Fort Washington Country Club

Last updated
Fort Washington Golf and Country Club
Fort Washington Fresno Signage.jpg
Club information
Relief map of California.png
Icona golf.svg
Coordinates 36°53′06″N119°45′32″W / 36.885°N 119.759°W / 36.885; -119.759
Location10272 N Millbrook Ave, Fresno, California 93730
Established1923, 101 years ago
TypePrivate
Total holes18
Website Fort Washington Golf and Country Club
Designed by William Watson
Par 72
Length6,728 yd (6,152 m)
Course rating 72.8 [1]
Slope rating 129 [1]

Fort Washington Golf and Country Club is a private golf club in northeast Fresno, California established in 1923. The club's name originates from a gold rush-era United States Cavalry fortification built nearby along the San Joaquin River in 1850. The fort was destroyed by a flood two years after it was built. The name Fort Washington was also memorialized as the school district in that area. The facility also hosts large events and weddings.

Contents

History

In 1923, a group of Fresno residents formed the Fort Washington Golf Club, selected club officers and purchased 126 acres of land to build a golf course near the Fort Washington schoolhouse. [2] [3] The land, at the time, was an undeveloped grain field. The course was designed by Los Angeles-based golf architect William Watson.

The club began with 40 members and the first golf ball was hit on June 17, 1923, by then president of the club, Dr. Arthur Albright. [4] [5] The original members paid an initiation fee of $50 (equivalent to $894in 2023), and monthly dues of $2.75, (equivalent to $49in 2023). During the Roaring Twenties, the game of golf expanded greatly in popularity and the new course at Fort Washington joined Sunnyside Country Club, founded in 1911, as a golfing facility serving the Fresno area. Riverside Country Club, also in Fresno but to the west, opened the same year. [6] At the time the course opened, there were nine completed holes and the other nine were under construction. A small 25 feet (7.6 m) by 25 feet (7.6 m) clubhouse was included in the 1923 construction. [5]

Fort Washington Wooden Archway Fort Washington Fresno Arch.jpg
Fort Washington Wooden Archway

Over the following years, the clubhouse was expanded, the depth of the water well was doubled, fairways were planted with grass and the roadways were improved. [7] [5] The roadway improvements included palm trees contributed by Kearney Park and planted by club members. [4] The greens landscaping work was overseen by William Watson, who designed the original course and the greenskeeper was Roy E. Miller, who won the Fresno City Title in 1925. [8] Employees of the Sugar Pine Lumber Company who were also members, built a distinctive log archway in 1928. The archway was removed in 1994. [4]

Olin Dutra, winner of the 1934 U.S. Open, served as the club professional from 1924 to 1928 and was succeeded by Bill Lindgren, then Art Melville in 1929. Melville was born in Carnoustie, Scotland and earned a reputation for his golf skill in the San Joaquin Valley. Melville guided the club through the difficult years of the Great Depression where membership dwindled, as well the outbreak of World War II. Melville later recalled having to "send the old golf balls to the factory to be recovered, since there were no new ones" during the war effort. [9] He continued in his capacity at the club for 32 years. [5] Bob Silva succeeded Melville and served as club professional from 1967 to 1983.

The club has hosted eight California State Open tournaments, stretching over many years. It hosted the 1992 Fresno Open, a tournament on the Ben Hogan Tour, won by Mike Springer. It served as the final PGA Tour qualifying school course to earn a tour card in 1980. [5] [6] In 2001, Fort Washington co-hosted the U.S. Mid-Amateur Golf Championship, along with San Joaquin Country Club. That tournament was won by Tim Jackson.

The club name was changed to Fort Washington Golf and Country Club in 1970. The facility was scouted as a potential filming location for the 1980 sports comedy film Caddyshack. The Fort board of directors decided against giving the film crew permission due to not wanting to "inconvenience the members." [5] A new clubhouse was built in 1991. [4]

Scorecard

Fort Washington Golf and Country Club
Tee Rating/Slope 123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Blue72.8 / 129483425173443339422204403505339742416253141242532651414639133316728
White71.4 /125468404161425328417197385484326941015450539839831350911938631926461
Red69.9 /121455385152403314399171365465310940014548438837430447010437130406149
Gold66.4 / 117379379147377280301167318432278037814045435636829046510027228235603
Par543444345364354445343672
Source [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Course Rating and Slope Database™ - Fort Washington GCC". USGA. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Fort Washington Golf Club Formed; Officers Named". Fresno Bee . May 28, 1923. Retrieved May 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Doctor Arthur N Albright, president; R C Polmer, vice-president; T A Merrill, secretary and treasurer. The board of directors are Ben Sheagreen, Harry Markowitz, S C Enos, Doctor O J Howard, Andrew Jensen, Grover C Drake and George S Petersen. Greens Committee: I J Telgen, Chairman; Andrew Jensen, Ben Sheagren, R C Palmer, H L Edmunds. Finance Committee: S C Enos, Chairman; Harry Markowitz, Mark Hall. By-laws committee: Ben Sheagren, Chairman; Iener Nielsen, S C Enos, Walter C Schlein, Doctor A N Albright. Membership committee: Grover C Drake, Chairman; W B Nichols, George S Petersen. Publicity committee: George S Petersen, Chairman; William St. Sure, Peter Rasamussen
  3. ↑ "Fort Washington Golf Club is Deeded Members". Fresno Bee . May 7, 1925. Retrieved May 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com. From Ernest Klette Herbert C Johnson and Carl E Lindsay. Signed by W A Sutherland vice president and H Z Austin assistant secretary of the Pacific-Southwest Bank and Klette Johnson and Lindsay as trustees
  4. 1 2 3 4 Lloyd, Paula (April 15, 2004). "Windows on the Past: Fort Washington Golf Club". Fresno Bee . Retrieved May 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Aiello, Jeff (Director) (July 11, 2023). Fort Washington Country Club: 100 Years. Valley PBS . Retrieved June 17, 2024.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. 1 2 Farris, Bruce (October 7, 1998). "Fort Celebrates 75th Anniversary". Fresno Bee . Retrieved May 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Almost $30,000 Spent on Ft. Washington Golf Club". Fresno Morning Republican . August 16, 1925. Retrieved May 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Fort Washington Keeps Up Construction Work". Fresno Morning Republican . January 1, 1928. Retrieved May 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Farris, Bruce (September 9, 1973). "Fort Washington Will Celebrate 50th Anniversary Friday". Fresno Bee . Retrieved May 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Course Details" . Retrieved June 17, 2024.
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