The document provides a history of golf's origins in Scotland in the 15th century and its introduction to the Americas by Spanish conquistadors. It then describes the founding of El Paso, Texas in the 16th century by Spanish colonists led by Juan de Oñate, and the establishment of Fort Bliss in 1849. The summary concludes by explaining that in 1906, eleven prominent El Paso citizens founded the El Paso Country Club, with Waters Davis elected as the first president, establishing the origins of the country club.

1. 10 El Paso Country Club

2. Chapter 1
“These were the…fields of
happiness where we could
forget our misfortunes…
and enjoy those comforts
so long denied us.”
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3. How It All Began
Golf originated in Scotland during the
fifteenth century at about the same time
that Spanish conquistadors arrived in the
New World seeking personal fortune and
fame. Following Columbus in 1492, they
found riches in present-day Mexico, which
Hernando Cortes conquered in 1520. In
April of 1540, the viceroy of New Spain sent
Coronado northward from Mexico City in
search of El Dorado—the legendary city of
gold. Between 1550 and 1590, settlement
in New Spain had been slowly spreading
northward. King Phillip II of Spain, who
wanted to control this expanding settle-
ment, decided to colonize the land of the
Pueblo Indians. He granted Juan de Onate Pueblo Indian (Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Div., Detroit Publishing Co. Collection, LC-DIG-ppmsca-17890)
the right to settle and govern the colony
named New Mexico. In early 1598, Onate From 1670 to 1680, tension increased In 1845, Texas would enter the Union—
led more than five hundred colonists north between the Pueblo Indians in northern nine years after the Battle of San Jacinto. El
across the Chihuahuan Desert. The set- New Mexico and the Spanish. Droughts and Paso was not part of Texas at that time and
tlers struggled through the hot, dry land. the attempt to stop the Pueblo from their was considered to be part of New Mexico in
When they finally reached the Rio Grande, traditional religious beliefs caused spiritual Chihuahua.
the river seemed like an oasis with its leader Pope to lead a revolt in 1680 against
shady willow trees and cool water. One the Spanish. Governor of New Mexico A year later, the United States declared
colonist wrote, “These were the…fields Antonio de Otermin, Captain Alonso Garcia, war against Mexico, and in 1847, Colonel
of happiness where we could forget our and Father Ayeta led 2,418 Spaniards and 317 Alexander Doniphan captured El Paso,
misfortunes…and enjoy those comforts Indians toward El Paso del Norte. Eventually, Chihuahua. By 1850, after a $15 million pay-
so long denied us.” The thankful soldiers a number of those Indians arrived at the Rio ment to Mexico under the Mexican Cession
held a feast to celebrate their survival. Grande, later to build the first Texas mission agreement, the way was paved for El Paso
Near what is now San Elizario, Texas (east Corpus Christi de la Isleta, today known as to join Texas as the boundary dispute was
of El Paso), Onate claimed the Rio Grande Ysleta. Spain ruled this area until 1821 when settled.
region for Spain. The colonists then con- Mexico gained independence. In both the
tinued upriver until they reached several Spanish and Mexican periods, El Paso was Established in 1849, El Paso’s first hub was
Pueblo villages north of where Santa Fe, an important component of the trade and Fort Bliss, whose primary objective was
New Mexico, lies today. There they built supply networks linking the peripheral set- to protect emigrants living in or traveling
their first Spanish settlement. tlements with central Mexico. through the new area. Fort Bliss and these
12 El Paso Country Club

