Page 57 - 2018 Western Amateur Commemerative Program—Skokie Ridge Country Club

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HISTORY OF SUNSET RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB

“handsome and comfortable.”

dining room and a living room lounge
that the architects described as

The lounge and living room were a
signature area of the clubhouse due to
raftered ceilings and a grand fireplace.
An expansive outdoor terrace (that was
used in the summer as a dance floor)
adjoined the exterior overlooking the
ninth green and 12th tee. Due to
prohibition (1920–1933), no bars were
included in the original clubhouse
design or construction. The Red Room,
the legendary bar located adjacent to
the men’s locker room, would not be
added until a 1937 renovation as would
a bar off the living room lounge.

In less than 11 months, construction
was completed and the Sunset Ridge
clubhouse opened for the inaugural
Opal Hill sinks the winning putt on the 18th green at Sunset Ridge during
dinner party and gala on July 3, 1924. the 1935 Women's Western Open.
The club’s dining menu that first
In 1936, the par for Sunset Ridge was 73-71-69 to win the event. In 1941,
summer featured full course lunch for raised one stroke from 70 to 71. This Jock and his legendary PGA TOUR
$1.00, Dinner for $1.50 and Sunday was due to the 13th tee moving from father Jock, Sr. were one of the first
night suppers for $1.25.
the present forward tee to make it a father/son duos to compete in the
SUNSET RIDGE HISTORICAL dogleg par 5. That same year Sid same Masters Tournament.
GOLF MOMENTS Richardson of Oskosh, Wisconsin, won Sunset Ridge hosted the Women’s
In 1925, one year after Sunset Ridge’s the Western Junior Championship. Western Junior Golf Open in 1961 won
first round was played, the club began During the summer of 1937, head pro by 15-year-old Ann Baker. A few years
its support of amateur golf by hosting Dave Tosh shot a record 65 after 12 after her victory, Baker would be the
the Big Ten Golf Championship with years of playing the course. His record only woman to ever receive a full men’s
the University of Chicago defeating the stood for 22 years until head pro Bob scholarship to play on the University
University of Michigan. University of Harris shot 64 in 1959. Harris tied his of Tennessee men’s golf team.
Chicago won the final match 3-2 over own record in 1961 and his assistant
the Wolverines to take home their first Don Kubiak also shot a course-record Following graduation Baker raised
collegiate golf championship. 64 in 1965. Sunset Ridge’s course more than $2 million to establish and
endow the UT women’s golf team.
During 1935 Sunset Ridge hosted the record of 64 stood for 45 years until In 1970 she was the first woman
Women’s Western Open that saw Opal Eric Meierdierks would shatter it by appointed to the UT Board of Trustees
Hill defeating S.L. Reinhart to win 9–7 shooting a 62 in 2010. Meierdierks is a and would serve for 18 years. Baker
in match play. Hill went on to win the former SRCC junior member who was the Tennessee Women Amateur
Women’s Western Open again in 1936 turned pro in 2003 and joined the golf champion five times during the
at Topeka Country Club. She turned PGA TOUR in 2013. 1960s and in 1978 she won the
pro in 1938 and was one of the original In 1957 Sunset Ridge hosted the Illinois Southern Amateur Championship.
founders of the LPGA. Open won by John “Jock” Hutchinson, She was inducted into the Tennessee
Jr., the longtime pro at nearby Skokie Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and resides
Country Club. Jock had rounds of in Knoxville, Tennessee.

2018 WESTERN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP History of Sunset Ridge Country Club 55