Construction begins in 1910 and officially open for play in 1911. In 1920, after a George O'Neil redesign, it is known to be one of the top courses in all of California and hosts several professional tournaments in the days of Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen in the early 1920's.
Formerly the bed of a wash, it drains well as the rains fall on the foothills in the morning and players can head out in the afternoon without ponding. The course and clubhouse were built by the Country Club as a place to get away from the bustle of the city and ride horses and hike in the mountains. Thaddeus Lowe's famous incline is still running at the time and streetcars can be taken from downtown pasadena to the course or to the base of the incline railway. As you walk up hole #9 in the present course configuration, you will see it nicely frames Echo Mountain and it doesn't take a lot of imagination to see the famed white city in your mind's eye as you stroll the fairway.
From 1911 through 1919, the Willie Watson designed course and routing had oil and sand greens for putting. Francis Ouimet winning the US Open at Brookline in 1913 boosted the popularity of golf in the states tremendously. The club prospered in its early years but World War 1 impacted finances and lives and there was little time and few people to relax at a leisure sport.
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Constructed from 1910 to 1911 by William Watson using horse and mule drawn leveling and rudimentary shaping equipment. The course was built on a long neglected plot of land which was part of the natural drainage system for the runoff coming through Rubio Canyon.
Could be from below and west of current #3 tee box as these old holes used to run along Morada before turning northeast toward the water hole and reservoir.
This is about where the putting green is now, perhaps the veranda looking WNW
An early photo of the course just after 1919 re-design work. California Life magazine ran some stories with photographs to bring tourists out west and this was in one of the early spreads.
These are three different views all looking from South to North. California life ran these - see if you can remove all the trees in your mind's eye and figure out where the photographer in the day stood.
By putting green, catch basin and driving range
From the southern third of the course looking northeast, this often photographed hole provides contrast with its large facing bunker looming on the mountain side of the green and a smaller bunker short and right to catch shots hit poorly up the hill. George O'Neill has just finished his redesign and the Pasadena Golf Club is christened.
Current 9 tee or fairway?
This would be below catch basin just east of current #2 green
Harold Parker, an amazing early photographer of the southwest set his tripod and large format camera in two property edge locales and took panoramic photos which capture the course and setting in its heyday.
This is one of two Harold Parker photographs taken in 1926 from edges of the golf course. Both are large format and panoramic.