San Jose CC Prepares for Centennial Celebration

The unveiling of a golf museum on July 9 will kick off a week-long schedule of events that will include an outdoor concert and legacy wall dedication as the Bay Area’s fourth oldest course turns 100.

The San Jose (Calif.) Country Club (SJCC) will hold its Centennial Celebration from July 9-15, starting with the unveiling of a golf museum that features interesting artifacts, photos and golf memorabilia spanning the club’s 100 years and beyond. The museum will be open to the public on Monday July 9, from 5-7 p.m.

After the golf museum opening, the week-long Centennial Celebration will also include a series of golf events, dining experiences, an outdoor concert and a legacy wall dedication.

“We are celebrating 100 years of the San Jose Country Club,” says Ernie Moreno, SJCC member and historical committee chair. “But actually, the club began as a nine-hole course known as the Linda Vista Country Club in 1899 on Alum Rock Avenue. The Alum Rock area was best known for its scenic vistas, and loosely translated in Spanish,  “Linda Vista” means pretty view.

Linda Vista CC was the eighth course to open in California and the fourth in the Bay Area, preceded only by Burlingame CC (1893), San Francisco GC and the Presidio GC two years later.

San Jose CC’s course was originally designed in 1912 by Tom Nicoll, a Scottish-born professional and the club’s first head pro. Renovations were made by A.W. Tillinghast in 1936 and John Harbottle in 1997, who thought the course had “a touch of Scotland” and likened it to Gleneagles.

A founding member of the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA) through the years San Jose CC has turned out an impressive list of champions that includes players such as Ernie Pieper, Roger Maltbie, Ken Venturi, and Jack and Eli Bariteau. “Yes, there are several golf legends that have been associated with San Jose Country Club,” said GCSAA Member and General Manager Jason Green, “and as we reflect back in preparation for our 100th anniversary, it is clear these individuals have truly added to the history and spirit of our club.”

Eddie Duino was a notable club pro at San Jose CC and in 1959 earned the coveted distinction as Northern California PGA Golf Professional of the Year. Over the years Duino gave lessons to numerous top players including Maltbie, Venturi, and Congressman Don Edwards, who are honorary members today. The club honors Duino through its bar and restaurant, the Eddie Duino Room, which features the former pro’s trophies and awards as well as many historical photographs.

Tags: A.W. Tillinghast Burlingame CC Congressman Don Edwards Eddie Duino Eli Bariteau Ernie Moreno Ernie Pieper Gleneagles Jack Bariteau Jason Green John Harbottle Ken Venturi Linda Vista CC Northern California Golf Association Presidio GC Roger Maltbie San Francisco GC San Jose Country Club Tom Nicoll