by Daniel Punch for the Sarnia Observer
(2012) More than a century of golfing history began modestly in 1907 on property owned by Grand Trunk Railway.
A group of golfers hacked balls through a field near Christina and Exmouth streets onto sandy greens, pulling any weeds that grew around the hole. Players would hang their coats on the nearby Sarnia Woollen Mills sign until one man’s favourite pipe was snatched from his coat pocket, prompting players to organize and build a clubhouse.
The stolen pipe set in motion a series of events. By 1912, the group had formed a club, purchased the Slocum Farm down the road for $2,800 and brought in Toronto professional George Cumming to design a golf course. The course and club have grown and evolved over the years. But 100 years later, the Sarnia Golf and Curling Club still cuts a green space into the local landscape.
“It was kind of a nice, refreshing site to have this green space in the middle of the city,” said Paul Dietz, a club member since 1979 and golf historian.
Straddling the border between Sarnia and Point Edward, the club inevitably shaped the city and village around it. The club predates the Town of Sarnia becoming the City of Sarnia by two years. Names like Mel Hunt and Ross Hayes dominated the early years, while Phil Cote and Johnny Koval traded club championships throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Club players have gone on to play at the U.S. amateur championships and on the Canadian Tour.
“What surprised me was how widespread some of the players have been with their golfing,” said Dietz, who researched the history of the club for its centennial anniversary book.
The club underwent many major facelifts along the way, but perhaps none bigger than in 1960, when the golf club amalgamated with the Sarnia Curling Club. The move solved two problems – the golf club had no winter operations and the curling club was looking to expand – but ignited a half-century of friendly rivalry between the two sports.
Graham Hill, winner of the last six club championships, has recently crossed over onto the ice. “I’m a terrible curler, though,” Hill said with a laugh. Former Canadian junior champion curler Heath McCormick recently told Hill he was gunning for him on the course, looking to own the club championship in both sports.
But not all members of the club are competitive; many come out just for love of the sport and for the social aspect. “It’s a club, and most people treat it as a club and they’re very friendly,” said Hilda Klages, a member since 1946. “There were a lot of great parties in the old clubhouse.”
At 91, Klages is the club’s oldest active female member, and still plays a couple times a week. Her memories from 66 years of membership range from Peggy Stevenson’s legendary pecan pies, to an ongoing uphill battle with the inclined 17th hole.
One thing to elude Klages is a long sought-after ace.
“I’m still trying for my first hole in one,” she said, “and I expect to get that on (hole) number seven one of these days.”