The Ghost Tree at Old Macdonald.  If you've ever been out to play at Old Macdonald, among a number of iconic design features, one of them truly sticks like none other.

Little is documented on the various blog and writings that be, which seems so strange since it has such a spiritual presence when you play the hole.  We proceeded to converse with our early supporter, friend in links golf, and walking golfer: Jeff Brinegar.  This legendary golfer who has traversed this section of the property hundreds of times had the following to say:

Commonly referred to as the 'Ghost Tree', this iconic Old Macdonald centerpiece truly sets the tone for your round as it can be seen from every hole on the course.  This grand Port Orford Cedar, located on the third hole, aptly named 'Sahara', has been photographed, drawn and talked about by countless visitors since the course opening.  Upon closer inspection, it is obvious that the stout old tree was involved in fires, lightening storms, and decades of coastal weather that rendered it's iconic character and established its legend.  Originally there were two trees that flanked the hillside on #3 but the one to the right was removed during a test play round before the completion of construction.

Inspired by Jeff's comments on artistic renditions and interpretations, we decided to play around with two mediums we love: wool (ofcourse), and wood.

Our dear friend and design guru Steven Davison, came over one night and we conversed our love of the solo tree over a series of potent Northwest Strong Ales (Jubleale, to be precise).

First, we decided that it would be great to begin tracing the tree, and making some small changes so we could try to apply it to different materials.  We first tried with Walnut, but learned that there were too many branches to scale down to just a 12 inch height, so some design changes were required.  Being such a dense wood, it was difficult to cut and shape the limbs correctly, so instead of spending more time with Walnut, we moved on to softer variations.

We tried again with Mahogany, the shape started coming in, so we were pretty excited.  It would require a larger base if it were to really begin to stand on its own, though.

To make it have that 'SEAMUS' touch, we took some scrap Gordon tartan and applied it to one side of the mock-up.

Our last attempt that evening included a houndstooth mated to Mahogany, probably our finest piece.  The physical dexterity of our fingertips became compromised by the beer, and we moved on just sitting and marveling at our little piece.

All that work and what do we have?  Desk Ornament? We don't really know what it is.  But it was a lot of fun and gets us very excited for our upcoming trip to the mecca of US LINKS GOLF: BANDON DUNES.

PITCH MARK REPAIR TOOL :: THE MAKINGS from SEAMUS GOLF on Vimeo.

The making of our collaborative Pitch Mark Repair tool, featuring Lyle Poulin, Founder and owner of Hand Forge.  Available here.

Theivery Corporation - A Gentle Dissolve (Shawn Lee Ping Pong Orchestra Remix)

Every once in a while, we encounter products that are truly remarkable, but it is totally rare to gain access to the folks that make those products.  While pondering the fun items at The Boys Fort in Portland, Oregon, a great little shop that features local craft, we found a truly remarkable bottle opener by a small local Portland, Oregon company called Hand Forge.  While we were drawn in by the aesthetic, it wasn't until we took one home and tried to open up a bottle of our favorite microbrew and learned that nothing had ever felt that good.  It didn't bend, and it didn't warp.  The bottle cracked open, and the thought crossed our mind that somebody thousands of years from now will find this bottle opener next to a pile of bones, some empty bottles and say, 'What is this thing?'

We connected up with the shop keepers, and they led us along to Lyle Stratton, the proprietor and individual who crafted the item.  Each item is original, and hand-wrought, made of red hot metal and shaped on an anvil using a hammer.  The thoughts of samurai and robin hood swords crossed our mind.  Below is what the beautiful bottle opener that brought us in looks like.

We proceeded to call up Mr. Stratton, and visit his shop and inquire about ways to make this special bottle opener relevant for our use.  We thought, 'Our ball mark repair tool is tired, bends in the ground, and doesn't exude any level of class'.  After describing the ball mark repair tool to Lyle, he took a bar of metal and started hammering it into shape.  After that, he was on to grinding it and sparks were flying, both literally and figuratively.

Version 1.0 : 'THE KLINGON'

Weight: 3.5 Ounces, or ~ 2 Golf balls.

This particular one was our first attempt, it was a bit to heavy and intimidating for the rest of the playing partners in the foursome.

Version 2.0 : 'THE SHOGUN'

Weight: 2.3 Ounces.

In this particular iteration, we surmised it was necessary to slim it down a bit, and change the angle of the pitch mark utencil from the profile to flatten it down a bit for better pocket use.  It weighed in at about a golf ball and half.

Version 3.0

Weight: 3.0 Ounces

In this iteration, we wanted to see what it would be like if we included the bottle opener we loved so much, along with it's particular finish and hand-beaten copper rivet (which looks like it might have golf ball dimples).

VERSION 4.0

Weight: 2.1 Ounces or just over 1 golf ball

After all the trial, we decided to drop the bottle opener, and really slim it down.  The final rendition might have a little nip and tuck, but this particular ball mark repair tool fixes pitches like nothing we've ever used.  The weight is just perfect, so it feels great in the hand and does a lot of the work on it's own.  In many ways, it reminds us of the finely crafted wedges we like to carry from companies like Miura and Scratch, but is easier to use.

