Travis Course Projects Alphabetical

An alphabetical listing of Travis projects

(view in chronological order)

______________________________________________________
ORIGINAL or REDESIGN PROJECTS (51 courses)

Dates given indicate the year(s) when Travis did his design work, and not when the course construction was completed. Where possible, we have included original designers of those courses listed as a “redesign” or “consultations”. In addition, where information is available, the listing will include architects who did remodeling/renovation/restoration work subsequent to Travis’s involvement. Our intent is to provide a comprehensive architectural history of each course. Given the nature of this task, it is a work-in-progress that will change as new information is found. We invite your assistance in fine-tuning, and expanding, our course listings.

Key: 18-hole courses unless otherwise noted; (r) – Redesign/remodel; FKA – Formerly Known As; NLE – No Longer Exists; LKA – Later Known As; NC – Never constructed; * – Need documentation to confirm)

(r) Augusta Country Club, Augusta, GA — 1924
Original designers: David Olgivie and Dr. William H. Harison (Travis created plans for a new 6th hole green on the Lake Course; NLE)

Camden Country Club (FKA Kirkwood Links), Camden, SC — 1923. Donald Ross, renovation and redesign–1939; Kris Spence, restoration/renovation – 2010-2011

(r) Canoe Brook Country Club (North course), Summit, NJ — 1916; 1902 – Original course designed by Jack Vickery and Alex Smith; 1950 – With a land-swap pending, architect Alfred Tull was commissioned to design 8 golf holes to replace the North Course holes that would be lost in the land-swap. The fully redesigned North Course opened on July 1, 1952; 1970 – Highway construction resulted in major changes to both the South and North courses. Architect Hal Purdy was on site for several years to oversee changes to both courses; 1973 – architect Robert Trent Jones’ firm developed plans for 3 new holes in order to resolve liability concerns associated with the 18^th hole’s proximity to the new highway; 1991 – Architect Rees Jones developed golf course Master Plan; 1994-1995—architect Rees Jones supervised major bunker work and construction of new fifth hole.

(r) Cape Arundel Golf Club, Kennebunkport, ME — 1920. Original design credited to Alex H. Findlay; 2000 – present – architect Bruce Hepner, initially of Renaissance Golf, and later, independent contractor, oversaw bunker renovation/restoration and restoration/renovation of other golf course features.

Cherry Hill Club, Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada–1922; 1971-72 – Bunker/tee renovation project under direction of architect C. E. “Robbie” Robinson in preparation for the 1972 Canadian Open Championship; 2008-09 – Bunker and tee renovation and restoration project under direction of architect Ian Andrew – 2008-09.

(r) Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase, MD (With Dr. Walter S. Harban and Robert White)— 1919 Original designer, Herbert H. Barker, with assistance from Dr. W.S. Harban —1909

(r) Country Club of New Canaan, New Canaan, CT; 1900 – architect Willie Park, Jr., original designer, 9-holes; 1920s – Travis designed a second nine. 1924 – Correspondence between Travis, club official Marshall Stearns, and William Tull refers to construction of golf course. Club records report that a major cost overrun in construction threatened bankruptcy of the club, resulting in termination of the project. 1947 – Completion of the second nine, based on the “original Travis design with additional holes designed by Alfred Tull…”. (according to current club history)

Country Club of Scranton, Clarks Summit, PA –1925 (the original Travis map has two dates on it: Oct. 1925 and June 1926); 2010-11 – Renovation project, including bunkers, under direction of architect Tom Marzolf, of Fazio Design.

Country Club of Troy, Troy, NY– 1926. Bruce Hepner, of Renaissance Golf, bunker restoration project – 2007-08

East Potomac Park Golf Club, (with Walter S. Harban) Washington, DC – 1917. An August, 1919 Brooklyn Eagle reported that, because of World War I, just 9 holes were constructed of the 18-hole Travis plan. Travis lists East Potomac Park as one of his reversible courses. (Fall 2016 – Travis Society received digital copies of the original Travis hole drawings for the 18 hole course at East Potomac Park, including the reversible plans.)

