|
In 1912 an ad appeared in the Napa Journal asking that anyone interested in golf to "communicate". This was to be the start of what would later be the Napa Valley Country Club.
By 1915, land was leased from Frank Coombs and the following year it was purchased, which incidentally, has had only three owners. It was originally part of a Spanish land grant, then came under the ownership of Nathan Coombs. The original members took out a $7,500 bank loan to buy the property which comprised of more than the present 96 acres, a portion of the original purchase being sold back to Mr. Coombs in 1944.
The original Articles of Incorporation, filed in April, 1923, listed the following charter members: A. L. Voorhees, Harry Johnston, Percy King Jr., J. E. Beard, Wallace Rutherford, A. G. Prouty, Dr. C. H. Buson, Charles E. Trower, George H. Francis, L. E. Johnston, Walter Bamberg, E. G. Manasse, Dr. Dwight Murray, Dr. Robert S. Northrop, D. H. Williams, O. T. Schulze, E. L. Bickford, T. H. Stice, Robert Holden, R. L. Brown,Theodore, Bernhard, Dr. Charles Brooks, James Migliavacca, Frank Noyes and S. H. Cooley. The first officers of the new club in 1923 were H. L. Voorhees, President; D. H. Williams, Vice President; H. L. Johnston, Secretary; and E. L. Bickford, Treasurer. The club membership, as of September 1, 1923, was 35.
In the latter 1920's the club offered a "B" membership to interested men for an initiation fee of $50.00 with dues of $5.00 per month. The "B" members were not allowed to vote and they were required to let "A" members (proprietary) tee off first. "C" memberships were then made available to men who resided in Vallejo, Yountville and other areas of similar distance. In the minutes of 1933 their dues were recorded as $3.50 per month. Also, "D" membership for unattached women and for men who resided in distant towns were offered. Their dues were $2.50 per month. "E" membership were for juniors with dues of $1.00. In 1955 the Board of Directors voted to make all memberships proprietary.
A program to build a clubhouse was started in July, 1923, and it was completed in January 1924. The clubhouse was built by the firm of Coffield and Arnitz. The cost of the clubhouse was financed by a bank loan of $7,500 thereby increasing the Club's indebtedness to a total of $15,000.
The course was not to have "planted fairways" for a few years so a horse drawn mower was used to cut the tall grass and carve out a fairway, leaving the wild oats to grow as the rough. The oats were periodically cut and fed to the caretaker's cow. The greens were oiled sand. At each tee was a sandbox with two compartments, one for sand and one for water to wash your ball and to mix with the sand to make your tee. A brush was attached to each box. The holes are always in the same place and instead of a flag in the hole, a pole with a mat attached to it was used to mark the hole. This was used to smooth out the sand before the golfer putted.
The original first tee was near the present eight tee and the green in an area somewhere at the end of the practice range. The second tee was next to the hill on the east side of the creek of the present eight fairway with the green located over the creek (that was later piped in 1963) and around to the right where the trees start on the left side of the ninth fairway. The third tee was located approximately where the present second tee is located. A ditch ran across the third fairway with the green located to the right of the existing second fairway. It was up against the hill approximately even with the lower tennis courts.
The fourth tee was slightly elevated and toward the swimming pool and the golfers had to tee off over the third fairway. The green was located near the existing short second green. The fifth tee was near the existing fourth tee with the green on the hill left of the fourth fairway cart path approximately fifty yards past the existing 150 yard marker. A foot path then led the golfer over the hill to the sixth tee located between the existing fourth tee and sixth green. The sixth green was near the pumphouse and the seventh tee near the same area. The seventh green was called the "Punch Bowl" and it was located behind the existing restroom close to the long sixth tee near the creek. The eighth tee was located near the long sixth tee with the green near the present sixth fairway and close to the north side of the hill where the present seventh tee is located. The ninth tee was close to the present seventh tee with the green near the the present seventh green. The area, to the right of the present seventh green, which is down the hill and near the creek, was set up as a picnic area.
Major changes in the course configuration were made after the clubhouse was completed in 1924. The planting of the fairways was started in early 1925 and the planting of the greens followed shortly thereafter. The fourth and fifth greens were planted in July, 1927, and the sixth and seventh greens were planted in the spring of 1928. The opening of all nine greens was celebrated by a stag party on July 19, 1928.
A natural artesian well supplied the course with water until May, 1920, when a new well was drilled. The cost of the new pump and water lines was $6,000 which was financed by 20 club members, who loaned $300 each to the club.
A tennis court was constructed, sometime before 1930, north of the present tennis courts. The outline of that original tennis court is still visible in the blacktop of the parking lot (the only part of the tennis court that was paved was the in-bound area). There wasn't a big interest in tennis in the early years and periodically some would cut the weeds down to have a game. A large part of the time it was used as a child's play area while parents golfed.
During the next 20 years there were no significant changes in the clubhouse or golf course. Alteration of a minor nature were financed by members when the club's financial position did not warrant expenditures.
In 1948, a new and larger water reservoir was constructed and an outside porch on the north side of the clubhouse was glass enclosed.
By 1955, only a few of the original members still were active, and changing times had brought the realization that it was necessary to offer more activities for the families of members.
In 1956 a project was started to construct a swimming pool, complete with dressing rooms, snack bar and an area for children. The pool was completed in May 1956, it was dedicated to Pierre and Louise Ferran who for many years had been the groundskeeper and cook at the club. They lived, until the 1950's in a house that was on the hill near the present cart sheds.
In 1957 a project was started to provide an increased water supply with a new well and additional piping on the golf course. It was completed in 1958.
New greens have been installed, new tees put into operation, a practice fairway and putting green constructed and other major changes since 1958. Each year from 1955 to 1961 alterations were made to the clubhouse, but in 1962 major remodeling was started. This included expansion of locker rooms, offices, storage area and the social room through excavation of the clubhouse basement. The under-porch are on the north end of the clubhouse was closed in and is now the Pro Shop. This was about the same time that the creek in front of the first tee was piped. In 1971, major changes in the club were again started with tennis courts being built and the upstairs of the clubhouse remodeled. Following that, more tennis courts were build above the existing courts along with new cart sheds. In 1985 we saw the completion of the Tennis Pro Shop located near the new tennis courts.
During 1986, President Seeler presented to the Board of Directors a draft of proposal to build an additional 9 holes. Since then, their hard work and perseverance has brought to fruition the acquisition of land for the eventual construction of the 9 holes to complete the golf course.
Frank Coombs Photo courtesy of John Dunlap
Albert L. Voorhees Photo courtesy of the Napa County Historical Society
Pierre & Louise Ferran Photo courtesy of the Ferran Family
|
