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 Hacienda Golf Club’s old-school design has stood the test of time. The Willie Watson-designed private course, which opened in 1920, is a blend of old-school design and contemporary management that has blended nicely into the neighborhood over the years. The course has stood the test of time and continues to thrive. Here’s a look at some important dates and numbers: 1923: Reigning U.S. Open champion Gene Sarazen teams with Jock Hutchinson in an exhibition match against club professional Adam Walker and Joe Hagermans. Sarazen and Hutchison win handily, with Sarazen breaking the course record with an even-par 71. 1943: In a country still reeling from the Great Depression, Hacienda’s membership dwindles to 72 and the club faces two economic challenges: mounting debt and bondholders it can’t repay. Set to sell its assets, the club is saved by Fay Lewis and Scotty McGregor. Lewis drafts and files reorganization papers for a new club comprised of 72 member/shareholders, and McGregor raises $70,000 for the newly created Hacienda Inc., which buys the club’s assets for $50,000. 1950-1953: These years mark the tenure of George Von Elm as Hacienda’s head professional. Von Elm was one of the greatest amateurs in California history. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1926 and is one of only two people to win the California State Amateur, the SCGA Amateur and the NCGA Amateur in the same year: 1925. For his efforts, Von Elm was enshrined into the SCGA Hall of Fame. 1964: Under the direction of club president Mike Fitzpatrick, Don Hogan, a Seattle-based engineer, uses a machine to smooth the contours of the barrancas that had required many forced carries. It’s the biggest project in the history of the golf course and the main reason why it’s still considered a championship-caliber layout. 1994: A young golfer that most of the world hadn’t heard of yet shoots a course-record 62 in the second round of the 1994 SCGA Amateur Championship — and he’s wearing a red shirt in the final round. His name is Tiger Woods, and his record-shattering score gives him a 10-shot victory over Mark Johnson, who currently plays on the Champions Tour. 2005: The year marking the largest strategic planning process in club history. The process results in a new clubhouse, major golf course renovation and an overhaul of club costs and resource allotment. 2006: Hacienda opens its new clubhouse in November. $300,000: The reported monthly income of Alphonso Bell in the mid-1920s. Bell, a successful oilman and landowner who also founded Bel-Air Country Club, was Hacienda’s founder and first president. 3: That’s how many Hacienda members have served as SCGA president. The first was Howard Tweedy in 1969, followed by Jack Lewis in 1979 and Lowell English in 1994. 24: The number of club championships that Marge Cryan has won at Hacienda. Cryan, a La Mirada resident, is one of the greatest golfers to call Southern California home. In addition to her number of Hacienda club championships, she has won the super-senior division of the California Senior Women’s Championship 10 times since 1995. Cryan also was a member of the Kenosha Comets, the all-women’s baseball team of the 1940s immortalized in the film, “A League of Their Own.” For more information on Hacienda Golf Club, including membership, call (562) 694-1081 or visit haciendagolfclub.com. |
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