History
The first recognized golf course in the city of Haverhill was on Porter's Island in the middle of the Merrimack River. An old shed was turned into a club house and tournaments began to be held.
In the early 20's, a group of men from the Island Club began to dream and think of better facilities. In looking about, the acreage known as the Darrickett Tract was chosen. This 135 acres was formerly used for tillage, orchards, and pasturing cows. It was not heavily wooded and most of the land lay in New Hampshire. In 1923, plans were being made for the construction of Haverhill Country Club. The first estimate of these proposed plans was about $40,000. The final figure was $75,000. A charter was written up and accepted by the board of directors for the new Haverhill Country Club.
On May 27, 1926, the club was officially open. Spring was early that year. The course was exceptionally dry. No swampy land, no wet spots. There were beautiful lanes of green lawns running over the hills and across the valleys and disappearing among the tall oaks.
Over the years, not many changes had been made to the original layout of the course. Links were not carefully manicured and map rough grew waist high. Before the hill on the 9th and 18th holes was graded, it was a hard climb and the ladies groaned when they faced the two flights of stairs up to their locker room on the third floor.
The fashion of the men was knickers and plus fours and women wore their dresses way below their knees. Wooden tees hadn't even been invented and the ball was driven after having been teed up on a mound of pinched, wet sand. An open house was observed at the country club on that memorable day May 21, 1926. The building was of English half-timber with the Tudor paneling idea carried out in the interior, and the rambling effect outside was considered one of the most attractive in the Northeast.
The main ballroom was 30 by 50 feet and there were handsome chandeliers hanging from a cathedral ceiling. Wicker furniture was painted apricot, graced with yellow chintz cushions. There was a large fireplace at the east end of the hall. Over the fireplace hung a large moose, which was donated by Charlie Arnold. On each side of the fireplace were French doors opening into a sun room, also used as a ladies lounge.
The club also became a social center where those not interested in sport could meet friends at dinner or dances or smoke a pipe before an open fire. A typical social event of the 30s was a ship wreck party run by Cliff Miles, former social chairman of the Board of Governors.From the Island Club came Harry Nicol, the first pro, the caddy master, "Pickles" Kimball and greens keeper, Pat Murphy.
On that opening day, the first nine holes were ready for play and second nine were to be ready the following month. Work on the tennis courts were progressing quite well. These courts were situated not far from the club house, a little way down from Brickett Hill. This made them well protected from strong winds where members and visitors could see a large part of the golf course. Just below the tennis courts, on the first hole, was an area used to give lessons. The balls were hit onto the first fairway and a caddy shagged each ball as it was hit.
In 1930, Haverhill Country Club opened up its membership to the public. It was no longer limited to 300 members. All lovers of sports were invited to join the club. Besides golf, there was tennis, winter sports, including ice skating, parties and gathering the log cabins, skiing and snow shoeing and excellent tobogganing. The log cabin was situated to the right of the 17th hole. Golf personalities were very much in evidence. It was in the early 30s that Cliff McDonald came in first in the very popular scotch foursome with Sally Reynolds as his partner. Sally was an avid golfer, a leader among the women of her day and determined to
win.
The shipwreck party seemed to be a premonition-of what was to follow. The Haverhill Country Club had been rented from the Brickett Hill Association. In 1936, it had passed into the hands of the Merrimack National Bank and a new corporation, "The Haverhill Country Club, Inc.," was formed. Again, in 1940, the Haverhill Country Club changed ownership. It passed into private hands for the first time in history, the price a mere $15,000. The new owner, who planned to carry on without radical changes were Colley Court, wood-heel manufacturer and Philip Holtz, proprietor of Holtz Leather Co. They had bought the Merrimack Valley Country Club in 1939. It has been rumored that they tossed a coin to see which one would win Haverhill. It was a great day in the history of the club when Colley won the toss. Colley gave of himself endlessly sparing nothing to make the club one of the best in the state.
