As one of America’s oldest and most prestigious golf clubs, Atlantic City Country Club has been home to many firsts, including being the “Birth place of the Birdie.”
Since our founding in 1897, the Atlantic City Country Club has been at the forefront of the sport, both nationally and internationally. The prestigious and historic Atlantic City Country Club proudly carries the distinctions of “The Birthplace of the Birdie,” as well as being the site where the term “Eagle” was coined.
Six USGA Major Championships have been played at this legendary course. Walter Travis won the 1901 USGA Amateur Championship, after taking up golf late in life at the age of 35.
In 1911, our Club Professional, Johnny J. McDermott, became the first American to win the USGA Open Championship, at the young age of 19! Babe Didrikson Zaharias won the first of three USGA Women’s Open Championships at the Club in 1948.
The $7,500 purse was put up by fifty-five Atlantic City businessmen and fans paid $2.50 to see the final round on Sunday. Don January captured the inaugural PGA Senior Tour event played at ACCC in 1980.
Many other legendary names have played our course, including Sammy Snead and Howard Everitt. Bob Hope was an Atlantic City Country Club regular, first becoming acquainted with the Club when he worked on the vaudeville circuit. Arnold Palmer played our course from 1951- 1952 when he was a relatively unknown Coast Guard enlisted man.
Ringing in Tradition: The Atlantic City Country Club Bell was originally used in the early 1900’s to remind golfers that the last trolley was about to leave for Atlantic City. Today, we once again ring the bell at the end of each day and invite you to “Play a Round With History!”
The Course has a tradition of fast a firm greens with uncompromising playing conditions and its bayside setting is reminiscent of the historic links in Scotland and Ireland.