Ekwanok Country Club, (Assisted John Duncan Dunn), Manchester, VT — 1899. 1948 – Donald Ross, Consultation for course improvements; 1956 – Robert Trent Jones, Recommendations for remodeling of a few holes; 1958-1980 – Geoffrey Cornish, Remodeling/renovation of several holes; 1998 to present – Bruce Hepner, of Renaissance Golf, Restoration/renovation of bunkers, tees, 11th green.

(r) Essex County Club, Manchester, MA — (With John Duncan Dunn) — 1908. Original designer unknown.

(r) Flushing Country Club (FKA Flushing Golf Club), (With John Duncan Dunn) Flushing, LI, NY – 1901; Originally designed by Tom Bendelow in 1897. (Added note: A March 4, 1897 NY Sun article reported that Travis and Bendelow designed the original Flushing CC course. No other documentation has been found to confirm this report.) (NLE)

Garden City Country Club, Garden City, NY – 1916; Brian Silva, renovation –1980s;eith Foster, with associate, Kevin Hargreaves, created long range golf course plan including bunker renovation, tree management, etc – 2007- present

Garden City Country Club, Garden City, NY. Brian Silva, renovation-1980s; Keith Foster, with associate, Kevin Hargrave, did renovations that included green surrounds, bunkers, tees, and work on the practice range —2004–.

(r) Garden City Golf Club (FKA Island Golf Links) (assisted by H.H. Barker and Stewart Gardner, club professionals), Garden City, NY. Original designer – Devereux Emmet – 1897 – 1899; Consulting architect, Tom Doak – 1987 – present; restoration of 12th green under direction of architect Tom Doak – 2011-12.

(r) Grand Mere Golf Club, Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada — 1917. The Travis hole plans are dated September 18, 1917. Original designer, Frederik de Peyster Townsend, 1910; In June 1921, Charles Alison developed an 18 hole plan. Holes 1 through 5 of the Alison plan follow the original routing by Travis, with changes to bunkers. Travis holes 6 and 7 became Alison’s 9 and 10.

(r) Granliden on Sunapee (9 holes), Lake Sunapee, NH — 1924. Original designer, Alex H. Findlay – 1907

(r) Grover Cleveland Muni (FKA Country Club of Buffalo), Buffalo, NY — Original course, designed by CCB member Ganson Depew, opened in 1902; There is information indicating that Depew consulted with Walter Travis, and others. In 1910-1911, Travis remodeled the bunkers.

Halloween Park Golf Course (9 holes), Stamford, CT — 1915 (NLE)

(r) Hollywood Golf Club, Deal, NJ — 1917 According to the HGC centennial history book, “With two exceptions, Travis followed Mackie’s original routing. He did, however, combine the original 13th and 14th holes, 260 and 150 yards, respectively, into the present 13th hole, and built the present par-three 17th to compensate, shortening the original 17th to creat the present 16th. Travis’ major contribution, however, was a complete reworking of the greens and the bunkering.”

Original designer, Isaac Mackie–1914; Seth Raynor, remodeling–1916; Dick Wilson, remodeling–1956; Geoff Cornish, remodeling–1980s; Rees Jones and his Senior Design Associate, Keith Evans —1997-2012; Brian Schneider, of Renaissance Golf, bunker restoration–2013–

Jekyll Island Golf Club (Great Dunes Course), Jekyll Island, GA — 1926

(r) Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, NJ — 1919
Original designers: Willie Dunn, 1896, Tom Bendelow, 1899

Lochmoor Club, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI — 1917 (assisted John S. Sweeney),. The exact nature of Travis’s role is subject to debate. He has been described as “consultant” to Sweeney, or “Superintending” the project. Travis did not list Lochmoor Club in his many advertisements in the early ’20s; 1920-1921 Because of serious drainage problems, Charles Alison worked with John Sweeney to correct the problem. As reported in Colt & Alison in North America: golf course architects, by Anthony C. Gholz, Jr (2018), “…Alison, based in Detroit and working with Sweeney at the CC of Detroit (CCD), was on-site several times in the fall of 1920 and in 1921 to rectify many of these issues by raising and redesigning the greens and bunkers. He also extensively remodeled the course….”.

