by Laurel | December 21st, 2011
In 1921, $300 for a membership was a lot of money — calculating for 2011 standards this amount would be about $3,800. Not exactly a club for everyone.
21 December 1921
Mount Tom Golf Club
Meeting at the Nonotuck of Mt. Tom Golf Club — $300 Memberships Proposed.
Full details of the proposed new clubhouse and new golf course, together with the plan for $300 memberships were made public at a dinner and meeting of the Mount Tom Golf Club at the Nonotuck last night. Former mayor N. P. Avery acted as toastmaster and there were covers laid for 125. A vote taken regarding the new membership plans resulted in a 99 per cent endorsement. Another interesting fact that was announced was that after the golf club had been laid out in its new location in part there would be available for sale no less than 50 fine building sites which would yield, it was estimated, something like $150,000.
William Lippmann and Malcolm Warren sang selections during the banquet. It was noted by J. L. Wyckoff, the first speaker of the evening, that the club possesses 153,75 acres of land. It was planned to lay out one of the best golf courses in the entire country. Donald Ross, who has laid out 200 golf courses, is to have charge. At present he has 15 superintendents layout out golf courses in various parts of the country. The new golf club house is to set back 500 feet from the present house. The present house and course will be used until the new ones are completed.
Donald Ross spoke on the growing interest in the game of golf and how it was being taken up everywhere. Membership in a golf club was a mark of standing in a community. The new course, as planned, would have the first hole where the fifth is now located. Three essentials he described for a perfect golf course were, first, sufficient land, and second, all types of scenery, and third, right kind of soil. Holyoke possessed the first two — it was surpassed nowhere by scenic beauty.
George P. B. Alderman gave the figures on the land owned by the club and the amount that could be sold off for building lots. F. F. Bennett discussed the legal aspects of the matter and how it was proposed to have the new course laid out and the new clubhouse built by June 1823. He also described the plan to have the active club membership limited to 300. The club will have associate members, women members and student members as before, There were 1250 visitors to the club the past year and this is considered very good advertising for Holyoke. The proposal for visiting members is a fee of 50 cents a day, a nominal sum as many clubs charge $2 and $3 and some $5 and up.
Albert Steiger favored the making over of a new entrance to the club with a park to be known as Wyckoff park, in honor of the president of the club.
Malcolm Warren of Northampton is the official club champion this year and he was given a silver platter and service, Howard Conant making the presentation speech. Other prizes awarded were as follows: Irving Towne, golf balls; William E. Ranger, three pairs of silk hose; George E. Pickup, pair golf hose; Malcom Warren, box of stationery; Ralph Humes, fountain pen and gold pencil; William M. Reynolds, three pair silk hose; John Bagg, gold club; Patrick J. Meany, umbrella. Prizes are also due Charles R. Dunbar and John F. Finn, who were absent.
Adapted from The Springfield Republican, image from my personal postcard collection.
