CLUB HISTORY
With the recent improvements to the course here’s a couple excerpts from newspaper articles dealing with course improvements from days past.
Buffalo Evening News – Saturday, April 30, 1921
Improvements on an extended scale have been planned by the directors of the East Aurora Country club, and when they are finally completed the members will have one of the sportiest golf clubs in Western New York.
The course was laid out in 1916 by the late John Harrison, and up to this year the directors were satisfied to let the course and club grow of itself. Sufficient ground was purchased at the start for an 18-hole course, but only nine holes were laid out. It is over rolling country and of the present nine holes, the greens of but two holes are visible from the tees. There is not an artificial hazard on the course, but nature with the assistance of an orchard and a road has provided abundant trouble.
This year the directors have secured the services of Roy Wright as resident professional. Wright was formally at Huntingdon Hills Country club, Long Island, and later at Dunkirk, NY and with four years practical club making, and two years working on course construction and improvements, the directors feel that he will prove a distinct acquisition to the club.
Improvements to be made under Wright’s supervision will be entire renovating of all the greens. Temporary greens have been constructed and the regular greens will be closed until the official opening of the season on Decoration Day, grass tees will be constructed for all holes and the tees on some holes will be moved. Particular attention is also being made to fairways, and the results should vastly improve an already more than interesting course.
Buffalo Evening News: Saturday, July 15, 1922
Already the original nine holes have been made over, new holes have been laid out and tees and greens lengthened and the route relaid so that when the new nine holes are ready no further changes will be necessary.
Furthermore the quaintly designed and substantially constructed club house, with its “hard head” stone chimney and English open fireplace, adze-hewn rafters and trellised walls, as to be enlarged and improved. These improvements will mean that the rebuilt structure will house a commodious dance room, dining hall, lockers for 300 members and all the auxiliaries of a modern country club pavilion.
The architectural work was entrusted to one of the country’s most noted experts and course builders in Wayne E. Styles of Carter’s Seeds Co. staff with Al Crowell of East Aurora as contractor for the construction work.
The greens at Nos. 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 have been relocated and splendid new tees constructed at several holes. The tees are as expansive as the greens on many courses and with their turfy tops will be a welcome change from the small clay surfaced driving mounds hitherto used.
.
Raymond Zorn, Club Historian