Draft:Sioux Golf & Country Club

SIOUX GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB ALTON, IOWA HISTORY...Established 1888; The oldest continuously operated golf course west of the Mississippi and located in Northwest Iowa, Sioux County, Alton Iowa 51003. Tel.(712)756-4513 P.O. Box 907, 1112 6th Avenue.

    In 1888 Golf came officially to the United States, New York (New Amsterdam) with the formation of The St. Andrews Golf Club of Chauncey, NY on November 18, 1888. NOTE: Golf also came to Alton, Iowa  and established itself on its present site in the fall of that very same year in 1888!
    Extract from the book THE ALTON CENTENNIAL HISTORY - 1883-1983..."Sioux Golf & Country Club History begins with an eastern trip that Mr. W.S. Slagle took in 1888.  He was tempted by friends to try a new sport called GOLF which had recently been transplanted to America from Scotland and England.  He was very intrigued with the game and purchased a supply of clubs and balls.  On his return to Alton with his new equipment he decided to utilize a pasture, which he owned, directly west of his home..." [Part of the Present site]. 
    Initially, at the age of 23 Walter S. Slagle, with the help of his brother Frank M. Slagle, and friends Samuel A. Lincoln, John H. Folger, Myron Gibbs, and Judge Hutchinson laid out four(4) holes in his pasture in the Fall 1888.  To put this date in historic perspective, The Washington Monument was completed and opened on October 9, 1888.  This was also seven(7) months before "The Great Oklahoma Land Rush" of April 1889. Grover Cleveland was President of the United States.  The Model-T Ford  would not be produced for another 20 years in 1908.  The year 1888 was among the best of the "Horse & Buggy Days".  And the East Orange Post Office itself had just changed its name to "Alton" six years earlier on March 2, 1882.  
    By March of 1897, a crude links-style course of nine holes with sand greens was being played. Mr. Slagle by then was already recognized as being "first rate at the game." Golfing was confined in those days to the spring and fall when the grass in the pastures used for the nine-hole course was short.  The Slagle pasture was the nucleus of that first golf links, with the Stronks pasture to the north also used.  Since the number of golfers was very limited, no attempt was made to regularly cut the grass on the course in those days.*
    On August 26, 1900, a "formal" club was constituted named the "Alton Golf Club" with official minutes being recorded and the first officers elected. Twenty-one members present at the residence of Samuel A. Lincoln signed the minutes.  S.A. Lincoln was elected President; J.C. Folger, Vice-President; W.S. Slagle, Secretary; M.D. Gibbs, Treasurer; W.W. Eldridge, Captain; and 17 year old Gideon S. Pitts, Greenskeeper.*
    That September, in 1900 THE ALTON-DEMOCRAT reported... "The Pitts and Bower boys constructed the first foot bridges over the turbulent streamlets along the links".
    The 1901 HARPERS & BROTHERS OFFICIAL GOLF GUIDE listed the Alton Golf Club-Half a mile from the C.&N.W Railroad Station Alton, Iowa having...an entrance fee of $1, annual dues of $1 and 21 Members.  Distances and bogey figures: Hole #1 265 yards, Bogey 5. Hole #2 300 yards, Bogey 4.  Hole #3 300 yards, Bogey 4.  Hole #4 400 yards, Bogey 8. Hole #5 370 yards, Bogey 7.  Hole #6 300 yards, Bogey 5. Hole #7 320 yards, Bogey 5. Hole #8 220 yards, Bogey 4. Hole #9 200 yards, Bogey 3.  Total yardage of the links was 2,675 with "Total Bogey" of 45. ["PAR" was reserved at that time for only a small number of championship caliber designated 18-hole courses in the eastern states.  None were so designated in Iowa or west of the Mississippi at the time.  The HARPER & BROTHERS GUIDE listed the number of Golf Courses in Iowa having grown from ours to twenty(20).  All were listed as nine-hole courses.  Four of those 20 were located in Northwest Iowa; Alton, Primghar, LeMars, and Sioux City.
    In 1920, an additional 13 acres of land was secured for $7,750.  Family memberships were $10 per year.  Youngsters could caddy and earn 25 cents per nine-hole round and possibly a tip.  Green fees for visiting players were $1 per day.  Mike Shearman, the well-known and respected Sioux City Country Club Professional was engaged to lay out our revised nine-hole course on the original and newly acquired available land.*
    The ALTON-DEMOCRAT reported..."W.H. Hospers of Orange City, one of the prime movers in the enterprise, says that...'the two towns will have one of the finest golf links in Iowa...We are going to get a carload of sheep and turn them into the pasture until the grounds are in good condition, then sell half of the sheep keeping just enough to keep the grass down."
    Often times receipts did not match expenses, so at the end of each season, Mr. Slagle, W.S. Short, Gerrit Klay, W.F.Rieckhoff, and P.D. Van Oosterhout; and later other benefactors, would hold a finance meeting to determine the shortage. They would then divide the amount equally and scratch out personal checks to keep the club solvent for another year.*
