Merchantville CC

Monday, 28 November 2005 21:46

John B. Morton must be given the credit for starting the organization now known as Merchantville Country Club, aided by his friends Frederick W. Klienz and John P. Burleigh. On June 3, 1898 the Merchantville Field Club was incorporated. On March 4, 1916 they formally changed the name to Merchantville Country Club.

Merchantville Country Club was founded on October 13, 1892 under the name Merchantville Field Club. It was a favored resort for lovers of outdoor sports- baseball, cricket, tennis, football, and golf. Golf was played in the late eighteen hundreds with tin cans sunk in holes at the extreme ends of the field. William Craig and William Stelwagon, the "daddies" of golf in Merchantville, persisted in the face of disfavor, and finally saw golf and tennis firmly established.

National attention was focused on Merchantville when their head pro in 1911, Johnny McDermott, became the first American born pro to win the US Open in 1912 to become one of only five in tournament history to score back to back victories.

General meetings were first held in officers homes, later years indicate the meetings were held in the billiard room of the historic Old Grove Inn. Beginning in 1910, they were held at the historic Collins and Pancoast Hall until the Merchantville Field Clubhouse was opened in 1921.

In 1954, four acres and the buildings were sold to the Borough of Merchantville and a new clubhouse was constructed on the other side of the grounds located in Cherry Hill.

Recently dubbed "the best kept secret in Southern New Jersey", Merchantville Country Club is nestled away on forty acres of land between Pennsauken, Merchantville and Cherry Hill, New Jersey. This little nine hole gem plays only 6000 yards, but is rated the 12th most difficult course in the Philadelphia area. Although the membership is approximately 200 senior golfers, Merchantville successfully competes with clubs two and three times their size.

Ed Purdy 1992

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