By 1914, there was mounting pressure to create more spaces to play golf. A series of meetings took place to study the establishment of a new club west of downtown Minneapolis. In early 1916, 30 of the original planners lead by C. A. Tardiff met to formally consider organizing a new golf club. A 133 acre site bisected by Bassett Creek and consisting of pasture land, corn fields, and over grown swampy land was purchased for a price of $500 per acre. A 9-hole course was fashioned out of the land north of the railroad tracks and play commenced shortly thereafter. With 128 members, the club was officially incorporated as the Minneapolis Golf Club.
The club’s first crisis came quickly. An 18 hole golf course designed by famous Scottish golf champion, Willie Park, was planned for St. Louis Park. The price of the land was cheap, and the owner offered to finance both the land and the construction of the course. This proposition was presented to the members, and vigorous debate ensued. A solid majority of the members favored a move. Minneapolis Golf Club moved to St. Louis Park in the fall of 1916, and the remaining majority group of members formed Golden Valley Golf Club in December.
The Club entered the roaring 20’s with exuberance. The golf course had been expanded to 18 holes. Membership was strong, and a new clubhouse had been constructed. But the time had come to address weaknesses in the golf course. A.W. Tillinghast, the designer of Winged Foot and self-proclaimed “creator of Baltusrol”, was in Rochester, Minnesota for the christening of his first grandchild. He was persuaded to visit Golden Valley and examined the property. He immediately saw the possibilities of a great golf course and agreed to make a proposal for a major renovation of the course. This proposal was accepted in 1926. Design and construction of the course took three years. Membership grew to 425 and the Club was poised for the future. Then, the bottom fell through. . .
The Depression took its toll on Golden Valley. By the end of the 1934, only 188 members remained. A small group of wealthy members kept the Club alive. Austin Cargill gave the Club $100,000 loan, but this was written off at the time of his death. No interest was ever paid. Golden Valley Golf Club went into bankruptcy in 1940.
A group of members formed Golden Valley Associates and purchased the property out of receivership. New management brought stability to the Club and membership was again on the rise. Dissent began to be heard concerning the difficulty of the bunkers. In 1943, the Board voted to modify the bunkers on holes 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 12, and 13. (Further softening of the course would occur in the 60’s) After the end of WWII, costs began to rise. By 1950, the Club had over 300 members, but was facing another financial crisis.
A group of 10 Shriners, acting as individuals, purchased the Club in 1950. New articles restricted membership to “persons in good standing in the ancient Arabic order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine”. The fifty remaining non-Shriner members were allowed to keep non-voting memberships. Golden Valley continued as a “Shriner’s” club until 1971. The expectation that a club exclusively for Shriners would draw members from across the Twin Cities failed to materialize. In order to increase membership, the Club’s requirements dropped all references to “Shriners”. At the same time, it also changed its name to Golden Valley Country Club.
Recognizing the value and richness of Tillinghast original course design, the Club embarked on a nature restoration project in 1998. All possible efforts were made to restore the course to its original design. The results would make Tillinghast proud. The word “golf” has been put back in the Golden Valley Golf and Country Club name. A new clubhouse overlooking the Tillinghast masterpiece was dedicated in 2002.
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