How Scioto Country Club Began

 

This is a very RARE Opening Day presentation cup. The cup is sterling silver and approximately 4.5 inches high. It is in excellent condition considering its age with one minor repair.  The cup is inscribed as follows:
Presented by
Butler Sheldon
Upon the occasion of opening
The Arlington Country Club
Golf Course
May 30th 1903


 

This rare piece of Golf History documents the path taken way back in the early 1900's to create the SCIOTO COUNTRY CLUB.  The date on the presentation cup, May 30, 1903 is the date that the Arlington Country Club Golf Course opened.  This is important because the existing course at Arlington was only 4 holes and was now expanded to 9 holes.  Not only was the course now 9 holes but the Founders were already thinking seriously about constructing a new 18 hole championship golf course and country club.  The first meeting of the executive committee for the new club was on Jan 14, 1915 and the Scioto Country Club  golf course finally opened on July 4, 1916.

Going back to the beginning, in May 1913, 4 Gentlemen of Arlington, Butler Sheldon, Samuel P. Bush, James L. Hamill and W.K. Lanman after a round of golf at the National Golf Links in Southampton realized that Columbus Ohio was a prosperous city of 200,00 but only had 2 golf courses, Arlington and the Columbus Country Club and each of these courses only had 9 holes. Arlington actually was first organized in 1890 as a Riding and Dining Club until 1896 when the members built a 4 hole course.  As previously mentioned, the course was upgraded to 9 holes in 1903 and was incorporated as the Arlington Country club.  This presentation cup was issued on this date, Saturday May 30th, 1903, celebrating this extremely important event in Columbus, Ohio. This was the beginning of serious golf in Ohio.  Already the talk was for creating an 18 hole layout.

While the founders were considering a location for the new course the favorite location was the adjacent property "The Miller Farm".  This was a huge expanse of 1,000 acres.  Dr. Henry Miller acquired this land in 1859 from the US Government.  By 1913, Miller's son James T. Miller controlled the farm.  The Founders, Sheldon, Bush, Hamil and Lanman approached Miller and inquired about purchasing 150 acres.  The asking price was $45,000.  Eventually the entire Miller Farm was purchased by King Thompson a local real estate developer who subsequently sold and leased additional land to the Founders about 165 acres in all.  The Arlington Country Club members were first in line for membership in the new club and were asked to turn in their Arlington stock certificates for $125 with the stipulation that they would return $100 for membership in the new club.  This transaction provided the link between Arlington Country Club and the new club, the Scioto Country Club.

The listed presentation cup is the earliest known artifact that provides the direct link to the evolution of the Scioto Country Club.  The cup as indicated is signed by Butler Sheldon whose sister married Samuel P. Bush whose grandson George Herbert Walker Bush would go on to become the 41st President of the United States.  The Bush Family is rich in Golf  History and tradidion.

This rare piece of Golf History is available for purchase for $2500.00.

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