37 At least one local golf writer saw the absurdity of what was being

At least one local golf writer saw the absurdity of what was being proposed, especially
when one considered the pent-up demand and variety of players who would likely play
the course.
In August 1913, it was reported that additional sites were being considered;
37
At the end of the year 1913, however, things were still locked up in Committee;
December 1913
Those who have been working for a Philadelphia public golf course have not permitted the first
rebuff to dishearten them nor have they been inactive. President Robert Lesley, of the Golf
Association of Philadelphia, asserts that the city will have the course, and in Fairmount Park, too.
The committee believes that a tract close by Cobb's Creek is suited nicely to the
requirements.
Finally, by April 1914, it appeared some monies had been appropriated.
Robert Lesley also seemed to be the source of some stirring of the local rumor mill;
In June 1914, this following optimistic blurb appeared in a golf “gossip” column in the
Inquirer;
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It is important to note that it appears from these accounts that the actual “layout”
or course routing work for Cobb’s Creek seems to have already been completed by
this time. This would seem to make sense, because it is almost a certainty that the GAPappointed committee of experts would have needed to have a concrete proposal to show
the City Officials, seeking their approval. Especially when one considers the Fairmount
Park dictate to not remove any trees, it would have been vital to show these men where
the golf was to be played (in the open areas) without disturbing the forested areas.
This makes sense when one considers the brief timeframe from final project approval
(January 1915) to signoff on the plans by Park Superintendent Jesse T. Vogdes (April
1915). It seems that the site visits the exploration committee made led to a proposed
routing, a version of which ultimately was signed off on and built.
Still, by November 1914, things looked bleak once again;
39
At the Golf Association of Philadelphia 1915 Annual meeting, the following great news
finally appeared. It should be noted that the intent from the start was to use golf
course “experts” to build a “public golf course second to none in the country and
equal to any in the world“. Quite the ambitious undertaking, certainly!
40
At the January, 1915 GAP Annual meeting, a number of men who figured prominently in
the creation of Cobb’s Creek were in attendance. From top to bottom, left to right, the
circled are Hugh Wilson, Winthrop Sargent, A.W. Tillinghast, Joseph Slattery, Robert
Lesley, and J. Franklin Meehan.
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42
43
44
45
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Although these January/February minutes from 1915 don’t mention Hugh Wilson
specifically, the news accounts at the time certainly did, and a year later from GAP
Annual Minutes below it is clear that both Wilson and Winthrop Sargent, who was the
Chairman of the Greens Committee at Merion during this period, were heavily involved.
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It’s interesting to note the assignment of both George Crump and Dr. Robert Carr to the
GAP “Park Golf Committee” assigned to work with Fairmount Park Commissioners to
build the golf course in Cobb’s Creek Park. During the prior two years, both men were
heavily involved in the creation and building of Pine Valley Golf Club, so they would
have had great practical experience in building a golf course from scratch, as were others
involved with the project. At minimum, each of the men had been involved with golf
design and construction at their own home clubs.
George A. Crump
Dr. Simon Carr
Dr. Simon Carr was a Roman Catholic priest who had first took up the game in 1901,
immediately fell in love with it and quickly became one of the very best competitors in
the Philadelphia region, winning the Philadelphia Amateur in 1908. He was also known
to be George Crump’s best friend, and spent untold hours with him building Pine Valley.
Dr. Simon Carr showing Scottish Pro Ben Sayers around Pine Valley
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.
49
April 1915, the course routing plans were submitted and approved by the Park Chief
Engineer Jesse T. Vogdes. It is mentioned that “Members of the city’s many golf clubs
have aided in planning the course…”.
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Tillinghast was quick to report the good news, but not without also expressing some
strangely unexpected reservations concerning the site. It’s a bit of a mystery as to why he
wasn’t seemingly more involved with the particulars of the design, as he had already
designed the much applauded Shawnee course in the Poconos, and was good friends with
most of the men involved. Perhaps at this stage of his career he still primarily viewed
himself as a competitor and critic? Or perhaps his antagonistic role in pushing for a
public course had alienated him among Philadelphia City government officials?
Tillinghast as Critic
March 1915
The Philadelphia Public Golf Course is destined to be built in the park at Cobb's Creek. That the
links for the people is to be actually constructed at last is most gratifying to those who have
advocated the project for so long a time, but to some it seems that a more fortunate selection of
site might have been made. The Cobb's Creek section is quite hilly and a few blind holes are
inevitable. This is an evil which should be avoided, particularly on a course which is bound to be
thronged, and by those who are not prone to be too observant of the ethics of the game.
April 1915
THE PRELIMINARY WORK in preparing ground for the Philadelphia public golf course is under
way. The tract of land finally selected is in Cobb's Creek Park close by the city line. It is
accessible by electric cars of the Philadelphia and Western railway—about five minutes walk from
69th St. terminal and about the same distance from the terminus of the Philadelphia Rapid
Traction Company's line at Haverford and Landsdowne avenues. The new course also may be
reached from the State Road station of the Westchester and Ardmore trolley line.
The committee announces that the course will be ready for play next September but naturally it
cannot be in very good condition so early as this and 18 holes have been planned although at the
beginning it was thought that only 9 would be built during the first year.
The building of the Philadelphia public course is the source of a great deal of satisfaction to lovers
of the game in this section, but there is just a tinge of regret that a less hilly and more extensive
tract was not selected. It must be remembered that the crowds of players over public courses are
not particularly prone to observe the ethics of the game and for this reason a course which offers
blind holes is likely to prove a bit dangerous. Certainly the first plans of the new course were
criticised because of this objectionable feature and as a consequence they have been modified.
The work is under the supervision of the park commissioners, but they are in touch with some of
the leading golfers of the city and it is likely that their suggestions will bear much weight.
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