Times Golf Tournament. These men were part of the committee behind the 1945 Tacoma Open Golf Classic that was held May 27, 1945, at the Allenmore course. As well as an excellent golf championship, the canteen at Allenmore donated their earnings for the benefit of all servicemen and women. L-R, Ed Morris, H.R. Venslee, Ed Stevens and future mayor John Anderson.

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Allenmore Golf Club (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Morris, Ed; Venslee, H.R.; Stevens, Ed; Anderson, John H.;

The Pacific Northwest Golf Association Championship Tournament was calling for young men interested in being caddies. Three caddy stations were going to be set up throughout the golf course. View of Tournament caddies at the Fircrest Golf Club, photo ordered by the Young Men's Business Club. The Young Men's Business Club were one of the Tournament's sponsors.

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Caddies--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Men--Clubs--Tacoma; Young Men's Business Club (Tacoma);

Thirty-six young golfers competed in the Northwest Prep Championship Tournament held in July of 1946. Jerry Driscoll (left) beat his partners, Bruce Andreasen (center) and Dick Nicholson, by one and two strokes respectively in the 36 hole competition to win the Tacoma Jubilee golf title. (T. Times 7-02-1946 p.11)

Golf--Fircrest--1940-1950; Driscoll, Jerry;

Chuck Congdon, Golf Pro, had just won the Intercity Golf Sweepstakes Association Tournament at the Maplewood Golf Course in Renton. He scored five under par. View of Chuck Congdon practicing his swings at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club.

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Athletes--Tacoma; Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Congdon, Chuck; Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma);

Women's Day at Country Club, Tribune, Mrs. Hosmer. The summer golf season officially opened with the women's division gathering at the Fircrest Golf Club. More than a score of beginners were welcomed into the club by president Mrs. Percy J. Quam. Three women are completing their final put. A golf bag on wheels is seen in the background. (T.Times, 5/3/1948, p.6) TPL-8636

Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubwomen--Tacoma--1940-1950; Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Portrait of Howard R. Smith taken on June 15, 1948. Mr. Smith was president for several years of the Tacoma Athletic Commission. The T.A.C. was sponsoring a two-day golf tournament in June at the Tacoma Country & Golf Club. Publicity photograph of Howard R. Smith wearing a suit, tie and french cuff shirt with cuff links; he is smoking a cigarette.

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Smith, Howard R.; Smoking--Tacoma;

The country club was starting their annual week for juniors, with sailboat races as the first event. Juniors would be participating in tennis, golf, swimming, picnics and dances. Geoff Reif, President of the Juniors was carrying out the details in the comprehensive program, Leon E. Titus was helping plan Junior events. View of Junior members participating in the golf tournament during Junior week at Tacoma Country Club, the girls are checking the score cards (T. Times, 7/20/48, p. 6).

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Young adults--Tacoma; Recording & registration--Tacoma; Country clubs--Tacoma; Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma);

Tacoma was hosting the 25th Annual Northwest Lumbermen's Golf Tournament at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club. Paul Johns was Chairman of the big event, 150 lumbermen participated in the tournament. View of the trophies and prizes, which will be awarded to the winners of the 25th Annual Northwest Lumbermen's Golf Tournament (West Coast Lumbermen, 9/48, p. 88).

Tournaments--Tacoma; Awards; Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Country clubs--Tacoma; Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Paul Johns (right) from City Lumber Company was the perennial Chairman of the mid summer golf competition for the lumber fraternity. Johns helped plan and host the big event in Tacoma. Left to right, Chuck Congdon, Dave Doud, Champion of the Northwest Lumbermen Tournament receiving the perpetual trophy from Paul Johns (West Coast Lumbermen, 9/48, p. 88).

Tournaments--Tacoma; Awards; Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Country clubs--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma); Congdon, Chuck; Johns, Paul; Doud, Dave;

Donald T. McDonald held the flag for his daughter, Mrs. Shirley Fopp, while she putted in their ball during the "mixed two-ball" foursomes tournament held at Fircrest Golf Course on August 7, 1948. The other couple in their foursome was Betty Carlson and Al H. Moody. Mrs. Fopp, the former Shirley McDonald, was a former club champion. A record 52 mixed doubles teams registered to participate in the big event. (T. Times, 8/11/48, p. 6).

