USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of the Forest Lake Club, 1882-1932 > Part 13
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GOLF
Only a few of the present members of our Club realize that golf was played there on an eight-hole course in the summer of 1899 when the game was in its infancy in this country. This course was, to be sure, a very primitive one and was laid out almost entirely within the Club House enclosure but was over 1,300 yards in length. The work was begun on July 13th, 1899, after the hay had been cut and permission had been granted to several enthusiastic young people who were looking for exercise and a first hand knowledge of this game. The first work was done by Elmer Gregor, George Kelly and Everett
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HISTORY OF THE FOREST LAKE CLUB
Gould, assisted materially and sentimentally by sev- eral of the fairer sex and in about one week six holes were in a playable condition.
On August 8th, 1899, the first meeting of the Forest Lake Golf Club was held, a constitution was adopted and the following officers elected:
PRESIDENT-George M. D. Kelly
VICE-PRESIDENT-Edith I. Williams
SECRETARY AND TREASURER-Elmer R. Gregor
GREENS COMMITTEE-Loton H. Slawson and Everett W. Gould.
Two men and a team were then employed and the work was pushed so that the course was soon enjoyed by many of the members and guests and on Labor Day, September 4th, a tournament was held at which time a pewter cup was presented by Mr. Avis to the winner, Dr. Gould. It must be conceded that any- one who was familiar with the many natural hazards in the form of stubble, stone walls, roads and orchard trees had a decided advantage.
As this course completely surrounded the Club House and in many places came dangerously close to it, there was at once much justifiable criticism and well founded fear that serious casualties would re- sult. The seventh fairway began down in the corner of the orchard and lay between Mr. Gregor's cot- tage and the Club House both of which were not infrequently bombarded by stray balls. Russell was a babe in arms and at times in a carriage so that his life was in a particularly precarious state. No one
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FOREST LAKE CLUB
6
GOLF COURSE
+
1899
- N
SCALE
5
100 YARDS-
7
8
1
-
(CORNER
2
WOOD
VEĆATADLE GARDEN
-
"OLD DECKERS MILLS ROAD
.12. -
GOLF COURSE. 1899
SPORTS AND PASTIMES
was, therefore, greatly surprised when Dr. Hadden ordered that the course be plowed up and abandoned, but the minutes of the fall meeting of the Board re- cord the fact that the Golf Committee had the temerity to write a letter of protest against such unwarranted action on the part of the officers. One can well imagine the dismay and indignation of the golfers. What had happened to the Corilla Bowling Club when its roof was blown off could with some justice be attributed to an act of Providence, but the plowing up of a golf links was such a palpable act of desecration that it could have been thought noth- ing less than the work of evil spirits.
How little did the directing authorities of The Forest Lake Club, as diagnosticians, know of this new disease. They did not recognize its chronic na- ture, nor the fact that though there might be periods of remission, it was sure to present recurrences some- times in the form of active delirium. And so what happened was that it smouldered for a time and then flamed forth again.
The original Forest Lake Golf Club found its champion in the person of Benjamin A. Williams who, at a meeting of the Directors on April 20th, 1900, requested that accommodation for golf be made for the coming season. This was referred to the Executive Committee. It was also moved that the Clerk be requested to write to all members of the Club, and others interested in golf, inviting them to meet members of the Committee to devise ways and
7
HISTORY OF THE FOREST LAKE CLUB
means for the establishment of a suitable golf links on the grounds of the Club. On June 11th, 1900, it was ordered that the field east of the Marshall cot- tage (the present Archer cottage) and the north- eastern portion of the Club House enclosure and such portion of Mount Ogden as might be desired, be placed at the disposal of the Committee on Sports and Games for the purpose of establishing golf links and such other pastimes as might be proper and suit- table. Nothing came of the suggestion, however, as in all probability it was considered highly impractical to attempt to lay out a course on the land offered.
The objection to a golf course in such close prox- imity to the Club House was so deeply rooted in the minds of many members that no one dared for many years to suggest that a golf course be built on the clearing where it is now found. In fact, when golf enthusiasts began to urge the building of a course many years afterward, the desirability of purchasing Barclow's farm, three miles away, was seriously con- sidered.
