This country club does not need a fancy title to make it memorable. It is memorable by having the title of the oldest golf-oriented country club in the United States but not the title of the oldest country club. That title goes to The Philadelphia Cricket Club, established in 1945, which was the first built for any type of sport, including golf. You can find the Country Club Brookline located in Massachusetts.
How Much Dose A Membership Cost Of The Country Club Brookline?
As with most exclusive private country clubs. Their membership fees are not disclosed. It is the type of membership when you are asked to join. You cannot ask to join. The website offers job opportunities but there is no link for you to apply for membership. One thing to note is that for clubs that are similar to the exclusivity that Country Club Brookline offers, the initiation fees are almost $500000 dollars with monthly dues of around $1,500.
To join the Country Club Brookline, you have to be sponsored by two members plus have seven more testimonials as to your strong character.
History
The Country Club Brookline was founded in 1882 by several men who lived in Boston. When the country club was founded, its focus was not on golf but outdoor activities like horseback riding. It did build a golf course until 1893. The reason it took so long to build a golf course is that there were disputes among the members of the club and the golfers as to how to use the land. The problem seemed to be that the way the golf course was originally laid out, coincided with the racetrack that was already there.
| Name | The Country Club Brookline |
| Membership Cost | $5,00000 |
| Location | Brookline, Massachusetts |
| Established | 1882 |
| Type | Private |
Golf Course History
The Country Club Brookline has been the host to many United States Golf Association (USGA) tournaments. One tournament was the 1913 U. S. Open. It was won by Francis Ouimet, an unknown golfer at the time. When they built the course to play golf, they did it in stages. It was not the work of just one architect. In March 1893,three club members laid out the course with six holes. In 1894, they bought in as the club professional, William Campbell, a Scottish golfer.
He was responsible for expanding the golf course to nine holes. In 1899, with some acquisition of land, the course finally became a full golf course with 18 holes. They had to lengthen the course around 1902 because, at that time, the Haskell golf ball was being widely used. The Country Club Brookline acquired more land and in 1908, they added another three holes, designed by two members of the club, opened.
To get ready for the U. S. Open in 1988, the course was renovated again by Rees Jones. The United States Golf Association was founded by five charter clubs and the Country Club Brookline was one of them. The purpose originally was to be able to sponsor the national amateur championship, that was not disputed. This was in 1895 with the U. S. Open held the next day.
They hired Alex Campbell, a Scottish professional to be the head professional. He did the job from 1896-1916 and was largely responsible for tuning a caddie into a championship player. That caddie was Francis Ouimet. On the 50th (1963) and 75th (1988) anniversaries of his improbable win, the U. S. Open was played at the club. The 100th anniversary (2013) anniversary was held at the Merion Golf Club, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. What made his win so memorable is that an amateur golfer defeated two professional golfers.
In 1999, the Country Club Brookline held the Ryder Cup, which turned into a heated dispute. It was over a 45-putt that turned the competition in favor of Justin Leonard. This was on the 17th hole. Apparently, after he made this putt, other players ran out to celebrate before Jose Maria Olazabal could do his putt, which he missed due to the distraction.
There are two golf courses with 27 holes.
- The Main Course—has the Squirrel and Clyde Nines. These are the initial 18 holes. It was the course that was played on for the U. S. Open in 1913. It is the one that members use to play today.
- The Primrose Course—this executive course was created by William S. Flynn in 1927. This is a 9-hole golf course.
When it is necessary for the layout to be longer for major competitions, the Anniversary, Championship, Composite, or Open Course is used. To do this, three holes from the Clyde course are replaced by three and a half holes from the Primrose course. Doing this gives the course 7,300 yards instead of 7,033 yards. The first time the longer length was used was for the U. S. Amateur in 1957.
Amenities
The Country Club Brookline country club is a beautiful 19th Century home. It has stately white columns that line the exterior along with tiered terraces. The clubhouse covers more than 250,000 square feet. The inside of the club has not changed much from when it first opened, keeping the unique historical look.
Inside there are three indoor dining areas with a lot of outdoor seating that in the summer, totals 250 seats. There are also several bars. There is a well-stocked wine cellar that contains different vintages that people look for. In addition to golf, members and their families can enjoy an Olympic-size pool with a café nearby plus five indoor tennis courts, grass courts, four outdoor tennis courts, and squash and paddle courts. In the winter when you cannot play golf, you can go skating, or play on a hockey or curling rink. There is also skeet shooting.
Dress Code
The Country Club Brookline is so exclusive that there is nothing published about the dress code. When you look at the dress code for other exclusive country clubs, there is no denim allowed and the men have to wear turtlenecks or shirts with collars. If the shirt is meant to be tucked in, then it has to be tucked in.
In keeping with the traditions of the Country Club Brookline, it is mandatory that walk while on the golf course. If you have a medical condition, then a caddy will be provided to carry the clubs and help you walk. It does not specify if you can have your caddy carry your clubs or not if you are able to do so.
Trivia Facts
- In 1902, the U. S. Women’s Amateur was the first United States Golf Association Championship held at the Country Club Brookline.
- Until the 1970s, no members of the Jewish faith were admitted as members of the country club.
- In 1998, it was opened to women for the first time.
- Until 1994, no African Americans were admitted as members
- Country Club Brookline has hosted 10 Massachusetts State Amateur Championships, three U. S. Women’s Amateurs, one Walker Cup and Ryder Cup, six U. S. Amateurs, and four U. S. Opens
- Tom Brady was on a waitlist for two years to get a locker at this club.
- The pond behind the third green was used to help Tenley Albright prepare for her gold medal performance in figure skating.
Conclusion
The Country Club Brookline has 1300 members but it is still known for being exclusive. It is one of the best courses in Massachusetts. Although many golf championships have been played here, it is also used for other world-class pursuits. It is a very exclusive club and the members’ names are not known or listed for the public to see. It is a hard club to join and they keep their membership low, under 1,500 and you have to be invited to join.