
What was the first 18-hole golf course in North America?
The original course of the Chicago Golf Club was the first 18-hole course in North America. Its founder was Charles Blair Macdonald, who used to play golf on 7 holes on ‘Bluff’s Edge with two American friends, the landowner CB Farwell and Hobart Chatfield-Taylor.
Who built the first golf course in the United States?
When Russell Montague of West Virginia learned of the sport that was so popular in Scotland and where he studied in Great Britain, he was intrigued. With the help of some local friends and neighbors, he built the first golf course in the United States on his Sulphur Springs property.
What are the first nine holes of a golf course like?
The first nine holes for us was the Marina, which starts with a wide-open par 5 that goes down before it goes up to an elevated green. It felt like a course that was going to be fun right off the bat.
What is the oldest golf club in the United States?
It was the first golf club in the United States to accept female members, and among the first golf clubs worldwide. Shinnecock Hills is also home to the United States oldest golf clubhouse. The Chicago Golf Club is the oldest 18-hole course in the United States. The course was originally only nine holes, but it was increased to 18 in 1893.

Where was the first 18-hole course built in the US?
Chicago Golf Club is considered the oldest 18-hole course in North America (although the club's original site has public golf, nine-hole Downers Grove, which dates back to 1892). Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx considers itself to be the first public golf course in the U.S. (1895).
What was the first golf course built in the United States?
Oakhurst LinksThe first golf course in the United States was Oakhurst Links, built in 1884 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. It was originally a six hole track which was later expanded to nine holes. Oakhurst was the first course and golf club in the United States.
Where was the first golf course in America built?
Foxburg Country Club, established in 1887, is the oldest golf course in continuous use in the United States. It is located in Foxburg, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States of America, approximately 55 miles (89 km) north of Pittsburgh on a hill rising about 300 feet above the Allegheny River.
What is the oldest public golf course in America?
The Van Cortlandt Golf Course opened on July 6, 1895, as the first public municipal golf course in the United States.
What is the oldest 18-hole golf course in America?
Chicago Golf ClubChicago Golf Club is a private golf club in the central United States, located in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. The oldest 18-hole course in North America, it was one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894.
Who built the first golf course in America?
Saint Andrews Golf Club The club was founded in February 1888 by a Scottish sportsman named John Reid and his friends built a three yard course and played what is widely called the first round of golf in America.
What was the first golf course west of the Mississippi?
Because the Presidio course was temporarily converted back into a practice drill field during the Spanish-American War, Del Monte Golf Course holds the distinction of being the oldest golf course in continuous operation west of the Mississippi River.
What is the second oldest golf course in the United States?
No. The 18 holes were redesigned in 1895 and moved to a location in Wheaton, making it the second oldest 18-hole course still existing in the United States, next to Shinnecock.
Where is the oldest golf course in the world?
The Old Course at St Andrews Links in Fife, Scotland, UK, is the oldest golf course in the world. Archbishop Hamilton's Charter in 1552 is the earliest documentary evidence that allowed the people of St Andrews to play golf on the Links.
Where was the first 18-hole golf course in the world?
In 1764, the golfers at St Andrews decided to combine the first four short holes into two, to produce a round of 18 holes, though it was still 10 holes of which 8 were played twice. Thus was born the 18-hole round, though it would be hundred years before there were eighteen holes and other courses followed suit.
What is the longest golf hole in America?
Meadows Farms Golf Course is a 27 hole public golf course located 16 miles west of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Home of the Longest Golf Hole in the U.S.A. according to the Guinness Book of World Records an 841 yard par 6.
What was the first country club in the United States?
The Country Club of BrooklineInitially playing golf was not allowed under Massachusetts blue laws. In January of 1882, a group of wealthy men from the Boston area established the first country club in the United States, The Country Club of Brookline.
What year was the first 18 hole golf course in the US?
The new Chicago Golf Club course hosted the 1897, 1900 and 1911 U.S. Opens, the 1897, 1905, 1909 and 1912 U.S. Amateurs and the 1903 U.S. Women’s Amateur. The Chicago Golf Club is still going strong today and considers itself the first 18-hole golf course in America.
Which golf course in America has the oldest golf course?
However, these 9-holes were destroyed during the 1938 hurricane and were never rebuilt. 9. Saint Andrews Golf Club. Although this list shows otherwise, the Saint Andrews Golf Club claims it is the oldest golf club and has the oldest golf course in America.
How many holes are there in the Clyde Squirrel Golf Course?
The course slowly evolved over the years and today, there are 27 holes called the Clyde, Squirrel and Primrose nines.
How many acres are there in Foxburg Country Club?
Area: 61 acres (24.7 ha) photo source: Wikimedia Commons. The Foxburg Country Club is another golf club that’s brought up any time there is a discussion over which golf course is the oldest in America. The club’s founder was Joseph Mickle Fox, a descendant of the land and oil rich Fox family from Philadelphia.
Where did Montegue build his golf course?
Montegue had learned about golf in Scotland and decided to build his own golf course right outside of his home, which served as the Oakhurst Links Clubhouse for many years. The first competition at Oakhurst was held in 1888. Although Oakhurst is the oldest golf course, it has not been in continuous operation.
When was Quogue Field Club founded?