In the summer of 1915, sixteen long years after the first attempt to introduce the game at Forest Lake, decided action was finally taken when the President, Mr. Weston, and the other officers of the Club responded nobly to the entreaties of the golf enthusiasts, for it was then realized that the future of the Club depended largely upon the construction of a golf course which could be conveniently reached by members. The enclosure in front of the Club
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FOREST LAKE CLUB
GOLF COURSE
1915
SCALE
-100 YARDS
3
C
184 YDS
2)
141 YDS
207 YDS
145 YDS
275 YDS
-5,
3
195 YDS
241
YDS
3
VOLD DECHENE MILLS ROAD
GOLF COURSE.
1915
0
8
C
250 YDS
CORNER
7
WOOD
v-
SPORTS AND PASTIMES
House and the clearing outside, which had been used for years as a garden, was then turned over to the Golf Committee with the understanding that the con- struction of the course and its maintenance should be financed entirely by the Golf Committee. Frank L. Dyer was Chairman of that committee and the other members were John F. Honness, William L. De Bost, Andrew Morrison and Everett W. Gould, who acted as Secretary and Treasurer of the committee. Vol- untary subscriptions were asked from the members of the Club and during that fall and the following spring $1,637.00 was collected and spent in the con- struction of the nine-hole course which formed the basis of the one which is used today.
No one unfamiliar with the physical condition of the Club grounds at that time can imagine the diffi- culties which were encountered in clearing the fair- ways and constructing the greens. Much credit should be given to A. L. Bishop, at that time super- intendent of the Club, who entered enthusiastically into the construction of the golf grounds under the direction of the Golf Committee. For two weeks after Labor Day, 1915, Herbert Brown and Dr. Gould remained at the Club and personally labored with the superintendent and his crew constructing the greens and fairways which were put into a play- able but crude condition for use during the summer of 1916.
The money that was subscribed, together with the greens fees collected during the first year, left the
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committee with a balance of over $100.00 at the end of the 1916 season. The Golf Committee has been practically self-supporting since that time, although the Club has always generously assisted the Commit- tee by boarding laborers, furnishing teams and giv- ing other material assistance when needed. Several members also have freely given their money, time and labor toward extensions and improvements in which they were particularly interested.
Numerous changes have been made in the course as originally laid out in 1915. At that time the clearing in front of the cliff upon which the third and fifth tees are now placed was a dense woods filled with rocks and boulders, but there was prac- tically no soil. It required months of hard labor during the years 1922, 1923 and 1924 to convert that small tract into playable golf grounds. The stones required for building the De Bost and Liv- ingston cottages were furnished without appreciably diminishing the supply. The large stone bunkers were constructed after hundreds of loads had been removed and the whole area was covered by tons of dirt drawn in during the next few years.
As will be seen by reference to the original scheme of the golf grounds, the land made available by the clearing under the cliff afforded an opportunity to radically change the layout of the course and it was largely due to Frank L. Dyer's vision that the crossing of the third and sixth fairways was avoided. When the fourth green was placed between the big
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SPORTS AND PASTIMES
stone bunkers under the cliff and the third and fifth tees were placed on top of the cliff in 1923 and 1924, the second fairway was considerably lengthened by placing the second green in its present position. This last work was done largely under the supervision of William Burrows.
The seventh green which was originally in the tri- angle behind the second tee and between the two roads, with a large elm tree on its lower edge, was found to be in an awkward position and in the sum- mer of 1928 was reconstructed in its present position under the supervision of Joe Van Vleck. The seventh tee was then pushed back in the woods about fifteen yards to avoid shortening the hole. The seventh fairway was again lengthened in 1930 by placing the tee farther back in the woods, as at present located.
When the changes were made in 1924 the original third green became the fifth green and was used as such till 1928 when the present fifth green was con- structed and the fifth fairway was widened by cut- ting out the woods to the east. The original fifth green was entirely abandoned with the changes in 1924 and the green which then became the fifth was later abandoned when the present fifth green was constructed.