He worked closely with the Board of Governors, acting as treasurer during the war years, Colley allowed service men free play at the club and also arranged for the donation of many golf balls to the men in the South Pacific. On many occasions, he gave free lunches and it was not unusual for Colley to have 50 caddies for dinner at the end of the season. Colley was also a pretty good golfer having won class B championship in '42 and 43.
When Colley Court owned the club, Dr. Henry Kapp ran it. During Kapp's tenure as chairman of the greens committee, the Haverhill course blossomed into one of the finest in this section.
Kapp ruled the fashions of the club with an iron will, it was the day of long dresses and Bermuda shorts. Hard and fast regulations were posted in the Ladies Locker Room. Obey or don't play and every one obeyed. It was a great loss when John Connolly, greens keeper for 19 years at the Haverhill course left. When he went in 1942, Manuel Francis replaced him. Francis came to America without being able to speak a word of English. It was his knowledge of raising turf and developing lawns and gardens that made the club's course one of the finest in New England. He was called upon as a consultant so many times by other clubs. Later on, he built his own golf course at the Cape. Coley's inspiration rubbed off on the women of the 40's. On June 28 1942, the women's committee presented the present flag pole and flag to the club.
Surrounded by stock in his pro shop is George Astor, the club pro. Astor's 18 hole course record of 67 was shattered by Porky Oliver who fired a 66, a year later. Astor started as a pro on the Island and came to HCC in 1937. He won many trophies and prizes and remained at the club until 1946. The signing of Samuel Jackson Snead as a feather in the cap of Colley Court who beat several Boston clubs to the punch in the arrangement for the appearance of the nationally famous golfers. Snead teams up with Frank DuGrenier, HCC top amateur for an exhibition match to benefit the veterans’ rehabilitation fund. A rain swept gallery of 450 watched as Snead and his partner won over Astor and Tom Mahan, Pro, at United Shoe Country Club. So great was the interest in golf that when gas was rationed in 1943, a two horse buggy service met golfers at the Walnut Square bus stop and shuttled them to HCC. The wagon carried up to 12 passengers and took about 15 minutes to reach the club.
In Colley's regime, it was fashionable to belong to HCC.
Court made the main ballroom a popular center for groups and organizations. It was a gala social event when the top golfers of the day received their coveted awards for a great round of golf as champions in their categories. It was Colley who donated the prizes to these well-earned members. Hock Emery, and Mel Ornsteen were two of the top golfers in the early 40's. The 19th Hole, the ever popular tap room, presided over by genial Charlie Diggs, the club steward. After a satisfying round of golf, many gathered at the Tap room to relax and talk things over in a friendly spirit of companionship.
George Sstor denied that the holes on the HCC course had been stretched. There had been a phenomenal outburst of hole-in-ones' in a seven week period. In all, there were 6 in the summer of '44 and on June 17, 1944, a woman joined this very special club. (A first) Mrs. Louis Shafmaster, playing with Mrs. Louis Hartman and Mrs. George MacBrien. It created ;more excitement than anything occurring on the course in years. It was believed to have been the first time a woman ever accomplished this feat on the Haverhill course.
Jewell, by the way, nearly fainted after emitting a few yells and Louis threatened to sell his clubs and give up golfing. And speaking of firsts: In 1943, Dr. and Mrs. Porell (Bill and Corinne) became the club champions, the first and only time simultaneously for a husband and wife. In 1947 the women's state team was formed and the North Shore League came into existence. Miss Ann Conte became the first single woman to win the club championship. Colley didn't forget these dedicated women. A beautiful new women's lounge was created to the right of the stairs. It was decorated and outfitted for the use of female members and guests only. Comfortable chairs and tasteful decorations contributed to the many women who had taken up golf.
