President Country Club history

Farquhar together purchased 67 acres and 99 perches of land in 1890.

Built in 1895, and known then as Wollaston Country Club, Presidents Golf Course is listed as one of the ‘First 100 clubs in America’ by the United States Golf Association.

Henry May (the first President of Washington Golf Club and 1897 United StatesG.A. committee member), Edward F. Riggs (Riggs Bank) and Sir Julian Pauncefote (the first British Ambassador), were among the prominent Washingtonians who founded the club.

It all began on March 13, 1899 when 19 prominent people met in the home of J.R. Penn to form a golf club in Oil City.

The nine-hole course was probably first opened on July 1, 1900.

In 1901, the club made its first move toward clubhouse improvements; the plans called for an enlargement of the existing building, and the addition of a kitchen.

On April 16, 1903 the Oil City Golf Club became a corporation; G.C. Drillaker was President of the club, S.Y. Ramage, Vice-President, C.P. Harry, Treasurer, and G.W. Moore, Secretary.

Work took the idea back to Goodrich where a patent was quickly obtained. It is said that this ball was first used in an important championship by Walter Travis when he won the British Amateur Championship in 1904.

On March 9, 1905, S. Y. Ramage was elected President.

In the ensuing years, the Club continued to thrive, with a new clubhouse being built in 1906 after a damaging fire, and the golf course growing eventually to a full eighteen holes.

The Oil City Golf Club concluded on May 6, 1907.

The majority of the present land was purchased from Rear Admiral Presley Marion Rixey (Surgeon General of the Navy and White House physician to Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt). The club reorganized on March 7, 1908 with Alonzo Colt Yates as president.

On September 16, 1912, after a five (5) year lapse, S.Y. Ramage called a meeting "to plan ways and means for the organization of a country club between the cities of Oil City and Franklin." At said meeting, Col.

Both the course and clubhouse opened on July 14, 1913.

On April 15, 1914, Jack Kennedy took over the duties as the first Golf Professional and Greenskeeper.

The club’s name was changed to Washington Country Club and was retained until 1915 when the club was incorporated in Virginia and became the Washington Golf and Country Club.

At a meeting held on December 11, 1916, the decision was made to add nine (9) additional holes.

In June, 1917, A.W. Tillinghast was invited to Wanango Country Club "to reconstruct the course extending it to 18 holes." When he arrived he was met by Mr.

On May 27, 1919, the grounds committee was authorized to proceed with the renovation of the original nine (9) holes, the addition of nine (9) more holes based on A. W. Tillinghast's design, and an expansion to the clubhouse.

There were two men's golf teams, the A team (who were very serious about their game) and the B team (who considered the game of golf fun). In the early 1920's a ladies' team was established and played regularly scheduled matches at local clubs and at the Elkridge Hunt Club of Baltimore.

Back in those days BYOB accompanied invitations instead of RSVP's. It all began in 1921 as the result of efforts by Congressmen Oscar E. Bland and O.R. Luhring of Indiana.

The new layout was opened for play in 1922.

At a board of directors meeting on January 13, 1923, there was a proposal made by C. Elmer Smith on the possibility of looking for a location to build a new eighteen-hole course and a modern clubhouse.

On May 23, 1924, Congressional Country Club opened its doors to more than 7,000 persons of national and local prominence invited to the Gala Opening.

In 1925, plans were approved which called for a 60 feet by 28 feet, two story "L-Shaped expansion" of the clubhouse.

Samuel Ryder’s dream of an international golf match began in 1926, following an informal match at Wentworth, England.

The first foursome to play the new eighteen-hole course in August 1927 consisted of C. Elmer Smith, S. Fahs Smith, Carey Etnier, and Edward Connery, the pro.

The new clubhouse opened on September 22, 1928.

The new Club, in its present day location, was formally opened on August 10, 1930.

Clare, an early member, was a regular winner of both Connecticut and New England tournaments, including the 1934 New England Amateur.

In 1935, The Country Club’s still youthful course was the scene of the National Amateur Tournament, in which Lawson Little completed his “little slam"; the winning of both British and American titles in two successive seasons.

In 1939, the lounge was redecorated when paneling, new furniture and rugs were purchased.

Pat O'Sullivan, who joined Race Brook as a junior member in 1942, ascended far greater heights.

She won the first of her record ten CWGA match-play championships in 1947.

In 1948, Lee R. Forker was elected President and George Loeffler was hired to be the new greenskeeper.

Melvin retired in 1949, and John Loeffler became the new Golf Professional.

The original wooden Race Brook Country Club crest, which had hung above one of the fireplaces in the clubhouse in the 1950's and 60's, was restored and mounted in the new Grille Room.

While Pat also holds many other titles and honors, her crowning achievement, one that sets her apart from any other Connecticut woman golfer, is her victory in the 1951 Titleholders Championship, its then equivalent to the Masters.

On July 22, 1952, the "first concrete steps toward the construction of the swimming pool were taken.

In September, 1955, a committee was appointed to "work out a plan for the renovation project." The committee was allotted $150,000.00.

Another new clubhouse was built in 1958 and about that time the course architect firm Findlay & Loving made some major changes to certain golf holes.

In 1960, the first watering system was installed on part of the course, thought to be holes number two and seven.

In 1964, a new pro shop, ladies locker room, and cocktail lounge were built.

In 1969, another major remodeling and redecorating project was completed.

The course re-opened in 1977 as Presidents Golf Course.

In 1984, an addition was built in order to increase the ladies' locker room space and at the same time, the pro shop was enlarged.

Ernie Els was the winner of the 1997 United States Open.

On July 25th, 1999, 156 of the best junior players in the world came to test their skills in competition with the golf course and each other.

The club's current 28,750 square foot clubhouse reopened in November 2002.

The current clubhouse was built in 2006 and has served the membership ever since.

In recognition of her accomplishments, on September 28, 2008, Race Brook formally dedicated the "inside nine" in Pat's honor, naming it "the O'Sullivan".

In the winter and spring of 2009, Race Brook added 85 new members, most coming from Woodbridge Country Club, which closed in January of 2009.

In 2011, Congressional was honored once again to host the United States Open.

1 course west of Racebrook Road were located and, in 2012, the 9 holes were revealed as part of the "Hidden Nine" walking trail project as part of the club's centennial year activities.