Swinging COURTESY FRIEL MANAGEMENT 80 Years Making and Remaking Coonamessett Golf BY LES GARRICK

hen , Casper’s team in an 18-hole bet Arnold Palmer $50 that the reigning US best-ball competition, in which the pro would not par the WOpen and Masters the team member with the hole. According to Hatchville Tournament Champion, lowest score posts the team’s resident and Coonamessett launched his drive at the par 72 score for that hole. golfer William Orsi, who Coonamessett , the Clauson, a large man with witnessed the event, Palmer soaring white ball carried the big ideas and an ego to match, then asked Clauson if he would aspirations of club president, predicted that this event would like to double that bet if he Harvey G. Clauson Jr. On that establish Clauson’s Inn and made birdie. Clauson agreed, warm, humid August 13 in Country Club, run by his Palmer birdied the hole and 1960, in the bucolic village of brother Donald Clauson, as one Clauson paid him $100. Hatchville, Palmer, Billy of the leading golfing centers in In 1960 this golf course Casper, the 1959 US Open New England. was an integral and successful winner, and some regional During the round, on the par part of an inland resort on COURTESY GARETH JENNINGS. talent were playing an afternoon 4 365-yard 14th hole, known the northern end of 158-acre Coonamessett Club circa early 1940s. exhibition match before a crowd as “the volcano” because of Coonamessett Pond. Harvey G. Top: Newly restored hole number 9 showing water hazard. of 2,000. Palmer’s team beat its elevated green, Clauson Clauson Sr. had purchased the

30 | IN SEASON Enterprise Newspapers • May 2011 COURTESY HARVEY G. CLAUSON, JR. Clauson’s Inn and Country Club brochure cover.

At left: Arnold Palmer (5th from left) and (3rd from left) and others with Harvey G. Clauson, Jr. (6th from left) at an exhibition on August 13, 1960 held at Clauson’s Inn and Country Club.

COURTESY HARVEY G. CLAUSON, JR.

32-year-old resort in June 1957 According to George and foremost the product of from the Coonamessett Ranch Clauson, his father, Harvey beautiful pieces of ground.” Company, a land venture of the Clauson Jr., had earlier paid Tom Doak, “The Anatomy of a family circle of the late Charles Palmer and Casper each $1,000 Golf Course.” 1992. R. Crane begun in 1916. to appear for this exhibition, but Coonamessett golf course Mr. Clauson was well known the financially successful pair was laid out in 1928 and 1929, nationally. As recently as 1956 tried to buy their way out of toward the end of the first golf he owned the Blue Hill Country the engagement. The two pros boom of the 20th century;

Club, the site of the PGA were held to the commitment the second was in the 1980s. COURTESY DONNA JEWETT championship. The purchase, and thus the Palmer - Casper Aristocrat Devereux Emmet Some of the Dupee family golfing, circa 1950s. in aggregate about 400 acres, exhibition match became the and English immigrant Alfred included the golf course and most newsworthy event staged Horace Tull, both of New the Coonamessett Inn, as well on this course in its then 31- York, designed the course. Tull as a motel on the north side of year history. and his local helpers relied on the natural setting, the rolling landscape, with a few hills, overlooking Coonamessett Pond and the abundant stands of pines. Among those pines Tull set the greens, well- guarded with sand traps. Fortunately, the sandy loam drains well but retains enough moisture to support healthy fairway grass. The first nine holes, which opened in the summer of 1928, started near the Coonames- sett Inn, then the only resort building, which also served as a COURTESY GARETH JENNINGS pro-shop. To accommodate the middle-class summer vacation- Above: Falmouth Playhouse. ers who weren’t able to pay stiff annual dues, the greens fee was At right: Ruins of the Falmouth a reasonable $1.50. The second Playhouse, which burned on nine holes at Coonamessett February 28, 1994. were carved out of pine and scrub oak in the fall of 1929 so COURTESY DANIEL SMALL that play could begin on July 1, 1930. It included a limited fairway irrigation system, which Route 151 and all of the guest Coonamessett still pumps water from a pipe cottages. Tragically, Harvey extending into Coonamessett COURTESY HARVEY G. CLAUSON, JR. G. Clauson Sr. died as a result Ranch Company Pond. The new first hole was Harvey G. Clauson, Jr. with friend. The Indian logo was adopted of a fire in his home in the Years: 1925 to 1957 adjacent to the new clubhouse, by the Coonamessett Resort in the 1940s, supposedly to reflect Maravista section of Falmouth which had a lounge and show- the Algonquin word “Coonamessett,” which is said to mean “place in May 1958. “Most great courses are first ers. A new road approached the where large fish are found.”