December 11, 1950, became a banner date, a date that will stand out in the history of the club. Colley Court sold the Brickett Hill property, known as the Brickett Hill Estates to the members for the reported sum of $60,000. The new corporation was Haverhill Country Club, Inc. The club's name was changed to Haverhill Golf and Country Club, Inc. The deed of the personal property was recorded in Feb. 1951. The newly organized Haverhill Golf and Country Club made plans for a buffet supper and dance to mark its' official opening day on April
19th, 1951. Social affairs were very popular. Dr. Frederick Radcliffe, the club's first social chairman, inaugurated a very successful costume party. The women ran dessert bridges to raise money for their golf events. The dues for the women's division was $5.00, a field day entry
cost only $1.00. A smorgasbord buffet was $2.75. It was the in thing to wear long dresses and skirts. In 1952, Sally Gould took the honors on Field Day. Sally was champion that year and has been many times before and since. The same year, the caddies went on strike. Their biggest grievance as was the fact that they only received $1.50 for carrying single for 18 holes. They wanted $2.00. They received $2.50 for carrying doubles for 18 holes, they wanted $3.00. They got what they wanted. Those were the days.
In 1956, Harold Goodwin became the Pro at Haverhill replacing Ralph Ebling. He arrived with his wife and his lovely daughter Joanne. All three ran the Pro Shop and Joanne went on to make a name for herself and HCC on the links.
It was in 1949 that Dr. George Griffin clashed irons with Stan Shok for the Club Championship. He lost to Stan who went on to win three years in a row. Nine years later, in 1958, Dr. Griffin won the Club Championship with a 7 and 5 win over Bobby Ornsteen. He captured the title in '66, '68 and '70.
Not only was George an outstanding golfer, but he was a very dedicated Green's Chairman, who devoted a great deal of time to his duties. To add to all his accomplishments, he was President of the Haverhill Golf and Country Club for two terms.
By the end of '59, there had been a tremendous boom in all forms of participation sports - the forefront of these was golf. The HCC in Haverhill, not only attracted golfers, but added to the beauty and the value of residential development and the city itself. The afternoon of Saturday, July 2, 1960, was a beautiful warm day - perfect for all outdoor activities, especially golf. Little did any of the members realize what the night would bring and how this night would affect them all.
By 10 o'clock on the night of July 2 1960, the huge clubhouse was completely engulfed in flames. A general alarm was sounded after the fire was reported. Haverhill fire fighters tried valiantly to control the flames, but the fire had had too much of a start. It was estimated that 5,000 spectators watched the firemen battle the flames for more than three hours. On the morning of July 3rd, about all that was left standing of the clubhouse was a shell with its windows broken and holes in its sides and roof. The cause of the fire was attributed to a faulty electric motor controlling a dumb waiter that ran from the grille room to the second floor. The second and third floors of the clubhouse were also totally destroyed. These floors included a ballroom and cocktail lounge, a kitchen, business offices, and ladies' lounge.
The damage was estimated to be $250,000, and this fire was rated fourth in monetary loss in this city since the Washington Street shoe district fire in 1882. The golf course was not affected and was open for play on Sunday, the following day. Even a New England PGA tournament scheduled two days later was held at the course. A temporary outdoor lounge was set up between the pro shop and the clubhouse, and members had to use their cars as temporary locker rooms to change their shoes. On August 10, 1960, the Board of Governors announced that the Haverhill Country Club would be restored to its original structure and a building committee was appointed. The club's ground crew, assisted in removing the charred timbers from inside the clubhouse. The clubhouse, landmark of distinguished architecture since its official dedication in 1926, was completely rebuilt with the addition of an air conditioned card room. A combination grille room and cocktail lounge was rebuilt, and a separate building was constructed for the new ladies' locker room and pro shop.
The exterior of the building was rebuilt with the original English Tudor architecture and the ballroom's panoramic view of the golf course was preserved. With the slogan that to stand still was to move backward, HCC moved ahead to keep up with the times. In April 1963, Lloyd Walton, President, said, "the Board of Governors plan to make our course better than ever with a master plan for the future with the assistance of a golf architect and improvements for better playing conditions. It was with great jubilation the HCC celebrated its 35th anniversary in 1961. Lloyd Walton gave credit to a conscientious committee who got together to complete arrangements for an outstanding social affair.