The Quogue Field Club is an old private golf course in New York, which dates back to 1901. However, the club was founded in 1887 , but they did not initially play golf. A rough 9-hole course was laid out in 1896 by RB Wilson, who has head pro at nearby Shinnecock Hills.
When did Chicago Golf Club move to Downers Grove?
The Chicago Golf Club continued to play golf at the Downers Grove course until 1895, when it moved to a new course built again by MacDonald in nearby Wheaton, Illinois. After this, the golf course was passed around to different owners before it was purchased by the Downers Grove Park District in 1968.
When was the first golf tournament held in the United States?
Montague hosted its first competition in 1888 in Scottish match play tradition. Their annual competition became the first golf tournament known to be played in the United States, and the medal given to the winner was known as the oldest golf prize in America.
When was golf first introduced?
The Beginning. Back in 1884, golf was not really heard of in the United States. Anyone who witnessed it or knew of it in other countries considered it a strange sport. When Russell Montague of West Virginia learned of the sport that was so popular in Scotland and where he studied in Great Britain, he was intrigued.
What is the oldest prize in golf?
Golf’s Oldest Prize. His colonial-style house, which was built four years prior to the golf course, served as the clubhouse, and the simple course boasted nine holes. Montague and his friends enjoyed playing on the course, known as Oakhurst Links, for many years. Montague hosted its first competition in 1888 in Scottish match play tradition.
How long did it take to build the golf course at Greenbrier?
Building the course back to its original state took two years, but Keller was extremely pleased with the end result. Keller owned and operated the course for many years until he recently sold it to Greenbrier Resort, which is located just a few miles up the road.
Who sold the Montague property?
The thirty acres stayed in the Montague family for many decades and was sold to Lewis Keller in 1959. Keller knew the land’s history and, being a golf fan, was very interested when his friend and golfer Sam Snead told him about the property being for sale.
Can you wear period clothing at the golf course?
Anyone who visits this historic golf course today knows that modern golf conveniences are not allowed. Some visitors even wear period clothing, and all golfers are required to use reproductions of the clubs and balls used in 1884 when the course was first built.
What golf courses were open in 1884?
Consider the Foxburg Golf Club (Pennsylvania), and The Oakhurst Golf Club (West Virginia). Both Foxburg and Oakhurst had records of playable courses in 1884. The Foxburg, however, was a private course on private property that only had eight holes when it was created.
What is the oldest golf course in the world?
St Andrew’s Golf Club (New York) also deserves mention because it is among the oldest golf courses with continuous use today. The golf club proudly acknowledges more than 125 years of continuous course play and can attribute continuous play on the current course back to 1897 — although the club itself has been notably active since 1888. Shortly after the opening of St Andrew’s course in 1897, the Savannah Golf Club responded with a course that has been in use since 1899. Although there are some discrepancies about what makes a golf course old, the oldest golf courses or clubs in the United States are all worth visiting if the opportunity arises. They are all an important piece of history and loved by their communities.
How many holes are there in Quogue Golf Course?
Originally, the Quogue was an 18-hole course. In 1938, however, three holes were lost to a natural disaster. Now, only nine holes remain of the original 18 from 1887. Those nine holes are among the oldest in the United States golf course history.
How many holes are there in the golf course at Wheaton, Illinois?
The course was originally only nine holes, but it was increased to 18 in 1893. The 18 holes were redesigned in 1895 and moved to a location in Wheaton, making it the second oldest 18-hole course still existing in the United States, next to Shinnecock. All 18 holes, sadly, are no longer accessible.
When was Oakhurst Golf Club founded?
The Oakhurst Golf Club also formed in 1884. Oakhurst claims to be “the first organized golf club in the United States.”. Remember, some golf clubs at that time were not exclusively golf clubs. Oakhurst is the oldest golf course still in use in the same location in the United States. Although the Oakhurst links make up one ...
When was Savannah Golf Course opened?
Shortly after the opening of St Andrew’s course in 1897 , the Savannah Golf Club responded with a course that has been in use since 1899. Although there are some discrepancies about what makes a golf course old, the oldest golf courses or clubs in the United States are all worth visiting if the opportunity arises.
When was the Royal Montreal Golf Club first opened?
The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec has a history of different locations. When the Royal Montreal first opened in 1873, it was a highly recognized club. It even received a Royal title from Queen Victoria.

The Beginning
Golf’S Oldest Prize
- His colonial-style house, which was built four years prior to the golf course, served as the clubhouse, and the simple course boasted nine holes. Montague and his friends enjoyed playing on the course, known as Oakhurst Links, for many years. Montague hosted its first competition in 1888 in Scottish match play tradition. Their annual competition became the first golf tournamen…
Back and Forth
- In 1912, Oakhurst Links was reverted back into a pasture after Montague moved to Virginia, and other friends who used the course moved away. The thirty acres stayed in the Montague family for many decades and was sold to Lewis Keller in 1959. Keller knew the land’s history and, being a golf fan, was very interested when his friend and golfer Sam Sn...
Keeping It Old School
- Anyone who visits this historic golf course today knows that modern golf conveniences are not allowed. Some visitors even wear period clothing, and all golfers are required to use reproductions of the clubs and balls used in 1884 when the course was first built. It seems appropriate when visiting the first golf course in the United States. If you are interested in more details of Oakhurst…