by Paul R. Spitzzeri
Continuing with our look into some of the early history of the Hacienda Country Club, tucked in a small valley amid the Puente Hills in the city of La Habra Heights, just south of the Homestead, the Whittier News of 17 February 1921, about nine months after the Club was organized in conjunction with the Hacienda Land Company holding company, reported that “Washington’s birthday, Tuesday, February 22, will witness the initial event in the history of the Hacienda Country Club,” with this involving “a time for the members, their families and friends to visit the grounds and see what has thus far been accomplished and learn what is anticipated for the near future.”
The event was described as an “all-day rally,” with members requested to arrive in the morning, bring a picnic lunch and remain to the end of the day, with “those fortunate enough to own golf sticks and balls . . . urged . . . to try out the temporary nine-hole course” used until the permanent one could be completed. Moreover, sheds made of wood frame covered with palm tree fronds were to protect those in attendance from the elements. Additionally, Club officials were having “special ovens and grates” made available for those choosing to cook their food and were providing coffee, though visitors were to bring cups, spoons and sugar.
The paper remarked that “the management has been making splendid progress at the grounds . . . [and] steadily advancing with the permanent work.” This included architect Carleton Winslow continuing with plans for a clubhouse, with a color rendering to be displayed at the event, continued work on the installation of the water system and the ordering of seed to be sowed once the precious fluid began to flow.
Also to be present was a golf professional for consultation, as well as a demonstration on techniques. Lastly, guests were directed to take Whittier Boulevard and then, just east of the turn to head to La Habra—this apparently being what is now Beach Boulevard—was an entrance that existed prior to the building of Hacienda Boulevard.
The Los Angeles Times of the 23rd reported that more than 200 people attended the inaugural gathering, while remarking that “eventually the club will put up buildings and other improvements aggregating $150,000,” with the first, the Winslow-designed clubhouse to cost $25,000. At the end of the month, a bonfire party was held “to help burn brush,” an activity that, of course, would be illegal now, while some of the 100 attendees played on the temporary course, even though such amenities as lockers and showers were not yet available.
The News of 4 March informed readers that J.S.C. “Charles” Shaw, a native of England with experience with courses in New England and San Francisco, was hired “to complete the laying out of the first nine holes” and that Perry Gale, who began that work was to transition to working with players on the temporary course. A week later, the paper commented that a house and barn on the Club property, reserved when the 151 acres were acquired, was purchased, through La Habra Heights developer Edwin G. Hart, for “temporary quarters during the building of the permanent club house.”
It was not stated who the owner was, but the paper noted that the house would likely be used as the golf pro’s residence, while the barn would become a members’ lodge, the latter modest in accommodations, but to include lockers, restrooms and showers, with the expectation that the work would be completed in a couple of weeks. By this time, regular Saturday gatherings included, thanks to more brush burning, a bonfire, an “open air dining room” and cooking on brick ovens.
While a rendering by Winslow of the proposed clubhouse appeared in the Times of 17 April, not much was found in the press about progress for another three months, when the 30 July number of the News remarked that the “course is rapidly nearing completion” including planting for ten putting greens and the course, while the water system for the front nine was installed and sprinkling conducted during the day and evening during the summer.
Moreover, President Alphonzo Bell announced that a grand opening was anticipated for September via a “general jollification meeting” and that four holes current used as temporary would be abandoned until incorporated into a future back nine. Given the expense of preparing a former sheep pasture to a top-notch links, it was added that “in case the building of the permanent club house is postponed,” the converted barn would be furnished in addition to the aforementioned improvements. Lastly, an inspection of the front nine was to be held to show that the Club “will have one of the finest courses in Southern California.”
Los Angeles Express golf columnist, D. Scott Chisholm wrote in his 24 August piece that a full 18-hole course would be open by 1 October, but misspoke as it was the front nine only that was in preparation. Notably, Bell told the sportswriter that the greens and fairways were looking well and there was more than enough water, but,
The course was originally laid out by William Watson, but later many changes were found advisable, so Bell and his confreres called in Charlie Mayo, the famous English internationalist. The work of Mayo shows distinctly that he is a really fine golf architect besides a great golfer and the committee in charge . . . has a right to feel that their layout will be a splendid test of golf.
Chisholm went on to tout the “sporty” configuration and concluded “it would seem as if every good citizen” of nearby towns like Anaheim, Fullerton, Santa Ana and Whittier “should join up and enjoy themselves.” In its 12 September edition, the News informed readers that a tournament would inaugurate the front nine part of the course in five days, though more greens were ready and further work on that back nine was well in progress. With the temporary clubhouse fitted with the necessary facilities, including lockers to be moved to the permanent edifice, it was added that a picnic would also be held to accommodate families.
In its summary of the event, published on the 19th, the paper recorded that there were more than forty participants in the tournament including a dozen women, including the sisters Madeline and Marion Sansinena, scions of the family that once owned the property before it was sold in 1900 to Willits J. Hole, while their brother, Joe, was among about 30 men, with C.A. Carden shooting 48 to win by four strokes. The article also stated that the Club intended to have tournaments every Saturday, with players drawn from the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton, La Habra and Whittier.
The 22 October number of the News reported, following a directors meeting the prior day “that a club home for the membership will be erected,” this based on a commitment from twenty-five members that they would each contribute $1,000 as part of a loan toward the edifice, once the membership roll included 250 persons. This required another 40 people to join, which it was asserted could be accomplished in ten days, with the $300 fee to be increased after this drive was completed. The paper also remarked that many pros who’d played the front nine were impressed enough to support the contention that the Club “now has one of the best nine hole courses in the county.”
