George Arthur Crump
Encyclopedia
George Arthur Crump, Jr. (1871 – January 24, 1918) was a hotelier
and golf course architect primarily known for designing and building Pine Valley Golf Club
, which, at the time of its opening, was considered the most difficult golf course in the world.
and Merchantville
. He attended local primary and secondary schools and did not attend college. George married Isabelle Henry in 1898; at that time, he listed his profession as the 'Hotel Business'. With the hotel in capable hands, George was free to pursue golf
and within a few years, he was a fanatic, eventually holding memberships at Philadelphia Country Club, St. David's, Torresdale, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
and Atlantic City Country Club
.
In 1910 Crump and his friend Joseph Baker embarked on a European trip in order to play and study the premier golf courses of Britain and the Continent. Their itinerary included rounds at St. Andrews
, Prestwick
, Turnberry, Hoylake
, Sandwich
, Deal
, Prince's
, Sunningdale, Walton Heath as well as golf courses in France
, Switzerland
, Austria
and Italy
.
During the construction of the Pine Valley Golf Course, marshlands had to be drained and approximately 22,000 tree stumps had to be pulled out with special steam-winches and horse-drawn cables. This was all done at a time when many golf courses were still built with minimal earth moving, and the course was called "Crump's Folly" by some.
Crump died on the morning of the January 24, 1918 at his home in Merchantville. The cause of death has been variously reported as suicide
and an infected tooth. At the time of his death four holes—12 through 15—were incomplete. Since Crump's death alterations have been made by several other leading golf course designers.
, established in 1922 was named after Crump and is played to this day at Pine Valley Golf Club.
Hotel manager
A hotel manager or hotelier is a person who holds a management occupation within a hotel, motel, or resort establishment. Management titles and duties vary by company. In some hotels the title hotel manager or hotelier may solely be referred to the General Manager of the hotel...
and golf course architect primarily known for designing and building Pine Valley Golf Club
Pine Valley Golf Club
Pine Valley Golf Club is a golf course in Pine Valley, Camden County, in southern New Jersey. It was ranked the number one course in Golf Magazines 100 Top Courses in the U.S. and the World in 2009.-History:...
, which, at the time of its opening, was considered the most difficult golf course in the world.
Biography
Crump was born in Philadelphia in 1871, but spent most of his formative years in CamdenCamden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
and Merchantville
Merchantville, New Jersey
Merchantville is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 3,821....
. He attended local primary and secondary schools and did not attend college. George married Isabelle Henry in 1898; at that time, he listed his profession as the 'Hotel Business'. With the hotel in capable hands, George was free to pursue golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and within a few years, he was a fanatic, eventually holding memberships at Philadelphia Country Club, St. David's, Torresdale, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
Huntingdon Valley Country Club
The Huntingdon Valley Country Club is a golf, tennis and swim club located in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, northeast of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition to a golf course, the club offers banquet and dining facilities...
and Atlantic City Country Club
Atlantic City Country Club
The Atlantic City Country Club is a golf club located in Northfield, New Jersey, west of Atlantic City. In addition to a golf course, the club offers banquet and dining facilities. The course resides on in a coastal setting with skyline views of Atlantic City.-History:The club was established in...
.
In 1910 Crump and his friend Joseph Baker embarked on a European trip in order to play and study the premier golf courses of Britain and the Continent. Their itinerary included rounds at St. Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf clubs in the world . It is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and is regarded as the worldwide "Home of Golf"...
, Prestwick
Prestwick Golf Club
Prestwick Golf Club is located in the town of Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is approximately southwest of Scotland's largest city, Glasgow. Prestwick is a classic links golf course, being built on the rolling sandy land that "links" the beach and the land further inland...
, Turnberry, Hoylake
Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake
The Royal Liverpool Golf Club is a leading golf club in Merseyside in North West England. It was founded in 1869 on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, and received the "Royal" designation in 1871 due to the patronage of the Duke of Connaught of the day, who was one of Queen...
, Sandwich
Royal St George's Golf Club
The Royal St George's Golf Club is one of the premier golf clubs in the United Kingdom, and one of the courses on The Open Championship rotation. It has hosted 13 Open championships since 1894, when it became the first club outside Scotland to host the championship...
, Deal
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club is in the town of Deal in the County of Kent in Southern England . It was founded in 1892. The name derives from Deal's membership of an ancient group of trading towns granted special privileges by the medieval English monarchs, known as the Cinque Ports...
, Prince's
Prince's Golf Club, Sandwich
Prince's Golf Club, Sandwich is a links golf course located in Sandwich in Kent in South East England. Prince's is immediately adjacent to the more famous Royal St George's golf club, and both clubs lie on the same stretch of coastline as nearby Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club.Prince's was completed...
, Sunningdale, Walton Heath as well as golf courses in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
During the construction of the Pine Valley Golf Course, marshlands had to be drained and approximately 22,000 tree stumps had to be pulled out with special steam-winches and horse-drawn cables. This was all done at a time when many golf courses were still built with minimal earth moving, and the course was called "Crump's Folly" by some.
Crump died on the morning of the January 24, 1918 at his home in Merchantville. The cause of death has been variously reported as suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
and an infected tooth. At the time of his death four holes—12 through 15—were incomplete. Since Crump's death alterations have been made by several other leading golf course designers.
Legacy
The Crump CupCrump Cup
The Crump Cup is an invitational golf tournament for amateurs. The first tournament was held in 1922. It is named George Arthur Crump,and is played on the grounds of Pine Valley Golf Club, which Crump founded. The format for the four days is two rounds of stroke play, qualifying, followed by four...
, established in 1922 was named after Crump and is played to this day at Pine Valley Golf Club.