The club was established in 1924 as a nine-hole layout by Tom Vardon, and the renovation that began in 2014 was directed primarily at reconstructing bunkers. Other changes include removing some existing trees, constructing new tees, and redesigning the 13th hole to play as a redan.
Ninety years after it opened, Stillwater (Minn.) Country Club has undergone a renovation to restore the golden-age charm and appeal it had when it opened in 1925.
The club was established in 1924 as a nine-hole course laid out by Tom Vardon, the brother of Harry Vardon and head golf professional at the nearby White Bear Yacht Club. Stillwater Country Club suffered hard times during the 1930s and 40s, so it wasn’t until 1957 that the club hired Paul Coates to add another nine holes on land it had purchased a few years earlier. Since that time, the course has remained largely unchanged.
In 2014, the club began a renovation directed primarily at reconstructing bunkers, which also removed some existing trees, and constructed new tees. One of the more significant improvements was to the par three 13th hole, which was redesigned to play as a redan.
Other changes included the repositioning of a centering bunker on the uphill par 3 seventh and the addition of new fairway bunkering on the fourth, fifth and twelfth holes.
“Overall we reduced the amount of sand, improved drainage and created something that will differentiate Stillwater Country Club from other private clubs in the area,” said golf course architect Kevin Norby, of Herfort Norby Golf Course Architects.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.