The present sixth fairway has undergone several changes. The Decker's Mills Road ran just outside a stone wall which was near the middle of the present fairway. In order to gain more land for the golf
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course and at the same time to eliminate the intrusion of strangers, the public road was moved several rods to the east during the year 1929 under the efficient supervision of Harry Livingston. The sixth tee which had been on top of a large pile of stones at the edge of the woods was moved farther north and the fairway widened. The fairway was again lengthened by moving the sixth tee to its present position in 1930. The sixth green which was the original fourth green and which was constructed largely under the supervision of Herbert Brown, continued to be used until 1931 when it was aban- doned and became part of the fairway in front of the present sixth green. On account of its position on the farther side of the moderate sized hill it was always a very tricky but attractive green. The large beautiful present sixth green was constructed in the woods beyond the old sixth green under the super- vision of Harry Livingston and William Mansfield during 1930. The old vegetable cellar which served its purpose well during the early days of the Club and which was just to the northeast of the present fourth tee was removed when the present approach to the sixth green was constructed.
In 1929 the extensive improvements of the eighth and ninth fairways and the construction of the eighth green were undertaken and most efficiently carried out under the supervision of Harry Liv- ingston and William Mansfield. The original eighth green was within the walled enclosure of the Club
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FOREST LAKE CLUB
GOLF COURSE .
1932
SCALE
100 TARDS
2
O
350 YDS
184YDS
CORNER
1
.
171 YDS
YDS
196
358 YDS
421 YDE
GOLF COURSE. 1932
261 YDS
213 YDS
SGI YDS
SPORTS AND PASTIMES
grounds and a few yards to the south of the old gate- way leading to the original pathway to Corilla. The ninth tee was then on top of the stone wall behind and to the west of the eighth green. A tremendous amount of work was necessary to place the eighth green in its present beautiful setting and an equally big job was accomplished when the present ninth fairway was constructed.
During the fall of 1931 our Superintendent, Frank Dexter, under the supervision of Harry Livingston, William Mansfield, and Joe Van Vleck, scooped away the old ninth green which had served its purpose for so many years and used this soil to reconstruct the present green with its beautiful and artistic setting ready for use in the late summer of 1932.
GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT
The Forest Lake Club has always been a rendez- vous and a happy one for children. Here they have been free from many of the restrictions that neces- sarily pertain to summer hotel life and with so much space in which to roam about and play have seldom been troublesome to the older guests. Rainy days have sometimes proved exceptions, but allowances must be made not only for the children but for the older folks as well, shut indoors as they are on these occasions.
Many will recall with pleasure the children's par- ties which for so many years were given by Mrs. Davidson (Aunt Tillie of Callicoon, she called her-
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HISTORY OF THE FOREST LAKE CLUB
self) and later were carried on by Mrs. Baird and then by Belle Archer (Aunt Mame and Aunt Belle) . Sometimes the parties were held in the grove near the bathing beach, at other times in the Club House parlor. Mr. Avis so well described these happy occa- sions in one of his poems, that a few verses are here set down.
Every year she had a party All the children were invited. Aunt Tillie knew her business, And not a kid was slighted.
All rigged for the occasion
Aunt Tillie would appear, In dress of figured calico And comical headgear.
Then to the front and center
While leaning on her cane, She made the children welcome In her usual happy vein.
The gifts were then presented
To all the girls and boys. A bountiful selection was Aunt Tillie's stock of toys.
There would always be a song by Aunt Tillie, perhaps some songs and recitations by the children, followed by games and then-grand climax-the refreshments.
For a number of years past, the children at the Club have been encouraged to interest themselves in the study of the trees, flowers and shrubs, and prizes have been awarded annually for the best collection
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"AUNT TILLIE" OF CALLICOON
SPORTS AND PASTIMES
and classification of leaves and flowers. In order to assist the children in this activity a number of books on botanical subjects have been placed in the Club's library.
While there had been for many years a library of sorts at the Club, it was so small and unofficial that the name "Library" scarcely applied; but at a meet- ing of the Board on August 17th, 1915, a resolution was passed that "a library be founded at the Club and that the Secretary be instructed to write to the members of the Club requesting that they send to Mr. William T. Lahey any books they may wish to donate." This request was very quickly and liberally responded to, a "Library Committee" was formed and, under the Chairmanship of Mrs. Safford K. Colby, the library was soon established.
