Union League Golf and Country Club of San Francisco - The Opening

The Opening

The San Francisco press covered the April 27, 1930 opening day events and gave glowing reviews to the golf course, calling it “happy valley” and “the equal of anything in Northern California.” A local newspaper indicated “MacKenzie, in fact, was loud in praise of the topography of the acreage, and declares it one of his best pieces of work, which is ample praise, coming from the reticent Englishman.”

Groundbreaking of The Union League Golf and Country Club took place on January 6, 1929, ten months prior to the crash of the Stock Market. Although the course was ready for play in January 1930, the members voted to delay opening until “all possibility of damage to the greens by premature use” had been eliminated. (There was also a “washout” on the first fairway that required 7,800 feet (2,400 m) of “drain tile” prior to the opening).

The Golf Course officially opened to considerable fanfare on April 27, 1930 when more than 200 golfers teed off at the new golf course that the press called “one of the finest in California”. The first ceremonial ball was hit from a silver tee by Dr. Samuel Welfield, the club’s Vice President, as the President, William J. Bevan, was out of town.

The San Francisco Press reported, “The course measures from the middle tees 6,300 yards (5,800 m), and from Champion tees, 6,665 yards (6,094 m). There are two routes to each hole, after the typical MacKenzie fashion, for the dub and star alike.” They went on to say, “The acreage, which used to be a nursery, still bears the resemblance. On several of the fairways the roughs are fruit tree orchards. The entire 145 acres (0.59 km2) are bordered and dotted by cypress, pine, oak, redwood and other variety of trees. Over 100,000 saplings are being nursed for further beautification of the land.”

In 1930 a prominent sign was placed at the corner of El Camino Real and Ludeman Lane. The words “Union League Golf and Country Club 1,800 feet (550 m) West could be seen by anyone on El Camino Real. A picture of the sign, with the 16 Mile House (at its original location) in the background, was included in the Sunday August 10, 1930 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle. Opening of the Union League Golf Course was the feature story on the front page of the newspaper.

The cost of building the golf course, including MacKenzie’s fee, amounted to $140,000. The cost to purchase the land was $250,000. The clubhouse and furnishing generated another $150,000 which brought the total cost to approximately $540,000.

The contractor for the clubhouse project was Charles T. Magill, a member of the Union League Club in San Francisco. Magill won the “opening day” golf tournament.

The original fee to join the Union League Club was $1,250 with membership limited to 300. The opening gala dedication and dinner dance was held on August 23, 1930. The San Mateo Times reported that “Over three hundred members and their friends gathered in the new building which is one of the finest country clubs in California, and enjoyed the delightful entertainment prepared by the inauguration committee.”

The times went on to report, ”W.J. Bevan, Burlingame resident and vice-president of the Wells Fargo Bank of San Francisco is president of the club and has directed the details of construction which brings to the Peninsula a new golf course and clubhouse that is a real asset to the community. The new club is complete in every detail that could add to the comfort and pleasure of the members. It is a structure of charming architecture and embodies every modern facility of an up to date clubhouse.”

The first head professional was Harry Kennett. Sam Smith, a former Harding Park starter, was the first “starter” and assistant Club Manager. The first Club Manager was C.L. Westlake.