The year 1922 was a quiet one for the Club, with a 12 May report in the News that contractor Harry Trounce (who was one of the original course engineers) telling the paper that a remodeling of the barn/clubhouse was to be undertaken, including an addition, so that the structure “will serve as a comfortable social center, for at least two or three years, after which time it was expected that a handsome and permanent club house may be built.”
The new portions were to be a 25×56 enclosed space with a 16×43 porch, while the existing area was to have a new stone fireplace in a center room measuring 25×54 and with a hardwood floor added for dancing. Reworked locker rooms for men and women were mentioned, as was a “Nineteenth Hole” lunchroom, with a kitchen and grill and fountain were also to be built. The article ended that “the entire building will be in rustic style of architecture . . . and will well serve the needs of club members until the time comes for luxurious quarters.”
A month later, the News reported that “work of remodeling the clubhouse . . . is nearing completion and the members are more than pleased” with the results that were brought with the $5,000 expense. The “remodeling into fairly satisfactory quarters” involved the fact that “the construction is of true California style,” while Club officials anticipated that “members will make use of the club for dances and other social affairs, with the same freedom that they are making use of the golf links.”
With 1923, the year that the latest boom in greater Los Angeles hit its peak, there were some important developments, including a comment in the News of 8 February that,
Gene Sarazen, national open champion, satisfied nearly two hundred spectators that he has a perfect right to his title as champion, by his super-golf at Hacienda Country Club yesterday afternoon. Sarazen broke the course record with a score of 71 for eighteen holes . . .
Born Eugenio Saraceni and the son of immigrants from the Italian island of Sicily, Sarazen turned 21 at the end of the month and was coming off a 1922 in which he won the U.S. Open and P.G.A. Championship. Through the rest of the decade, he, Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones were among the most dominant players in the sport and he repeated his P.G.A. Championship feat later in 1923 and went on to win nearly 40 P.G.A. events in his distinguished career.
On the 23rd, the News reported on a “get together” gathering, including a box supper, at the club with an informal meeting including discussion of members’ contributions of $35,000 to pay for a bank loan, the next payment on the land purchase and for the completion of more of the water system and unfinished holes on the back nine of the course. There was also encouragement towards members to get 200 more persons to join the club, while having more social events was also talked about.
When the Hacienda Land Company board remained for a short meeting, the paper recorded that,
Edwin G. Hart told of the progress which has been made in securing the right of way for a short road over the hills from the Valley boulevard near Puente to the club property and stated that all the right of way except one deed had been secured. This deed is in the hands of Mr. Thurman of El Monte and as soon as it is secured the work will be completed on this short cut through the hills.
This thoroughfare was Hudson Road from Valley Boulevard south, with the eastern boundary of the Homestead, then owned by Walter P. Temple (member of the San Gabriel Country Club), along a section—yesterday’s post here was about the horrific discovery of the decapitated body of a Latino teen in February 1928 in a ditch or culvert on this portion of the road. From the La Habra side, the project was to head north from Whittier Boulevard, with access to the Club along today’s East Road, and then enter what was called Prouty Canyon to ascend the Puente Hills and then descend into North Whittier Heights (also developed by Hart) to meet Hudson Road.
The 7 April edition of the News covered another Club directors meeting at which it was decided to move the clubhouse “to the permanent location on the hill above the professional’s headquarters [the preexisting house on the property] at the tenth tee.” The relocation was because the former barn stood “directly in the path of the fairways between the tenth and eleventh holes of the new course [the back nine.]” What this also involved was that “the upper road around the hills,” this being East Road, “will then be used” while “this will make it possible to seed the present roadway through the club grounds and will greatly improve the whole course.”
It was a half-year later that Grover T. Russell, Hart’s sales agent at North Whittier Heights and a Club director, informed the Whittier paper for its number of 20 October “that actual work has been started by the county road department on the road leading from Puente through the hills via the Hacienda Country Club to the Whittier boulevard just over the line in Orange county.” That line largely follows Avocado Crest Road on both sides of the thoroughfare, except for a Vermont-shaped piece that extends south and includes the La Habra Heights civic center (among the roads in this vicinity are Sansinena Lane and Russell Street).
The piece continued that “a camp is to be made at the mouth of Prouty Canyon and team work will be started at once” for grading, while it was added that Club directors long sought “a short cut from the Puente district to the Whittier boulevard” and, while a statement was made about general convenience to motorists, there was also the remark that,
The Hacienda Country club has a limited membership in Puente and El Monte because of the present distance around the hills to reach the club property. When the Hacienda boulevard is completed the town of Puente will be closer to the club property than Whittier and Fullerton. The news that actual work has been started will be welcomed by all members of the club and especially welcome to the residents of the Puente and Covina districts.
This was the first located mention of the roadway’s name of “Hacienda Boulevard,” so we now know that the origin was the country club. Then, as 1923 came to a close, the news was announced that the back nine holes were completed, making the course a full 18 holes. The Los Angeles Record of 22 December briefly reported, as was its wont generally, that “Willie Hunter, former British open champion, and Harry Pressler, club professional, will play an exhibition this afternoon to dedicate the new 18 hole golf course,” with the achievement meaning “the Hacienda club will take its place with the leading golf clubs of Southern California.”
Charles West’s column, “Golf Gossip,” in the next day’s edition of the Times stated that the two pros “baptized the second nine holes” by winning two of three rounds against George Kerrigan and Dick Linares and the opening of the back nine led to the result that Hacienda “has graduated into the ranks of real golf courses now with a splendid lay-out.” Notably, the sportswriter added,
William Watson and Charles Mayo designed the second nine holes, and are receiving congratulations today on the result of their labors. Advantage was taken of splendid contours and a barranca which furnishes a sporty hazard. The course is all grass with a par of 70.
We’ll return with a concluding part three that mainly focuses on further work on Hacienda Boulevard as well as the long-gestating clubhouse, so look for that soon!