History
Waverly Municipal Golf Course History as related to Doug Snook by Gus Niewoehner and Ed Droste
Phase #1 (Approximately 1928) – Sand Greens
Notes From Ed Droste
- #1 tee was approximately where the “skateboard” track is now.
- #2 tee just NW of the present Second base on the main baseball diamond
- #3 tee was just SE of the 4H building
- #4 tee just south of third base on the main baseball diamond. One would shoot over the race track – over the hog barn up to what is now the center of the parking lot.
- #5 tee – walk west to near present #10 tee is and shoot SE down over hill toward RR track. The high bank behind green kept ball from going down to the track.
- #6 tee was uphill approximately where #3 tee is today shoot east.
- #7 tee – shoot west to just about where cart path on #1 ends.
- #8 tee – walk up hill to present ladies tee #1. Shoot over top of cow barn. East to Highway.
- #9 tee – walk over to edge of race track next to old log cabin and shoot North over race track back into infield of track.
New land revised 9 holes
First Sand Greens – then Bent Grass
- #1 tee – our present #10 north
- #2 tee – walk up hill to our present #13 and shoot NE down hill
- #3 present tee #14, shoot west up top of hill by hospital
- #4 tee by RR track, shoot south 626 yards (par 6), longest hole in the State for Iowa for many years
- #5 Tee, our present #12, only did not cross the gulley. RR track ran along gulley, went underneath Illinois Central track running north and south along west of #4.
- #6 tee were present #11 is, shoot south
- #7 tee (still north of gulley) shoot up hill to present #9.
- #8 tee where ladies tee on #1, shoot over cow barn to Highway.
- #9 tee up against fence, shoot west up hill where present practice green is.
Notes According to Gus Niewoehner
1923
- During this time, the golf course was mowed by a gang mower pulled by a horse.
Fees were $10 for 4 years and $15.00 for 5 years.
1924-1925
- Maintenance building was constructed.
1926
- It became a 9 hole course.
1927-1929
- Owners of the First Tee:
- Gus Niewoehner
- Guy Vanderver – Banker
- Art Droste – Waverly Publishing
- Les Moeller – Newspaper
During Fair Week the holes inside the race track were closed and 5, 6, and 7 were used during that time. The course was also closed when the race track was running and cars were parked on #10 and #11.
1928
- Brase worked for Gus 40’s – 50’s
- Dance Hall below #10 tee
- PG green used to be #2
- #18 original green (9)
- #9 green was rebuilt
1930-1940
- The course was gas mowed.
- Spruce planted in 1930.
- Grass greens 1931 – 9 holes
1933-1935
- The golf course had sand greens.
- Land was purchased for the front 9 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7 to the dry run).
- Cart Shed (1935)
- #1 was #1
- #4 was #2
- #5 tee was #3 tee
- #3 green was #5
- #6 tee was #6 tee
- #2 green was #6 green
- #9 green was #7 green
- #8 tee was ladies #10 tee
- #9 green was practice green
1938
- Grass conversion started
- Norway spruce were planted
- #6 was a par 6 (626 yards)
- Totally rebuilt #1, #2, #3, #4, #18, right 10, PG
1941-1948
- First Greenskeeper – Ernie Brase – Retired Farmer
- Club House was built (1948)
- Sand greens 3 holes – 3 years
- Dug weeds from the greens with table fork
1966
- Dirt to build 6 greens was taken from along #7. Brought in peat.
- Course was pasture.
- 10 green original on right
- 10 green on left
- Henry Bush South side $600 acre city bought – row crop
1967
- Harry Hastings, Ed Droste, and Dick Hemmingway purchased 11 acres by old road bed 40 acres purchased was an old quarry.
- Irrigation drainage – Bustkirk – Sioux City
- To meet budget they cut down size of greens by 1,500 sq. ft. each
- #7 broader
- #16 longer
- #5 double level
- #8 no change
- #11 cut front off – elevate of flooding
1969
- Left #10 green was build to separate for safety
- North 10 was built after 1967 construction
- Gravel quarry 7-8 filled in with cement
- Greens building – Don Schoof, Boone, Iowa, Vern Kay
- #9 rebuilt twice since 1967
