May 6, 2004

Golf, country club is Almaden’s hole in one

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Overlooking the Almaden Valley nestles the hidden jewel of Almaden Golf and Country Club. Members love it for its amenities including golf, tennis, and swimming, as well as its majestic location and natural beauty.

“Our setting is glorious, being situated in the rolling hills of Almaden Valley, but this is a no pretense club,” notes Almaden Golf and Country Club General Manager Michael Gardner. “It is a down to earth, practical membership, and a golf-centric kind of club. There are clubs that are social entities, that happen to have a golf course, but ours is the other way around.”

Although its membership includes charter members who saw it privatized in the 1960s, the club recently welcomed a number of new members in their 40s and 50s who plan to remain for 20 or 30 years. A big part of Gardner’s job is to know the members as well as their needs. “Basically they’re looking for a place that is comfortable and consistent,” he comments. “They become an extension of our family.”

Currently, there are over 500 club members at proprietary, special, social, and swim and racquet levels. “There is a level of membership tailored to meet most anybody’s needs,” assures Gardner. “If all they’re interested in is using the clubhouse and taking their children or grandchildren to the pool, I have a membership for that. There is a swim and racquet membership that gives you everything except golf. Someone can also just be a social member for years, and later transition into a full proprietary membership.”

Jim Heisch, president of Almaden Golf and Country Club, considers the golf course the best in all of Santa Clara County. He believes that the beauty of the natural setting makes it a special course. “When you get up into some of the holes where you can look out and see the hillside, or the Quicksilver mines, it’s very tranquil and a very enjoyable experience,” says Heisch.

Over the years, the club has continued to enhance the course. “We’ve added two lakes, redone all of the greens, and continue to improve its appeal with tree plantings,” says Heisch. However, Heisch views the members themselves as the greatest appeal of belonging to the country club. “It’s a very friendly club, and an easy club to become active in and a part of,” he comments. “New members are welcomed with open arms, and it becomes a part of your life and your lifestyle, and a part of your family through the friendships and associations you make here.”

Although pricey, the club tries to attract families
Heisch recognizes the expense of membership as a difficulty in attracting young families to the club. “But once a family looks into it, and sees that it’s a place that they can enjoy all of its amenities together, they can justify the financial commitment,” he contends. “We have a very progressive junior golf program, tennis, the Almaden Alligators swim team, and a restaurant that is geared towards family dining,” The average membership cost today is between $75,000 and $80,000, plus monthly dues of $475, and a minimum expenditure in the restaurant.

“We’re trying not to make Almaden a private, exclusive club that only the members enjoy,” comments Heisch, “and because we have a limited number of memberships, we have opened up the tennis and the swimming program to allow non-member families in the area to participate in those programs, which enables us to hire higher quality instructors. We really are trying to be a part of the community.”

The country club also opens its facility to high school golf teams, and supports many local charities by permitting use of the golf course for fund-raising tournaments. For instance, the Almaden Valley Counseling Service held its Snow Ball at the country club, which included a luncheon, tea, and dinner dance. In addition, events such as wedding receptions and private parties take place there. Linda Nollette, whose husband Jeff golfs at the club, surprised him with his 40th birthday party there. “We really are trying to be a part of the community,” states Heisch.

Linda Bronson and her family joined the club in 1989. “I never thought of myself as a country club type person,” she reflects, “but we did more as a family when we joined than we had before. It was a great experience. My son, Ian, is in the junior golf program, and it’s a great sport for kids. My daughter, Meredith, is a swimmer, and started with the Almaden Gators.” Bronson herself ran the snack bar for seven years. “We still use it a lot,” she says. Her husband continues to play golf at the club and they enjoy Friday dinners and Sunday brunches there, while socializing with friends.

Tennis anyone?
“Working at the country club is the ultimate job,” says Tennis Professional Susan Gorman. “You have the setting of the Almaden hills, and the people are friendly.” Gorman believes that in today’s hectic world, people need a place where they can get away. “You don’t have to be a member of the club to take lessons here,” she mentions. “We also have an ‘inner club’ where member ladies play, do lunch, and compete against other clubs. Tennis keeps you in good shape, and it combines fun, learning and a challenge. It’s a game you can pick up all through your lifetime.”

Robbin Llamas and Barbara Tharenos enjoy taking tennis lessons with Gorman. “We love playing here. Sue’s a great teacher,” says Llamas. “She teaches our daughters tennis, as well. We have a lot of fun with her, and we’ve learned a lot.” Tharenos agrees. “My daughter, Tiffany, takes lessons here, and she looks forward to it every week.”

