History

Linwood Country Club is now ninety years old, having opened during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson. Unfortunately, in the transitions of the various forms the organization’s structure has taken through the years, and the paucity of obtainable written records of the early years, the history is dependent on the use of newspaper articles and the memories of older members and existing board minutes.

August 23, 1920 – A.C. Press from the Philadelphia Press – “New Club started in Linwood to deal with ‘overcrowding’ of the existing courses.” – The overcrowding was most apparent to the Jewish population who had little access to the existing golf courses.

The course was designed by Herbert Bertram Strong, a British transplant to Long Island, who built many courses in Florida and the rest of the U.S. and introduced the first “island” green. The original course was planned at 6506 yards. At the time of purchase some of the ten separate tracts of land were meadows but most was farm land used for the raising of cows and chickens. Legend exists that Absegami Indians used the land as a beaching area for their canoes during their summer sojourn. An early map showing the Brigadell property diagrams chicken coops in the back yard. This is just to the right of the 17th fairway after crossing the main road into the grounds. Old maps label the area around the 4th fairway as Poultry Farm. The Brighton Farms, including large barns and silos, occupied the area east of the present Brighton orchid nursery.



The Clubhouse was designed by the architect who built the Traymore Hotel in Atlantic City. It was built of hollow tile coated with white stucco and topped with a green roof. Turrets were integral to the original design and persist to this day although parts of the old building have been surrounded by additions erected through the ensuing years. The clubhouse was planned to sit on a knoll so that many parts of the golf course could be seen from the building. A large ballroom was planned, as was an indoor swimming pool. No plans for a driving range were included.

The original tract of land that was purchased was over 250 acres and consisted of ten separate tracts. The total estimated cost for buildings and course was $300,000.

The golf course was officially opened, although building construction was not complete, with a golf tournament on March 20, 1921 and the laying of the cornerstone. A group photograph of the laying of the cornerstone is on the wall of the old bar by the entrance of the ladies locker room. The original cornerstone is enclosed by internal walls related to the construction of 2000 and is near the closet in the card room adjacent to the bar.

Much of the current structure was created by additions and remodeling of the original clubhouse. The history is visible by observing the multiple roof lines which are apparent from the second floor of the main building.

The history of Linwood Country Club after its grand opening in 1921 has been clouded by the lack of in house written records, some of which were destroyed in a fire. Unfortunately many of the long range plans of the original planners were beset by circumstances that were not envisioned at the start.

The onset of Prohibition in 1920 was not conducive to the profitable operation of a country club. The onset of the Great Depression struck a second unsustainable blow and the club could not keep up with paying off its indebtedness and ended up in receivership, ceasing all operations after a futile attempt to run the course as a public course. The onset of the second world war drastically depleted the potential users of a Country Club and all ideas of reopening were held in abeyance. The clubhouse was boarded up for many years until 1944. As the Depression abated during the war, the interest of restarting a Country Club sparked a group of thirty-four men to meet on December 7, 1943 at the Jewish Community Center on Virginia Avenue to discuss the possibilities. The Club was repurchased from receivership for $23,500.

The club grew in membership with the return of World War II veterans and many of the improvements both to the clubhouse and golf course were accomplished during this era. As in all ventures of this kind, the continued need for financial backing persisted and in 1960 a rather complicated method of raising funds by issuing stock in a new entity “Linwood Country Club” was introduced. In order to reduce the risks to the members of the new entity and create an investment opportunity for the members, Linwood Country Club leased the clubhouse and the operation of the golf course from the Linwood Golf and Country Club. The lease was for 99 years expiring in 2059. Linwood Golf and Country Club therefore owns the property including golf course and clubhouse but Linwood Country Club operates the golf, tennis and clubhouse functions.

In 1971 a major reconstruction was carried out with enlargement of the dining room to 5,200 square feet actually doubling the size including terrace and corridor. The capacity was increased to 300 persons plus a dance floor as well as a new bar adjacent to the men’s locker room.

In 1976 a proposal was made to the Board for construction of four tennis courts. At the same time negotiations were made with the Linwood City Council to vacate Poplar Avenue from Woodlynne Boulevard to a point east of the third hole. In return for vacating the road which ran through the course, LCC traded the land for the pumping station which exists to the left of the Men’s third tee. This gravel road still exists in the memory of former golfers who want to know, “Is that road still there?”

Perhaps the most apparent change in the golf course was the result of the 1998-2001 reconstruction which allowed the development of the driving range. Until this time, the driving range was the stepchild of Linwood Country Club. There was never a real range but several attempts were made to “make-do”. Each attempt squeezed out a few hundred yards by hitting perpendicular to and across the fifth fairway from the unused land near the Off property and targeting the present short range. Fortunately no serious injuries are recorded. The present range required movement of the existing ninth fairway to the east to reach the ninth green and the development of an artificial pond. And although shorter than some would wish for, it has become a most popular addition and a great advantage for old and young who wish to improve their game.

The predictions at the opening ceremony of 1920 have lived up to expectation. Linwood Country Club is still evolved and who knows what it will look like in the next 90 years.