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Tournaments--Tacoma; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest);

Tee Box on Hole #1, Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. The Tacoma Open Golf Tournament, sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Commission, was a four-day event, held at the Fircrest Golf Club. The tournament attracted a large gallery. Eighteen holes were played each day. A Stag and Doe gathering was held at the Tacoma Athletic Commission headquarters for cocktails, dinner and presentation of prizes at the Top of the Ocean. (TNT, 9/17/1948, p.14; 9/18/1948, p.6) TPL-9822

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. A group of people stand near the registration point for the Tacoma Open Golf Tournament held at the Fircrest Golf Club in September of 1948. 112 contestants entered in the tournament. A score of 150 or better was needed to keep in the running when the field was cut the second day of play which left 10 amateurs and 41 pros remaining. (T.Times, 9/18/1948, p.6)

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. The crowd of spectators is spread out along the 18th fairway at the Fircrest Golf Club during the Tacoma Open Golf Tournament in September of 1948. Some of the entrants in the tournament are seen at play on the fairway. (Additional information provided by a reader)

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. A young man announces the play during the Tacoma Open Golf Tournament from the roof of one of the buildings at the Fircrest Golf Club. Bleacher seats were placed at vantage points for spectators to watch their favorites come in off both nines. The five way split from Sunday's play was broken on September 21st when Ed Oliver of Seattle won the five-man playoff and won the $12,500 Tacoma Open Classic. (T.Times, 9/21/1948, p.10) TPL-6255

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

18th green at the Fircrest Golf Club. Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders.The Tacoma Open Golf Tournament opened at the Fircrest Golf Club for a four-day event starting September 17, 1948. The tournament attracted a large gallery and people can be seen here following the players to the next green. A $12,500 purse would go to the winner. (TNT, 9/17/1948, p.14)

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. Entrants in the Tacoma Open Golf Tournament are seen on the green with the gallery of spectators surrounding the green. Five pros tied for the top spot in the sensational Tacoma Open. Scores of 274 for the 72 holes were held by Ed Oliver of Seattle, Gary Middlecoff of Memphis, Chuck Congdon of Tacoma, Fred Hass of New Orleans and Vic Ghezzi of Englewood, New Jersey. This tied score was one stroke below the record of 275 set by Jimmy Hines in 1945. (T.Times, 9/20/1948, p.11)

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. Spectators surround the green watching two of the golfers entered in the four-day Tacoma Open Golf Tournament. The Fircrest course had a 480 yard first hole. At the end of the first day of play Freddie Hass Jr. was in first position with a score of 65, Chuck Congdon in second with 66 and Vic Ghezzi was in third with 67. A new course record was set this day for the long 9. (TNT, 9/17/1948, p.14)

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. Out of the 112 contestants entered in the tournament only 17 broke par of 71 and nine equalled that figure. Eighteen holes were played each day. Scores at the half-way mark were 134 for Freddie Hass, Jr., 136 for Chuck Congdon, Herman Heiser and Vic Ghezzi, and 137 for Ed Oliver. (TNT, 9/18/1948, p.8)

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Open Golf Tournament at Fircrest, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. Four men and a woman stand together at the opening of the PGA Open Golf Tournament held in Tacoma in 1948. The man on the left is possibly Vic Ghezzi, a professional player from Englewood , New Jersey. The woman is unidentified. In the middle is Howard Smith, president of the Tacoma Athletic Commission, the organization sponsoring the event. Second from the right is Chuck Congdon, the professional from the Tacoma Golf and Country Club. The man on the for right is unidentified. (TNT, 9/20/1948, p.9)

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Spectators--Tacoma; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950; Smith, Howard R.; Congdon, Chuck;

Professional golfer Cary Middlecoff autographs golf balls at the Tacoma Open Tournament held at the Fircrest Golf Club. On Sunday, September 20, 1948, P.G.A. history was made when Cary Middlecoff and four other professional golfers all completed the 72-hole tournament tied at 274 strokes. With the top cash prizes still unclaimed, the five played another round of 18-holes on Monday. Still no winner! In a sudden death 19th-hole, Ed "Porky" Oliver, who played out of Seattle's Inglewood Country Club, beat Middlecoff by one stroke. Middlecoff, whose name was usually prefixed by "Dr.," was a graduate of the Tennessee College of Dentistry (1944) and first practiced dentistry in the U.S. Army where he filled 12, 093 teeth in 18 months. He would go on to win the U.S. Open twice and the Masters once. (TNT 09-21-1948 p.8) ALBUM 9.

Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Contests--Tacoma--1940-1950; Middlecoff, Cary;

Dinner party honoring Alexander Baillie at Tacoma Country & Golf Club, Tribune, E. Knight. Alexander Baillie was one of the founders of the Tacoma Country & Golf Club in 1894 and was the club's first president. He is seen in the upper left corner next to Reno Odlin, then president of Puget Sound National Bank, holding a microphone as part of his toastmaster duties. The banquet held in his honor was expected to draw more than 150 guests.

Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma); Country clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baillie, Alexander, 1859-1949; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Banquets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Men--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Dinner party honoring Alexander Baillie at Tacoma Country & Golf Club, Tribune, E. Knight. A view of the banquet room at the Tacoma Country & Golf Club on October 22, 1948, where more than 150 guests were gathered in honor of Alexander Baillie, the venerable Scotsman who was the first president of the golf club. He is seen near the wall between the middle two sets of draperies next to banker Reno Odlin who is holding a microphone. Most of the assembled men are wearing tuxedoes, seated at tables decorated with candles and flowers.

Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma); Country clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baillie, Alexander, 1859-1949; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Banquets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Men--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Allenmore Golf Open party. Oscar (Ocky) Eliason and Ken Tucker shot identical 70-66--136s on the first day of the 1950 Allenmore Golf Open Tournament. Ocky Eliason (left), unattached Tacoma professional, is grasping the Steve O'Brien trophy. John H. ("Big John") Anderson, Mayor-elect and an ardent golfer, is seen second from the left. Ken Tucker, Everett Golf and Country Club professional, is second from the right, and Al Buhre, a veteran Tacoma amateur is on the right. Elaison and Tucker would battle it out for top money of $200 and the trophy in an 18-hole playoff. Ordered by the Tacoma Athletic Commission, Mr. Metcalf. (TNT, 5/17/1950, p.36)

Golf--Tacoma--1950-1960; Allenmore Golf Club (Tacoma); Awards; Anderson, John H.; Golfers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Eliason, Oscar; Tucker, Ken; Buhre, Al;

Allenmore Golf Open party. Following the first day of play Oscar Eliason and Ken Tucker were tied for first place in the 17th Allenmore Open Golf Tournament. Tied for third place were Chuck Congdon and Bob McKendrick. Al Buhre was in fifth. Several of the players are seen with some of the prizes given. Ordered by the Tacoma Athletic Commission, Mr. Metcalf. (TNT, 5/17/1950, p.36)

Golf--Tacoma--1950-1960; Allenmore Golf Club (Tacoma); Awards; Golfers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

On May 1, 1951, to mark the opening of the summer season at the Fircrest Golf Club, 1000 Regents Blvd., the club's women came dressed in costume. Four of the weird, wonderful and well dressed women seen at the links were: (l to r) Mary E. (Mrs. Frank H.) Murray, as a jailbird; Laura E. (Mrs. Roy L.) McGinn, pioneer woman; Freida (Mrs. Ben) Rome, Hindu; and Louise (Mrs. Frank) Severson, as Daniel Boone. First prize for best costume went to Mrs. M.C. Thompson who came dressed as a Fiji islander, complete with grass skirt. (Ordered by the Tribune.) (TNT, 6/6/1951, p.D-1)

Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Golf--Tacoma--1940-1950; Murray, Mary E.; McGinn, Laura E.; Rome, Freida; Severson, Louise; Costumes

The golf course at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club. The sky seems striped with clouds as several golfers try out their skills on the green. In 1894, golf was introduced to Tacoma by a small group of displaced Scotsmen who negotiated to lease 280 acres of prairie land in Edison (now South Tacoma.) By 1904, the club made plans to relocate and the R.B. Lehman farm on the eastern shore of American Lake was purchased. This purchase, along with some adjacent property, gave the club 237 acres to stretch out on. This became the first permanent home of the Tacoma Country and Golf Club, the oldest continuing country club west of the Mississippi. ("A History of Pierce County, Wa." vol. 1)

Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Golf--Tacoma--1950-1960; Golfers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Swimming area at American Lake, part of the Tacoma Country and Golf Club. The club purchased this property on the eastern shore of American Lake in 1904. Originally, members were issued deeds to 25 foot lots along the lake front where they could set up tents and escape the city's summer heat. As time passed, the tents gave way to homes, greens and the clubhouse. The lake still remained a favorite "Ole Swimmin' Hole" for a quick refreshing dip. A dock reaches out into the lake, topped with a life guard stand. Boats are also tied up to the right of the dock. ("A History of Pierce County, Wa." vol. 1) TPL-8640

Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Water holes--Tacoma--1950-1960;

This photograph shows the clubhouse of the Tacoma Country and Golf Club on American Lake as it looked from the lake side of the building in September of 1956. It was built in 1910 from plans by the architects Russell and Babcock to replace the original clubhouse which was destroyed by fire. By 1956, it was known as "The Grand Old Lady". Its most prominent feature was a spiral staircase in the entry hall, which appears in many wedding and party pictures of the time. A fire gutted the structure in 1961. TPL-5740 ("A History of Pierce County, Wa." vol. 1)

Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma)--Buildings; Clubhouses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Swimming area at American Lake, part of the Tacoma Country and Golf Club. The club purchased this property on the eastern shore of American Lake in 1904. Originally, members were issued deeds to 25 foot lots along the lake front where they could set up tents and escape the city's summer heat. As time passed, the tents gave way to homes, greens and the clubhouse. The lake still remained a favorite "Ole Swimmin' Hole" for a quick refreshing dip. A dock reaches out into the lake, topped with a life guard stand. Boats are also tied up to the right of the dock. ("A History of Pierce County, Wa." vol. 1) TPL-8640

Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Water holes--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The entrance drive to the exclusive members only Tacoma Country and Golf Club, located on the shores of American Lake. The club relocated to this location in 1904. It is the oldest continuously operating Country Club west of the Mississippi.("A History of Pierce County, Wa." vol. 1)

Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma);