April 6, 2019:  It apparently is not a April Fool’s joke, as the South course at Philmont is not reopening this season.  Of course the excellent North course, designed by Willie Park, Jr, is alive and well.  It is sad to hear the South course is no more as Hugh Wilson played a role in […]

February 26, 2019 update:  As the course is currently configured, the first five holes are pretty much the same as the day Cobb’s opened in May 0f 1916.  Now you tee off on the 6th hole and play it as a par 3 to the original 12th green.  Instead, the 6th hole climbed up the […]

July 18, 2018:  Bill Bishop died earlier this year, 2/20/18, he was 91.  He was a regular at Cobb’s Creek in the 40s, 50s and 60s and one of the best African-American golfers ever at Cobb’s ranking up there with Howard Wheeler, Charlie Sifford and Bobby Mayes.  In fact all four of them are in […]

April 7, 2018 update:  A tremendous volume of early golf articles has been posted to the new Bausch Archives part of MyPhillyGolf.  Included is coverage of the two Daily News Open tournaments held at Cobb’s Creek in the mid 50s.  Here is the link:  http://myphillygolf.com/archives.asp

January 22, 2018 update:  A friend of mine, a member at Philmont CC, was recently doing some historical spelunking at the Golf Association of Philadelphia archives and came upon some handwritten notes on Philmont suggesting Hugh Wilson may have been even more involved with the South course than I was previously aware.  This blog’s September […]

November 30, 2017:  Below is a picture from the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1958 of the 17th hole from the original tee that will be in play this coming season!

January 20, 2016 update:  Going through my files I found a very early photo of the clubhouse.  See below:

February 18, 2015 update2:  Recently Mike Cirba penned a nomination letter to have Cobb’s Creek Golf Course be part of the National Black Golf Hall of Fame.  Many thanks go out to Jake Murray in helping us with the gathering of information for the submission.  You can read the letter below: Cobb’s Creek Golf Course […]

August 12, 2014 update:  The ‘Noer slides’ contain images taken between the 1920s and 1980s and covers a variety of things, including golf courses: The Noer/Milorganite Image Collection One photo is from the abandoned tee on the current par 3 17th hole at Cobb’s Creek: 1956 view of Cobb’s Creek 17th hole from abandoned tee

December 20, 2016 update:  Blog friend Ari sends along two pictures of a hickory cleek with a Cobb’s Creek stamp:  

December 14, 2016 update:  It was in November of 1952 that a Philadelphia Inquirer article detailed the Army anti-aircraft battery being moved to Cobb’s Creek Park and profoundly changing the original golf course.  See the link below.

November 28, 2016 update:  Mike and I were kicking around the 18th hole again at Cobb’s.  If you read William Evans’ article from 1919 (see January 31, 2016 update below) he states the best hole at Cobb’s was not allowed due to needing trees removed.  We think it might have been an awesome par 5 […]

November 27, 2016 update:  It is like my birthday was celebrated again with a visit to Cobb’s Creek this afternoon.  The superintendent Eli has really progressed nicely on clearing trees to bring back the original tee on the par 3 17th hole.  For those of you scoring at home, Ab Smith added this hole in […]

November 25, 2016 update:  In one of the September 21 updates below was a link to an early photo of the 11th hole at Cobb’s Creek GC.  I’ve purchased this photo from Temple and a link to a high resolution version is below.  Pretty cool!  Note:  a golf historian friend of mine from Winged Foot […]

November 18, 2016 update:  It is fun to think about how Cobb’s Creek was at the beginning.  See the photos below to see how it looked in April 1916, a little more than a month before the formal opening.

September 21, 2016 update2:  Follow the link below to an incredible very early picture of the current 15th hole at Cobb’s Creek (#11 in the original hole sequencing).  Use the scrollbar to zoom in. Early picture of the original 11th hole at Cobb’s Creek GC (courtesy of Temple University)

June 3, 2016 update:  Over the Memorial Day weekend Cobb’s Creek Golf Club was inducted in the African American Golfers Hall of Fame.  It was a very enjoyable trip for Mike Cirba and yours truly.  In the program booklet included an article Mike penned and you can read it below:   And below is a picture […]

May 7, 2016 update:  I’ve gathered up most of the interesting early photos and aerials of the course and have further updated the recent photo album here.

March 31, 2016 update:  Blog reader Jake Murray knew the person fishing for golf balls in the photo below.  Jake relays the following: I knew the man in the picture retrieving a golf ball from the water on the 3rd hole.  He was well known to the golfers and kids like myself who were retrieving […]

March 27, 2016 update:  Below is a link some photos from the defunct paper Philadelphia Record that were recently gathered from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (thanks to Friends of Cobb’s Creek GC supporter Matt Frey for his help). Link hopefully to come soon!

