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1. Club History – First 100 Clubs in America

Saint Louis Country Club is recognized by the United States Golf Association as one of the first 100 clubs in America. It was founded in 1892 as a club exclusively for polo. The club moved three years later to a site in Clayton where they hired James Foulis, champion of the 1896 U.S. Open, to build a nine-hole course. The club moved further west near Ladue and Price Road to accommodate an 18-hole course, and golf chairman George Herbert Walker hired Charles Blair Macdonald for the design work.

2. Designer – Charles Blair Macdonald

Charles Blair Macdonald was a major figure in early American golf. A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Macdonald was a driving force in the founding of the USGA. His name is behind some of the most famous courses across the country, including the National Golf Links of America, Shinnecock Hills, and Yale Golf Club. Macdonald partnered with Seth Raynor in the design of Saint Louis Country Club, which opened in 1914, making it one of the few Macdonald-Raynor courses in the world.

3. Site of the 1947 U.S. Open

Lew Worsham defeated Sam Snead in a playoff to win the 1947 U.S. Open at St. Louis Country Club. Worsham shot 70 Thursday and Friday and a pair of 71s on the weekend to get in at 2-under. Snead needed a birdie on the 72nd hole to tie Worsham and force a playoff the next day. He hit his approach to 20-feet and converted to tie Worsham at 2-under overall. On Monday, Snead led Worsham by three strokes with three to play in the playoff. A birdie by Worsham on the 16th and a bogey by Snead on the 17th had things all tied up headed to the 90th hole.

Both players put it middle of the fairway and Snead’s approach was pin-high 15-feet left of the hole. Worsham was long and found himself on the back apron of the green with a chip coming. He hit the pin and the ball rolled 29 inches away. Snead, having his birdie putt to win, left it well short and as he prepared to finish out, Worsham asked an official for a measurement to see who was away. With a tape measure, it was determined to be Snead’s turn after all. Visibly flustered by Worsham’s gamesmanship, Snead missed his 30.5-inch par putt. Worsham rolled in his par save and won the title. Worsham pocketed $2,500 dollars from the win, including the $500 bonus for making a playoff.

4. 2014 Curtis Cup

The 38th Curtis Cup match was contested at St. Louis Country Club June 6-8, 2014. Ellen Port captained the United States team against the team from Great Britain/Ireland. The match went three days with of Foursomes, Four-Ball and Singles matches. First to 10 ½ points won.

The United States team consisted of Kyung Kim, Alison Lee, Erynne Lee, Ally McDonald, Annie Park, Ashlan Ramsey, Mariah Stackhouse and Emma Talley.

The U.S. stormed out to a 3-0 lead in morning Four-ball matches and got two points in the afternoon foursomes to take a 5-1 lead after the first day. Second day of play, the U.S. scored 4 ½ more points in Foursomes and Four-Ball to take a 9 ½ – 2 ½ lead heading into Singles matches.

Emma Talley got the winning points for the U.S. in the first Singles match of the day, defeating Bronte Law 4 and 3. All Singles matches continued on, and the final talley went in the United States’ favor, 13-7.

5. Has Hosted Four USGA Amateur Championships

1921 U.S. Amateur – won by Jesse Guilford

1925 U.S. Women’s Amateur – won by Glenna Collett Vare

1960 U.S. Amateur – won by Deane Beman

1972 U.S. Women’s Amateur – won by Mary Budke

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