Early Years of The Albany Golf Club

By Horace Sedwick - Written in 1972

Ben Scott moved to Albany in about 1922 to drill a wildcat well on the Truehart land, a northeast extension try to the red Ibex sand in southeast Shackelford County and he got a dry hole. Ben drove a Packard automobile quite different from the usual Model 'T' Ford found in Albany, as did most of the early day oil promoters.

About the only activity in Albany was watching the daily Texas Central trains come through morning and afternoon. So, Ben decided to enlist the aid of the sporting set and build a golf course. Maybe, Mrs. Emma Davis might have heard of the game of golf, because she had a set of ladies clubs, all of course with wooden shafts. She must have played in Paris, Texas before she moved to Albany with her husband Merrick. Ben Scott was also from Paris and was an excellent golfer - Nowadays he would be called a “scratch” player, that is one that plays to a handicap of 1 or 2 above par.

A tract of land was located on the Ibex road, now owned by Sport Townsend and Ben laid out the 9-hole course, with sand greens. It was partially in pasture land and part in an old abandoned Johnson grass field. By the time he got the course built, he had some 20 or 25 members and Lee Sanders ordered some golf equipment to sell and the game was established in Albany.

Herb Barstow, who married Miss Johnnie Le Mond had played some in years gone by and was the first left handed golfer here. Others who took up the game were: Joe Lowery, Frank Whitney, Jim Ward, Ben G. Reynolds, Jack Moore, R.E. Nail, Bill Nail, Joe Clarke, George De Lafosse, John F. and John H. Sedwick, W.G. Webb and Graham Webb, A.M. Russ, F.B. Cloud, E.L. Jackson, G.D. King, W.K. Wood, Raymond Tollett, Roy Matthews, W.L. Hill, and John Reynolds of Ft Worth.

Within a year or so the group got together and built a club house with a large dance floor, locker rooms and a dining room and with a large open porch on the East side of the building. It was most attractive and many social events were held there by the club members.

In December of 1927, the members decided to move the course and the club house to a better location adjoining Albany City Limits on the northwest and purchased 68 acres of land and with the help of an Abilene professional, a sporty 9-hole course was laid out which was much superior to the old course on the Ibex road. The club house was moved and was located just West of where the Matt Blanton home is now. The first greens were of sand, but in later years were put in bent grass and Tifton Bermuda grass used now are very beautiful and green.

The membership grew to 72 in number when the move was made, about half of them played golf and the other half enjoyed the social events, dances, luncheons, etc.., and many enjoyable parties were held during the year. Things moved along fine until the depression years of the early 1930's came and gradually the membership dropped, because times were really hard and money scarce and the club

finally had to close the doors altogether.

Mr. R.E. Nail had loaned the money with which the 60 acres of land was purchased in the first place, so he took the acreage for the debt and it has passed down through the years to his sons and now is owned by his grand-daughter Mrs. Matilda Nail of Bonham, Texas.

Bill Nail ran cattle on the 60 acres at one time and the Lions Club played softball on a diamond where hole no.7 is now located. Mr. Nail sold the club house to Lee Gibson, a cafe operator, and it was moved to a location just west of the Daniel Supply Company Building. Mrs. Gibson just recently sold the home to Mr. Robert Hudman.