February 20, 2016 update:  Blog reader Jake Murray has sent along a couple of photos from October 1954 when he and his younger brother were little fellas, right near the park guard shelter by the 14th hole.  A hurricane (Hazel) had recently passed by Philly and brought down trees.

January 31, 2016 updated:  William H. Evans was a golf writer in Philly very instrumental in pushing for municipal golf courses in the City.  In 1919 he left the Evening Public Ledger and started writing Sunday golf columns for the The Philadelphia Record, basically replacing A.W. Tillinghast.  In his first article (see below), he talks […]

January 26, 2016 update: A wonderful update on Cobb’s Creek GC being inducted in the AAGHOF is available at MyPhillyGolf as authored by Mike Cirba: Cobb’s Creek tapped for African American Golfers Hall of Fame

January 21, 2016 update:  It is my distinct pleasure to announce that Cobb’s Creek Golf Course will be inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame in a ceremony in late May of this year in Palm Beach County, Florida.  Thanks go out to many people, with Jake Murray being the driving force and […]

January 10, 2016 update:  Devoted blog reader Jake Murray has checked in from sunny Florida.  His friend Dick Jamison was a long-time caddy at Cobb’s.  The two recently chatted about the clubhouse and here is what Jake wrote: My friend Dick Jamison was in high school and a long time caddy at Cobb’s in 1955.  […]

November 16, 2015 update:  Last Saturday (Nov 14) Cobb’s Creek regular Charles Sifford was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame.  His son Charles, Jr. was there to accept on his behalf.  The entire ceremony is here: 2015 PGA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

September 15, 2015 update:  The archivist at Fairmount Park has sent me an undated picture of a plan for Cobb’s Creek, which almost certainly has to be from the early 50s when the course hosted the 1955 and 1956 Daily News Open tournaments.  Note the 16th hole playing as a par 3 and the 18th […]

July 21, 2015 update:  Before Joe Dey went to the USGA as their Executive Director (1934-1969) then later was the first commissioner of the PGA tour (1969-1974), he was living in Philadelphia and serving as a sportswriter for a variety of publications.  In August of 1928 just before the US Public Links tourney at Cobb’s […]

April 22, 2015 update:  In 1929 the Evening Bulletin reprinted a New York Daily News article extolling the virtues of Cobb’s Creek and bemoaning anything as good in New York:

February 8, 2015 update2:  Recently I asked blog friend Jake: “Who was Cobb?”  A condensed response is as follows: The Dutch, Swedes and later English originally settled the area.  The Swedes named the creek, called Karakung by the Indians, Mill Creek.  A number of mills were built along the creek, the oldest by the Swedes […]

February 7, 2015 update:  More good stuff remembering Charlie Sifford: Philly’s Terry Gross NPR “Fresh Air” interview with Mr. Sifford Golfing pioneer Sifford got his start at Cobb’s Creek, by Frank Fitzpatrick

February 4, 2015 update:  Charlie Sifford, perhaps the best golfer to have regularly played at Cobb’s Creek, passed away recently at the age of 92.  Often called the “Jackie Robinson of golf”, he was a true pioneer. Coverage at GeoffShackelford.com Sifford’s obituary by Joe Jiuliano of the Inky

January 17, 2015 update:  See the photo below to see how our tome (“Cobb’s Creek Golf Course:  Uncovering a Treasure”) looks when bound nicely and printed on high quality paper.  Our friends at Conlin’s Digital Print & Copy Center (King of Prussia) did so at a very competitive price.  Contact me if you would like to […]

December 1, 2014 update:  Loyal blog reader Jake Murray has followed Mr. Sifford’s award carefully and sends along three links showing Charlie enjoyed the fete: Sifford takes spot among golf greats Sifford receives Medal of Freedom at White House

November 13, 2014 update:  Charlie Sifford, who refined his game at Cobb’s Creek, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  Well deserved, IMHO.  Read about it here: Sifford to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

September 13, 2014 update:  Jake Murray, good friend of the Friends of Cobb’s Creek GC, checked in to comment on the photo that was the topic of the August 12 update: Enjoyed the picture from the old 17th tee.  I remember that view.  It was probably the most spectacular on the course.  When you compare […]

September 5, 2014 update:  Did you know Hugh Wilson designed the 10th and 11th holes at the South course at Philmont CC?  Yep, he did.  I finally got to see the course yesterday.  Here begins my pictures of the 10th hole: Hugh Wilson holes at Philmont South