In 1920, and still under the direction of Mrs. Colby, the library was completely refurnished, new bookshelves were installed and our "Reading Room" made decidedly attractive.
The Library Committee is granted an annual ap- propriation of $25.00 with which to buy new books, besides which, there are always a number donated by the members. At the present time there are close to a thousand volumes, ranging over a wide field of literary tastes and including about four hundred and fifty children's books.
For several years past, Mrs. William C. Mansfield has officiated as Chairman of the Library Committee and it is due to her zeal in the work that this addi-
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HISTORY OF THE FOREST LAKE CLUB
tional means of entertaining our members and guests has been so successful.
The first committee organized for the entertain- ment of guests was called the Committee on Sports and Pastimes of which George N. Williams, Jr., was chairman. This was in 1900 and very little is found recorded of its activities. In 1906 it became known as the Entertainment Committee and Frank David- son was its first chairman. Since then it has con- tinued to function under various leaders.
One of the important duties of the committee is to arrange for the winter dinners which have been held each season at one of the hotels in New York for a great many years, with but a few exceptions. The dinner usually takes place in March and is in the nature of a get-together party, looking forward to the coming summer season at the Club. At the present time, dancing, motion pictures of fishing, water sports and other Club activities of our mem- bers follow the gastronomic exercises and the occa- sion is looked forward to with much anticipation.
Week-end entertainment, during the season, was not so regularly furnished in the early days as it is now, although in 1909 it is recorded that a young lady was engaged for the season at a salary of $75.00 a month to furnish entertainment and music. It is assumed that dancing by the guests constituted part of the program, possibly varied with vocal and in- strumental selections.
For many years now, during July, August and
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OLD TIME PICNIC AT WOLF
SPORTS AND PASTIMES
part of September, week-end dances have been the custom, in addition to such special occasions as the Fourth of July and Labor Day. In 1921, at a com- plimentary dinner given to the retiring President, Mr. Weston, there was inaugurated what has since been known as the "President's Dance." This is held usually on the Saturday before Labor Day and is the outstanding entertainment of the season. A costume ball held about the middle of August is also a gala occasion and one that must be witnessed to appreciate to what heights the Forest Lake folks can rise in the matter of original and beautiful costumes. For some years past these special dances have been conducted under the able direction of Dr. Gaines and credit is due him for their great success.
When it came to providing some unique or espe- cially enjoyable form of entertainment for the Club members, the Archer family could always be de- pended upon to successfully carry out the project. The famous "circus" in the summer of 1906 is still a pleasantly reminiscent subject of conversation among the old-timers and the amateur plays fur- nished many an evening of real enjoyment.
The Entertainment Committee plans the Labor Day baseball game which invariably ends in a riot and the near death of the umpire. It also directs the water sports held on the afternoon of that day. On the Saturday preceding Labor Day the last of the golf tournaments is held and this day also witnesses the tennis finals.
HISTORY OF THE FOREST LAKE CLUB
And now the summer season is nearly over. The Labor Day dance is taking place and during an inter- mission the season's champions in sports are awarded the prizes amid much applause; then-"on with the dance"-until the curfew tolls at midnight. Cur- tain!
The morrow will see a sad procession winding through the gates. Most of them are going home to rest.
WINTER SPORTS
Until a few years ago very few of our members 'visited the Club in winter. Inadequate heating and water supply in the Club House and poor road con- ditions largely contributed to this hiatus of winter visitors. All three of these difficulties, however, have been largely overcome and it is now a comparatively simple thing for one to drop in for a few days' visit.
Howard Van Vleck has been the pioneer in the en- deavor, during the last three or four years, to estab- lish winter sports at the Club, and several of these parties have been very successful. To give our mem- bers, and especially the younger ones, an idea of what this new Club activity has in store for them if they will avail themselves of it, the writer quotes a recent communication from Mr. Van Vleck:
"I have spent part of four Christmas seasons at the Club and one Washington's Birthday and have al- ways found the house most comfortable, and the
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WINTER SCENE
SPORTS AND PASTIMES
table service as varied and satisfying as we find it at the height of the summer season.
