Argyle Country Club
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°05′47″N 77°02′57″W / 39.096489°N 77.049048°WCoordinates: 39°05′47″N 77°02′57″W / 39.096489°N 77.049048°W ⧼validator-fatal-error⧽ |
| Location | Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
| Established | 1923 |
| Type | private |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Website | www.argylecc.net |
| Designed by | Percy Walborn LeDuc |
| Par | 71 (men) 73 (women) |
| Length | 6,500 yards (Blue) |
| Course rating | 70.4 / 127 (men) 73.2 / 125 (women) |
Argyle Country Club is a private country club in Silver Spring, Maryland. The club includes an 18-hole golf course, golf practice area, tennis courts, an aquatic facility, and clubhouse. The club is located in the Layhill section of Montgomery County, Maryland.
History[edit]
Argyle Country Club was organized in 1923 when the Brightwood Caddie's Association and the Argyle Tennis Club merged.
Early locations[edit]
The club's facility in 1923 was in the Northwest (NW) section of Washington, D.C. near Sherman Circle in an area bound east and west by Georgia Ave. and New Hampshire Ave., and north and south by Kennedy St. and Buchanan St.[1]
In 1924, the club moved to the Sligo Creek area of Silver Spring, off Sligo Creek Parkway. At the site, the clubhouse was an old farmhouse, and members constructed multiple tennis courts. A 9-hole golf course was opened in 1927 that was laid out by architects William Henry "Willie" Tucker, Sr. and Dr. Walter S. Harban.[2][3] In 1945 club stockholders made the decision to sell the property to the county government who was building a portfolio of parks and recreational areas. In 1964, the Capital Beltway was completed by taking portions of the golf course.[4] In 1965, Eddie Ault, a local prolific golf course architect, and Alfred Jamison redesigned Argyle's original course which had been renamed Sligo Creek Golf Course after the club left the site.[5] Today the old club grounds are part of the Montgomery County Parks system with public golf, promoted as the oldest 9-hole layout in Montgomery County, Maryland, being operated by Montgomery County Golf (MCG).[6]
Current location[edit]
In December, 1945, the Argyle Land Company which had been associated with the club since 1924 was disbanded and a new company with the same name was formed. A dairy farm owned by Mr. and Mrs. Roland McKenzie of roughly 150-acres near the intersection of Layhill and Bel Pre Roads was purchased. The club made good use of the farm's infrastructure. The main barn was converted into a clubhouse and locker rooms were constructed where there was once a hay loft. The milking shed was used for office space, and a main lounge was built in the stanchion area. Initially, services were limited and the complex had basic furnishings.[2]
An investment of approximately $27,000 was made to start Argyle County Club operations at the new location. In 1945, members paid monthly dues of $4 and there was an initiation fee of $50 for new members. The initiation fee was waived when someone joined and bought two or more shares of Argyle Land Company stock. At the time it was a priority to have the property owned by club members so there was an incentive to have land company stock owned by those who belonged to the club.[2]
Improvements were made as the club moved forward. A deck was enclosed to create the grill room. The pool as well as a golf pro shop were completed in the mid-1950's. In 1967 a modernization project included an enlargement of the clubhouse. The tennis courts were installed in 1978.[2]
Golf[edit]
Club member Percy Walborn LeDuc designed the golf course at the Layhill location. The initial course opened as a 9-hole layout.
Argyle Country Club's website says that there is little documented history on the new golf course. Those who were members at the time say that the holes did not go beyond the stream that flows along today's 2nd tee, and crosses the 13th and 17th holes. The 1st hole played, for the most part, the same as it does today. The 2nd hole was a par three with the green located near the current fairway traps on the hole. The 3rd tee was to the right of the current 2nd fairway, in the trees beside the lake on the 9th hole, and played to the current 6th green. On the 4th hole players teed-off from today's 7th tee and played to the 8th green. Today's 9th hole was on the card as the 5th hole, and the current 10th, 11th, and 12th holes were played as holes 6, 7, and 8. Finally, the current 18th hole was the finishing hole of the 9-hole course.[2]
Over the next few years, the original nine holes were modified and new holes were built to establish a full 18-hole golf course. During the process of completing the final layout, a variety of course routing was employed. Improvements have been made over time including modifications to the teeing grounds and green complexes, as well as the addition of water reservoirs. When the land was purchased, the pond on the 5th hole was the only sizable watershed on the property. In 1960 the club worked with architects Eddie Ault and Al Jamison to solidify the quality of the golf course.[5] Recently, the club has worked with local golf course architects to create a golf master plan.
