hole course in 1909.  The course is noted as having 9 holes in the Annual Guides up to 1925, which is the first mention of the expansion to 18.

I have seen no evidence of Watson's involvement here.

[Sven Nilsen]

Olympia Fields CC #1 - Olympia Fields, IL 1916 (r & ex w/ Bendelow, but their work no longer exists)

The first course at OFCC was probably mostly Tom Bendelow, but reports indicate Watson was involved.  In any case, the course is still there and a large part of the early work remains, including most of the routing.

[Sven Nilsen]

Minneapolis GC - Golden Valley, MN - 1916 - 1920 (r & ex w/ Bendelow - today Golden Valley G&CC)

I have seen no evidence of Watson's involvement here.  All contemporaneous reports note Bendelow doing the initial layout and Tillinghast revamping the course in the late 1920's.

[Sven Nilsen]

Sunset Hill CC - St. Louis, MO 1917 (w/ Foulis brothers)


The work of Robert and Jim Foulis here was reported in 1915.  There is a Jan. 19, 1919 Chicago Tribune article noting the course was the work of six leading architects.  It is possible Watson collaborated on the design with others, but I have not seen any reports linking him to the project.




Edit:  The following April 9, 1920 San Diego Union and Daily Bee article notes Watson was recently engaged in supervision of the course.  I'd like a bit more information on the timing of his work and what exactly he did. 

[Sven Nilsen]

Winona CC - Winona, MN 1917 (Bendelow r in 1917)

This course was laid out by Bendelow in 1919.  I have not seen any evidence of Watson being involved here.

April 3, 1919 Chicago Daily Tribune -



Nov. 20, 1930 Winona Daily News -

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Olympia Fields CC #2 - Olympia Fields, IL 1918 (work no longer exists)

The second course at OFCC was definitely Watson.  Parts of three holes remain today as the 8th and 9th holes on the South Course.

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