31 | IN SEASON Enterprise Newspapers • May 2011 New and current clubhouse exterior.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LES GARRICK Rolling landscape and pines of Cape Cod Country Club.

At left: New and current clubhouse interior. Building was moved from Coonamessett Pond side to its present location during the Clauson years.

clubhouse from County Road economic conditions during Reservation, recreation for same year they built on golf part of an outstanding resort, (Boxberry Hill Road). Later it the 1930s, the Coonamessett both enlisted personnel and course land the Coonamessett Coonamessett golf course had would also be the entrance to Resort was hopping. There was officers became an important Club, a barn-like recreation the aroma of exclusivity. the parking lot for the Coon- polo every Sunday at 4 PM at social concern as well as a facility with dance floor/ During the 1940s, according amessett Club and its successor, the only polo grounds on Cape business opportunity. The skating rink, bowling alleys, to Bradford J. Faxon, his father, the Falmouth Playhouse. Cod. And yet, in 1939, the Coonamessett Resort was game room, dining room and the late Raymond Faxon, The most picturesque greens fee was only $2. ready for them: in February lounge. The club became the leased the golf course from the hole, the new 145-yard 9th, Transportation to Hatchville 1941 John O. Crane and his new golf course headquarters. Coonamessett Ranch Co. as a demanded calm nerves to shoot improved in June 1940 with a sister Frances Anita Crane, Club members would also be business venture. Before that, from a small, slightly elevated new three-lane road between the owners, built 25 cottages able to use the other resort Ray and his brother George ran tee, over a wetland between North Falmouth and Sandwich along both sides of Boxberry facilities such as golf (including caddie camps at Coonamessett Round Pond and Coonamessett Road. As thousands of trainees Hill Road. These were rented a night driving range), tennis, and at Woods Hole Golf Pond to a sloping green flocked to the expanded initially to military officers and dining. Because of its Club where he later became a guarded by three sand traps. Massachusetts Military and later to vacationers. In the superb location and being member. Faxon, a successful At the time a writer for The Falmouth Enterprise said that this was “a truly championship course sporty enough for the man who plays in the low 80s— and yet pleasant and practicable for the novice.” As the Coonamessett resort matured, nearby farms provided fine produce and dairy. To the west of the resort, until 1935, Brae Burn Farms had its headquarters on the corner of Hatchville and Boxberry Hill roads. Thereafter, Hjalmar Jensen, who purchased 100 acres of Brae Burn land, farmed from 1936 to 1953. His wife, Betty Jensen, operated a bed and breakfast at the farmhouse LES GARRICK LES GARRICK where some Coonamessett Relocating sand traps to pre-World War II position on Hole 9. Aerating the greens with a machine that leaves plugs. This is done Inn waitstaff lived during the to loosen compacted soil to make more room for and increasing summer. oxygen to the roots. It usually takes a couple weeks for the holes Despite the abysmal to fill in and grow over.

