125 Years of Golf - 125 Amazing Stories

Every golfer has an amazing story to tell, and over the last 125 years we've witnessed our fair share of great history here at the Victoria Golf Club. Stories help us connect to the places and people we admire and cherish. So, we're sharing some of our best stories with you. And when you're done reading these amazing tales, we encourage you to share one of your own stories with us. We'd like to have 125 stories to share by the end of the year. So if you'd like to share your VGC golf story with us, we'll post it here for everyone to enjoy.

Chestnut Tree on #16 Has Napoleonic Roots

Just behind the 15th green, there is a flourishing chestnut tree. What you may not know is that it is from a farm in Belgium, which just happens to be the site of the Battle of Waterloo between the British and the French in 1815. After that fateful battle just one tree was left standing on the battlefield - a chestnut tree. And although riddled with musket balls it continued to grow and produce chestnuts. Years later, A VGC member, while visiting the site, picked up a chestnut from that very tree, brought it home and planted it here on our 16th hole, which coincidentally is named, Waterloo. 
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VGC Is The 2nd Oldest Golf Club In North America But Wasn't The First Golf Course in Victoria

Although there is some disagreement about the which golf courses deserve the distinction as the oldest in North America, there is pretty reliable evidence that Victoria Golf Club is the second oldest golf club in its original location (Shinnecock Hills (1892) is the oldest). But despite our lofty stature as a celebrated, historical club, VGC wasn't even the first golf course in Victoria. Apparently two courses preceded it. The first golf course was laid out in 1889 by a fellow named Wastie Green, a former tutor to the Prince of Siam. After retiring he moved to Victoria and set up a 7-hole golf course at Beacon Hill. Another course was on farmland at Macaulay's Point and every green had a rope fence around it to keep the livestock off of it. 

VGC's Original Clubhouse Was A Box

It's true that in 1894 a clubhouse was built for VGC members for the whopping sum of $55 (plus $11 for painting). But in 1893 the original 'clubhouse' was actually an old piano box. Piano crates were approximately six feet long and six feet high. Normally they were recycled, but Harvey Combe used Joseph Pemberton's old piano box (which was used to ship their piano from the UK around Cape Horn to Victoria) as the first clubhouse to store everyone's golf clubs. The trouble with using that piano box was that with so many members joining at the time (50+) it became difficult to get to your clubs and folks kept losing the damn key.

Clubhouse Considered 'In Play'

Back in 1894, when the first actual clubhouse was built, it consisted of three rooms and a single stovepipe and was situated off the 18th green. Nora Paterson, daughter of Harvey Combe, recalled that it wasn't unusual for golfers to slice their approach shots into the clubhouse. And by into the clubhouse she meant INTO the clubhouse. Because the rules were vague about this contingency, most people decided the safest thing to do was to play the ball as it lay, right off the floor of the clubhouse. Maybe that's where the phrase "Mind if I play through?" came from.

Course Expands to 18 Holes But Deemed
​Hazardous For Babies

Victoria Golf Club was founded in 1893, but at the time it only had 14 holes, which were assembled mostly by current members. At the AGM in 1895 it was decided that the course would be increased to 18 holes, but players would not have access until FB Pemberton's cattle were done using it as a pasture in the summer months. Another glaring issue came up: Mount Baker Avenue (Now Beach Drive), which cut the course in two. In fact, two holes had to be played over the road, which posed an issue for families and servants who regularly used the road for the "airing of babies" in their strollers. Fortunately, no record exists of anyone being struck with an errant tee shot, but apparently there were many close calls until 1923 when the course finally eliminated the tee shots across the road.
Click to enlarge map (opens in new window)

VGC Club Crest Is Actually A Postage Stamp

Even though Harvey Combe designed a club crest for the Victoria Golf Club, it was summarily rejected. Apparently the membership at the time thought there was more inspiration in the form of a postage stamp from 1863, which is actually where the design for the club badge comes from (apparently it's correct to call it a badge and not a crest). Look closely and you can see the crown on top of the 'V'. The 'G' and the 'C' were added on either side and voila, a golf club badge was born. Thank goodness FedEx wasn't around back then.

