Rochester Golf & Country Club—Celebrating a Century (2016)
Pages: 180, Printing: Johnson Printing, Book Design: Emily Benike, Editing: Marjorie Toensing
Located two miles west of the heart of downtown, Rochester Golf and Country Club celebrated its one-hundredth anniversary in 2016. Many of the world’s best golfers, including Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen, Patti Berg, Byron Nelson, and Arnold Palmer, to name a few, have played this classic A.W. Tillinghast–designed course. This coffee table book contains photos and stories of the club’s history. I was privileged to be asked to write it and thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with graphic designer Emily Benike and editor Marjorie Toensing to create it. This project, and the Club, will always have a special place in my heart.
Foreword
Rochester Golf and Country Club. Just the name evokes contemplations of history and tradition. When I agreed to chair the Centennial Committee in 2015, I was eager to learn more about the club’s storied past. As we began to compile the historical memorabilia and stories that would be used in this book, I began to reflect on my own history at RGCC. Before moving to Colorado in 1980, our family belonged to the club, and I have fond memories of days spent at the pool, on the tennis courts, at the golf practice facility, and on the course.
Some things have come and gone over the years. A platform tennis court, one of the few I have ever seen, commanded hours of battle with my brother and friends. Dodging wayward golf shots on the tennis courts increased our agility and provided added suspense to a tennis match. The diving board at the deep end of the pool called out to us for cannonballs, jackknives, and a few belly flops. The distinctive dull, flat “thud” of a Persimmon wood driver reinforced a crisply hit shot. Caddies struggled to manage two bags while attempting to locate a sliced ball deep in the woods.
Although a number of things have changed at RGCC, many others have not. A massive, picturesque American elm still protects No. 18 green. Plaid pants never seem to quite go out of style. Stories of a Shelden or Member-Member tournament win continue to be retold months after the occurrence. Les Fields plays his trumpet at an event or a member’s birthday. Friends and family gather in a fun and welcoming environment.
When we began working on this book, we quickly realized that the record keeping had not been as diligent as we might have wished over the years. Historical artifacts had been scattered. Boxes of memorabilia left in the lower level of the new clubhouse had been flooded during a torrential rain in 2002. Boxes that remained had minimal historical relevance. Substantial efforts have been put forth by a number of individuals to compile the material for this book and for the Centennial Hall and other celebration venues.
Mike McNeil, John W.R. McNeil, Betty Kazos, and Martin Keefe scoured the Post-Bulletin and Historical Society archives. Mike Ransom, Mitch Anthony, and Chris Rustad structured an interview process for long-standing and former members. Mike Ransom and Emily Benike categorized the historical and more current information that ultimately formed the foundation for this book, which they organized, wrote, and designed. Numerous others have participated in our Centennial Committee, assisted with events, created Centennial Hall, and provided input. Thank you to all who have contributed.
I hope this book brings back as many cherished memories for you as it has for me. I look forward to creating even more memories with all of you. Here’s to the next one hundred years at Rochester Golf and Country Club!
John Gunnon, Centennial Committee Chair