4. settlers, particularly the Scots and English, migrated west to the boomtown of El Paso Reform League in 1901 to end gambling and
would play important roles in the future El from San Antonio in 1885. He quickly became prostitution. These goals were accomplished
Paso Country Club. one of the frontier town’s leading citizens in four years later, along with the banning of
many areas. Davis formed a law firm in 1892 drinking.
More than fifty years later, Fort Bliss and starred on the El Paso Browns, a pioneer
would serve as a site of El Paso Country baseball team. With all of the prohibitions in place, cou-
Club, and the newcomers would be found- pled with the end of the gunfighters era, the
ing fathers, led by Waters Davis. The son of He also was a pioneer in the battle to community was on the verge of forming the
Texas Governor Edmund Jackson Davis, he civilize El Paso, helping found the Citizens El Paso Country Club.
The year was 1906, and El Paso, with a pop-
ulation of approximately 15,000, was being
referred to as a city. This dusty, far west
border town was rapidly spreading to the
east, and it was that same direction that the
first El Paso Country Club came into being.
On April 25, 1906, eleven city forefathers,
sharing a love of golf and a need for com-
radeship, subscribed their names to a docu-
ment constituting the El Paso Country Club.
The men were Carl A. Beers, Waters Davis,
W. T. Hixon, S. J. Larkin, E. Moye, E. Neff,
W. Trace, A. L. Sharpe, Owen P. White, J. F.
Williams, and T. M. Wingo, men who prob-
ably never imagined that the legacy of the El
Paso Country Club would live on to be the
revered affiliation that is today.
Ysleta Mission
(Artwork courtesy of Carl Young)
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5. The Early Years
By summer of 1906, Waters Davis had been
elected the first club president by his peers,
and the El Paso Country Club had its formal
opening. On June 1, 1906, for the club’s
inauguration, President Davis stood on the
first hole of the nine-hole course, amid a
small gathering of onlookers, and shouted
“fore!” Play began immediately and was an
instant success, as were popular Sunday
morning hunt breakfasts.
The original clubhouse was a one-story
adobe, boasting a kitchen, a lounging area,
a screened-in porch (which doubled as a
dance floor), a small “pro shop,” and a caddie
shack. It was located in the area of the former
Dudley Field baseball park. The golf course,
laid out by members with stakes and chains,
extended north to Alameda Avenue and
south to the Rio Grande River.
With an initiation fee of $15, paid by one
hundred members, it took only three months
for the club to become a full-fledged social
organization. El Paso’s first paved street did
not appear until September of 1906, and
during those early years, members arrived
by horse, buggy, automobile, and streetcar.
The membership increased to $225 in 1907.
There were sixty male golfers and only
seven women at that time. Two of these
ladies caused a banner headline story in
Carl Beers (left), one of the original founders of
El Paso Country Club, accepts congratulations
from member Mallory Miller in 1957. (EPCC)
14 El Paso Country Club

6. the El Paso Times for wearing the first “split Fovegard. During this early era, the course army officers were members. It was not
skirt” ever seen and “smoking a cigarette record for the 2,485-yard layout was 43, set unusual for the heel of a lady’s shoe to get
in public.” Golf was played on fairways by W. B. Sterling. The competitive record by caught on a spur, as most of the club parties
that today would be categorized as dirt or A. W. Houck was four strokes higher. included cavalry officers and their invited
“rough,” and golfers putted on greens made guests. Until 1908, the charter members
of packed dams. These conditions didn’t In 1908, a new site for the club, located continued to serve as directors, and by their
seem to diminish the enthusiasm of these on the northwest corner of Dyer Street and diligent efforts, they managed to maintain
dedicated sportsmen, as they went on to Fort Boulevard, was selected. The directors an average monthly profit of $400.
install the club’s first golf professional, a Mr. leased the land from Fort Bliss, and many
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8. The Time of Their Lives
By 1910, El Paso was known as a twentieth-
century city, and the population was 39,000.
Fading away were the adobe homes and pio-
neer business establishments, and replacing
them were modern steel-and-brick structures
designed in turn-of-the-century style.
The Fort Bliss location of the club’s golf
course also had sand greens. These primitive
greens were the cause of many arguments
during play, as each member was allowed to
carry his personal rake. These rakes were
custom designed to allow dauntless golfers
to create a well-defined furrow between ball
and cup, ensuring a perfect putt!
Texas Street
looking west.
(EPCC)
17