Page 49 - 2021 Western Amateur Championship at Glen View Club Program Book

WGA_Program_2021_V5_SoriaAlt__ 6/30/2021 3:59 PM Page 47
History of Glen View Club

Welcome to
Glen View Club

This year’s 119th Western Amateur
Championship is being played at a club
that dates back to 1897. In fact, when
the back nine was completed in 1898,
it became only the second 18-hole golf
course in the Chicago area. Then,
the very next year, the first Western
Amateur was held on a Glen View Club Completed clubhouse in 1898
golf course that has retained many of
its original design elements. A Glimpse into Glen View locating this 180-acre property and
Since its inception, Glen View Club Club’s Early Years noted landscape architect, O.C.
Simonds, was assigned responsibility
has embraced a culture where jobs and
titles are left on the other side of the During February of 1897, a for laying out the grounds.
Northwestern University professor
stone bridge that begins the scenic drive
Construction of a “Scottish-inspired”
toward the clubhouse. This understated named William Caldwell, who just clubhouse began almost immediately
happened to be a Scotsman, was
mindset explains why much of the
club’s notable past has received little enjoying a conversation with a and a 22-year-old Scottish golf
professional, John H. Duncan, was
prominent group from Evanston. In
attention outside the historic property
recruited from Fifeshire, the home of
on which it sits. passing, he suggested these gentlemen famed St. Andrews. He arrived as the
form a golf club for purposes of “greater
first organized rounds of golf were played
To mark this year’s event and our long
privacy and superb conviviality.” The idea
history with the Western Amateur, took root and on March 29 of that year, on July 5, on the newly completed
we will share some of the celebrated the State of Illinois granted a legal outward nine holes. The inward nine
background of Glen View Club, charter to Glen View Golf & Polo Club. would open the following June. Several
including our strong ties to the Western Within weeks, financial commitments of the holes circumvented a new polo
Golf Association. We will recount the had been received by 100 founding field, which in a few short years would
contributions of many iconic architects members and a parcel of land was become the sizable practice area still
who contributed to the golf course secured. The Chicago Daily Tribune in use. During the first year, stables,
on which this year’s talented field of reported, “Expert golfers have maintenance buildings and the two
amateurs will compete, and we’ll try to pronounced the site the most perfect picturesque stone bridges that still stand
provide at least some flavor of what a for the game of any field in America.” were erected. To say the least, these
treasured sanctuary Glen View Club has Daniel Burnham, the eventual father of founding members dared to think big.
represented to its members for 124 years. the Chicago Plan, was instrumental in

2021 Western Amateur Championship History of Glen View Club l 47