Our first batch goes into production this week, at a suggested retail price of $75.  Pre-order available now at $55 here.

Our little and favorite valuables pouch was designed specifically to fit the Bunnahabhain 12 year old scotch bottle (among other items).  When we heard a special edition 40 year bottle was drafted, we thought we'd share the incredible story behind this product. (via COOLHUNTING)

Quietly hidden for over 40 years within the prestigious Bunnahabhain distillery on Scottish island Islay's northern shore, a long-forgotten maturation continued to develop. When reviewing ledgers dating back decades, master distiller Ian MacMillan uncovered a missing series of Turney casks considered by some to be the finest oak casks ever made. Much to his surprise, the casks were filled with maturing malt whisky. This significant discovery has lead to Bunnahabhain's latest release, a one-off rare single malt that will delight not only fans of the 130-year-old distillery, but scotch drinkers everywhere.

 

Coppery gold in color, the "40 Yo Islay" carries a rich complexity, with honey and ginger, spicy and nutty notes, and even a hint of sea salt. Lingering citrus and a tropical fruit bouquet leave a vibrant finish, with the latter pertaining to its time spent in the sherry wine oak casks. This all begets sheer drinkability and a lightness on the tongue. Unlike other distilleries in Islay that focus on peatiness, Bunnahabhain embraces a less-smokey taste, yielding an ease to the alcohol. Its entire flavor profile delivers all that—and a good story as well. It is nothing short of a treasure for connoisseurs.

This run is limited to only 750 bottles globally, with 212 in the US. Each is individually numbered and delivered in an oak gift box. Renowned illustrator Iain McIntosh was commissioned for the specially designed labeling, which carries secrets itself. You can purchase Bunnahabhain 40-Year-Old for between $2,800 and $3,200 at select retailers.

Photos by David Graver

Recently, we had a customer that inquired about our ability to add a way for our covers to be tied together.  From our humble beginnings, part of our aesthetic was to maintain a minimalist design that didn't contain any unnecessary features or visually detracting appendages.  The concept of adding a tab at the top had been discussed at early stages, but we never wanted to force the purchase of sets for our customers, so we decided quickly that it would be a custom option left for discussion later.  Additionally, we went on to include a subtle elastic band on the interior of our covers to ensure they would stay on.  

In the image below, one can see that we've purposely devised a very clean look at the top, with plaids matching at the seams through the use of hand-cut kilt-grade woolen materials.  (A variant on the MacKenzie tartan reserved for hunting purposes shown below).

Our customer called from New York, and inquired about ordering 5 covers for their bag.  They wanted to customize the top with some sort of mechanism to tie the covers together.  We got excited by the prospect by the new opportunity to get creative, so our mission began with a trip down to the local leather shop (Oregon Leather Co.).

We began with looking for just the right light-weight but structurally sound D-ring and ended up with the following 1/2 inch chrome style.  Our original intent was to use a brass-antique look, but it sadly added a lot of weight and would have been counter-productive to our mission of providing a light-weight walking-friendly solution.  We proceeded with this solution that was nickel-plated. 

Small vegetable-tanned leather tabs were then cut from our favorite and locally sourced Vegetable-tanned leather.  The above metal D-rings were then included during the sewing of the lids.  On a sidenote, if you'd like to have leather tabs on your set, this is something we can offer during the ordering process (just e-mail us if you'd like these).  We are lucky to have the ability to get custom down to the individual's needs, as each cover is individually crafted to order.  The customer picked out a beautiful arrangement and mix of tartans that we think are going to look great in their bag.

Alderwood Country Club was the brainchild of a group of 16 Portland golf enthusiasts in the 1920s. One night, they came up with the idea of building a golf course on the banks of the Columbia River in NE Portland. With only enthusiasm and their passion for golf, they managed to build one of the Northwest’s most legendary golf courses.

The founders of Alderwood had not picked a better time to build their course—the 1920s was the height of the Golden Age of Golf Design. From the end of World War I and the beginning of the Great Depression, the number of golf courses in America grew from 750 to over 6000. But quantity wasn’t the only thing increasing, the quality of the golf courses from this era make them the best courses in the country to this day. As we are well aware, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and Augusta National were all built during the Golden Age. These great courses were created by new generation of golf architects like Donald Ross, Alister Mackenzie and others who pushed the boundaries and set the foundation for this era of American golf design.

Starting in November of 1923, the group of 16 headed by Aaron H. Gould, began adding members to their perspective club. Eventually they had over 150 people interested in their venture, at which point they flew in famed golf designer and Irish Imigrant, A. Vernon Macan, to survey the site. Macon designed 15 courses in the Northwest including Columbia Edgewater  in Portland and Broadmoor Golf Club outside Seattle. Alderwood was Macon’s most difficult and bold golf design to date. The Alderwood founders eventually raised enough money to build the course, and it was opened in June of 1925.

