OUR HISTORY
Situated in Blackstone Valley, some 45 miles west of downtown Boston, the 9-hole course at Whitinsville Golf Club is an authentic Donald Ross design from the mid-1920s, built for the Whitins machine works, which was at that time the world’s largest manufacturer of textile machinery.
WHITINSVILLE GOLF CLUB
WGC BEGINNINGS
The Whitinsville Golf Club was established in 1925 on land that was formerly part of the Whitinsville Cotton Mill Farm. The club was organized for the purpose of promoting exercise and outdoor sports, particularly golf and tennis. Originally, the golf course was built for use by executives of the Whitinsville Mill. The location was selected for several reasons but mainly because of its excellent view of all but two of the nine holes. Coupled with the fact that WGC is situated on the banks of the Mumford River, all members are afforded the most picturesque and aesthetically pleasing views.
The golf course was laid out and constructed under the supervision of Donald J. Ross; however, he did not initially accept the project because he was not interested in
designing a 9-hole course. When John Whitin offered to pay a full 18-hole course design fee, Ross quickly changed his mind and soon realized what an amazing piece of property he had to work with. The rolling landscape offers many natural environments that contribute to an exciting yet challenging golf experience. In laying out this course, Mr. Ross was given full authority to use the terrain as he saw fit to create a world-class golf course. According to historical articles, Donald Ross considered the “valley layout” of Whitinsville Golf Club to be one of his “best efforts.” He has specifically said that the 9th hole is one of the best 2-shot finishing holes in the world, a sentiment confirmed by players such as Ben Crenshaw.