Past Club President Jerry Odens, who originally joined the club in 1975 to play golf with his wife, is a font of wisdom, humor, and old stories. Odens designed the club’s original hole in one flag that signals those at the club that there has been a hole in one, and a free drink is awaiting them at the bar. When he was a new member and achieved a hole in one during a tournament, a friend asked if he had hole in one insurance. “What’s that?” asked Odens. “He said if you don’t have it, you have to buy drinks for everyone in the club all day long.” Luckily for Odens, the club had previously abandoned that practice and rewarded members on hole in one days with free drinks itself, and continues to do so today.

Six months after they spent $4,000 to join to country club, the clubhouse burnt down due to a kitchen fire, recalls Odens with a grin. “Our son came home on his bicycle and said, “Dad, your clubhouse is burning down.” And, the first time his wife, Pat, played in a twilight series, on hole 12, which has a five handicap, she had a ‘natural bird.’ “She killed a quail,” laughs Jerry. Returning to the club, he announced to all that his wife had her first natural bird on number 12, and everyone applauded. Then he held up the quail.

A look back
Developed by the Del Webb Corporation and the Henry Crown Corporation of Chicago to attract property buyers to the area in the 1950s, the golf course has, on the whole, remained unchanged from its original design. To promote the course and the Almaden Valley, from 1958-1965 Del Webb initiated a professional golf tour event known as the Almaden Open. The tournament gained prestige by becoming a stop on the PGA tour. Many big name players of the day, including Ken Venturi, Al Geiberger, and Billy Casper competed for the purse, which was $1,500 its first year, and increased to $47,000 by its last.

The addition of new holes 5, 6, and 7, and the resulting reconstruction time, unfortunately interrupted the annual PGA tour series at Almaden, and it was never resumed. However, in the 1980s, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) held tournaments at the club, which provided over $1 million to local charities.
In 1968, at a cost of $1.5 million, the public club was purchased from Del Webb Corporation, and became privatized with the sale of 400 memberships at a price of $3,575 each. First President Tony Mercant attributes the club’s initial success to members Bernard Gillis, Jerry Carpenter, and George Drysdale, whose formula for success was, “If it is to be, it is up to me.”

“We had to sell 400 memberships to qualify for a charter, and Tony and Jerry went out knocking on doors,” recalls Marge Mercant. “Some members bought two memberships, because we didn’t quite make the quota. The club’s come a long way and we’re very proud of it.”

Par for the course
Charter member Gordon Peffley joined the country club in 1969. He lives nearby, and enjoys playing golf at the club several days a week. “There’s a lot of camaraderie out here,” he says. “And it’s a beautiful area. Of the original 400 charter members, there are only about 27 of us left,” he comments wistfully. Peffley, however, plans to play through for some time to come.

Charlie McNamee is also a charter member of the country club, and at age 93, is its oldest member, but he still manages to play 18 holes of golf every Wednesday morning. “It is the finest exercise playing golf, walking out in the open,” notes McNamee. “And it’s a beautiful course. Sitting up on the club’s porch in the early evening, there’s nothing prettier.” Although he doesn’t consider himself a great golfer, McNamee enjoys the sport immensely. “I was a lousy golfer all my life, and still am,” laughs McNamee. “But I have two favorite holes, the 15th, because it’s where I got my first hole in one at age 80, and the 6th, because it’s where I got my second at age 90.”

Avery Cook, head golf professional, considers Almaden Golf and Country Club’s golf course one of the best in Northern California. “It’s in excellent condition,” he contends. “They are continually making improvements. The greens and tees have been re-done, as well as improvements to the fairways and bunkers. We have great practice facilities, a good teaching program, and a golf shop with a wide variety of merchandise.” The golf program also features an active tournament schedule, a seniors group, a ladies group, a men’s group, and juniors. “We have five sets of tees, and depending upon your ability, you can play from the shortest to the furthest,” says Cook.

Gary Sowards, who has been a member of the club for almost 20 years, loves walking the course. “If you play at the back tees, it’s over 7,000 yards,” he notes. “The golf course is nestled around the homes in lovely Almaden Valley, and where else can you see all types of wildlife?”

As Susan Gorman says, “What’s not to like up here? It’s an ultimate dream to belong to the country club, or be able to use its facilities.”

The Almaden Golf and Country Club is located at 6663 Hampton Drive, and is available for weddings and private parties. It also supports many local charities by permitting use of the facilities and golf course for fund-raising. For more information, call 268-4653.