Ned Harkness, similar to myself, enjoyed golf and fishing, although I no longer actively fish. For many Scotsmen, finding solace near "the links" and a salmon river is a cherished pastime, and Ned was no exception.
The residences and places Ned and Mary Harkness owned were often linked to golf and fishing, two of his beloved hobbies, alongside travel and reading. He frequently journeyed to England, often accompanied by his close friend, the architect James Gamble Rogers.
The Best of the Best
Ned was a member of some of the best golf clubs in America, including
National Golf Links of America (CB Macdonald)
Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, CA (Alister MacKenzie)
The Valley Club of Montecito in Santa Barbara, CA (Alister MacKenzie)
The Ausable Club in upstate New York
The famous "Links Club" in Locust Valley, NY (CB Macdonald) which was near his home "Weekend" there.
Yeamans Hall built by Seth Raynor in Hanahan, South Carolina (Charleston area)
They also regularly visited The Greenbrier resort and most likely played golf and possibly fished there. Also, given Ned's Scottish lineage and the fact that he made numerous philanthropic contributions in St. Andrews, it is a relatively safe assumption that he at least played The Old Course there. However, no direct reference can be found to fully substantiate that
The Eolia "Home 9"
Ned and Mary's summer home in Connecticut, Eolia, also had its own 9-hole course laid out around the home. While the course has grown over you can still see faint outlines of some of the bunkers.
Renowned architect James Gamble Rogers, known for his close friendship with Ned Harkness and his role as the "family architect," resided near Eolia. He often enjoyed rounds of golf at the Harkness's private golf course in New London, just a short ride from the Rogers family home in the Connecticut shoreline community of Old Black Point. Additionally, Rogers frequently accompanied Ned Harkness on their travels together.
Rogers was an enthusiastic but poor golfer. He had such difficulty with sand traps that he putted out of the traps at the Harkness course until they were all remodeled with lips to prevent that style of exit.
The National Golf Links of America
Ned was also a member of The National Golf Links of America - architected by C.B. Macdonald, and his assistant Seth Raynor. (I had an opportunity to play this course a number of years ago but since it was a last minute tee time, I could not make it. It is the one course that still sits on my bucket list....I am hoping some day I can get out on this masterpiece.)
Check out the video below on the National.
Cypress Point
Ned also made regular trips to California. He was a member of the Valley Club of Montecito and Cypress Point - both architected by Alister MacKenzie. I have had the unique privilege of being able to play Cypress. Its such a great course and given the proximity to the Pacific Ocean, maybe one of the most beautiful courses I have ever played. Check out the video below on Cypress Point.
CB Macdonald's The Links and Links Club
In a way, there are two "Links Clubs" and they are connected. The city club, said The New York Times would be “devoted to golfing interests” and the Tribune noted it would be “a social organization, composed mainly of golfing enthusiasts.” And indeed it would be.
It was located at No. 36-38 E. 62nd St., just 13 blocks from Ned and Mary's home at 1 East 75th in New York.
(courtesy of Tom Miller, Daytonian in Manhattan) The Links Club was the brainchild of Charles B. Macdonald, a wealthy stockbroker best remembered as “the father of American golf course architecture.” Macdonald’s father was born in Scotland and in 1872 when the boy was 16 he was sent to St. Andrews University where he took up playing golf.
By the turn of the century, he was Vice President of the newly-organized United States Golf Association, a tournament-winning golfer, and the architect of courses based on famous holes overseas. Macdonald was on a train heading south to the new Greenbrier course at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia in the fall of 1915 with several other golfers when an idea hit him.
“The former amateur champion was one of those who planned the layout of the Greenbrier links, and he thought an organization along the lines of the Links Club would be welcome by wealthy golfers here in New York,” said the Tribune. “On cold and blustery nights, in the winters to come, when the streets outside are ice-covered and the snow drifts up against the window panes, the members of the Links Club will gather about the great open fireplace, and the talk will be of mashie and niblick, of bunker and water hazard, and it is said that only those able to discuss intelligently the intricate problems that arise on the links will be eligible to membership.”
The Links Club was founded with the objectives “to promote and conserve throughout the United States the best interests and true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions, endorsing the rules of the game as it is played in Scotland and as adopted by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.”
The syndicate commissioned architects John W. and Elliot Cross, of Cross & Cross, to design their clubhouse. Completed within the year and opened in 1917, it reflected the Scottish and British roots of the club. The neo-Georgian façade was clad in an orange-tinted brick laid in English bond. There were no grand entrance stairs; rather the entrance was quietly located a few steps below the sidewalk. Stone quoins and window framing contrasted with the warm brickwork. Taken as a whole, the clubhouse oozed impeccable taste.
In 1915 Macdonald had already built some of the best golf courses in America including:
Chicago Golf Club – Wheaton (1895)
Onwentsia Club – Lake Forest (1896)
National Golf Links of America – Southampton (1909)
Piping Rock Club – Locust Valley (1911)
Sleepy Hollow Country Club (18 hole & 9 hole) – Scarborough (1914)
St. Louis Country Club (1914)
The Greenbrier, The Old White Course – White Sulphur Springs (1914)
Lido Golf Club (original) – Lido Beach (1914) (Note that the lost Lido has recently been reconstructed in Wisconsin - https://thelido.com/)
Blind Brook Club – Purchase (1915)
He would follow on with with
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club (original) – Southampton (1916)
The Links Golf Club – Manhasset, NY (1918)
North Shore Country Club – Glen Head NY (1916)
The Creek – Locust Valley (1925)
Deepdale Golf Club (original) – Manhasset (1924)
Of particluar interest here in the Harkness context is the Links Golf Club on Long Island near Ned and Mary's Weekend cottage.
Check out the video above of the famous, yet abandoned Links Club in Manhassett, NY
The Creek Club, Locust Valley NY is nearby the Links Club and also built by CB Macdonald.
Ned was a member here as well as the nearby Links Club and National Golf Links of America and the in town city club "The Links" also run by CB Macdonald.
The Ausable Club
For a real city getaway, Ned and Mary went to the Ausable Club in upstate New York where the could "camp", fish, play golf and socialize at the club. They had their own private grounds and outbuildings on the lake there. Check out the video below on the Ausable Club.
TheWest Coast Swing
While there was great golf for them in the east, Ned and Mary also enjoyed golf on the west coast and they had a home in Montecito, California and Ned was also a member at Cypress Point Club.
The Valley Club of Montecito
Ned and Mary were also members of The Valley Club of Montecito in the Santa Barbara, California area and they owned some property nearby. While it is possible that they could have flown to California in the 1930's there are no clear records of that. Earlier on they may have still used their rail coach, Pelham.
Since Ned was also a member at Cypress Point in the Carmel, CA area and his half brother Lamon's daughter Myrtle and her husband Kingsley Macomber had property at the newly developed Pebble Beach. One can imagine that they may have visited them but again there isn't any clear documentation available to substantiate that.
Fishing
There is little documentation about Ned's fishing interests but it is known that he was a member of The Ristigouche Salmon Club. The club was established by 40 New York City "gentlemen" on July 4, 1880, which included America's financial giants like Belmont, Whitney, Lorillard, and Vanderbilt. They initially embraced the rugged wilderness, residing in simple cabins with basic provisions. However, the desire for comfort led them to commission Stanford White, a renowned architect, to design luxurious lodges. These handcrafted balsam lodges, with their unique design and cedar shingles, remain landmarks along the river. The club's influence was so profound that locals adopted U.S. time, despite the hour difference from New Brunswick's local time.
The private club is still functioning today.
This video will give you the feel of what it's like in the Ristigouche area.
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