Nora Paterson Wins Ladies Club Championship
​Repeats 41 Years Later

Talk about staying power. In 1907, Nora Paterson, daughter of Harvey Combe, defeated her mother in the final of the Ladies Club Championship. In 1910 she won the PNWGA Ladies' Championship in Tacoma, WA and again in Portland, OR in 1911. After a 'brief' layoff, she then repeated her Ladies Club Championship win a at VGC a remarkable 41 years later. It's unclear whether or not she continued the family tradition of defeating her daughter in the final.

AV Macan Designs Victoria Golf Course
​Or Did He?

It is widely thought that Arthur Vernon (AV) Macan is the course architect here at the Victoria Golf Club. That just isn't the case. While Macan had a large role in renovating the course, twice (once in 1930 and again in 1955)  it was originally designed by Harvey Combe (a founding member) and in operation for 37 years before AV got his hands on it. In fact, Macan was only 11 years old when VGC was founded in 1893. He's pictured here (centre) at age 31 with Ted Ray, Biggerstaff Wilson, Harvey Combe and Harry Vardon (if that name seems familiar, check out the movie The Greatest Game Ever Played) in 1913, probably dreaming up what he'd like to do to the course. 

Send Us Your VGC Story

Everyone has a great golf story to tell - and we're collecting the best stories for our 125th anniversary. So if you've got a fun story that you'd like to share, please send it to us and include a photo if you've got one and we'll post it here. We'd love to hear about your great memory at Victoria Golf Club.

Milk Is A Line Item In Annual Expenditures

This is a notice that went out to all members back in 1910 from the original course architect and serving Secretary at the time, Harvey Combe. Records indicate that, at the time, the clubhouse was appraised at $1,300 in value, furniture at $200 and "tools, horse and cart" at $300. Total expenditures for the year were $7,137.93 but that did not include a grave loss from a burglary where $29.55 was stolen as well as $20.10 in golf balls. Amusingly though, the balance sheet had a line item for "Milk" in annual expenditures for $24, which was roughly a third of what the club spent on coal to heat the clubhouse. In fact, back when the club opened so much was being spent on milk that a member was admonished for feeding it to his dog. ​

VGC Member Takes On The Red Baron.
​Lives To Tell About It

Ernie Watt, a longtime member of VGC was an average golfer, but had a remarkable story to tell. Before he joined the golf club, Ernie, an accomplished pilot, flew for the Royal Air Force in World War I.  One day, while out on patrol, Ernie came upon the infamous Red Baron, who was credited with 80 kills before he was finally killed in 1918. Asked what he did in the face of an imminent dogfight with the German Ace, Ernie said "I did what we were trained to do. I turned and ran."  Apparently the Red Baron wasn't an especially gifted pilot, but his plane was so superior to other aircraft, that other pilots didn't stand a chance against him. 

New Clubhouse Built. Enjoyed For Several Hours

The original clubhouse was replaced by a brand new one in 1927 to accommodate the needs of the influx of members who were joining the Victoria Golf Club in greater numbers. The membership congratulated themselves on a great achievement, then promptly burned it down (accidentally) just a few days later. Apparently a fire started in the attic of the clubhouse, due to a wiring issue and it consumed many of the original club records that were stored there. In order to extinguish the raging fire, the fire department soaked the top floor, which then flooded and destroyed the rest of the clubhouse, rendering it uninhabitable. The insurance claim on the clubhouse was for $17,000.

VGC Applies For "Royal" Designation 
Goes Through Wrong Channels

Despite the fact that both the Prince of Wales and Prince George played two or three enjoyable rounds at Victoria Golf Club and a formal application was made through the Department of the Secretary of State of Canada to obtain permission to use the prefix of 'Royal' in our name, VGC was not granted the coveted status, but Colwood Golf Club was. The reason why is that VGC tried to go through official channels, whereas Colwood just cut through the red tape and invited the Prince of Wales to become an honorary patron of their club, which apparently is all it took. 

