Golf, Charleston Country Club (Belvidere Plantation)

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Description:

Black and white photograph of two unidentified golfers competing in the Golf Championship Finals held during the May Day festivities at the Charleston Country Club. One golfer is studying his shot as his caddy holds the flag. The club house is visible in the background.

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.