Connecting With Our Past

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

About five years ago The Country Club of Waterbury had a small “misunderstanding” with a local Charity and The Donald Ross Society. Two Golf Outings were unfortunately booked at the same time and Club Leadership opted to accommodate the local Charity. The inability to accommodate The Donald Ross Society for an Outing didn’t sit well at the time, but as they say…….time heals all wounds. Fast forward to early February 2025 and The Donald Ross Society reached out to The Country Club of Waterbury to inquire about hosting a “Homecoming” Tournament with The Wampanoag Country Club in nearby West Hartford, CT. It seemed like an ideal opportunity to showcase The Country Club of Waterbury, having recently celebrated 125 years, and The Donald Ross Society which is headquartered in nearby West Hartford, CT.

I immediately began to think……..how could this little 300 Private Membership Club in Central Connecticut make this particular event so incredibly special and personal? We are all in a very “hi-touch” environment and I began really looking into the history and the development of North American Donald Ross Golf Courses. As I began to research, I soon realized that there are over 400 Donald Ross designed golf courses and in my many years of association with CMAA, METCMA, NECMA, and my beloved CMAACT Chapter, I have developed relationships with Peers at many of these fine Donald Ross facilities. I knew General Managers, Assistant General Managers, Chefs, Golf Pros, and Superintendents. Membership joined in the quest and assisted with tokens of past and recent trips. I then thought how do we pay homage to one of the greatest course designers, leverage my acquaintances, and intertwine the incredible history of The Country Club of Waterbury………then it hit me as I was driving a golf cart one day down to the 10th Tee. Celebrate with Golf Pin Flags from as many Donald Ross Golf Courses as I could acquire. What became an exercise to acquire 18 Golf Pin Flags, became an obsession to fill up our beloved Grill Room. With the exception of only one Club, everyone kindly and enthusiastically assisted with a Golf Pin Flag and Club Memento. To date we have almost 100 Golf Pin Flags hanging in our Grill Room embracing the past.

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

The Country Club of Waterbury certainly couldn’t have accomplished this feat without the assistance of so many Clubs. We wish too thank all those who participated and the many Club Management Professionals who generously donated a piece of their history.