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WORCESTER WEEKLY A Worcester Country Club Communication
WORCESTER CC PREPARES TO BID FOR 2025 SOLHEIM CUP BY BILL DOYLE - WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE Worcester Country Club already has a
If it comes to Worcester,” McDonnell said, “it
replica trophy for the inaugural Ryder Cup
will not be a story, it will be the story. They
that the club hosted in 1927, and on
don’t want to go to Boston and be on the
Saturday night, the club plans to unveil
back page somewhere. This is the LPGA
replica trophies for the 1925 U.S. Open and
Tour’s biggest event, this is their biggest
the 1960 U.S. Women’s Open events, which
money raiser. This is their prom. So they
were also held at the club.
want it to be well received in the community.”
There’s also a chance that Worcester CC will have to find room for yet another replica
In the meantime, Worcester CC will work on
trophy — of the 2025 Solheim Cup. The club
securing sponsors. Some have already
is interested in hosting that event, which is
expressed interest, Shaw said.
the women’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup. The U.S. takes on the top golfers from
Within half an hour into his visit, Garrett
Europe in both biennial competitions.
rerouted Worcester CC for the Solheim Cup. No. 18 is a great spectator hole, playing back
Worcester CC president Tim McDonnell,
up to the clubhouse patio, but the Solheim
general manager Bill Shaw and club
Cup is a match-play event, and not every
treasurer Karyn Branscombe were invited to
match reaches the 18th hole. So Garrett
meet with LPGA Tour officials at the
decided to have the Solheim Cup golfers
Solheim Cup last August in Des Moines,
begin on No. 9 and play 9-16, 8, 17, 18 and
Iowa. Solheim Cup tournament director
1-7. So No. 18 would become the 11th hole
Chris Garrett toured WCC for a couple of
for the Solheim Cup golfers.
days last fall. If Worcester CC were awarded the 2025 “He’s basically gave us a thumb’s up that
Solheim Cup, the club would host the event
we would be included in the bid process,”
100 years after it hosted the 1925 U.S. Open.
McDonnell said.
Willie MacFarlane defeated Bobby Jones in a 36-hole playoff in the 1925 U.S. Open.
McDonnell said the club would receive a bid package in early 2019 and have eight or
In 1927, Walter Hagen captained the U.S.
nine months to prepare before making a
Ryder Cup team that defeated Great Britain,
presentation at the LPGA Tour
9½-2½, at Worcester CC.
headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida. McDonnell figures five or six clubs will be
In 1960 at Worcester CC, Betsy Rawls won
invited to make presentations, and the
the U.S. Women’s Open for a record fourth
LPGA Tour should choose the 2025 site by
time. Four years later, Mickey Wright tied
the spring of 2020. Host sites have been
Rawls by also earning her fourth U.S.
selected through 2021.
Women’s Open title.
McDonnell said the LPGA Tour prefers holding the Solheim Cup in smaller cities such as Worcester. The 2021 Cup will be held at Inverness Club in Toldeo, Ohio, for instance.
WORCESTER CC PREPARES TO BID FOR 2025 SOLHEIM CUP BY BILL DOYLE - WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE Worcester CC was the only club to host the
Shaw learned that a couple of other clubs
Ryder Cup, U.S. Open and U.S Women’s
had purchased replica U.S. Open trophies,
Open until Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst,
so he contacted the United States Golf
North Carolina, completed the trifecta in
Association, which put him in touch with its
2014. Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska,
silversmith in Cheshire, England. About 20
Minnesota, became the third club to do so
weeks later, the replica trophies, which are
in 2016 when it hosted the Ryder Cup. It’s
90 percent of the size of the original
still a very select group.
trophies, arrived in the final week of February.
“We ought to be proud of that,” McDonnell said, “and we want to show that off to
“Obviously, they’re fairly expensive,” Shaw
people that come into our house. I think a
said, “but to me, it’s something that very few
lot of people know that we hosted the first
clubs are able to do. To walk into the club
Ryder Cup, but I don’t think a lot of people
and see the Ryder Cup and the two U.S.
know that we hosted the men’s and
Open trophies, it’s going to have an impact.”
women’s U.S. Open.” Wouldn’t it be nice if Brittany Altomare Worcester CC would be the first club to
could earn a spot on the U.S. Solheim Cup
host the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open,
team in 2025 and play at the club close to
Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup.
her parents’ home in Shrewsbury?