August 12, 2014 update:  The ‘Noer slides’ contain images taken between the 1920s and 1980s and covers a variety of things, including golf courses: The Noer/Milorganite Image Collection One photo is from the abandoned tee on the current par 3 17th hole at Cobb’s Creek: 1956 view of Cobb’s Creek 17th hole from abandoned tee

July 24, 2014 update:  Big ups to friend Pete Trenham for his wonderful piece on Cobb’s Creek Golf Course at the TrenhamGolfHistory site.  It focuses on five prominent tournaments the course has hosted over the years.  Read it here: “Cobb’s Creek Golf Club…. Past, Present, and Future”

June 25, 2014 update:  Thanks to blog reader Bob Zecca for providing GolfWorld articles on the 1955 and 1956 Daily News Open golf tournaments held at Cobb’s Creek.  Check them both out below:  

April 9, 2014 update:  Blog reader and contributor Leo “Jake” Murray saw our March 31st update and wrote to me the following concerning African-American golfers and Cobb’s Creek: Cobb’s Creek Golf Club hosted three UGA Negro National Open Championship – 1936, 1947 and 1956. Howard Wheeler won in 1947 and Charlie Sifford captured the title […]

March 31, 2014 update:  On May 2, 2014 the World Golf of Hall of Fame will open a new permanent exhibit entitled “Honoring the Legacy:  A Tribute to African-Americans in Golf”.  The historian for the WGHofF, Dr. Tony Parker, contacted me to obtain some photos of Cobb’s Creek, as “The Crick” will be part of […]

March 26, 2014 update:  Gosh, would I like to buy this 1928 Publinx players badge currently for sale at eBay.  Update:  I did buy it!  See the badge with the authenticity letter below.

February 26, 2014 update:  Recently I penned an article for MyPhillyGolf on the writings of golden age architect A.W. Tillinghast.  He played a prominent role in making the City aware of the need for a public golf course.  You can read my article here: The treasure trove of golf writing by A. W. Tillinghast

September 24, 2013 update:  A friend of the Friends of Cobb’s Creek GC recently came upon three nice photos of the course from 1964.  This one the 18th green at Cobb’s Creek GC: This one the 18th green at Karakung: And finally the first fairway at Cobb’s:

September 23, 2013 update:  Mike Cirba has penned part 2 of “Who Was Hugh Wilson”.  Anyone with an interest in Hugh Wilson and Cobb’s Creek should read this and part 1.  Follow the link below: Who Was Hugh Wilson? – Part II

June 21, 2013 update:  Nice article on Bob Mayes, a golfer that played at Cobb’s with Charlie Sifford: Mayes’ journey to the ’74 U.S. Open

June 5, 2013 update:  Mike Cirba has written a fascinating article entitled “Who Was Hugh Wilson?”.  You can read it here: Who Was Hugh Wilson?

May 4, 2013 update:  See the June issue of Golf Digest for a nice article on Cobb’s Creek by David Owen.  The article is available online: http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2013-06/david-owen-muny-life

December 12, 2012 update:  Do you remember the article back in April 2008 by Joe Logan, former golf writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, entitled “With a little help from a few friends”?  

November 24, 2012 update:  A longtime supporter of Cobb’s Creek, Don D., checked in to tell us he has a 1917 painting from the course by Roy Mason. It must be seen in person to be fully appreciated.  Below is a picture of it.

June 7, 2012 update:  Back in the 20s it was not unusual to have a multitude of people waiting to tee off at Cobb’s Creek.  See below and get in line!

June 1, 2012 update:  The reason part of Cobb’s Creek GC changed dramatically was due to the installation of an Army AAA (Anti-Aircraft Artillery) Gun Site Program (a precursor to the Nike missile defense program) in 1953 on the corner of the course where the current City Line Avenue driving range sits.  Below are two […]

May 30, 2012 update:  William Evans, the golf writer for the Public Ledger, grew tired of there being no public course in Philly, and recruited the help of President Taft.  Below is the letter Taft wrote to Evans and published on February 23, 1913.

May 29, 2012 update:  Below is an entertaining picture from the 4th hole at Cobb’s from the July 10, 1928 edition of the Evening Public Ledger.

Memorial Day, 2012 update:  Charlie Sifford was the first African-American on the PGA Tour.  Did you know he honed his game at Cobb’s Creek?  This from James W. Finegan’s wonderful book “A Centennial Tribute To Golf in Philadelphia”: “Charlie Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1922. He grew up caddying and learning to […]

May 26, 2012 update:  Do you know how busy Cobb’s Creek was in the 20s?  Some years more than 80,000 golfers are reported to have played it.  Read it below from the November 1927 edition of the Philadelphia Golfer magazine.