Since 1969
In the beginning ........
This is intended to be a brief history of the Indian Creek Men's Golf Club. But to truly put the story of the Men's Club in perspective, a short history of the golf course itself - and it's principal supporter-owner, the late Jane Williams, should be accurately chronicled. There are a few early 80's Men's Club members who remember how Jane constantly championed and cheered on the Men's Club, even encouraging Club play by contributing teophies for an annual tourney in her name. So - here's how it all began.
James Davis Clark, a golf pro from the Eastern U.S. (he played with pros like Lee Trevino and celebs like Lawrence Welk), with three boys from a previous marriage, met Jane (Williams) Nash, who also had three children from a previous marriage. They married in New York, but decided Californai was the environment to fulfill their dream. That dream? A "full service country club". With financial backing from Jane's father, a piece of land was found in the Loomis area that seemed ideal for the beginning of the dream. James hoped to develop a golf course that could become the training ground for young neophytes in the area, particularly from Sierra College or even Placer High up the hill in Auburn.
The course opened in 1969, with Jane hoping to expand the facility to include tennis, a swimming pool, even sailing instruction with Sunfish sailboats on the pond next to hole #3 (this last item actually was an activity for a short period of time at Indian Creek). There was a Labradoe Retriever Club on the premises for a while. Unfortunately, the accomplishment of the full dream was not to be. There was a divorce, James departed, and Jane Williams (she assumed her maiden name again) simply concentrated on making the golf course a success.
Which it has become. The efforts of many have made it so, particularly Jane's children: Nash offspring: Pete and Kathy; and James and Jane's children: Bill and Jan Clark. All of their energy and effervescence has brought improved golf course conditions and a bright future for Indian Creek Country Club. That was Jane's name for the course, by the way, and we're sure she's looking down on all the activity at Indian Creek and saying "Well done kids; keep it going Men's Club!".
A fitting memorial to Jane's spirit and support of golf is the mosaic tile bench next to #1 tee, dedicated officially on September 22, 2001.
Many thanks to Jan Clark, "Peanut" her Dad called her, for the information that was the basis for this brief history of Indian Creek Country Club.
Indian Creek Men's Golf Club ... 35 Years!
Verified with copies of the original application for a men's club membership in the Northern California Golf and California Golf Associations (now simply the NCGA), dated April 15, 1969, the Indian Creek Men's Golf Club is now -- fully -- 46 years old.
How 'bout that'! Unfortuantely, because the NCGA does not maintain yearly rosters or club officers' lists of each NCGA member club, it was impossible to get in touch with old club members long departed from Indian Creek to obtain details regarding activities of the Men's club in the early years through the 70's. But today members should be able to guage pretty wellthe quality of enjoyment there is with golf at Indian Creek. Just watch the prsent club leadership and their sincerely enthusiastic promoting of activities, trips, tourney's, etc. They have their positive spirit that has been handed down, year after year, from previous club members and officers, most all of them having enjoyed many fun-filled, challenging, competitive golf tourney's here at Indian Creek.
But there is a little history to relate. In the early 80's there was the TriCounty (Placer, El Dorado and Sacramento) home and home tourneys with Sierra G. C. ( in Placerville, now closed) and Sunrise G. C. (Citrus Heights) that seemed wothwhile and exciting -- until it became clear that the other two clubs "stacked" their teams with sandbagging handicappers.
By the middle and late 80"s the club tourney chairs setup interesting matches, such as the "three clubs and a putter" and a "FLOG" (playing the course backwards) tourney. Also there was revival of home and home matches with Sunrise, Campus Commons, Angus Hills (now Raspberry Hill) and even El Dorado hills once a year. Each tourney was followed with the home club providing lunch for all of the participants. Those contests fizzled when, in return for the full course steak lunches (with all the trimmings) that Indian Creek provided (at golf member/chef Jon Greenwalt's beautiful home in Granite Bay) after each round we hosted, Indian Creek was served basic hotdogs/hamburgers and an attitude when visiting the other courses.
The 90's ushered in new blood leadership. With new ideas and boundless energy7, the Kopfle's, Newman's, Clark's and others, inspired progress and participation. Through their guidance, the Men's Club introduced a Charity Tournament and an annual summer golf weekend in the Carson City area to go with a very traditional annual Ladies & Guests Invitational tourney.
With generally six trophy tournaments each year and an adequate amount of medal play, plus the above mentioned special golf matches -- well, there is every kind of golf for every desire.
With the election of new officers for 2005 this recent November, the future of Indian Creek's Men's Golf Club promises a continuation of the past 35 years' success.
Continuing 2005 - 2015 ...
(hope to have something soon)
BRIEF CLUB HISTORY (1969 - 2005)
by Bill Chambers
Indian Creek men's golf club
Indian Creek Men's Golf Club © Copyright