Page 57 - 2021 Western Amateur Championship at Glen View Club Program Book

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History of Glen View Club

the Western Amateur in 1903, while his Fittingly, when the first two Evans
cousin won the prestigious event four Scholarships were awarded in 1930, one
times between 1902 and 1907. Walter of the recipients was a Glen View caddie
also finished runner-up in the U.S. — Harold H. Fink, who would attend

Amateur in 1901, which Chandler Northwestern University and go on to
won in both 1904 and 1905. The 1905 become a senior executive with Rand
Western Amateur would be the last that McNally & Company. In the years since,
Glen View Club would host until this Glen View has been proud to see 87
year’s event. caddies receive this coveted scholarship.
The WGA initiated the Women’s
Western Amateur during September of A Golf Course with
1901. Glen View’s Bessie Anthony laid Remarkable Pedigrees
claim to the title of “champion woman In 1897, the founders of Glen View
golfer of the West” in each of the first Club purchased its parcel of land from
three years — winning the first two the Dewes family, who had arrived from
The first Western Am program at Onwentsia Club and the third at England to Northern Illinois around
When representatives of these newly Exmoor Country Club in the Chicago 1830 and shortly thereafter acquired
affiliated clubs met for the first time in suburb of Highland Park. The fourth land from the Potawatomi Indians.
1899, it was decided two tournaments event, in August of 1904, was won by Generations of the family farmed
should be held later that year to Frances Everett at Glen View Club. portions of their property over the
determine “the champions of the Ms. Everett played out of Exmoor and intervening years. Of the 180 acres
West.” Glen View Club was selected she defeated Johnnie Anna Carpenter, purchased by the newly formed private
as the first venue. So, in September of Westward Ho Golf Club (formerly in club, only 40 had been cleared for crops
of 1899, the club hosted the Northlake, Illinois) 4&2 in the finals. and pastures. The remainder consisted
inaugural Western Amateur and For 122 years, Glen View Club members of “rolling woodland, cut irregularly by a
Western Open tournaments.
have played an active role in WGA mile course of the North Chicago River,”
The first Western Open, designated leadership. Phelps B. Hoyt was part of according to the Chicago Daily Tribune.
as the professional competition, was the organizing group in 1899 and served C.B. Macdonald, who many consider
won by Scotsman, Willie Smith, of as the first secretary — becoming the founder of American golf course
Midlothian Country Club — who won president in 1906. In 1902, William architecture, consulted with the
the U.S. Open in Baltimore that same Holabird became the WGA’s third founders after their purchase. His
month. His victory in the Western was president and over time nine Glen View opinions were less than optimistic
secured in an 18-hole play-off over members have presided over the board about “this forest innocent of an axe.”
Glen View’s Laurie Auchterlonie. of governors. He went on, “the difficulties in the way

The first Western Amateur was won by a A new chapter was opened for the of making a good golf course were
Chicago banker, David Forgan, another WGA in 1930 with the establishment of wellnigh insurmountable.”
Scottish transplant. Forgan, playing out the Evans Scholars Foundation, named Fortunately, this nascent club was
of the Onwentsia Club in the Chicago for Glen View member, Chick Evans. able to assemble a group of Chicago’s
suburb of Lake Forest, bested another Chick was actively assisted in setting foremost golf experts who felt otherwise.
Onwentsia member, Walter Egan, 6&5 up this caddie scholarship program by I’ll Sing to You about Glen View, a book
in the final match. Ironically, Egan another Glen View member, Carleton chronicling the club’s history, describes
would be runner-up again in 1905 when Blunt, who served as chairman of the their collective view. “They believed
the Western Amateur returned to Glen foundation. Years later, in 1955, Carleton that underneath the rough exterior
View. This time, he lost 3&2 in the would spearhead the funding and were rolling expanses ideal for the game.
finals to his cousin, Chandler Egan, construction of the WGA’s long-time With a tributary of the Chicago River
who went on to become a golf course headquarters in Golf, Illinois. meandering through its western portion,
architect of some repute. Walter did win

2021 Western Amateur Championship History of Glen View Club l 55