Our move out to Long Island brings MacDonald and Raynor into our architectural mix.
Our day at The National Golf Links of America, started with the "Big Lunch". It comprises of four courses, with as you can see, Maine Lobster as the first course.
In the early 1900s C.B Macdonald set out to design the “ideal golf course” and part of his methodology for doing so was to recreate, or draw inspiration from, some of the great strategic holes he had encountered on his travels through England and Scotland. After an exhaustive search for property he settled on a swampy piece of land adjacent to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and it was purchased in 1907. Shortly thereafter in 1908 National Golf Links of America was founded and four years later in 1911 the course officially opened for play.
Macdonald wanted National to be a fun course. Macdonald, who won the first U.S. Amateur in 1895, wasn't interested in making National as difficult as its older neighbour, Shinnecock Hills. Still, it is a place where a good shot is rewarded and a poor one is punished.
The Dutch windmill is a magnificent feature on the course. In the early years of the club, a member suggested to MacDonald that a windmill would be a great addition to the property. MacDonald sourced one in Holland, had it dismantled, shipped, and reassembled between the 2nd and 17th holes.
When the members returned after Winter, the man who suggested it, had a bill for the windmill in his locker.
Seventy wealthy sportsmen contributed $1,000 apiece to get the club under way, and among them were quite a few of the more illustrious tycoons of the time: W. K. Vanderbilt (railroads), Clarence Mackay (mining and telegraph), Charles Deering (farm machinery), J. Borden Harriman (railroads), Harry Payne Whitney (streetcars and Thoroughbred racing) and Robert T. Lincoln, son of the President (Pullman cars).
From the time Macdonald first opened the National for play until his death in 1939, he dominated the club. He dictated club policy and altered the course with regal arrogance and little regard for the feelings and opinions of others. Such was his strength of purpose that he usually got what he wanted, leaving enemies strewn in his wake.
He "stole" the chef from Shinnecock Hills amid cries of outrage and thus inaugurated the tradition of superb cuisine that is almost as important a part of the National's reputation as is its golf. When he tried to hire away Shinnecock's pro, Charlie Thorn, it was a different story. "I wouldn't be there 10 minutes before I would wrap this golf stick around your neck and make a bow tie for you," Thorn told Macdonald in refusing the offer.
He was also, however, responsible for the career of Seth Raynor, one of the world's great golf architects. Raynor was a local land surveyor who MacDonald employed to assist with the layout and construction of the course. Raynor became MacDonald's understudy, and soon took over the business after MacDonald couldn't be bothered anymore.
The par five 7th hole, MacDonald's adaptation of the Road Hole at St Andrews, carries this immensely deep, but tiny bunker. It is one of five "adaptations" here.
One thing I did find a bit strange, and out of character, on an otherwise brilliant course, were these "crop circle" style flat bunkers. You can see four of them on the right side of the hole. They just don't look right, and are positioned on other holes as well. A good, natural, sandy waste area would be more suitable. These look like aliens have landed.
A view of the green at the par four 10th hole.
Here is a sneaky look at the "Girl next door". Shinnecock Hills. Unfortunately the restrictions were too great for us too access this great course.
The view across the pond at the par three 13th hole. This hole is the adaptation of the 11th hole at St Andrews.
The view towards the green on the par four 14th hole. An interesting feature here is the tidal fairway bunker. When the tide is in, the bunker fills with water and is a "hazard", but at lower tides, the bunker empties and is treated as a bunker.
Very serene as the sun sets over the par four 15th hole.
Andrew Cookes liked the air around here, or maybe it was the lobster and the "southside" at lunch. Nonetheless he was our winner today.
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