Originally planned as the private Hamburg Country Club, the South Shore Country Club 13 miles south of Buffalo in western New York opened nine holes in 1924. The second nine was christened on July 3, 1926 bringing the three-year project to its culmination. The course was a solo design effort for Stiles before his partnership with John Van Kleek was formalized, and today remains true to its original routing. The course now operates as a reasonably priced public 18-hole layout; and we are fortunate that a considerable volume of correspondence between Stiles and the founders has been preserved in the Club\u2019s files.<\/p>\n
Stiles first visited Buffalo in 1922 at the behest of John Van Arsdale, a local business person and one of the Club\u2019s founders. Stiles was in competition for the contract to design Hamburg with a local engineer. William Rathmann of the Buffalo Department of Public Works submitted a proposal for the design of the course, asking a fee of $1,500 which did not include design or staking of the irrigation system, planning the erection of the clubhouse or any landscaping. He offered to supervise construction for an additional $150 a month, an inviting prospect considering his close proximity compared to Stiles who worked from his Boston office.<\/p>\n Stiles had little work to hang his hat on at this point in his career. But he saw himself as reaching beyond New England for contracts and had already completed 36 holes for Norwood Hills in St. Louis. He was also working with a group in Chicago on a proposed layout so his travel to the mid-west by rail took him through western New York. His hope was to maximize his excursions with projects under construction along the route.<\/p>\n In a four-page letter dated February 9, 1923, Stiles detailed his experience and qualifications, offering nine references of his past work. With his background in landscape architecture he also cited his ability to handle every aspect of the project. \u201cThe work that I am now doing includes both the layout of the golf course itself and all the details and also the landscape arrangement of the entire club house site, including any features which may be desired.\u201d He notes \u201ctraining for some 20 years as a landscape architect,\u201d which takes him back to 1902 when he first joined Franklin Brett as an office boy.<\/p>\n Stiles\u2019 details the various steps of the project for his prospective client, starting with \u201cthe general layout of the various holes, and also the location of the clubhouse and any features such as tennis courts and swimming pools.\u201d After the preliminary plan was accepted, a second plan showing tees and greens would be offered. Finally there would be \u201cthe preparations of details, plans and specifications showing the layout and construction necessary for the fairways, including such features as traps, mounds, ponds and the detail construction of the greens,\u201d including \u201cboth the existing contour and the grading proposed for the construction of each green.\u201d He eventually would add \u201cshrubbery and tree planting areas, and all other details for the landscape treatment of the entire property. We would also plan on furnishing detail plans and specifications for the installation of a water system, also of drainage plans.\u201d<\/p>\n For these complete design services Stiles suggested a charge of $1,500, though he also wished to supervise the work for an additional fee. \u201cThe number of these visits would be determined mainly by the size of the force that was put on; in other words, the time that was taken to carry out the work. The cost complete to the Club for this supervision on my part would be $1500. additional.\u201d The architect suggested this could also be attained for a daily charge of $75 per visit plus traveling expenses. \u201cThese expenses would not necessarily mean that the Club would have to pay for instance from Boston or New York, as I have many reasons to believe that I will have several other courses in the middle west this coming season, and this expense would be divided pro rata.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Stiles\u2019 fees were entirely in line with the rates of the day for someone of his experience, the Club countered by writing, \u201cThe board of directors has carefully considered the matter and has decided to obtain plans and specifications for an eighteen hole course as set forth in your letter and for which they offer the sum of $1250.\u201d On March 20, 1923, Stiles countered, \u201cI fully appreciate the financial condition of the club at the present time and as I told you last, I want to do everything I can possibly do to help you out in getting the work started. I therefore have decided to accept your proposition.\u201d<\/p>\n Construction of the course began in the summer of 1923 with nine holes open by the following year. The Club drew its membership from the many industrial companies headquartered in the region and by the opening of the full 18 holes was a thriving organization. Membership was capped at 300 and dues frozen at $100 a year. \u201cThis club, I found, is committed to a business-like policy of economy,\u201d wrote one guest. \u201cAll expenditures are checked and double-checked against a carefully prepared 5-year budget. Expense must be kept within income at all times. The present clubhouse is comfortable and adequate. Expansions will not be made until permissible from regular income.\u201d<\/p>\n Buffalo was an industrial center in the 1920s and the natural environment was pushed away from many people\u2019s lives. South Shore billed itself as a respite from the commerce; its prospectus headed \u201cPlaying Golf in a Garden Spot.\u201d Although the site was fairly level, a ravine bisected the property and forest covered part of the 150 acres. \u201cFairways have been hewn directly through them in some instances,\u201d wrote another visitor. \u201cShady precipitous ravines cut back and forth. Often one pauses in sheer admiration of natural beauties. The course is barely two miles from Lake Erie and commands a view of it from certain holes. Seldom have I played a course anywhere that could match South Shore for scenic attraction.\u201d<\/p>\n When industry deserted Buffalo in the modern era the base for South Shore\u2019s private membership went with it. Declining budgets meant that many of the Stiles\u2019 features were no longer maintained. In the 1990s the course was sold privately and opened to the public. Warren Bookbinder, whose family has been involved at the course since its genesis is the current owner.<\/p>\n Stand out holes include 315-yard, par-4 seventh\u2014a dogleg with two water hazards and a ravine to play across; and the claustrophobic 129-yard par-3 fourteenth that plays from a small tee across the declivity to a tiny green in the trees.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (Originally published on BuffaloGolfer.Com in February-March of 2007) From the forthcoming book on The Life and Work of Wayne Stiles by Bob Labbance and Kevin Mendik, to be published fall, 2007. The 200+ page volume will contain a wealth of historic and modern photos of the courses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bob-labbance"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/buff-golf.com\/images\/wsss3.jpg?resize=400%2C239\")
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