Worcester Country Club

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Coordinates: 42°19′15″N 71°46′43″W / 42.320926°N 71.778682°W / 42.320926; -71.778682
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Worcester Country Club
Club information
LocationWorcester, Massachusetts
Established1900
TypePrivate
Total holes18
Events hosted
Websitewww.worcestercc.org
Donald Ross (1913)
Par70
Length6,750

Worcester Country Club is a private country club and golf course in Worcester, Massachusetts. The course hosted the first Ryder Cup in 1927, and was the site of the 1925 U.S. Open, which was won by Willie Macfarlane. Worcester also hosted the 1960 U.S. Women's Open. It was the first, and currently only one of three golf courses in the United States to host the men's and women's U.S. Open Championships and the Ryder Cup. For over half a century Worcester was the only club to have hosted all three events until 2014 when Pinehurst hosted its first U.S. Women's Open. Hazeltine made it an elite group of three upon its host of the 2016 Ryder Cup, but notably, Hazeltine is not a classic course (built in 1962). Worcester also hosted the first-ever U.S. Open qualifying round in 1924. The club is tied with Oyster Harbors for hosting the most Massachusetts Opens (7) and has also hosted 7 Massachusetts Amateur Championships. Worcester is one of a few private clubs in the United States that has a bowling alley in the men's locker room.

History

In 1900, Worcester Country Club was founded. In 1913, the club called on golf architect

President William Howard Taft hit the ceremonial first ball to open the new course.[1]

In 1925, the club hosted

hole-in-one
during a practice round of the 1925 U.S. Open.

In 1927 Worcester Country Club hosted the inaugural

PGA of America.[4] The United States team led by captain Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen defeated captain Ted Ray
and the British team by a score of 9.5 to 2.5.

Donald Ross came back to the club in 1929 with plan for changes, including new tees and some work that he had been unable to carry out in 1913.

In 1960, Betsy Rawls won her fourth U.S. Women's Open with a score of 292. Hosting the Women's Open marked Worcester CC as the first club in the United States to entertain both Open Championships. Judy Torluemke (Judy Rankin), then 15 years old, was the youngest player in history to win low amateur honors, with 326. Mickey Wright, the leader going into the final day and seeking her third consecutive Open championship, shot eighty-one to lose to Betsy Rawls. The prize money was $7,200. Rawls won $1,800.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Jun 27, 1976, page 67 - The Boston Globe at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  2. ^ Barrett, David. Golf Courses of the U.S. Open. New York, New York: Abrams, 2007.
  3. ^ Fun and sick facts about U.S. Open. CNN. (June 12, 2008).
  4. ^ "Green Hill Course History".
  5. ^ History Brief History of Worcester Country Club[dead link‍]

42°19′15″N 71°46′43″W / 42.320926°N 71.778682°W / 42.320926; -71.778682

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