Blog post 3 CCNB
Golf Arrives in New Bedford
The Country Club of New Bedford had its origins on the fringe of the old city limits on a tract of farmland. The city’s first golf course was located between what are now Hawthorn, Allen and Brigham Streets and the present day Rockdale Avenue (which had not yet been cut through the woods). The original Hawthorn links were somewhat organized in 1897 *35 on what was formerly the Hawthorn farm and was formally incorporated as the Hawthorn Golf Club the following year. *4
Conflicting accounts in the local newspaper describe the original layout. The September 10, 1950 Standard-Times Centennial's headline proclaimed "5-Hole Course Was City's First" and simply stated that "The first golf course in the city of New Bedford was a five hole course located on Hawthorn Street known as the Hawthorn Links." This probably refers to the earliest attempt to play links golf in 1897 on open pasture land with little organization.
In 1898, a Boston “golf professional”, Willie Campbell laid out a nine hole course on almost flat grassland and the Hawthorn Golf Club was officially organized in 1898 as a nine hole course. *35 *37
Each hole was named with it corresponding yardage was listed in Harper’s Official Golf Guide as follows: #1 Brook 184 yds, #2 Corner 188 yds, #3 Oak Tree 213 yds, #4 Allen Street 189yds, #5 Long 413 yds, #6 Apple Tree 234 yds, #7 Short 115 yds, #8 Brigham Street 325 yds and #9 Home 234 yds. The relatively short yardage of this golf course reflects the use of hickory shafted clubs and the rubbery gutta percha golf ball. The amateur course record was held by Dr. Harry D. Prescott who shot 79. *37
By 1900 the Hawthorn Golf Club had a membership count of 250 golfers. The “Entrance fee” was $5 and annual dues were published at $12, although in 1901 women’s dues were only $6. Apparently you could also access the links for a daily fee of 50 cents with the links being open year round! *35
In the May 14, 1967 edition, another Standard Times article was found titled "West End Course Was Forerunner of Country Club of New Bedford". This article correctly described the Hawthorn Golf Club as having nine holes. Referencing the Campbell design it reads as follows:
"There are still some old timers of the links around today who can recall the original little nine hole Hawthorn Golf Club bordering Hawthorn Street in New Bedford's West End which was the forerunner of the present ultra-modern Country Club of New Bedford now in Dartmouth.
The Hawthorn Golf Club was constructed shortly before the turn of the century. But in less than a dozen years the course became so popular and overcrowded that it had to be abandoned and the present club on Slocum Road erected to meet the golfing needs of a growing New Bedford.
Back in the long ago when the golfers and their hickory shafted clubs and plus fours traveled by horse and buggy and bicycle to the course and several hundred sheep were used to keep the grass cut before lawn mowers were in vogue, the Country Club of New Bedford began its interesting history ... "
Former Massachusetts State Amateur champion and an early member of the New Bedford Country Club, David Whiteside, detailed his memories of caddying at the Hawthorn Club in the same article as follows:
“I was a caddy at the Hawthorn Golf Club ... and later won my first tournament there.
It was a nine hole course, short, and played from the southeast corner of Hawthorn and Brigham streets, west to what is now Rockdale Avenue, south on Rockdale to Allen, east on Allen to Brigham and north on Brigham to Hawthorn. At first we kept our clubs leaning on the front piazza of Bob Snow’s house on Hawthorn St. but later built a small clubhouse, a one story one room affair, with a stove for warmth in the Fall.
The holes were fairly short but in those days a 150 yard clout with the solid ball and hickory shafted clubs was a good drive.
When the course was moved to North Dartmouth, the golfers traveled there by horse and buggy and by bicycles.” *4
For anyone interested in reading more, Mr Whiteside goes on to describe the entire course and details all nine holes in the article.
By the early 1900's with a growing passion for golf in New Bedford, this relatively small flat piece of farm land and the resultant short length of the Hawthorn Golf Club quickly became inadequate for its expanding membership. The 1901 invention of the Haskell golf ball, which provided added length, also made short golf courses less desirable.
The city itself was rapidly expanding and was beginning to encroach on what was formerly its wooded outskirts. Thus by 1902, it became apparent to the founders of our Country Club that a new venue needed to be found.