The Country Club
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The Country Club, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, is the oldest country club in the United States. It holds an important place in golf history, as it was one of the five charter clubs which founded the United States Golf Association, and has hosted numerous USGA tournaments including the famous 1913 U.S. Open won by then-unknown Francis Ouimet. Today, the club is one of the largest of its kind in the northeastern U.S., with about 1300 members.
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[edit] History
The club was originally founded in 1882, and is listed on the USGA's list of the first 100 clubs in America.[1]. The original club was focused on horseback-riding and other outdoor activities; the golf course was not built until 1893. For several years there were conflicts between golfers and other club members over land use; in fact the original golf course overlapped with the race track.[2]
The golf course itself grew in several stages, and so is not the result of any one architect. The first six holes were laid out by three club members in March 1893, and the following year the Scot Willie Campbell was brought in as club professional. He oversaw the expansion to nine holes that summer, and to a full 18 holes by 1899 following some land acquisition. Around 1902 the Haskell golf ball became widely used, necessitating a further lengthening of the course. After an additional land purchase, two club members designed three new holes which opened in 1908. Rees Jones renovated the course further in preparation for the 1988 U.S. Open.[3]
In 1894, The Country Club was one of the five charter clubs which founded the United States Golf Association. The original purpose was to sponsor an undisputed national amateur championship, which was first held in 1895. The first U.S. Open, almost an afterthought, was held the following day. The first USGA championship held at the club was the 1902 U.S. Women's Amateur.
The 1913 U.S. Open was held at The Country Club. The heavy favorites were English legends Harry Vardon (1900 U.S. Open winner; four-time British Open winner) and Ted Ray (reigning British Open champion). After 72 holes, the pair found themselves tied with 20-year-old amateur Francis Ouimet—who had grown up across the street from the course and was a former caddie at the club—forcing an 18-hole playoff the next day. In a shocking upset, Ouimet soundly defeated the two professional golfers in front of a large gallery, and the resulting newspaper stories captured the imagination of the American public. The number of golfers in the country at least tripled in the subsequent ten years, with a corresponding increase in golf courses (including many public courses, opening up the game to a larger segment of the population). The 1963 and 1988 U.S. Opens were also held at The Country Club, the 50th and 75th anniversaries of the Ouimet victory. However, the 2013 U.S. Open, marking the 100th anniversary of Ouimet's improbable win, will be contested at Merion Golf Club near Philadelpha.
In 1999, the club hosted the Ryder Cup. This intense match exploded into controversy following a competition-turning 45-foot putt on the 17th green by Justin Leonard (the same green where Ouimet effectively clinched his victory), as the other American players stormed the green in celebration before José María Olazábal had a chance to attempt his own difficult putt. Olazábal was forced to regain his focus after order was restored, and missed the shot.
[edit] Golf courses
The golf facilities have a total of 27 holes, divided between two courses.
The Main Course course is composed of the Clyde and Squirrel nines, essentially the original 18 holes. This was the course used for the 1913 U.S. Open, and is the course played by members today.
The other nine holes are the Primrose Course, an executive course built in 1927. This was designed by William S. Flynn, who also (re)designed Shinnecock Hills, Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver, CO, and the Cascades Course at The Homestead.
The Composite, Anniversary, or Open Course is used for major competitions today, when a longer layout is required. In this configuration, three and a half holes from the Primrose Course are used to replace three holes of the Clyde, resulting in a length of slightly more than 7,000 yards. This layout has been used for most major competitions since the Primrose Course was built.
[edit] Tournaments
- 1902 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, won by Genevieve Hecker
- 1910 U.S. Amateur Championship, won by William C. Fownes Jr.
- 1913 U.S. Open Championship, won by Francis Ouimet
- 1922 U.S. Amateur Championship, won by Jess Sweetser
- 1932 Walker Cup, won by the United States over Great Britain & Ireland 9½-2½
- 1934 U.S. Amateur Championship, won by Lawson Little
- 1941 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, won by Elizabeth Hicks
- 1953 U.S. Girls' Junior Amateur Championship, won by Mildred Meyerson
- 1957 U.S. Amateur Championship, won by Hillman Robbins
- 1963 U.S. Open Championship, won by Julius Boros
- 1968 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, won by Eddie Pearce
- 1973 Walker Cup, won by the United States over Great Britain & Ireland 14-10
- 1982 U.S. Amateur Championship, won by Jay Sigel
- 1988 U.S. Open Championship, won by Curtis Strange
- 1995 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, won by Kelli Kuehne
- 1999 Ryder Cup, won by the United States over Europe 14½-13½
