About
The Golf Course
(1916-1923(?))

The Golf Course was launched with great intentions as a monthly technical service bulletin aimed at "the Green Committees of America". It was issued beginning in January, 1916, by Peterson, Sinclaire & Miller, Inc., of New York, "in conjunction with Carter's Tested Seeds, Inc.", the UK firm which dominated much of the turf-service industry of Britain through the first half of the 20th century.

The Golf Course hoped to fill a growing technical information need, launched as it was just prior to Piper & Oakley's groundbreaking 1917 book Turf for Golf Courses, and as well in advance of the USGA Green Section's eventual launch in February of 1921 of the Bulletin of the Green Section of the US Golf Association.

The Golf Course attracted writers and topics well beyond the perhaps-expected domain of a typical commercial house organ. Architect A. W. Tillinghast contributed regularly to the early issues, as did builder/greenkeeper (and writer) Peter Lees. Several other firms placed advertisements. All supported Peterson, Sinclare & Miller's golf course construction business in one way or another.

The Golf Course was completely 'about the timing'; launched just prior to the entry by the USA into the First World War, its initial predictable publication became spotty in mid-1917. We know of one subsequent issue in 1918, and a re-launch in 1921 with subsequent issues at least in 1923, but it then appears to have disappeared, once again, and perhaps, forever.

If you know of the whereabouts of, or even the details associated with, additional issues of this publication, or know more about its history, we would like to hear from you! Email tgif@msu.edu