Ben Hogan Rolls Putt Out Of Bounds On #7

Back in 1942 Ben Hogan came to Victoria to play VGC in an exhibition match. Due to VGC's small driving range (it was actually much smaller back then), players would sometimes warm up on the 17th fairway, which is where this photo was taken. During the match, Hogan played exceptionally well, although the par three  7th green gave him a bit of trouble. Lying one on the top right hand side of the green, Hogan putted his ball towards the lower tier at the hole. Unfortunately, due to the undulation of the green, the ball promptly screamed past the hole off the green and into the water, which then was considered out of bounds. The future nine-time major champion admitted after the round that that was the only time in his career he'd ever rolled a putt out of bounds.

VGC Member Has Hole In One
​That He Doesn't Want To Talk About

Bud Hocking, a longtime member at VGC, pictured here with Ed Horsman, Ben Hogan, Bill Newcomb, Phil Taylor and Ernest Todd, once had a hole in one that he never wanted anyone to know about. Apparently Hocking, who was known at VGC for being a real gentleman, but not a great golfer, will forever be remembered for his ace on #14. Well, it started on 14, but his tee shot ricocheted off the flagpole, kicked left and rolled right into the cup on the 18th green. Hocking then suffered more insult to his injury when they wouldn't give him a free drink in the bar.

First Woman Who Entered St. Andrew's Clubhouse
​Is A VGC Member

While traveling in the UK with friends to attend the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Margaret Todd (seen in this photo calmly rolling in a 35-foot putt), was asked to play the old course at the Royal and Ancient at St. Andrews. At the end of her round she and her friends were invited into the clubhouse for a tour, which was widely known to be the domain of men. But Margaret and her friends went in anyway, excited to take in the history of the storied course. While touring the clubhouse she wondered why all the men were glaring over their newspapers at their visitors. She was then quietly informed by her host that they were, in fact, the first women ever to set foot in the clubhouse as guests. Glass ceiling shattered.

AV Macan's Ashes Are Spread On #5
​But Almost Weren't

AV Macan (left) was a lawyer, but tired of his profession quickly and got into golf course design soon after moving to Victoria from Ireland in 1912. In his early 30s, he volunteered for service in World War I in the Canadian Army and was wounded at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France. Blood poisoning resulted in the amputation of his lower left leg. After the war, he returned to Canada and continued to play competitive golf and design courses. After his death in 1964, it was his request to have his ashes spread at VGC, which the Board, at the time, would not allow. Unbowed, his friends and family defied the Board and one early morning a small group with a bagpiper ceremoniously spread his ashes along the rock wall on #5's tee box. Rumour has it no Board members were invited to the ceremony.

First Boeing 747 Named After VGC Member

Back in 1970 the first Boeing 747 rolled off the assembly line. With 150 percent greater capacity than the commonly flown Boeing 707 it immediately adopted the nickname "Jumbo Jet" for its distinctive "hump" upper deck along the forward part of the aircraft. But what many do not know is that the very first 747 was named after a Victoria Golf Club member. 

VGC Women Are Good. Like Really Good.

Here's a scorecard from the back nine in 1972. For every player that's ever thought "Wow, Number 11 should really be a Par 5" here's your proof that it actually once was a Par 5. Even today if you walk up to the tips on #11 you'll see the stone engraving still has the hole as a Par 5. But that's nothing compared to what our women have had to endure on our course. If you look at the second bottom row on the card that's par for Ladies. Incredibly, at one point there were FIVE Par 5's on the back nine for women. Now before you think that they had it easy, remember that women had to play a course that was 5,924 yards in length as well.

Send Us Your VGC Story

Everyone has a great golf story to tell - and we're collecting the best stories for our 125th anniversary. So if you've got a fun story that you'd like to share, please send it to us and include a photo if you've got one and we'll post it here. We'd love to hear about your great memory at Victoria Golf Club.

