Readers reminisce about the clubhouse

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.  He caddied for UGA Professional Howard Wheeler in the 1955 Daily News Open Monday qualifier.  The qualifier was held at Iron Rock Golf Club in Pennsauken, NJ.  Wheeler finished low enough to qualify.  He made the 36 hole cut and finished the tournament.  Prior to the start of the tournament PGA Professional Doug Higgins asked Dick if he was interested in caddying for him.  Dick turned him down.  He wanted to be a spectator and have the opportunity to see all the players.  Doug Higgins shot a 274, one stroke behind Doug Ford and Ted Kroll.  Doug Ford won in a playoff.

We talked about the Cobb’s Creek clubhouse and the 1955 Daily News Open.  The long vacant women’s locker room on the second floor was used by the pros during the tournament.  The lockers in the men’s locker room were rented to Cobb’s regulars and not available.   I was only 7 years old but was at Cobb’s every weekend with my father.  He had a part-time job delivering ice to all the concession stands in Fairmount Park.  On weekends he delivered ice to the Cobb’s snack bar.  The snack bar was small with only a few tables and was located in the northeast corner of the building.  During the Daily News Open he made multiple deliveries.  He also delivered to the park guard shelter next to the 14th green.  It was converted into a concession stand for the tournaments.

The dining room in the clubhouse had been closed for years.  The only time we could remember it being opened was during the Daily News Opens.  I recall being in the clubhouse dining room during the 1955 tournament in the early afternoon.  I can still remember how fancy and elegant it looked, full of small tables and chairs.  All the tables had white tablecloths and were all fully set.  The room was empty except for me, my father and another man who was in charge, probably the caterer.  Dick told me that he remembers players being in the dining room after the tournament.