Vesper Country Club
Encyclopedia
The Vesper Country Club, founded in 1899, is located on the Merrimack River
in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
. According to the USGA, and Golf Magazine
, its golf course is one of the first in the United States, and was home to the first Massachusetts Open
in 1905, won by golfer and course designer Donald Ross.
In the 1880s, Wickasee Island (former home of Chief Wannalancit who left in 1686), now known as Tyngs Island in the Merrimack River, was a favorite recreation spot for the area. People would gather for outings and picnics, as well as an amusement park was built, but in 1887 a fire destroyed most of the buildings. A few years later, in 1893, the Lowell Country Club purchased Tyngs Island in the Merrimack River for $7,123.00, and built the original club house. The following year, 1894, a 1/3 mile oval bicycle track was installed, circling two baseball fields, and that is when the two clubs, the Vesper Boat Club, and the Lowell Country Club voted to merge.
In 1895, the island was developed with six links golf course as the game of golf
became popular. Just two years later, golf became the club's main attraction, as the course expanded to 9 holes.
The two clubs officially became the Vesper Country Club in 1899.
In 1903, Vesper became a charter member of the Massachusetts Golf Association, and in 1905 as the new clubhouse was complete, the first Massachusetts Open
was held at Vesper, won by Donald Ross.
In 1908, the 550ft long, steel cable, suspension foot bridge was installed.
In 1914 Ross returned as a course designer, and the golf course was expanded to have 18 holes, with the other 9 being on the mainland.
In 1923, the Clubhouse burned to the ground, but was rebuilt by the next year.
The Great Flood of 1936 destroyed most of Vesper, as the Merrimack river overflowed its banks, but the club rebuilt, despite losing 50% of its membership.
In the late 1990s into the early 2000s, Vesper underwent another major renovation of its golf course.
In 2008, the membership voted to completely rebuild all 18 greens to USGA specifications and to restore the bunkers on the course. The rebuilding of the greens and the restoration of the bunkers was overseen by architect Brian Silva, who attempted to be faithful to the original design and plans of Donald Ross. This rebuilding project was completed at the end of 2009.
In the March 10, 2011 issue of Golf Week magazine, Vesper's golf course was ranked as one of the top 100 classic golf courses in the U.S.
The course record for Vesper is 64 shot by Phil Smith.
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
Tyngsborough is a town located in the northwest section of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Composed of of land and surface water, Tyngsborough borders the towns of Dunstable, Groton, Westford, Chelmsford, Dracut, and the City of Lowell, as well as the New Hampshire communities of Hudson,...
. According to the USGA, and Golf Magazine
Golf Magazine
Golf Magazine is a monthly golf magazine owned by Time Inc.. It was started in 1960 by Universal Publishing and Distributing, who sold it to Times Mirror in 1972. Time Inc. acquired it in 2000. It was the world's most widely read golf publication from August 2006 to January 2007. The magazine is...
, its golf course is one of the first in the United States, and was home to the first Massachusetts Open
Massachusetts Open
The Massachusetts Open is the Massachusetts state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Massachusetts Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 at a variety of courses around the state. It was considered a PGA Tour event from...
in 1905, won by golfer and course designer Donald Ross.
History
The Vesper Country Club is the merger of the Vesper Boat Club, founded in 1875, and the Lowell Country Club, founded in 1892.In the 1880s, Wickasee Island (former home of Chief Wannalancit who left in 1686), now known as Tyngs Island in the Merrimack River, was a favorite recreation spot for the area. People would gather for outings and picnics, as well as an amusement park was built, but in 1887 a fire destroyed most of the buildings. A few years later, in 1893, the Lowell Country Club purchased Tyngs Island in the Merrimack River for $7,123.00, and built the original club house. The following year, 1894, a 1/3 mile oval bicycle track was installed, circling two baseball fields, and that is when the two clubs, the Vesper Boat Club, and the Lowell Country Club voted to merge.
In 1895, the island was developed with six links golf course as the game of 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....
became popular. Just two years later, golf became the club's main attraction, as the course expanded to 9 holes.
The two clubs officially became the Vesper Country Club in 1899.
In 1903, Vesper became a charter member of the Massachusetts Golf Association, and in 1905 as the new clubhouse was complete, the first Massachusetts Open
Massachusetts Open
The Massachusetts Open is the Massachusetts state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Massachusetts Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 at a variety of courses around the state. It was considered a PGA Tour event from...
was held at Vesper, won by Donald Ross.
In 1908, the 550ft long, steel cable, suspension foot bridge was installed.
In 1914 Ross returned as a course designer, and the golf course was expanded to have 18 holes, with the other 9 being on the mainland.
In 1923, the Clubhouse burned to the ground, but was rebuilt by the next year.
The Great Flood of 1936 destroyed most of Vesper, as the Merrimack river overflowed its banks, but the club rebuilt, despite losing 50% of its membership.
In the late 1990s into the early 2000s, Vesper underwent another major renovation of its golf course.
In 2008, the membership voted to completely rebuild all 18 greens to USGA specifications and to restore the bunkers on the course. The rebuilding of the greens and the restoration of the bunkers was overseen by architect Brian Silva, who attempted to be faithful to the original design and plans of Donald Ross. This rebuilding project was completed at the end of 2009.
In the March 10, 2011 issue of Golf Week magazine, Vesper's golf course was ranked as one of the top 100 classic golf courses in the U.S.
The course record for Vesper is 64 shot by Phil Smith.
Facilities
- Private 18 hole championship golf course. The par-72 course stretchs over 6,700 yards from the back tees. There are five sets of tees. Black, Blue, White, Green, and Red.
- Club house with formal dining
- Two swimming pools
- Four tennis courts
Events hosted
- 2005 Massachusetts OpenMassachusetts OpenThe Massachusetts Open is the Massachusetts state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Massachusetts Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 at a variety of courses around the state. It was considered a PGA Tour event from...
- 1979 Massachusetts State Amateur ChampionshipMassachusetts State Amateur ChampionshipThe Massachusetts State Amateur Championship or Massachusetts Amateur is a golf championship held in Massachusetts for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the Massachusetts Golf Association in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed...
- 1963 Massachusetts State Amateur ChampionshipMassachusetts State Amateur ChampionshipThe Massachusetts State Amateur Championship or Massachusetts Amateur is a golf championship held in Massachusetts for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the Massachusetts Golf Association in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed...
- 1951 Massachusetts State Amateur ChampionshipMassachusetts State Amateur ChampionshipThe Massachusetts State Amateur Championship or Massachusetts Amateur is a golf championship held in Massachusetts for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the Massachusetts Golf Association in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed...
- 1905 Massachusetts OpenMassachusetts OpenThe Massachusetts Open is the Massachusetts state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Massachusetts Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 at a variety of courses around the state. It was considered a PGA Tour event from...