Winchester Country Club celebrates its Centennial as 2023 marks 100 years of service.
Photo: John Scully pictured in front of the original clubhouse at Winchester Country Club in 1924.
The Winchester Country Club is a traditional, private membership club organized in 1923 by local businessmen. The group purchased the 250 acre John C. Coe dairy farm, which stretched from Senseny Road to Millwood Avenue. Within three months of the purchase, they were playing golf. A pool, tennis courts and clubhouse were added to enlarge the recreational facilities.
Thanks to the vision of those founding members, the club has grown from a one-room clubhouse to the lavish, outstanding facility it is today. The Club is dedicated to providing its members with quality products, programs and activities and excellent services in all its facilities.
1922
In November of 1922 a group of businessmen joined together to start a golf club in Winchester. November 23rd was the first brainstorming meeting, on record, where they discussed a variety of things, primarily was purchasing the Coe Dairy Farm for the golf club for no more than $21,000. In this meeting were W. Nelson Page, Philip Williams, W.D. Myers, R. T. Barton, J.M. Orndoff, H. S. Duffey, R. B. Nelson, R. T. Barton, W. B. Cornwell, T. B. Patton, Geo. B. Chapman, E. C. Stuart, H. B. McCormac, S. H. Edmonds, Shirley Carter, and Hunter McGuire.
1923
On January 3rd, Major R.T. Barton presented the certificate of incorporation to be reviewed. At this meeting they decided upon a name: Winchester Country Club. Capital Stock was another big topic during this meeting. It was voted upon that the maximum amount of preferred stock of the corporation would be $10,000 divided into shares of $500 each.
On January 9th, the first officers were appointed.
- W. Nelson Page – President
- H. B. McCormac – Chairman – Finance Committee
- W. D. Myers – Chairman – Greens Committee
- H. H. McGuire – Chairman – House Committee
- T. B. Patton – Chairman – Membership Committee
On January 18th initial planning begins on the layout of the golf course. Riparian rights were sold on the part that ran through club property for $3,000.
On March 30th, the Club received notice that it was officially a corporation.
April 16 - The first proposition was made to build a clubhouse on site. The budget for which was $4,400.
August 23 - The greens committee was authorized to purchase 100 bushels of bent grass stolen and the board passed the motion to allow members to rent the clubhouse for special events at $10 per session.
1924
During this year the club played around with pricing for members to join the club. Some of the offers mentioned in the minute books were no initiation fees for ministers and a $18.00/month due. Non- resident teachers, pupils over 16, and nurses that worked at the Memorial Hospital were allowed privileges of the course for $5.00/month. Also the finance committee shopped around a small portion of the farm, that wasn’t used for golf, to see what they could get for it.
1925
April 6 - The finance committee submitted its annual budget. In the budget they advised the board to elect a clubhouse manager to handle the day to day operations of the club. They also stated that the rent of the farm buildings should almost pay off the interest on the bonded debt the club had accrued.
1st Governors Cup was held.
1926
In April of this year the board sent a letter to all clubs within a 35 mile radius. The letter stated that all members in good standing with their clubs may use the Winchester Golf Club for regular greens fees and vice-versa. This was the first documentation of the club being reciprocal with other clubs.
Also during April the board granted the greens committee $100 to erect a proshop underneath the front porch of the clubhouse.
Note the president, vice president, and board of directors still remains the same through 1926
Special committees were made during 1926 which include men’s golf committee (Hugh S. Duffey – Chairmen), women’s golf committee (Miss Rowena Jefferson – Chairmen), and a membership committee (T. B. Patton – Chairmen).
The special pool committee was authorized to go forward in installing the first pool at the country club.
1927
The finance committee did sell a five acre lot at $100 dollars per acre. The board of directors also started the search for the golf pro at the club. The board of directors also changed the rules to allow any guest of a member to be allowed to play on the tennis court at any time.
1928
Winchester Golf Club hired Tom Ryan to be the first golf professional. He was hired at a salary of $125/per month for a ten month period.
At the annual stockholders meeting the stockholders gave the board the authority to sell any part of the farm as long as it is not being used for golf.
Committees for 1928:
Greens, Golf, Tennis, Publicity, Finance, Membership, Locker, Caddy, Dance, and House
August 10th – the board authorized the president to secure two cups one for the tennis tournament and one for the golf tournament, the cups were also to be suitably inscribed.
1929
In August of this year the club purchased its first two telephones to go in the clubhouse.
In the Fall of this year the club had problems with people sneaking onto the property at night and partying. The secretary, Philip Fowle, at the time was told to visit the club at night to see if people were using the club improperly and kick them off. He found a few people each night and even saw what he thought to be a bootlegger receiving his shipment on the golf clubs property.
Philip Fowle and two Frederick County Policemen went to monitor the club on Dec. 6th and interrupted a party in which six couples were involved. It came to light later that the head greenskeeper was responsible for the party and he was allowed to finish his contract for work, but the club did not renegotiate for a new work contract
In November the club put in an application to become a member of the USGA
December 11, the USGA accepted the Winchester Golf Club’s bid to become a member of the USGA
1930
At this juncture there were 41 non-resident members, 50 family members, 36 associate members making a total of 230 members.
New golf professional Charlie Isaacs formerly of Mansfield Manor Club.
President’s state of club affairs letter:
Said that 1929 was the most successful year for the club to date.
Delinquent dues reduced from $1,700 dollars to $100 dollars.
The president suggested:
The club schedule more matches with surrounding clubs
Form dances on the first Saturday of each month
Increase the Board of Directors from seven to nine
The president also stated that this would be his last year as president and he would not be up for reelection. This means the club will be getting its second president to date in 1930.
2nd president of the club T. B. Patton.
