Club House History

Established more than 120 years ago, Columbia Country Club is a private, member-owned club, formerly known as Columbia Golf Club. The Columbia Golf Club was organized on September 29, 1898, by nine men with a mission to promote “educational, literary and scientific purposes; social activities and mutual improvements; and to support athletic exercise, outdoor sport and amusement.” The first location of the Club was on the east side of Brightwood Avenue, later known as Georgia Avenue, in the neighborhood of Schuetzen Park. In a short time, the Club moved to a site further north on the west side of the avenue where a vacant lot was converted into a crude nine-hole golf course. The Columbia Golf Club was disbanded following the last round of golf on December 31, 1910. At the time, 200 of the 600 members became supporters of the newly created Columbia Country Club.

The opening of the new Columbia Country Club occurred on the evening of January 1, 1911. The Connecticut Avenue site had been purchased in 1909 from the Chevy Chase Land Company. The certificate of incorporation is dated August 25, 1909. The clubhouse was designed by Club member Frederick B. Pyle.

Since its inception, Columbia Country Club has grown and offers a full range of athletic, social and recreational facilities. These include 11 HAR-TRU tennis courts (three courts are bubbled for indoor play during the winter), two pickleball courts, and four paddle tennis courts. In 2009, the Club unveiled its brand new $28M Family Activities Building featuring indoor and outdoor pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a group exercise studio, a six-lane duckpin bowling center, a child-minding facility known as Kid City, a Teen Clubhouse and more. Additionally, the Club maintains multiple restaurants, providing a variety of dining experiences for its members and their guests, and allowing members to host personalized private functions.