Page 61 - 2021 Western Amateur Championship at Glen View Club Program Book

WGA_Program_2021_V5_SoriaAlt__ 7/7/2021 3:58 PM Page 59

No doubt, changes will continue
to be made over the years ahead as
future boards and grounds & greens
committees keep pace with an evolving
game and the appetite of an enthusiastic
membership. These decisions will
continue to reflect the club’s proud
golf heritage and the simple objective
established by one of its prominent
founders, O.C. Simonds. “Let us create
a park to serve our pleasure.”
The clubhouse in flames on May 28, 1920. The morning after.
For the Love of the Game

If anyone ever had questions about Not a single tee time was missed. The design of the new clubhouse
how dedicated Glen View Club’s past As members headed down the first was reminiscent of the original —
fairway, the adjacent rubble of the
incorporating many Scottish-inspired
members were to the game of golf, all
of them were answered on Memorial clubhouse was still smoldering. features. But this time the building’s
Within weeks temporary structures
infrastructure was constructed of solid
Day Weekend in 1920. It was not
the beginning of summer that were in place to provide the basic concrete. Special efforts were made so
necessities for a busy season ahead.
that this second clubhouse would not
anyone expected.
Almost as amazing, the new clubhouse look new. Bricks and limestone blocks
On Friday, May 28, a fire broke out opened with a huge celebration less were sourced from demolished Chicago
in the clubhouse as the dinner hour buildings and exterior timbers were
approached. By sundown, the building than a year later, on May 7, 1921. Like hewn from outdated railroad ties. In fact,
the original building, it was designed
was in complete ruins due to faulty portions of the clubhouse entrance
electrical wiring above the ceiling in by the renowned architectural firm of incorporate timber from the U.S. frigate,
Holabird & Roche. (William Holabird
the southern wing. Volunteer fire Constitution, which was being restored
departments from the surrounding had been a charter member.) at the time.
communities quickly converged on
the club, but to no avail because of a
limited supply of accessible water and
club fire hoses that had atrophied from
non-usage. The stone chimneys were
all that remained standing. Fortunately,
no one was injured. But gone were the
clothing and equipment required for
golf, because at that time those items
had been kept in member lockers lost
in the blaze.
Within hours, the members and staff
were demonstrating their resilience.
By Saturday morning, tents had been
erected and department store trucks,
loaded with clothing and clubs, were
waiting in the parking lot for members
to arrive for the scheduled golf event.

The “new” clubhouse from 1921 turns 100 this year.

2021 Western Amateur Championship History of Glen View Club l 59