Alderwood became the 6^th golf course in the Portland area (Columbia Edgewater opened that same year). With its strategically placed bunkers and tricky water hazards, it was one of the most difficult courses on the west coast at the time. In fact, several water hazards were removed shortly after the course opened due to its high level of difficulty. Macan’s bold and exciting design also made Alderwood one of the most architecturally significant courses in the area. There were 12 clubs in Portland at the time, making the Portland area a premiere golf location for the Country.

Aaron Gould went to 1936 USGA Amateur in Garden City Golf Club in New York. There he met with USGA organizers who became interested in using Alderwood to host next year’s championship. The USGA committee flew out to Alderwood and was very impressed. Alderwood’s reputation as a challenging course, as well as its gorgeous views of the Columbia River made it an ideal choice. The large spaces between the links, also would provide ample room for spectators and grandstands which were extremely important in large scale championships like the Amateur. The USGA organizing committee quickly decided to host the championship at Alderwood the following summer. 

It was up to Gould to sell the Portland community on this opportunity. At the time Great Depression was gripping the nation, and golf playership was hitting a low. Many city leaders were skeptical of hosting a national event for what was then considered a rich man’s sport during the height of an economic downturn. Alderwood itself had lost over 200 members due to harsh economic conditions. Gould explained to the city that the press coverage, tourism and injection of capital from the tournament would be a huge boost to the golf community and Portland as a whole. The city eventually came around, and organization for the championship began.  It would become the first USGA sanctioned event of this calibre to reach the Pacific Northwest. 

For one week in August, dozens of sports writers, fans and golfers descended on Alderwood. In traditional northwest fashion, the day before the tournament witnessed large downpours and a lightning storm. But, the weather cleared up for the first day of play. Portland amateur golf legend Don Moe was the hometown favorite, but didn’t make it to the final round. Instead the win went to Nebraska amateur Johnny Goodman, who became one of a couple of golfers ever to win the US Open (in 1933) as an Amateur and before proceeding to win the US Amateur as he did at Alderwood in 1937. Mr. Macan, course architect was quoted as mentioning that no player would break 70 during the tournament, and as a testament to the difficulty of the track this statement held true through the 1937 US Am.

The tournament was a huge success for the city of Portland and Oregon’s golf community. The event drew more than 5000 people daily and the final round attracted over 9000 spectators. The event invigorated the golf community and contributed to the growing popularity of sport in the Portland area despite the Great Depression. Portland wouldn’t hold a golf event of this magnitude until the Portland Golf Club hosted the Ryder cup in 1947. 

In 1948 the Vanport Flood caused the waters of the Columbia River to wash through the Portland area. Vanport City, which was north of Alderwood, was completely submerged and reported 15 deaths. Luckily the Club had no fatalities, though the first floor of the clubhouse was submerged in 1 ½ feet of water. The course itself was completely underwater, but the efficient drainage system quickly dispelled the water.

Beginning in the 40s, the club experienced increasing conflict with the neighboring Portland Airport. Incoming and outgoing flights paths were right above the course, which lead to noise population and distraction. While Alderwood board directors and members found this troublesome, it was nothing in comparison the new problem that arose.

By 1949, the Portland Airport had plans to expand—right into the southern end of Alderwood Country Club. The club and the City of Portland spent weeks in negotiations, battling over the land. In 1950 the city acquired the land and paid Alderwood a sufficient severance to allow the club to re-build seven holes of the course on adjacent property. 

However, in 1952 the Port of Portland announced new plans to buy Alderwood in order to build a second landing strip. The Port offered the club a far lower price that the course was valued at, and unsurprisingly members refused to sell. Eventually the Port of Portland had Alderwood condemned. The course closed in July of 1953 and the Port of Portland began construction of the new airport runway. Though the course had surivived the Great Depression and World War II, it couldn’t survive the rabid era of progress.

Alderwood was built at a time when golf was only beginning to gain widespread popularity in the United States. While Alderwood is no longer in existence today, it lives on in the diverse and thriving Oregon golf tradition it helped create.

Headline of Johnny Goodman's 1937 Amateur win at Alderwood

"Bidding Adieu" June 28th 1953 Oregonian

 Photos courtesy of Historical Oregonian Archives and Oregon Historical Society. Blog post written by Olivia Kantor, SEAMUS GOLF intern and International Business student at George Washington.  Special thanks to Pat Sutton, Head Golf Pro at Riverside Country Club in Portland, Oregon, and leader in the golf history community for providing the Scorecard, panoramic photography , and helpful commentary regarding the special 1937 event.  Please note that this is an attempt to recover information on this great, lost club.  If you have any information that might be helpful to our research of Alderwood Country Club, please do not hesitate to let us know (info@seamusgolf.com).

Our dropbox link here contains links to significant articles or photos used in the production of this post and further research.