Longue Vue (9-holes)(NLE), Hastings-on-Hudson, NY — 1922

Lookout Point Country Club, Fonthill, Ontario, Canada – 1921. Ian Andrew of Carrick Design, renovation and restoration of bunkers – 1998

(r) Louisville Country Club), Louisville, KY — 1924. Original designer, Tom Bendelow – 1908; Keith Foster and Design Associate, Kevin Hargraves, renovation involving green surrounds, bunkers, tees, and practice range –2004

(r) Milwaukee Country Club (NLE), Milwaukee, WI — 1924, Original designer unknown

Mount Pocono Golf and Country Club (9 holes) Stroudsburg, PA — 1903; NLE, as of 2014.

North Jersey Country Club, Wayne, NJ – 1921. Robert Trent Jones, remodeling – 1978; Brian Silva, bunker renovation–1994

(r) Oak Ridge Golf Club (NLE), Tuckahoe, NY — 1922
Original designer unknown.

Oakland Golf Club (9 holes), Bayside, LI, NY. (with Stewart Gardner, Garden City Golf Club pro) Travis and Gardner designed the second nine holes at Oakland Golf Club –1905. The first nine holes at Oakland are reported to have been designed by Tom Bendelow, and opened in 1897. Many changes to the course occurred after the Travis/Gardner involvement, including bunker work by the club’s green committee, additional bunkering by Oakland’s golf pro Alec Girard, and remodeling by Seth Raynor (exact dates of these changes have not been determined, but they appear to have occurred between 1912 and 1921). The Oakland Golf Club disbanded in 1952, and the course remained as a public course until 1962. (NLE as of 1962)

Onondaga Golf and Country Club, Fayetteville, NY. The 1917 Travis golf course plan included parts of 3 holes from the original, 1901 David Campbell course; Stanley Thompson, renovation – 1928 (no evidence that Thompson’s plans were carried out); Stanley Thompson, designed an additional 9-holes – 1930 (NC); Hal Purdy, redesign of three holes – 1962; Wogan and Mitchell, redesign of the 3rd and 4th holes – 1982; Ian Andrew, bunker renovation and restoration, including construction of new 4th and 8th greens – 2008-2009.

Orchard Park Country Club (FKA The Park Club), Orchard Park, NY – 1916. Brian Ault, redesign included re-routing and construction of three new holes (5th, 6th, and 13th) and elimination of original 6th, 17th and 18th holes. These changes permitted construction of a new practice range on the land previously occupied by the 17th 18th holes – 1993-94; Bruce Hepner,of Renaissance Golf, redesign of 18th hole, and minor design changes to other holes – 2000; Ian Andrew, bunker renovation/restoration tree removal, rebuild of the first green – 2011 to present.

Pennhills Club (FKA North Penn Club), Bradford, PA —1922. Two additional holes were created in 1937, when the club’s new clubhouse was constructed. Dick Wilson, supervised construction of the remaining 8 holes of the original Travis plan–1958; Ian Andrew, development of a golf course master plan – 2013; bunker renovation/restoration and rebuild of greens on the 12th, 13th, and 17th holes under direction of architect Ian Andrew – 2014-15.

(r) Philadelphia Country Club (NLE) Philadelphia, PA — 1911-12 According to an article in the April 14, 1912 Philadelphia Inquirer, the Green Committee of the Philadelphia CC decided their course needed “stiffening” and “took the bull by the horns and got Walter J. Travis to run over to this city. With E.K. Bispham and other members of the Green Committee, Travis went carefully over the course and later a conference was held and plans for changing the course were adopted. As a result, where one pit was you will find five now in some places…..The changes are such that while the course will not be available for championship matches until next year, it will not interfere with the members playing.”

(r) Poland Spring Golf Club (with A.H. Fenn), South Poland, ME 1895 – A. H. Fenn, Original designer of 9-hole course; 1913 – Donald Ross, redesign and expansion to 18-holes, opened for play in 1915; July 14, 1917 issue of Poland Spring paper, The Hilltop, announced golf course changes “under the direction of Professional A.H. Fenn and Walter J. Travis” consisting of rebuilt or new greens on 10 holes, addition of 10 new bunkers, and new tees on 12 holes.