    A Club crises developed in 1945-1946.  Due to World War II, there had been a great decrease in the number of male members and since many of the older men had died or retired from the game, finances became a very real concern.  There was some agitation to sell the property and have Orange City banker, Mr. W.S. Short, who was the "trustee" of the course since 1920... distribute the proceeds to various heirs.  Mr. Short, along with Robert L. Rieckhoff encouraged a conference of all interested parties to see what could be worked out. As a result, it was decided that if the finances could be resolved and an adequate club house could be built and fully paid for, the trustee would transfer the land to a corporation to be called, The Sioux Golf & Country Club.  It was decided to sell 500 shares of stock in the corporation at $100 per share to enlarge the membership and to acquire funds to build the clubhouse.*  On the 5th day of May 1947, the official Articles of Incorporation were filed with the following Officers; President E.S. Kiernan, Vice-President Mitchell H. Moret, Secretary M.V. Henderson Jr., and Treasurer Herman Rowenhorst.  Other Directors witnessing were: S.A. Lincoln, Jr., W.S. Slagle, T.E. Klay, W.S. Short, Robert L. Rieckhoff, and C.L. Blakely.  Additional major shareholders recorded were:  Ed Henrich, P.D. Van Oosterhout, C.W. Pitts, W.H. Hospers, G.J. Slobe, and Henry Lubbers.*
    In 1949,a very adequate club house was built on... "Slagle Hill," which overlooks a beautiful scenic vista of the golf course."*
    In 1993, Sioux Golf & Country Club was named..."''Nine-Hole Course of the Year" by the Iowa Golf Association.* 
    Sioux Golf & Country Club's first woman Director was Mrs. Betty Ferrell elected in 1980, followed by Mrs. Lois Even in 1983.  Our first woman President, Mrs. Rachel Krull, was elected in 1996. Also in 1996, the SGCC Board of Directors revised our non-profit organization and approved Restated Articles of Incorporation terminating the existence under the 1947 Articles.*
    In 1997 & 1998, the Sioux Golf & Country Club Board of Directors with Tom Kiernan and Kirk Te Grootenhuis, respectively as Board Presidents, and with the help of many volunteers and present-day financial benefactors added a New Banquet Hall, extensively remodeled the Club House, Lounge, Pro Shop, Cart Facilities, and added many Course Improvements, including an extensive irrigation system.*
    In 2012, we again amended and updated our Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws to reflect digital age communication methods and instituted  "Lifetime Memberships" to help reduce debt.*
    During August of 2013, we honored the foresight and dedication of those before us along with those of today, and pledged to continue the golfing tradition which began here 125 years earlier with a month-long celebration!  Events included a Hickory Stick Tournament, a Formal Banquet and Programs, two 8-Inch Cup Tournaments, a Senior Men's Tournament, A Golden Girl's Tournament, and a Ladies Tournament.  Board members at the time were; President Harlan Jorgensen; Brian Schutt Vice-President; Blake Bengard Treasurer; Norman Nieuwenhuis Secretary; Directors: Marcie Jellema, Tim Bindner, Shawn Jasper, Kim Krull, Leon Hubers, Don Treharne, and Renee Rhamy.  Chad Reitsma was Club Manager and Course Grounds Superintendent.*
    Since 1999, Sioux Golf continued to be successful in their mission in a challenging financial environment of rapidly expanding area competition at the time.  This was accomplished during the time and under the administration of President Chad Bisinger, Jay Van Ravensway, Brenda Herda, Bruce Jellema, Brian Schutt, and Harlan Jorgensen with Faye Anderson and Blake Bengard serving as Treasurer, and Norm Nieuwenhuis serving as Secretary.*  By 2015, Sioux Golf & Country Club found itself at another critical crossroads where our debt and borrowing capacity plateaued and it was evident that a bold decision once again needed to be made in order to insure their survivability. Consequently, a special meeting of Sioux Golf & Country Club's Membership Certificate Holders on September 21,2015 approved a Purchase and subsequent Lease Back Arrangement with the City Council of Alton.  Before the City could move forward in this endeavor; however, Sioux Golf's debt and obligations of ~$300,000 needed to be eliminated. A Fundraising Campaign named 'The Final Fund Drive" ensued.  Hundreds of solicitations were mailed out to members, former members, area businesses, and friends of Sioux Golf & Country Club.  American State Bank pledged $100,000 as long as the members and friends of Sioux Golf was able to raise the first $200,000. SGCC as early as January 19, 2016 was able to meet and surpass that challenge goal. Following the payment of all outstanding mortgages, operation loans, and taxes, the purchase and lease agreement with the City of Alton was officially completed on February 19, 2016.
    Thus, the history and tradition of Sioux Golf & Country Club continues, including all during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and currently on their 137th year as of 2025... the oldest continuously operated golf course site for the game of golf west of the Mississippi river and located in Alton, Iowa.

HISTORY SOURCES

• The ALTON CENTENNIAL BOOK: A Crossroads-Past & Present (1883-1983).
• SIOUXLAND: A HISTORY OF SIOUX COUNTY, IOWA:Alton(East Orange), 1983 by G. Nelson Nieuwenhuis.
• The ALTON-DEMOCRAT Newspaper; Sept. 1,1900, Sept. 22,1900, Nov.3,1900, Sept. 26,1903.
• THE HARPER'S OFFICIAL GOLF GUIDE (1901) published by Harper & Brothers, pages 124-129.
• The ALTON-DEMOCRAT; May 22,1920, "Two Towns to Have Golf Club".
• The ALTON-DEMOCRAT; August 19,1954, "Floyd River Philosopher editorial".
• Sioux Golf & Country Club Official Secretary Records and SGCC Monthly & Annual Board of Director Meeting Minutes.
• Sioux Golf & Country Club members' recollections heard/passed down over years; Notable Past Members: Miles H. Kramer, Barney & Tim Bindner, Arnie Streff, Don Ford, Tom Kiernan; Norman D. Nieuwenhuis, Secretary of Sioux Golf & Country Club since 1994 [ndn].