Golfing on Virginia's Middle Peninsula - Part I - Gloucester Country Club


For this summer, my writing assignments for the DAILY PRESS have centered on the golf courses of the Middle Peninsula, the scenic chunk of land which juts out into the Chesapeake Bay while separating our Peninsula from the Northern Neck of Virginia. 

Tucked into the end of a side street (aptly named Golf Club Road) off Route 17, the Gloucester Country Club has earned a rightful spot as a local sports institution. Looking through a folder of newspaper clippings from its past, a reporter noticed the earliest mention of the course from a recap of an article in the Mathews Journal dated on August 23, 1928.

On that day, a short article was written to promote “what will be one of the finest and most up-to-date nine-hole golf courses in Virginia.” Originally, the course was laid out for 18 holes, but the other nine were scheduled to be developed later. As a stopgap measure, a second set of tees was added to every hole in order to satisfy the golfers who wished to play a full round.

The question could be asked, “Why weren’t the other nine holes built?” Perhaps the airport next to the course was taking up too much space.

Owner Lem “John” Firth Jr. recalls the past. “Sure, we had an airport and airstrip which used to be right in front of the entrance.” Firth and his brother Alvin, along with C.B. Raby, bought the course in 1960. For Firth, now 79, it was an opportunity to satisfy his “hobby,” and a place to golf with his friends. In 1960, the siblings owned and operated Firth Brothers Ironworks, a welding supply firm in Hampton. Alvin oversaw the welding business, while Lem handled the golf course.

Things were much different then. According to wife Barbara “Bobbie” Firth, “we didn’t have any electric carts.” But the lack of power provided another opportunity. Adds Bobbie, “sometimes, we had as many as 15-20 men waiting to caddy.”

Son John III, now the general manager, adds, “We’ve come a long way… I guess.”

One constant over the past 50-plus years has been the family aspect of the club. The elder Firth’s live on the grounds, in a home adjacent to the clubhouse. Daughter Debra Firth Higgs, travels from her home in Poquoson to help out on a part-time basis. Even granddaughter Mara fills shifts during her breaks from college, or as Bobbie notes, “comes in to pinch-hit,” adding that “John and John III do the outside work, while my daughter and I handle the inside.”

Part of the uniqueness of the Gloucester Country Club comes from its simplicity. The name is a misnomer; anyone expecting an actual country club will be disappointed. In fact, the clubhouse could best be described as an older, very large white wooden house.

But for the golfer looking for a bargain on greens fees, the Gloucester course is a must-play. Another article from the folder, this one from 1939, points out that the green fees were reduced to 50 cents for weekdays and 75 cents for Sundays and holidays. Even now, the green fees remain in the low twenty dollar range, far below the typical cost for a round of golf. But the Gloucester course provides an honest 6165-yard challenge with a par of 72 to both the champion golfer and weekend hacker. Both the older and younger John Firth’s agree that the low fees and country atmosphere are the reasons why they have maintained a steady clientele of repeat golfers for decades.

The Firth’s attitude toward golf is probably another reason why their duffers come back.
“Working keeps them (parents) young,” says John III. “Even at 79, Dad always starts (the work day) before me.” Bobbie interjects, “most of our golfers are very nice home folks who have been with us for a long time.”
Or as Dad was quoted in an article from the 1960’s, “The popularity of golf is increasing all the time and I’m glad to be a part of it.” After 52 years at the helm of Gloucester Country Club, it’s a safe bet that his outlook has not changed.

The Gloucester Country Club is located at 6731 Golf Club Rd. in Gloucester, VA. The course rating is 34.2 with a slope rating of 111. Gloucester is a daily fee golf course with an 'Open to Public' guest policy. Their phone number is 804-693-2662.

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