Course description[edit]
At an elevation of approximately 440 feet, Argyle's golf course is located on one of the higher points in Montgomery County.[7]
For the most part, the course has few blind shots and its rolling topography makes for a vigorous walk. The longer and low handicap golfers can reach each of the par-5s in two shots and there are at least three driveable par-4s.
1980 US Open qualifier[edit]
In 1980, one of that year's 36 hole U.S. Open sectional qualifiers was held at Manor Country Club and Argyle Country Club. Peter Jacobsen, who was 26 at the time, shot a new course record of 62 in his afternoon round at Argyle. The Washington post reported that Jacobsen said he hit his approach shots close to the hole most of the round making birdie putts inside of 10-feet on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th and on the 9th hole, where he came close to holing his wedge shot. On the back nine, he made short birdie putts on the 12th, 15th, and 16th, and longer putts on the 17th, and the 18th hole where he hit a drive and an 8-iron to complete his record score. The United States Golf Association (USGA) lists the score as tied for the fourth lowest qualifying round score after the 58 (2000), 59 (2005), and 61 (2013) scores that players have shot through the years on Woodmont Country Club's South course in Rockville, as well as the 61s scored at courses in Ohio. At the time, Jacobsen's 62 was tied with one other for the lowest score made during U. S. Open qualifying.[8] Jacobsen was the medalist in the field of 57 with his total of 132 that included a morning round of 70 at Manor. Many of those playing in the sectional had been in town contesting in the just completed Kemper Open. A two-round sum of 144 or better was needed to be one the 13 qualifiers and nine players at that total contended for the last two available spots. The Washington Post article said that the playoff lasted more than three hours and took two days after play was suspended by darkness. Amateur Marty West from Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase was eliminated when he failed to par the first playoff hole, and Henrie deLozier, also from Columbia, was knocked out on the third playoff hole.[9]
Course scorecard[edit]
| Tee | Rating/Slope | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | Men/Women | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4/5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36/37 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4/5 | 35/36 | 71/73 |
| Blue | M:70.4/127 | 408 | 488 | 517 | 317 | 171 | 466 | 188 | 374 | 406 | 3335 | 398 | 320 | 532 | 191 | 333 | 359 | 427 | 179 | 426 | 3165 | 6500 |
| White | M:69.0/125 | 389 | 468 | 500 | 303 | 147 | 415 | 175 | 353 | 392 | 3142 | 389 | 311 | 519 | 165 | 326 | 341 | 416 | 166 | 377 | 3010 | 6152 |
| Handicap | Men | 13 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 17 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 4 | |||
| Red | W:73.2/125 | 373 | 405 | 462 | 293 | 116 | 414 | 150 | 338 | 369 | 2920 | 373 | 295 | 501 | 154 | 318 | 326 | 392 | 102 | 403 | 2864 | 5784 |
| Handicap | Women | 7 | 15 | 1 | 11 | 17 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 16 |
Notable members[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Argyle Country Club - Our Story". ArgyleCC.net. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Our story page of the club's website
- ↑ Cornish, Goeffrey; Whitten, Ronald (1981). The Golf Course. Rutledge Press. ISBN 978-0062700827. Search this book on
- ↑ "The Lost Courses of the Capital Area". nineteen45.com. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cornish, Goeffrey; Whitten, Ronald (1993). The Architects of Golf. Rutledge Press. ISBN 978-0-06-270082-7. Search this book on
- ↑ "MCG Golf Courses - Sligo Creek". MCG Golf. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ↑ "Argyle Country Club Topo Map in Montgomery County MD". TOPOZONE. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ↑ "118th U.S. Open Championship Record Book Shinnecock Hills Golf Club Southampton, N.Y." (PDF). USGA.org. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ↑ Addie, Bob (3 June 1980). "62 by Jacobsen Jars Argyle". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
External links[edit]
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