Terrible Tommy Plays VGC

The 1958 US Open Champion, Tommy Bolt, known on tour as Terrible Tommy due of his famous temper, came to VGC in 1975 to play the Lady Scott as a Senior Tour pro, which paired eight men with eight women professionals. As it so happens, the senior men were able to play a practice round the day before the tournament. But due to a scheduling conflict, the women showed up the day of the tournament having never seen VGC before. As the story goes, after leaving the 6th green, Tommy, while walking up to the 7th tee (which was playing as a par 3), put his arm around his partner and told her "Sweetie, at the top of this hill is the hardest f'n par three you'll ever play." Tommy then promptly cut a two iron over the ocean and dropped it two feet behind the pin. Yeah, hard indeed, Tommy.

Sam Snead Plays With US Women's Amateur Champion at the Lady Scott at VGC

​In the 70s, the Scott Paper company sponsored a tournament at Victoria Golf Club called The Lady Scott, which partnered eight prominent Senior Tour golfers with eight professional women golfers from their burgeoning professional tour. Here, Sam Snead is pictured with partner Laura Baugh, who in 1971 at 16 years of age defeated Beth Barry in the 36-hole final match to win the U.S. Women's Amateur, becoming the youngest champion in the event's 76-year history.

VGC Logo Influenced By England,
​Scotland and Ireland

Although the VGC logo or 'badge' has been in existence since 1907, many members do not know the significance of the colours. When examined up close you'll see that in the centre is a red rose, which is for England. The purple thistle on the bottom left hand side is for Scotland and the green clover down the right side is for Ireland. Why no Wales, you ask? Well, they used to be represented on the badge by a leek (the original national emblem), but they changed their national emblem to the daffodil which didn't fit with the badge. 

Hole #14 Serves As A Trailer Park

During the construction of the renovated clubhouse in 1992 and 1993, VGC rented seven trailers and built a temporary club storage for the nine-month construction phase. In the new 'Trailer City' there was an Admin building, Kitchen and Dining Room, separate Men's and Women’s Locker Rooms and 19th holes and a Pro Shop trailer.  All were housed where the current chipping green is located and a part of the 14th fairway.  To accommodate the trailers hole #14 was played as a shorter par 3 from the top of the rock 70 yards out. At that length maybe finally someone could hold their ball on the green. 

VGC Pros Play 144 Holes In One Day.
Take Next Day Off

In order to raise money for Queen Alexandra Hospital and Junior Golf, over approximately six years, different Club Pros Blair Piercy, Colin McCulley, Brian Hann, Dale Broughton and Scott Kolb would play golf for 24 hours straight. They even used glow-in-the-dark golf balls after the sun set so they could keep going. One year Blair Piercy and Scott Kolb played an incredible 144 holes in a 24-hour span (that's EIGHT rounds of golf for those unwilling to do math) - all on foot. In another year they played for 24 hours straight using only one club.  No confirmation on what they actually shot.

Kid Rock Plays VGC. Acts Like Kid Rock

The David Foster Foundation weekend often involved a golf tournament that was played at VGC to raise money to provide financial support for non-medical expenses to Canadian families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants. One of the most eccentric guests to ever play VGC was Kid Rock, who stayed true to form by showing up late, and dressed in a t-shirt, jeans and John Deere hat. He then told the organizers that he was leaving his foursome to go play with Wayne Gretzky, who had teed off 45 minutes earlier. He proceeded to hop in a golf cart and drove off to join the Great One. Even today two things are still unclear about Kid Rock's bizarre round:
1. What he shot.
2. When John Deere started making golf equipment. 

Mer-Man Retrieves Ball, Saves Round

The Friday Open Group (FOG) spices up their regular weekly golf with special events. One of their favourites is called "pink ball" where each team is allocated a pink ball that each team member takes turn playing. If the team loses the ball, they're eliminated from the competition. One Friday, John McCracken volunteered to play the pink ball on the 5th hole. He then proceeded to top his tee shot and watch, in horror, as it slowly bounced into the bay. His teammates, knowing they'd been eliminated, tried to cheer him up, patted him on the back and trudged down the path to finish the hole. But when they turned back to wait for John, they didn't see a golfer, but a half naked Mer-Man in his boxers diving into the frigid waters to find his ball. After retrieving the ball and drying off, McCracken promptly belted the ball up the middle and holed out for a 5 net 4, thereby keeping his team in the competition, saving par, and earning his new nickname 'Aquaman'.