32 | IN SEASON Enterprise Newspapers • May 2011 financier and public utility The current clubhouse, a Steps Realty Trust. Steps sold trimmed. executive, is remembered for his rustic structure, was once a the golf course in September Scott McNeil commented generous donations to several building called “the snackery,” 1977 to John Gilgun of Woburn on their rather ambitious plans Falmouth institutions. used for parties and clambakes and golf professional Ernest in these challenging economic During World War II the on the shore of Coonamessett Doherty, who renamed the times: “The course is making Coonamessett golf course Pond. It was moved by the course Cape Cod Country Club. money but not as much as we sponsored fundraising Clausons in three parts and The new owners invested in new would like; as a result, plans for tournaments to support Army reassembled at the site of a fire- machinery and upgraded the a new irrigation system are on Emergency Relief, a charity to damaged clubhouse. antiquated electrical controls in hold.” help soldiers and their families Golf courses are not static. the pump house. John Munroe, head in financial need. After the Course managers try to Doherty built a condominium professional and general war the Coonamessett Club balance beauty with a layout on Boxberry Hill Road near the manager, reflected on the past became a veterans’ convalescent that rewards a good shot and 16th green in 1982. To keep golf two years: “Golf took a big hit and recreation facility and punishes a poor one, while balls from hitting the dwelling the adjacent golf course still meeting demanding he erected a large net and was available to aid in the maintenance requirements. shortened the par four 16th hole Golf courses are rehabilitation of wounded GIs. For example, when technology to a par 3, so that the course In 1949 the Coonamessett produced better clubs and more now plays at par 71. not static. Club was transformed into lively golf balls, players began the air-conditioned, 650-seat to hit longer shots. As a result, Friel Years: Course managers Falmouth Playhouse, with a hole yardage was lengthened restaurant and a bar. Summer by moving back the tee box. 1985 to present try to balance stock talent frequently rubbed According to George Clauson, In 1985 Cape Cod Country beauty shoulders with local diners head pro from 1971 through Club was sold to Green and many played the course 1978, during the Clauson years Meadow Golf Club (Hudson, with with local golfers. Michael Van almost every tee was rebuilt. New Hampshire) Inc., owned Cleve, who has been employed The most radical change by Phil Friel, a New England a layout at the course since 1976, to the course was made to PGA Hall-of-Famer, a golf recalled a young John Travolta the iconic par 3 ninth hole. course designer and lifelong that rewards playing the course and David David Mauk, who was course friend of Ernie Doherty. Friel McCallum pitching a tent with superintendent for four decades, immediately improved the a good shot his family near the 18th hole. described the change: “The drainage on the 7th hole and and punishes Post war, new opportunities wetland (a bog) in front of had the golf cart paths paved. came to the Coonamessett Golf the tee was dug out so that a Scott McNeil, general a poor one, Club as the Treadway Company, water hazard was created when manager of Friel Golf then the resort’s manager, lured Coonamessett Pond water Management Co. Inc., recalled while still meeting the high-profile Massachusetts rushed into Round Pond until in 2011: “After the Falmouth State Open there from 1955 the levels were the same.” Playhouse burned in 1994 Phil demanding through 1957. The par 5 sixth hole was bought two lots to add parking said by a Falmouth Enterprise as well as a practice green and maintenance Clauson Years: reporter to “strike terror in pitching area.” After Friel died requirements. 1957 to 1977 strong men’s hearts” because a in 1999 the responsibility for 20-foot deep gully crossed the Cape Cod Country Club passed As demand increased in the fairway about 120 yards from to his children. during this deep recession and it 1960s new golf courses were the green. George Clauson “Course maintenance lets is slow to recover, everywhere.” developed near Clauson’s explained the player’s choice: me work with Mother Nature, Meanwhile, a more upbeat Golf Resort. A challenging “The ravine made players a constant challenge,” said McNeil said: “We have nine-hole course, played as 18 decide whether they could hit Michael Vancleave, speaking to embarked on an aggressive holes, called the Falcon, and their second shot over it or lay the author. marketing campaign to attract now run by George Clauson, up, making their third shot that “First we’re going to aerate golfers to what we consider was built on the Massachusetts much longer.” The ravine was the greens and make them a great golfing experience Military Reservation; the filled in 1963. healthy again; change their for the money. Our fees are Falmouth Country Club, which Despite those cosmetic watering pattern and over five positioned in the middle of the is today owned by the Town changes, the course was years get rid of that nasty thatch. competition.” of Falmouth, began play in welcoming for both men and Then we are going to make the Cape Cod Country Club is 1965; and in 1968 Paul Harney women. Carolyn Moulton, sand traps the way they were serene. You can actually hear opened an 18-hole, 65-acre past president of the Cape Cod before World War II, and cut the birds calling among the “executive course” less than a Women’s Golf League, and some trees that have grown pines and the clack of golf club mile away. Clauson’s, however, women’s golf champion at the over the fairways and obscured on ball. It is so peaceful because was different. Many golfing Coonamessett course from some of the traps. It’s going to it is surrounded by thousands groups booked rooms and 1991 to 1993, played the course be attractive and challenging,” of acres of open space and cottages and ate and drank at regularly from 1972 through said Cape Cod Country Club conservation lands, and adjacent Clauson’s Inn. And the cost to 1993. “The Coonamessett course superintendent Mark E. to a large pond. Even so, this golf was relatively low: In 1966 course is very comforting and McEachern in 2007. golf course is not isolated the greens fees were $5 on fits my 10-handicap game well,” McEachern accomplished historically or ecologically. weekends and $4 at other times. she recalled. this makeover by referring to These 148 acres, adjacent to Unlike private courses, the 60-year-old aerial photographs one of Falmouth’s wellheads, varied nature of Clauson’s Gilgun and Doherty and property maps as well are part of a vital green corridor operation made it difficult Years: 1977 to 1985 as newspaper articles and that extends north along the to close the course to golfers advertisements, but without the Buzzards Bay Moraine and then for three-to-four day state In May 1977 M. Elizabeth benefit of the original plans. To eastward to Waquoit Bay. tournaments. They did, Clauson, widow of Harvey G. date, the greens are healthy, the Reprinted from the Enterprise however, regularly host several Clauson Sr., sold the resort, sand traps have been redone Newspapers InSeason Supplement � Cape Cod tournaments. including the golf course, to on nine holes and many trees Summer 2011

33 | IN SEASON Enterprise Newspapers • May 2011