In the president's message, Walton said "Great credit must be given to Clayton Daly whose long hours of hard work and constant efforts have put the golf course into its wonderful condition. For 3 consecutive years, Walton had presided over the Board of Governors as President. A charter member, a good golfer, gentleman, and a conscientious worker for HCC, he has earned the thanks of all the members. The Board of Governors evolved their master plan. They obtained a loan of $140,000 to be secured by a mortgage on the property. A fully automatic watering system was installed on the course. This put HCC on a par with the many fine courses in the area that had already adopted similar systems.
The second necessary improvement was the installation of a sprinkler system in the clubhouse. Insurance Co. had been reluctant to insure the property as the memories and reason for the fire lingered on. This installation saved the club over $3000 in premiums. A newly constructed terrace was built adjoining the Redwood Lounge available to all members and guests. The pro shop, one. of the most modern shops in New England, had ample storage space for 50 carts and bags, and the latest in golfing equipment and styles. In 1965 a new dining room was built to increase the revenue. A new type air conditioning unit was installed.
Not to be outdone, swim and tennis enthusiasts under the chairmanship of Irving Britva and Buster Marino laid out plans for the building of a pool and tennis courts. Ground was broken for their construction at a cost of $100,000. On On July 3, 1966, the pool officially opened with a membership of 131. To encourage membership, there was free swim lessons for the youngsters and physical fitness program for adults.
A contract was signed on Nov 3, 1966 for the construction of an addition to the HCC. The addition contained a men's lounge, expanded locker and shower facilities, a card room as well as the 19th hole. The addition enabled all facilities of the club to be operated for the first time in history on a year round basis.
In June 1963, the WGAM championship was played in Haverhill. Under great pressure, Ann Sampson beat Joanne, a four time winner of this tournament, 2-up. In 1969, the Women's State Team 2 won the championship of the 10th cup in the spring matches. Not to be forgotten were our caddies who were an integral part of every golf course in the 60's. The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund; founded in 1949 gave a worthy caddy an opportunity to obtain scholarships to a college of his choosing. Haverhill had its first scholarship winner in the person of David Carter who was then a student at Merrimack College. Today the cart has almost totally replaced the caddy, but nothing can replace the loyalty and devotion of a good caddy. On the social scene, the country club vibrated with laughter once more. More than 300 members and their guests attended the New Years Dinner Dance January, 1961. It was the first social event conducted by the club since the fire. It was a golden evening matching the golden gleam of the newly decorated club.
Confusion as to which state one is playing golf in, is a matter of daily routine for HCC golfers. Since the founding of the club, members have had a unique opportunity to cross from one state to another several times during their round of golf. During their game they weave in and out of the two states until the final hole, when they approach the clubhouse that is located firmly in the state of Massachusetts. Styles were loose and free in the 70's. The long dresses and bermuda shorts had gone by the board. Instead, colorful golf skirts and matching jerseys graced the course.
Testimonials were popular in the mid 70's. Colley Court, former owner, was roasted by 300 friends and associates in April of 1974. The inscription on his plaque read: This plaque is inscribed to Colley B. Court by members of HCC in recognition of his untiring efforts, foresight and leadership in the development and operation of the club for the benefit of all golfers.In 1975 Harold Goodwin, pro at HCC for 19 years, was feted a farewell testimonial dinner. His assistant for 8 years, Tom Dufresne became head pro.
In 1975, to keep up with the ever growing changes in golfdom, the handicaps of the entire club went on computer, thus alleviating the work of the HDCP chairmen and making the individuals handicap more accurate and up to date. The course was measured and new score cards were issued with the women's rating 71.7 and the men's 69.2.
In 1977, The Stone Cup was run in Haverhill. This is the state championship event for scotch foursome play for mixed club pairs. Club chairmen for the event, Anita Brindis and Naomi Metz, joined state officials to make the tournament a great success.
Among the 7 couples from our club who entered the tournament, were Joanne Goodwin and Paul Cortese. They went 17 exciting holes only to lose to a Braintree duo of Pamela Mansback and Richard Hasenfus.
Golf's growth at HCC is phenomenal and its rate of expansion will continue. The HCC which crowns an 80 foot summit, Brickett Hill, and flanked by Interstate 495, has kept pace with this growing interest and has its own "Blueprints of the Future."
And what a rosy future it is.
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