Plainview country club
It was September 24, 1924 when 30 men met to discuss plans for buying land for the purpose of establishing a country club. This club was to have fishing, golf and boating for the enjoyment of those who lived in the northeastern part of Nebraska. It was to be a private club, namely the Plainview Country Club, located 3 miles west, 1 mile north and 3/4 mile west of Plainview.
The land, consisting of 32 acres, was purchased from Micheal Loftus. It was half swamp and fed by two creeks, beginning at opposite sides. A dam was constructed to form a lake. Men from the surrounding area using their horses and equipment made the dam. They also built a boathouse and bathhouses, a pier, a swinging bridge, planted trees, and put in fences and roads.
In the fall of 1925, the project was nearing completion. Articles of incorporation and by-laws were drawn up with the membership shares to be $100.00. These remain almost the same today. Yearly dues were $15.00 with transients (primarily teachers and ministers) to pay $25.00. Transients were denied fishing privileges. The north side of the section road was referred to as the picnic and fishing area.
In 1925, the golf course, consisting of 50 acres across the road south of the picnic grounds, was leased for $300.00 a year from George Frahm. In a short time, there were fairways, sand green, and a shelter on the No. 1 tee box. Later, the 50-acre tract was purchased from George Frahm for $4000.00, as 23 men invested $100.00 each and $1,700.00 was borrowed. The 23 men donated their interest, and revenue from the gravel pit completed the transaction. This gravel pit is the pit located on #3. Sand and gravel was sold for $1.00 per wagon load. It was loaded by hand. The path starting along the west side of #1 is the way entry was gained to the pit. At the end of the tree line, the wagons went east across the fairway of #3. The mortgage was retired February 17, 1936.
Those serving on the board of directors and who were instrumental during the first years were: M.M. Taylor, Dr. J.E. Fickling, J.W. Blezak, Charles Seabury, J.C. Jensen, Dr. H. Melerian, C.R. Christiansen, W.L. Mote, Dr. M.L. Cline, L.E. Hecht, Dr. F.H. Nye, C.W. Smith, F.J. Weidman, George Kirk, Robert Johnson, Elmer Phillips, T.J. McHenry, E.S. Odineal, Joe Hladik, and Fred Saathoff. J.W. Blezak purchased the first share on March 1, 1925.
In 1927, the spillway was constructed, and a fish hatchery was built, with Harry and Bob Johnson in charge. In the early years, fish for the lake came from the hatchery; later the State Commission stocked it.
There was an "Open Day" each year when the families gathered for picnics at the beginning of the summer. Often the Plainview Band played, adding to the social event.
Gradually, the Women's Golf Club became organized, with Gladys Weiler as the first president. In 1930, the club was hostess of the Northeast Women's Golf Association tournament, with Mrs. J.E. Fickling as the president. Some of the out-of-town guests pitched tents, and one group had a trailer. At the time, there were no modern conveniences.
A clubhouse was completed in the fall of 1931 at the approximate cost of $800.00. It had a fireplace, cooking facilities, a water pump, picnic tables, and a screened porch.
For many years, Red Cross swimming lessons were given at the club, until Plainview's swimming pool in town was opened. Of the many instructors, Bob Hoops served the longest.
Through the years, the Girl Scout and Boy Scout organizations have pitched tents on the picnic grounds and used the club for summer camping. The clubhouse is still used for family reunions and various meetings. Six RV hook-ups were added. A modern rest room was added in 2002 otherwise it remains the almost the same.
In the beginning, the work on the course was done by club members using horse-drawn mowers and other implements. Eventually, they hired caretakers, the first one being L. Brewster, whose salary was $25.00 a month in the winter and $65.00 a month during the summer, plus a furnished house. In 1926, the tenant's house was moved across the creek to it's present location. The team, harness, and all horse-drawn implements were disposed of when the club purchased an International Model A tractor and a mower on September 9,1946.
By 1965, membership interest in the club was dwindling, so the board members decided to replace the sand greens with grass greens. A drive was made for funds in Plainview, Creighton, and the surrounding territory, and Leo J. Johnson was given the contract to build the greens. The course was changed as follows as it went from sand greens to grass greens: #3 was lengthened and changed to #1, #4 had the tee box moved and shortened (old tee-box still visible) and changed to #2, #5 had the green eliminated from the southwest corner of the course and a green made just to the south of the of the sand pit and this became #3, #6 (sand) had it's tee-box eliminated (still visible) and had it's green from the present #5 tee moved west to create #4, #7 had the tee changed to #6 green (sand) from the area just south of present day #1 green and #5 was created, #8 was lengthened by moving the green and changed to #6, #9 was left almost the same but was changed to #7, #1 was left almost the same except changed to #8, #2 had it's tee-box moved from the two trees west of the green to the present #9 women's tee. A new #9 tee-box was created for men in 2002.
Different and shortened women's tees were created on #1, #6, and #7. Otherwise the women teed off at the front of the men's tee-box.
With grass greens installed and land purchased from Mrs. Ober, a barn was moved from the caretaker's place to land west of the golf course, and the "10th Hole Club" was established. The "10th Hole" was modernized in1969 by the addition of restrooms, enlargement of the patio, addition of storage, and other benefits. The club became very active, with special golf events and tournaments for men and women. In June of that year, 153 men attended the Men's Open Tournament.
In 1972, a structure was built for members' golf clubs. Shortly after these individual lockers were built, two other units were added making 130 in all. Two structures remain housing 50 lockers. Pop-up sprinklers for the grass greens were added in 1973. In 1979, a metal building was constructed to house machinery, and tree nursery was located on the golf course.
In1981, adding an addition to the south of the original clubhouse remodeled the "10th Hole" building. A bar and office were installed to accommodate the clubhouse manager. In October 1982, a watering system was completed that automatically watered the fairways. A full time manager, Les Weber, was hired in 1983 to manage the club. In 1983 motorized golf carts were allowed on the course, and two cement block buildings were constructed to house 52 carts of the carts. In 1984 a walk in cooler was installed to the west side of the "10th Hole". In the winter of 1989-90, the '10TH Hole was expanded with a 20 by 40 addition to the south of the present clubhouse. The construction included a new combination pro shop, office, and bar in the southeast corner. Air conditioning and heating units were installed. Existing clubhouse was also renovated. As membership grew, two more carts shes were built. When membership grew to the maximum of 300, another cart shed was added on the north side and a another parking lot was established.
In 1979, land was purchased south of the "10th Hole" and a driving range was established and used in the spring of 1980.
In 2002-2003, the lake was drenched out to a maximum depth of 15 feet, as it had silted in since it was dug.
In 2002 a new tee-box was made on #9 and in 2003 a cement cart path connected the tee-box to the current cement cart path on #9.
In 2005 a permanent restroom was built between #4 and #5 tee-box.
Honorary lifetime memberships were awarded to Nell Fickling in 1968, Chris Lerum in 1971, and Gilbert Millnitz in 1979 for their many years of interest, time, and service given voluntarily to the club.
Plainview Country Club celebrated it's 60th year in June 1985 with a two-day open tournament instead of the one-day open tournament. In 2004 the open tournament was changed permanently to a two-day tournament.
Today, there are about 225 members. Yearly dues are $420 for full privileges and $140 for those who wish to picnic and have fishing privileges.
