Country club
Courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
Courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
Courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
Courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
Courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
Courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
Courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
Courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
Eric Phillippi and Russ Kirby weren’t around for the genesis of Monongahela Valley County Club. But they are aware that it was an unusual genesis.
A country club without golf?
“The club was formed in 1919, but the golf course wasn’t available until 1920,” said Phillippi, president of the board of the Carroll Township club. “Land was purchased, but the course was not immediately built.”
Kirby, past president and current board secretary, said MVCC actually was founded in 1914, when the charter was organized. The club did open five years later, he agreed, adding that “the first round of golf was played here in July 1920.”
In other words, the formidable challenge of striking a dimpled ball is a tradition that is not as old as this club off Route 88. But that does not take away from the grande dame known informally as Mon Valley Country Club, a distinguished-looking centenarian.
Mon Valley is 100 years old, a milestone worth celebrating in style – and was. A formal gala was held at the club the evening of Oct. 5, drawing about 70 people, all longtime members, according to Phillippi. They toasted an operation that sits in a populated area, uphill from Monongahela Cemetery and across the road from Monongahela Valley Hospital.
MVCC is located on a rolling expanse that, in 1919, was a homestead. The original owners converted the farmhouse into the clubhouse “that we have today – with some modifications,” said Phillippi, a member for more than a decade. “I’m not sure of the name of the family that sold it.”
Golf is the featured attraction, but far from the only attraction. There is “an upscale pool that I’d put up against any around,” said Kirby, a member for 28 years and a board member for 25. “We have a picnic area and park, and we offer skeet and horseshoes.” Mon Valley CC, according to its website, also offers lunch and dinner, plus takeout and catering. It also is a popular venue for social events.
Navigating the nine-hole course – once or twice – isn’t easy, with all of the hills. (This is Western Pennsylvania.) Putts can be perilous, but don’t blame the greens, Kirby and Phillippi are quick to attest.
“In addition to having a championship nine-hole course, we have some of the finest greens in the area,” Kirby said. “They’re fast, firm greens.”
Phillippi said, “Our greens are really well-maintained, as is the rest of the course. The par-3s make the course. They’re challenging.”
At a time when many Western Pennsylvania country clubs have closed or curtailed operations, and at a time when public golf courses have been languishing, Mon Valley is hanging tough. The club, according to Phillippi, has about 75 golfing members, and when social and “house” members are included, the total figure “is well over 100.”
Some country clubs have changed guidelines over the past 15 to 20 years, breaking from the tradition of formal wear to more casual clothing, and a more relaxed atmosphere. There was a time when you had to be a member to play at one of these venues, but some clubs now allow public players on a limited basis.
“It’s a new generation, a new atmosphere,” Kirby said. “Now with mothers and fathers both working, this is more like a club in the country instead of a country club. You see the new generation playing golf, having a sandwich and going home. The old guard would have breakfast here, play golf and come back here for dinner.”
“I don’t think it’s a big secret that a lot of clubs are struggling right now,” Phillippi said. “I’d say that our club has evolved over the years. We’re not as formal as you might find at other clubs, which fits the demographics we’re in. We permit jeans in the clubhouse, some other clubs don’t.
“We’re making a concerted effort to attract new members, one more reason why we’re more informal. The idea is to get more people in the door.”
As such, he said Mon Valley offers memberships starting as low as $66. “That’s a house membership, where you can eat and drink. The hope is people will like it and if they golf, they will trade up for different (membership) levels.”
Phillippi said his club also encourages leagues, including one that is a mix of members and non-members. The idea is to entice the some in the latter group to eventually join. League play is nine holes, requiring less of a time commitment for parents.
Steering Monongahela Valley Country Club through a second century is one of the ambitions during this centennial year. In the meantime, members can begin planning another celebration in 2020: the 100th anniversary of their golf course.