That would be pretty special,” McDonnell
Local, USGA and Massachusetts golf
said. “We wouldn’t have any company. We’d
dignitaries have been invited to speak at
be by ourselves to be able to say that. It’s
Saturday night’s trophy unveiling. Worcester
something hopefully we get, but even if we
CC historian Steve Ayers will serve as master
don’t get it, the fact that we’re in the
of ceremonies.
running, the fact that we’re in discussions and we’re being considered with the
Worcester CC has been informed by
Baltusrols and the Sciotos of the world
Katherine Thigpen, manager of the
shows that Worcester Country Club is
inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open
relevant.”
championship in July, that the club will soon receive a commemorative print from
The Solheim Cup debuted in 1990 and is
the USGA “that will serve as a reminder of
named after Karsten Solheim, founder of
the place your club has within the history of
Ping golf clubs.
the USGA.”
The club had newspaper articles and photos frome 1925 U.S. Open and 1960 U.S. Women’s Open, including one of MacFarlane and Jones shaking hands before their playoff, but no trophies
This weekend is our Blockbuster Demo Day It will take place on Saturday April 28th from 10:00am – 2:00pm
This is a great opportunity to try out the latest, greatest golf equipment available from the top manufacturers in the industry. We have a great day planned that promises to be bigger and better than ever with an excellent group of vendors lined up this year.
Click on images to learn more about the latest equipment.
u n e M t r e s s e D w e N ) y 2nd a M s n i (Beg
Mother's Day Brunch Starters - chilled strawberry soup, shrimp cocktail, international appetizer table (mesclun salad, imported provolone and reggiano parmesan, roasted red and yellow peppers, fresh tomato and mozzarella salad, marinated wood grilled vegetables, olives, tortellini pasta salad, italian cold cuts, dried sausages, fresh artisan rolls), cold mediterranean station (hummus, tabbouleh, pitas, stuffed grape leaves), exotic fruits & pastries. Brunch Buffet - chef carved prime rib and turkey, scrambled eggs, applewood smoked bacon, country sausage links, waffle station, eggs benedict, home fries, classic green bean casserole, atlantic salmon with mango salsa, chicken & broccoli mornay, omelet station. Fabulous Finishes - The ultimate sundae bar with multiple toppings, hot fruit cobblers, brownie tower, etc. We will do our best to honor your requests. Tables & rooms will be assigned according to party size.
Sunday, May 13th 10:30am to 2:00pm $35++pp/$15++ children 10 & younger children 2 & younger free reservations@worcestercc.org All Moms Will Receive a Gift
C
LUBS
within the
LUB
Worcester Country Clubs “Clubs Within the Club” program allows fellow Members to share interests and commonalities to get together to have a great time! We listed a few potential “Clubs within the Club” (below) that we thought would be of interest to many Members. We also would like to encourage everyone to get involved as we help create an environment where Members can design and run their own specialty clubs. Members decide whether they want to meet on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to discuss, sample or do something active. We’re happy to assist in finding like-minded Members, providing tips and getting the Clubs up and running! Potential Clubs; Book Club - Bowling Club - Vintners Club - Theatre Club - Walking Club - Movie Club Ladies Aerobics Club - Women’s Business Club - Bridge Club - Photography Club Bird Watching Club - Putts & Pints Club - Cribbage Club - 4 Hole Club - Coffee Club WCC Patriots Fan Club - WCC Red Sox Fan Club - WCC Bruins Fan Club The list is endless just as our Members interests are. Please don’t be bashful, you may be surprised how many Members have the same interests you do. The number of Members in a club does not reflect the success of the club. Clubs may have 2, 5, 10, or as many Members that are interested in that activity. A great example of a club is this years “Ladies Night Out” which meets at the club the first Thursday of every month. There are specialty cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres offered. Sometimes they have 4 attendees and other nights they may have up to 12 or more. Many of the ladies met other Members for the first time. Should you wish to be chairperson of a club or start a club, lets get together and create a flyer to send out to the entire Membership and see what interest there may be. Once your club gets together you may wish to determine the best day and time to meet. Please email or call Bill Shaw our General Manager if you would like to discuss the opportunity to form a club. shawb@worcestercc.org / (508)853-8064 x101
April Dining Hours Lunch Menu Tuesday - 11:00am to 3:00pm Wednesday - Saturday 11:00am to 5:00pm Dinner Menu Wednesday - Saturday 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm Sundays - Lunch Menu served all day through 9:00pm with Dinner Specials starting at 5:00pm Kids Night Out - every Saturday Night starting at 5:00pm Please make reservations before noon on Saturday Reservations@worcestercc.org