It's something we hear a lot about, particularly at this time of year when the US Open comes around: the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association. And the story of how the USGA was formed is a fascinating one.
As the turn of the century dawned, American sports began to formally organize. Golf needed to follow suit, which became apparent in 1894, when Newport Country Club in Rhode Island and Saint Andrew’s Golf Club, New York, both hosted amateur competitions – and both clubs labelled theirs as the national championship.
Only one club could hold the official national championship, surely? There was to be a resolution. Before the final day of the Saint Andrew’s tournament, it was announced that an association composed of all the clubs in the United States would be formed. There was to be a new national governing body that would oversee a universally recognized championship and create a written set of rules.
Later that year, on December 22nd, 1894, the Amateur Golf Association of the United States was created (it would later become the USGA) in New York City. The five charter clubs were Newport Country Club, Saint Andrew ’s Golf Club, Chicago Golf Club, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and The Country Club. Each of the five clubs has a long and storied history.
Saint Andrew’s, New York
In February 1888, a Scottish sportsman named John Reid and several of his friends took some clubs to a pasture in Yonkers for a little knock. Watching on, were just a handful of cows, and the group of pals enjoyed a game around an improvised three-hole course. It wasn't long before they had their own 'clubhouse' – an old apple tree from whose branches they would hang their coats and flasks of scotch whiskey.
A hundred years later and the club hosted an event that brought together many of the greatest names in the history of the game, including Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Kathy Whitworth, Nancy Lopez and Jack Nicklaus.
And as recently as 1995, Saint Andrew’s hosted the “Founders Cup” matches, a competition held among the five original founding members of the USGA to honor that organization’s centennial year.
Newport Country Club, Rhode Island
Newport Country Club was founded in 1893, and, in 1895, played host to the first national championship to be sanctioned by the newly formed USGA. Horace Rawlins, Newport’s young assistant professional won over a nine-hole layout that was played four times.
Theodore A. Havemeyer, the club's first chairman, had first brought the game to Rhode Island in 1890, having played at Pau in France, where he had spent the previous winter. On his return, he and a few friends leased 44 acres and laid out a nine-hole course.
In 1995, the USGA returned to a very dry Newport for the Centennial US Amateur, and it was won by a certain Tiger Woods, who defeated Buddy Marucci 2up the a 36-hole final. Then, in 2006, Newport hosted the 61st US Women's Open, and it was Annika Sorenstam who prevailed after a playoff with Pat Hurst.
The USGA was due to return to Newport in 2020 with the US Senior Open, but the tournament was cancelled due to Covid. However, the event will be played here in 2024.
Shinnecock Hills, New York
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club was founded in 1891. It resembles a British links, and is widely regarded as one of the finest courses in the world. As well as hosting the second national championships, Shinnecock was also the venue for the Women’s Amateur in 1900, and the Walker Cup Match in 1977.
The US Open returned to Shinnecock in 1986, and in 1995 for the 100th anniversary of the Open. It also hosted the tournament in 2004 and in 2018, when Brooks Koepka defended his title. In 2026, it will return to the famous course once again.
The Country Club, Massachusetts
The Country Club hosted the US Open in 1913, which saw amateur Francis Ouimet, an unknown 20-year-old and a former caddie at the Country Club – defeat legendary professionals, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff. It was a victory that helped to popularize the game, which until that point had been viewed as a sport for the wealthy.
Four US Opens have now been held at the course in Brookline, the most recent of which was just last year, when England's Matt Fitzpatrick held his nerve down the stretch to win his first Major title. And, of course, whenever Brookline is mentioned, it's impossible not to picture the 1999 Ryder Cup and a pumped US team celebrating after Justin Leonard's putt on the 17th green.
Chicago Golf Club, Illinois
Chicago Golf Club was founded in 1892, and it's the oldest golf club in America in continuous use at the same location. Grandfather of US golf, C.B. Macdonald, was instrumental in founding the storied club and designing the original golf course.
The club has hosted the US Open on three separate occasions: 1897, 1900 and 1911. In 2018, it hosted the inaugural US Senior Women's Open Championship, won by England's Laura Davies.
