History

The rich and fascinating history of our Club began more than 130 years ago when William Rosencrantz created two golf holes on his front lawn at The Hermitage on Franklin Turnpike in 1890, and has evolved over time, with the current Clubhouse opening on May 30th, 1929.

For those wishing to learn more, we have provided links below, grouping information by thematic content and upfront references to what they include.

The Early Days Through the 1929 Move to Paramus

The Origin of the Club and the Early Courses

The HoHoKus Golf Club, Ridgewood Golf Club and The Ridgewood Country Club

The Move to Paramus

Why the Club left the Lincoln Avenue course and what it wanted in Paramus

Ridgewood’s Ancient Connection to the Lenni-Lenape Indians

The inspiration for early club logos

Golf Course Architect A. W. Tillinghast

That Tillinghast Style

Creating courses that blend in with their surroundings
Who designed the pond between the 1 and 9 East fairways?

A Large Practice Area and a Putting Course, Novel Ideas

The range was almost lost in the early 1960’s
Bergen Community College was almost built on Club property

Tillinghast Elected to World Golf Hall of Fame; It’s About Time

Amateur versus professional
Tilly’s role in helping found the PGA

Almosts, Near Misses and Hole Changes

Changes to Tilly’s initial plans
Club decisions that would have ruined Tilly’s gem
An early GS Parkway design would have wreaked havoc on the East and Center courses

Please Note: Although this is the layout for the 27-hole course in Paramus, the location is identified as “Ridgewood". When the Club moved to its current location in 1929, it maintained a P.O. Box in Ridgewood because it wanted to continue listing its address as Ridgewood. This situation persisted until 1990. When seeking permission to erect tents for the 1990 U.S. Senior Open, the Borough of Paramus insisted that the Club identify its address as Paramus.

Clubhouse Designer Clifford C. Wendehack

Ridgewood’s Clifford C. Wendehack Clubhouse

Wendehack’s quirky family tree

Golf Magazine 18 Most Iconic Clubhouses in Golf

Tournaments

How the Barclays Came to Ridgewood

Being turned down for the 2007 US Women’s Open helped the Club land the 2008 Barclays
The PGA Tour chooses Ridgewood a mere six months in advance of the tournament
The inability to choose the right hole to be #10 almost cost the Club the tournament

Samuel Ryder, the Man Behind the Cup

A seed merchant inspires and nurtures the first and early Ryder Cups

Article Written by Ron Driscoll, USGA: Renowned Ridgewood Adds to Championship Lore

Tillinghast, tournaments hosted, George Jacobus and Byron Nelson, creating the Championship course

Video of vintage 1935 Ryder Cup footage taken by former member John A. McNulty.

The estate of a former Member shared this with The Ridgewood Country Club in 2020. The footage was found amongst old home movies, converted into digital format, and authenticated by the USGA in 2018

George Jacobus and Byron Nelson

George Jacobus, Ridgewood’s Head Golf Professional for More than Half a Century

His commitment to teaching
His idea that saved the PGA and extended Tillinghast’s imprint on American golf

Byron Nelson, A Ridgewood Champion

Jacobus hires him at Augusta • Aided by Jacobus he develops the swing that changed golf
His role in improving golf shoes and umbrellas

Miscellaneous

Ridgewood Country Club during the Depression

Under long-serving President Bob Stout, the Club not only survives; it thrives

Summer of Love

Gary Williams, formerly “the voice” of the Golf Channel and currently a podcaster, shares his memories of caddying and competing at the Club

The History of The Ridgewood Country Club

Lengthy article about the Club’s founding
Other area clubs being formed in the 1890’s

Timeline

1890's

1890: William Rosecrantz creates two golf holes on his front lawn at the Hermitage

1894: 6-hole HoHoKus Golf Club incorporated

1897: Expanded to 9 holes

1900's

1901: Move to Maple Avenue—constructed a 9-hole course and three tennis courts on leased land in Ridgewood; name change to Ridgewood Golf Club; RGC joins the USGA

1903: RGC joins the NJSGA

1908: Trolley line cuts through the first fairway and ninth tee

1910's

1910: Ridgewood Country Club incorporated

1913: Lincoln Avenue course opens—102 acres with 18 holes, a café, restaurant, bowling alleys, billiards, pool tables and a dance pavilion

1918: Assistant Pro George Jacobus starts RCC junior program

1919: George Jacobus becomes Head Professional at age 21—one of the youngest—if not the youngest—head golf professionals in the United States at that time; fire damages Lincoln Ave clubhouse

1920's

1926: Committee appointed to discuss pros and cons of Lincoln Ave site

1927: Professional Invitation tournament; Paramus land purchased

1929: Paramus course and clubhouse open

1930's

1935: Ryder Cup, US vs UK; Byron Nelson becomes assistant professional

1936: Tillinghast Lounge added

1939: Tennis courts added

1940's

1940: Ladies’ Locker Room constructed; 50th Anniversary

1950's

1950’s: Initial Garden State Parkway plan would have forced course redesign

1957: US Senior Amateur

1958: Enlarged practice area opened on land leased from Orchard Hills Country Club

1960's

1960s: RCC property threatened by Freeholders when planning Bergen Community College

1963: After the Board passes on the opportunity, Jack Anderson, along with several other members, buys the Orchard Hills leased land

1970's

1973: High taxes and rising expenses prompted discussion to defray expenses by building condominiums along Club’s fairways

1974: U.S. Amateur

1980's

1980: Main dining room expanded

1981: LPGA Coca-Cola Classic

1989: Portico constructed

1988-1990: Expansion of the Champions Grille; addition of the Men’s Locker Room Lounge and Overlook patio

1990's

1990: Expansion of the Champions Grille; addition of the Men’s Locker Room Lounge and Overlook patio,100th anniversary; US Senior Open

2000's

2001: Senior PGA Championship; Master Plan for course restoration approved

2004: Water tower removed from parking lot

2008: Lounge Patio added; The Barclays PGA Tour event

2010's

2010: The Barclays PGA Tour event

2014: The Barclays PGA Tour event

2015: A.W. Tillinghast elected to World Golf Hall of Fame, all 27 golf holes and the clubhouse placed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places

2016: US Girls Junior

2018: The Northern Trust PGA Tour event

2020's

2020: Addition of the Ryder Cup Bar, enclosed Overlook, new pool

2022: US Amateur Championship

2025: The Curry Cup

2022 U.S. Amateur Championship Docuseries

The Back of the Range has produced a six episode Docuseries on the 122nd US Amateur held at RCC in 2022. The Host Committee retained Ben Adelberg and the Back of The Range to handle social media on the Am.

View Series