Golf, Charleston Country Club (Belvidere Plantation)

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Description:

Photograph of a golfer preparing to tee off during one of the tournaments played between the Charleston Country Club and the Camden Country Club. Paine has positioned his camera to capture the golfer's swing as well as the spectators in the background gathered underneath tents. A large group of caddies can be seen to the left under an oak tree and the Old Shrubrick House is in the far distance.

The Charleston Country Club (now the Country Club of Charleston) was originally known as the Chicora Golf Club. Formed on October 1, 1900, the first course was a 9 hole golf course at Chicora Park, on land leased from the City of Charleston. This was short lived however, as seven months later the city sold the land for development of the Charleston Naval Base.
Purchasing Belvidere Plantation, the Club refurbished the old plantation house, officially changed their name to the Charleston Country Club (July 1901) and with the assistance of Mr. Charles Von Der Wallering, designed a 9 hole golf course with sand greens. In 1913 the Club increased the course to 18 holes, converted the sand greens to grass greens and soon became a top tournament destination.
In 1922, after the club purchased approximately 225 acres of high land from McLeod and Frampton Plantations, they hired Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. of the Olmsted Brothers landscape design firm to plan the clubhouse, golf course, tennis course and the Country Club I Neighborhood. William Bell Marquis became the lead designer and two years later on May 16, 1925 they formally opened Wappo Links with a tournament played for silver trophies, one for the men's match and one for the women's match.