Club History
Overview
Belmont Country Club is an extraordinary facility, significantly enriched by a new, state-of-the-art clubhouse. But what truly differentiates Belmont Country Club is that our membership remains closely connected to the community through shared values, principles and priorities. The founding members, as outlined in our mission statement, had a very clear vision: "… a membership who are highly respected within their chosen fields and have demonstrated a commitment to charitable causes and to community service." Today, these principles are still what make the Belmont experience so special. The integrity and continued dedication to these principles are reinforced from generation to generation through the “Member/Sponsor” approach to membership. We grow our family organically by bringing those we love and respect most from our communities into the Belmont family. To be a Belmont member is not defined by the experience of using an exclusive golf, tennis or dining facility, but by the privilege of sharing in memorable social traditions with other families with like priorities.
Key Dates
1908- Willard E. Robinson purchased an almost 90-acre site and old Colonial house. The following year, he proceeded to lay out a nine-hole golf course. Mr. Robinson then bought land across Winter Street, giving him a total of 211 acres, with enough area to enlarge the course to 18 holes. This new course was designed by Donald Ross (1872-1948), and named The Belmont Springs Country Club.
1916- Mr. Robinson added 20 more acres to the property and sold bonds to club members. They became the Belmont Springs Trust from which the club leased the golf course and clubhouse.
December 31, 1917- The Colonial clubhouse burned to the ground and the stucco locker building was converted into the clubhouse, which was enlarged and remodeled. It was used until construction on a new clubhouse began in 2012.
1919 and 1920- The Belmont Springs Country Club had its hey-day, with a full membership of 550 and an imposing waiting list.
July 30, 1920- 7,000 people, estimated at that time to be the largest groupever to witness a golf match in the United States, swarmed over the course to watch Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, English Professionals, defeat America’s leading amateur team of Francis Ouimet and James P. Guildford, 4 and 2 in a 36-hole exhibition match.
1936- Belmont Springs Country Club was auctioned off and purchased by a representative from the outside. The new owners developed 24 acres on Marsh Street in the Country Club Lane area and reopened the club as a private golf course. The course was remodeled by Orrin Smith (1883-1958), who was associated with Donald Ross on many projects during his career. It is not known what year he remodeled Belmont Country Club.
Byron Nelson Wins 1937 Masters Tournament
1943- The Club was, again, put on the market. A group of local businessmen tried to raise the money for its purchase, but fell about $5,000 short. The property was sold to an out-of-town group of men headed by Abraham M. Sonnabend of Brookline - reportedly for $75,000. It was then that the club name was changed to Belmont Country Club.
1967- Due to the construction of Route 2, five holes (part of holes #8 and #9, and holes #10, 11, and 12) were relocated/partially relocated from the northerly portion of the site to an area of lowlands along Concord Avenue.
1969- Alfred H. Tull (1897-1982) remodeled the course once again. He was born in England and moved to Canada in 1907 and then to the US in 1914. Tull was renowned for his ability to lay out individual holes and establish a circuit by walking the land and staking holes without the benefit of a topographical plan. Families of the original founding owners are still members today.
2005- The golf course was renovated under the direction of Craig Schreiner, Architect.
April 2012- Belmont began construction on new clubhouse, pool and cabana facilities under the direction of CBT Architects and John Moriarty and Associates.
June 2013- Construction of clubhouse was completed and club re-opened to the membership.
June 2015- Host of the 2015 Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship Tournament.
Major Golf Championships Hosted by Belmont CC
Women’s United States Amateur
- Alexa Stirling: 1916
Men’s PGA Match Play Championship
- Byron Nelson: 1937
Women’s Mass Open Championship
- Harriot Curtis: 1920
- Dorothy Beard: 1938
- Nancy Black: 947
- Beatrice Bower: 1957
- Debbie Jamgochian: 1977
- Mary Gale: 1996
Men’s Mass Open Championship
- Mike Brady: 1914
- Ted Turner: 1933
- Gene Kunes: 1947
- Bob Crowley: 1962
- Robert Oppenheim: 2009
Men’s Mass Amateur
- Frederick Wright Jr.: 1929
- Charles Volpone: 1956
- Bill Mallon: 1973
- James Driscoll: 1998
Men’s New England Open
- Kyle Gallo: 2013
- Jesse Larson: 2014
New England PGA Championship
- Heath Wassem: 1994
- Ron Philo: 2004
Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship
- Bernhard Langer: 2015