Round Hill Club, Greenwich, CT. 1922 . Renovation and redesign (including new par 3 11th hole) by Robert Trent Jones–1952, 1970; Renovation by Brian Schneider, Design Associate of Renaissance Golf Design–2016.

Sargowana Golf Club (18 holes, NC), Brooklyn, NY. – 1916 Newspaper accounts indicate that this project was suspended because of WWI, and never completed.

Sea Island Golf Club (Plantation 9), St. Simons Island, GA. – 1926. Charles Alison eliminated many Travis hazards/bunkers, rebuilt greens, and altered some routing – 1928-29. Rees Jones, renovation of Plantation 9 – 1992, 1998. Tom Fazio replaced two holes (8th and 9th) with new 5th and 6th holes – 1999. Love Golf Design, with architect Scot Sherman, of Greenville, South Carolina. Complete remodel – 2019.

Seven Pines golf links, Richmond, VA.–1924 According to June 20, 1924 Richmond Times-Dispatch, announcing delay in opening of “…the very first and only public golf course for Richmond, will not be opened until July 4, at the earliest……Designed by Walter J. Travis, noted golf architect, the Seven Pines course is said to be one of the finest in this section.” Whether the course still exists remains to be determined.

Spring Brook Country Club, Morristown, NJ — 1921

Stafford Country Club, Stafford, NY — 1921. Stanley Thompson and Robert Trent Jones, consultation – 1930; Ian Andrew, bunker and tee renovation/restoration – 1999-2001.

(r) Stamford Golf Club (FKA Stamford Country Club) Stamford, NY — 1923. A 1924 Stamford Mirror states, “Two of the five new putting greens planned some time ago by Walter J. Travis, expert golf architect, were completed last fall and the greens committee hopes that the other three will be finished for use this year. The May 31, 1924 Albany Evening Journal reported that the Stamford Country Club course “was laid out and constructed under the personal direction of Walter J. Travis…..”. Research continues in an effort to clarify and confirm Travis’s role at Stamford.

(r) Sunningdale Country Club, Scarsdale, NY – 1920. Seth Raynor, original designer – 1917; A Sunningdale Green Committee report, dated 11/26/1920 stated, “In accordance with the plans of Mr. Travis, we have put in the bunkers on the 2nd, 4th, 8th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 17th holes. We have built new greens for the 1st-9th, 10th, 13th, and 14th holes, and have commenced the construction of the new fairway for the changed 10th hole, which will be open for play in the Spring. We have constructed new tees for the 1st, 2nd, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 14th holes. This completes all the new construction work which was planned to be done this year…….Next year…..we plan to finish the bunkering of the holes that are to remain unchanged.” The report indicated that other course changes will be deferred until 1922.

The Golf Club at Equinox (FKA Equinox Golf Links), Manchester, Vt — 1925. Rees Jones, remodeling – 1991.

Valley View Golf Club (FKA Roscoe Conkling Park), Utica, NY — 1916. First nine holes constructed according to Travis plan in 1927 with the full 18 completed in 1930.

Westchester Country Club (South, West, and Short course; FKA Westchester-Biltmore Club), Rye, NY – 1919. Ken Dye, renovation and restoration of South course – 1997-1999, followed by bunker and tee renovation on West Course – 2000.

(r) Westchester Hills Golf Club, White Plains, NY.- 1922 An extensive, March 28, 1922 report by WHGC’s Green Committee Chairman, “Doc” Sniffen stated “Our new work this year will be principally on green reconstruction following the plans given us by Mr. Walter J. Travis.” Long time WHGC golf professional, Peter Clark, of Scottish decent, was the original designer.

(r) White Beeches Golf & Country Club (FKA Haworth Golf Club) Haworth, NJ — 1918. Original designer, Valentine Flood, 1902

Yahnundasis Golf Club (27 hole plan), New Hartford, NY.–1922. Course constructed under supervision of Sherrill Sherman, using 11 holes from the Travis plan added to 7 holes from old course. Travis 18 hole plan was completed in its entirety in 1931; 9-hole short course was not constructed. George Low and Sherrill Sherman, original designers. Holes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 were redesigned, and other minor course changes, by William and David Gordon-1961. Bunker work on the 6th hole by Ron Pritchard–2004.

______________________________________________________
CONSULTATIONS: (33)

This listing of “Consultations” creates a record of those occasions when Travis gave advice for the improvement, care, or development of a golf course. In some instances, he was asked to evaluate the suitability of a plot of land for a golf course. On other occasions, he was asked to make suggestions for improvement of the condition or playability of a course. The reports of advice provided by Travis were not always specific, and whether his advice was carried out has not been determined for many of the courses in this list. Our objective is to establish a complete record of Travis’s influence on the landscape of North American golf courses, where ample documentation exists.

The claim that Travis was consulted on a golf course does not, in any way, discount the importance of the original designer(s), nor those architects who followed.

Atlanta Athletic Club Atlanta, Georgia. A November 1911 report in The American Golfer, reads, in part, “trapping of it as planned by Mr. Walter J. Travis had greatly improved it”. — 1911

Bailey Park Country Club, (NLE), Mount Vernon, NY–1922 The July 15, 1922 issue of The Daily Argus reported that “Walter J. Travis, former national open golf champion, and now a golf course architect, made an inspection of the grounds yesterday and said they would be ideal for golf purposes. He was deeply impressed with the layout of the grounds and after a careful survey spoke enthusiastically of the course that could be developed.” The course is listed by the Tillinghast Society as an A.W. Tillinghast design.

Bonnie Briar Country Club, Larchmont, NY — 1921 (The April 15, 1921 issue of NY Sun reported on plans for a new golf course in Westchester Country, noting that “Walter Travis was employed to examine the land and he reported enthusiastically on its possibilities”. The property had a “wonderful overlook over Long Island Sound”.) Devereux Emmet and A. W. Tillinghast are credited with the design of the course.

Century Country Club, Purchase, NY — 1922 According to the Century Country Club website, “Walter J. Travis, former British Amateur and three time U. S. Amateur Champion, was hired as a consultant. Upon his recommendation in 1922, the Club purchased 175 acres of the George W. Fairchild property on Anderson Hill Road in Purchase, NY.

Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, MD — 1910 March 1910 The American Golfer includes Travis among those who, with Donald Ross “advanced their ideas and have given their aid in laying it out”.

Chicago Golf Club, Chicago, IL —t916. Walter Travis “conferred with officials……regarding plans to restore the putting greens.” American Golfer, November 1916, pg 53.

Cobb’s Creek Muni, Philadelphia, PA — 1915

Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase, MD. Invited by club to inspect its new course designed by H.H. Barker and Donald Ross — 1909

Country Club of Springfield, Springfield, MA — 1915

Forest Park Golf Club, Queens, NY — 1910. NYC Mayor Gaynor appointed Travis to “inspect and report to him upon the condition of the public golf links at Forest Park….with a view to putting them in such condition as would put an end to the continual stream of complaints.” In his report, Travis made several suggestions related to the water supply and the care and management of the golf course. In addition, he recommended several changes to the golf course, including elimination of some holes, creation of new holes, and rearrangement of holes.

Fox Hills Golf Club (NLE), Staten Island, NY — 1906

Glen Echo Country Club, St. Louis, MO —1903. Robert Foulis, original designer – 1901

Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, NJ. According to the October 11, 1909 NY Evening Post, “While extensive changes are being made in the links of the Lakewood Country Club under the direction of Walter J. Travis, golfing is not being interfered with…”. — 1909

Misquamicut Golf Club, Watch Hill, RI.– 1916. Travis created a course layout at Misquamicut that was rejected because of financial concerns. In 1921, Donald Ross was commissioned to design the course that currently exists. There are notable similarities between the current layout and a course map allegedly drawn by Travis.

Mountain Ridge Country Club, West Caldwell, NJ. mid-1920s According to “100 Years of History for Mountain Ridge”, by Jeff Neuman (1912), published on the USGA’s website, Walter Travis was “hired” to “evaluate” the potential of its original site for a “first-class golf course”. Based on Travis’s opinion, supported by Charles Banks and Seth Raynor, the club decided to seek other property for its golf course.

National Golf Links of American, Southhampton, NY, — 1910 Consulted with C.B. Macdonald, Devereux Emmet, and H.J. Whigham.

Ormond Golf Club, Ormand Beach, FL — 1912

Paducah Golf and Country Club, Paducah, KY — 1925, Travis exchanged a series of letters with George Goodman, Chairman of Grounds Committee, in which he provided advice and information concerning the construction of sand greens.

Palm Beach Club, Palm Beach, FL — 1912

Pasadena Muni Course, Pasadena, CA — 1922
According to 1922 newspaper accounts, Travis traveled to Pasadena, CA, and designed a golf course. However, 1924 correspondence between Travis and the City Manager of Pasadena indicates that the city’s plans for a municipal golf course had changed. Instead, they wanted to build a 9-hole course on another plot of land. Travis offered advice, but there is no evidence that the course was built.

Philadelphia Country Club, Philadelphia, PA Travis was paid $125 to examine and report on property proposed for a golf course. He reported that the land was topographically unsuitable for a “first class” 18-hole golf course. A few months later, when he learned that another site was being considered, he admittedly “solicited” the commission to design the course because he had “never laid out a course around Philadelphia”. — 1924

Pine Valley Golf Club, Pine Valley, NJ. Consulted with George Crump. There are reports that Travis drew plans for all holes, except #12, and created plans to make the first and 16th holes reversible — 1915

Pinehurst Country Club, Pinehurst, NC. Consulted with Donald Ross on the #2 course. — 1904

Salisbury Links (now known as Cherry Valley Club), Garden City, NY. The exact date and involvement of Walter J. Travis has not been determined, though there are several reports that credit Travis with being involved in the design of the course, along with Devereux Emmet.–1907 – ?

Sankaty Head Golf Club, Nantucket Island, MA — 1922

Saratoga Springs–Bonnie Brook Farm, Saratoga Springs, NY. The April 4, 1917 Troy Times reported, “W. J. Travis, the golf course architect, was called into consultation Saturday and pronounced the Bonnie Brook Farm favorable for not only one but for several eighteen-hole courses.” There is no evidence that a course was built on the land that Travis examined. – 1917

The Country Club, Brookline, MA — 1910

The Park Country Club, Buffalo, NY. Examined and approved golf course site on which Colt and Allison created the existing course. — 1924

Twin Ponds Golf & Country Club (FKA Utica Golf & Country Club), Utica, NY — 1915

Van Cortland Park Golf Club, Bronx, NY — 1906

Wanakah Country Club, Hamburg, NY — 1910

Washington Golf & Country Club, Jewell, VA. The June 22m 1919 Washington D. C. Evening Star reported that Walter j. Travis walked the course with James T. McClenahan, Greens Chairman, and subsequently, submitted a letter that detailed steps that needed to be taken in order to make a course “of championship caliber and sporty enough to satisfy the most exacting pro or amateur”. Travis recommended the acquisition of additional land that would permit the construction of five new golf holes, and lengthening the course to 6,293 yards. The implementation of Travis’ recommendations was supervised by William Flynn who altered Travis’s plans “considerably”, according to the November 23, 1919 Washington Evening Star.— 1919

Yahnundasis Golf Club, New Hartford, NY. The October 15, 1915 Utica Herald-Dispatch reported that “Walter J. Travis, the famous golfer, played around the links of the Yahnundasis Golf Club again today in order to study the course for the purpose of offering suggestions as to the improvement of the course by the erection of artificial traps, hazards, and bunkers.”— 1915

Yountakah CC (NLE), Nutley, NJ — 1924

Page
Block

Status & visibility

VisibilityPublicPublishSeptember 5, 2011 11:53 amAuthorDave Homseyedhomsey1930PamAMove to trash

Template

24 Revisions

Permalink

Featured image

Excerpt

Discussion

Page Attributes

Open publish panel

Page

An alphabetical listing of Travis projects (view in chronological order)