"Skating is usually at its best during Christmas week before the heavy winter snowfall, but after that the wealth of possibilities for snowshoeing and skiing is unlimited.
"The slopes of the golf course afford ideal condi- tions for the novice while the fire trails and woods create a wonderful field of endeavor for those who feel more certain of their balance.
"One thing to bear in mind is that the comfort capacity of the Club House necessarily limits the number of guests so that you can always find great open spaces to practice the very fine art of falling without the applause of an appreciative gallery.
"As we all know, the Club is a delightful spot dur- ing the summer months, but it is fascinating in an entirely different manner when the trees are merely a pattern of branches and the ground is covered with snow.
"When popular acclaim demands and warrants it, the possibilities for developed sports such as tobog- ganing and skiing on special slides leave little to be desired, and then of course it will be an easy matter to keep a portion of the ice open for use all through the winter."
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XVI
OUR MEMBERSHIP
I
'T has been thought that it might be of interest to include among our topics, that of membership; to tell something of the Club's ideals in this regard, and to show how it has endeavored to carry them out through all these years. Not that the eligibility requirements have at any time been made difficult, but there have always been maintained, as prime requisites, certain standards of responsibility and good conduct.
The Club was founded for its members and their families. It has always been in the best sense of the term a "family club" as distinguished from the het- erogeneous nature and sometimes other unpleasant characteristics of the ordinary "country club," al- though we are not behind the times in the enjoyment of many improvements and luxuries of which our Club progenitors never dreamed.
Our first membership list included thirty names, many of which are still carried on our present roll by their sons and grandsons. And while it may be true that new blood is needed from time to time, we would be very loath to lose the old. In fact, as it stands, we are in slight danger in this respect when we can point to eight former members, the direct
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16 76 6. 7stansfield
PRESIDENT OF THE FOREST LAKE CLUB. 1932
OUR MEMBERSHIP
descendants of whom are now occasionally repre- sented at the Club by the fourth generation. These members were: Benjamin A. Williams, George N. Williams, Sr., Joseph Van Vleck, Francis Lahey, James A. Frame, John Graham, George B. Pelham and William A. Avis.
The first Membership Committee was appointed at the first Directors' meeting on August 7th, 1882, and consisted of Dr. Alexander Hadden, Edward G. Black, Dr. James V. S. Wooley and Robert Betty, re- spectively, the President, the Vice-President, the Clerk and the Treasurer.
The by-laws of The Forest Lake Club, or as it was called in the early days, The Forest Lake Association, were first printed and published in 1885. In them is found no rule as to the eligibility of members, but article XV of the by-laws as amended and published in 1920, states that "Any person of good moral char- acter shall be eligible for membership," and it is assumed that this simple but definite prerequisite was the eligibility rule unwritten but understood by the founders. The further conditions to be observed by a prospective candidate for membership, such as the form of application, endorsement by proposer and seconder, the securing of an option to purchase a share of stock where regular membership is sought, etc., are governed by practically the same rulings as those found in the by-laws of 1885.
It cannot with justice be claimed that membership in the Club has always been at a premium, much as
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HISTORY OF THE FOREST LAKE CLUB
we may exalt its privileges. And, especially in the earlier years, when the financial sledding was hard, there was a constant demand for new members, though the bars were at no time let down. In Oc- tober, 1882, it was resolved to solicit associate mem- bers. These associate memberships were to be allowed to be turned in by the original subscribers in lieu of payment for their stock subscriptions, or stock subscriptions could be paid for in installments as the Board might direct. The first associate member, A. Wright Saltus, was elected November 20th, 1882, and, following his election, no record is found, nor mention made of any other memberships of this kind until February, 1901, nearly twenty years later. Mr. Saltus became a regular member in April, 1883. This long interval, when apparently no attempt was made to solicit associate members may be explained by the fact that in March, 1883, the capital stock was increased by seventy shares, so that regular member- ships were more easily obtained, and of course were more desirable for the interests of the Club. This plan worked out so satisfactorily that within a few months after the above date there were fifty-one regular members on the rolls. In February, 1901, however, the Board passed a resolution allowing the acceptance of associate members and making both men and women eligible to such membership.
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