St. Paul Country Club History

The St. Paul Country Club was the result of a discussion in early spring of 1956, between several interested gentlemen who gathered to visit at the Corner Barber Shop in St. Paul. The possibility of leasing land and getting members to form a club was explored. Sixty-five persons signed as members and our present course land was leased from Alvin Christensen.

The course was designed by Eugene Zocholl, who also served as the club’s first president. Other officers who served that first year were: Carroll Madsen, Vice President: Ed Nevrivy, Secretary-Treasurer. Also serving as board members were Bryan Jensen, R.V. Crawford, Vernon Taylor, and Paul Oakeson.

The directors borrowed $1,500 to start their project. A club tractor was purchased from Broken Bow for $300, a mower purchased from Fremont for $550 and land was rented for $300 a year. Club dues the first year were $15.

All labor was donated by the members to make the sand greens and get the course started. Heavy equipment was borrowed from the city, the county, and the lumberyard. All labor and equipment that was used was a donation to the club for several years. Gib Wegner was the first greenskeeper, because he had available equipment. Albert Jacobs was the first hired greenskeeper and his wages were $1.25 an hour.

Golfing, the first year, encountered some unusual obstacles. For a short time, some haystacks stood in the middle of five and six fairways. Number one fairway was a slight dogleg around the corner of a cornfield. Still obstacles to many of our golfers today are the some 40 Austrian pine trees bordering the fairways that were planted in 1962.

July 29th, 1956 the first tournament was held. It was an 18-hole Medal Play City Tournament. Sixty golfers paid 50 cents for entry fee. Richie Nielsen was medalist with a 74.

Approximately three years after the organization of the golf course, the clubhouse was purchased. It was the Methodist fair stand and was obtained for $75. A kitchen and bathrooms were added to the west side in 1963. In 1981 the clubhouse was enlarged to the east, insulation, paneling and a new screened-in porch were added.

In 1963 the club was incorporated and the name changed from St. Paul Golf Course to St. Paul Country Club, Inc. In 1965 the Harry Lingford 80 acres was purchased with the idea of moving the golf course. Before this action became a reality, the club was able to buy the Christensen property which we were leasing. In 1966 the Lingford property was sold at auction for $14,000. The club paid $14,000 for the Christensen property.

With the owning of our property, the club members agreed to convert to grass greens. Bonds were sold to help finance the project. In June 1972 the new grass greens were open for play.

The first golf cart storage building was built in 1974. This building stores 25 carts. Two more such cart storage buildings have been added, one in 1978 and the third building in 1982. The forth building was added in 1990 and this building includes a work shop. In 2016 we added onto the the fourth building to expand cart storage area.

Modern restrooms for men and women were constructed out on the course in 1990. The driving range was built and opened midsummer 2000. It is approximately six acres, 250 yards long, and complete with sprinkler system.

In 2001, the club installed a new irrigation system. The computerized system includes a double row sprinkler system for the fairways and allows for the isolation of any part of the course in case of a break in the lines. The cost of the project was $103,000. A new well had to be installed in the spring of 2004. The cost of the well was $45,000.

The Tee Box on Hole 4 and the Ladies Tee Boxes on Hole 7 and Hole 8 were changed in the fall of 2004 by Austin Greenway. This was done for his Eagle Scout Project. Austin had to design the project and have it approved, raise the money, and provide the help to complete the project.

At the Annual Meeting in 2004, it was voted by the membership to sell shares of stock. Each membership has to buy 1 share at the cost of $100. Additional stock may be purchased.

In 2006, the Clubhouse was voted non-smoking by the membership. In 2008, the screened-in patio was enclosed with new windows and the entire clubhouse was sided. Decorative rock was placed on the west. In 2009, the inside of the clubhouse was remodeled. In 2018, the concrete patio was built with the fire pit and grill area.

Course Records

Men’s Course Record - (9 holes)

1996 - Ryan Scheer - 29

Stroke Play Champions

Handicap Tournament Champions