Los Angeles Country Club
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles Country Club is a golf and country club in Los Angeles, California.
newest sports. The Los Angeles
Golf Club, as they called themselves, leased a 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) vacant lot at the corner of Pico and Alvarado (now part of the Alvarado Terrace Historic District
) and laid out a nine hole golf
course. Called "The Windmill Links", the course was named for a makeshift clubhouse
crafted out of the bottom of an abandoned windmill
. Through the middle of 1898, this site served as the club's home until the course became too crowded. The Club located its next site at what was called Pico Heights at Hobart and 16th Street. The new home was named "The Convent Links" for its location behind a convent
near Rosedale Cemetery. Again, nine holes were laid out for play, but by the spring of 1899, this course and clubhouse had also become overcrowded.
The search committee for a new site, consisting of the club founders Joe Sartori and Ed Tufts, found the club's new home just 0.2 mile (0.321868 km) west of the Convent site. The Club's new home was to be at the Northeast corner of Pico and Western. The clubhouse
was transported intact to the new site and was expanded there. More importantly, the club finally laid out its first 18 hole golf course.
After years of planning the new club in Beverly Hills officially opened on May 30, 1911. Its stately clubhouse, tennis
courts, and 36 holes of golf have served as the club's home ever since. The original golf course was laid out by Joe Sartori, Ed Tufts, Norman Macbeth, and Charles Orr. Later, the courses were redesigned by Herbert Fowler
and George C. Thomas, Jr. In 1996 and 1997 an extensive renovation of the North and South courses was completed.
In its 100 years, the course played host to the Los Angeles Open (now known as the Northern Trust Open) in 1926, 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1940. Joe Norwood 1892-1990 was the head professional at these tournaments. He was also a charter member of the Professional Golfers Association - Southern California Chapter which was formed in 1924.
34.071893°N 118.423133°W
History
In the fall of 1897, a group of Los Angelenos organized a voluntary association to further the cause of one of Southern California'sCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
newest sports. The Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Golf Club, as they called themselves, leased a 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) vacant lot at the corner of Pico and Alvarado (now part of the Alvarado Terrace Historic District
Alvarado Terrace Historic District
Alvarado Terrace Historical District is a designated historic district southwest of Downtown Los Angeles, located along Alvarado Terrace between Pico Boulevard and Alvarado Street...
) and laid out a nine hole golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course. Called "The Windmill Links", the course was named for a makeshift clubhouse
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
crafted out of the bottom of an abandoned windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
. Through the middle of 1898, this site served as the club's home until the course became too crowded. The Club located its next site at what was called Pico Heights at Hobart and 16th Street. The new home was named "The Convent Links" for its location behind a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
near Rosedale Cemetery. Again, nine holes were laid out for play, but by the spring of 1899, this course and clubhouse had also become overcrowded.
The search committee for a new site, consisting of the club founders Joe Sartori and Ed Tufts, found the club's new home just 0.2 mile (0.321868 km) west of the Convent site. The Club's new home was to be at the Northeast corner of Pico and Western. The clubhouse
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
was transported intact to the new site and was expanded there. More importantly, the club finally laid out its first 18 hole golf course.
After years of planning the new club in Beverly Hills officially opened on May 30, 1911. Its stately clubhouse, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
courts, and 36 holes of golf have served as the club's home ever since. The original golf course was laid out by Joe Sartori, Ed Tufts, Norman Macbeth, and Charles Orr. Later, the courses were redesigned by Herbert Fowler
William Herbert Fowler
William Herbert Fowler , also known as Bill Fowler and Herbert Fowler, was an English amateur cricketer who played 26 first-class cricket matches during the 1880s, principally for Somerset County Cricket Club. He was an all-rounder who was best known for his big-hitting when batting...
and George C. Thomas, Jr. In 1996 and 1997 an extensive renovation of the North and South courses was completed.
In its 100 years, the course played host to the Los Angeles Open (now known as the Northern Trust Open) in 1926, 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1940. Joe Norwood 1892-1990 was the head professional at these tournaments. He was also a charter member of the Professional Golfers Association - Southern California Chapter which was formed in 1924.
34.071893°N 118.423133°W
Notable members
- J. Win AustinJ. Win AustinJ. Win Austin was a retired businessman who became a Los Angeles, California, City Council member from 1941 to 1953. He was earlier on the Police and Health commissions.-Biography:...
, Los Angeles City Council member, 1941–43 - Robert L. BurnsRobert L. BurnsRobert L. Burns was a Los Angeles school board member between 1923 and 1929 and Los Angeles City Council member between 1929 and 1945. He previously was on the school board in Hutchinson, Kansas. At his death in 1955, he was described as Los Angeles's "elder statesman."Robert L...
, Los Angeles City Council member, 1929–45 - Arthur LettsArthur LettsArthur Letts, Sr. was the underfunded immigrant from England who made his name, fortune, and mark in Los Angeles, California in the early years of the 20th century...
, department store founder - Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, President of United States