Championship sneak peek: Weston Golf Club

It may be hard for this year's Massachusetts Open Championship to top last year's (historic venue, beautiful course, playoff in the rain, Evan Harmeling's grand gesture...) but at least we got the historic venue and beautiful course parts down! And I'm sure there will be some exciting rounds again, given the talented professionals and amateurs that we always draw! This year's Open Championship will be held at Weston Golf Club - remember last week when I said we were spoiled with all these amazing Championship venues?

The original Weston Golf Club. Photo courtesy of the Weston Historical Society

Weston was founded 120 YEARS AGO. Think about that for a second. Over a century. Only four golf courses had been built in Massachusetts before Weston. The original Weston Golf Club was a 9-hole track in the Kendal Green section of town, and the annual membership assessment was $5.00.

Fun fact: one of the duties of caddies was to "drive the cows that were pastured on the 4th fairway out of the golfers' way." Think about that one the next time you ask one of your buddies to carry your bag for you! 

In 1916 the land leases expired, and the owner of the land on the 8th hole decided to sell to a homeowner rather than renew his lease. So they moved across town to a parcel of donated land, and got Donald Ross to design the 9-hole course. The back 9 was completed by 1923.

Before the new clubhouse was opened the members voted that “No intoxicating liquors be used, and no gambling permitted on the premises of the Club.”  Golf and tennis were permitted on Sundays after church, but caddies could not be employed on Sundays. This was the general practice at most clubs; thus the introduc­tion of the light canvas bag known as a “Sunday bag.”

The clubhouse today. It has a bowling alley inside!

The area on Meadowbrook Road surrounding the club is one of the first examples in the country of residential development around a golf course. There is so much interesting historical stuff about this golf course. We hope to see you there on June 10-12! Learn more about the Massachusetts Open Championship.

Sources: Wicked Local Weston
Wicked Local: The Weston Chronicles
Weston Golf Club History