Inverness Club facts for kids
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| Club information | |
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| Location | Toledo, Ohio |
| Established | February 23, 1903 |
| Type | Private |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Tournaments hosted |
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| Website | Inverness Club |
| Designed by | Donald Ross |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 7,730 yards (7,068 m) |
| Course rating | 78.4 |
| Slope rating | 151 |
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Inverness Club
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Main building, seen from Dorr Street
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4601 Dorr St., Toledo, Ohio |
| Area | 203 acres (82.2 ha) |
| Built | 1919 |
| Architect | Ross, Donald; Devore Company |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman, Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000398 |
| Added to NRHP | May 10, 1993 |
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The Inverness Club is a special private golf club located in Toledo, Ohio. It's famous for its beautiful 18-hole golf course.
Since it opened in 1903, the club has hosted many important golf tournaments. These include four U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships. Inverness is the only club to have hosted the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Senior Open, and U.S. Junior Amateur.
A famous golfer named Byron Nelson was the head golf professional here from 1940 to 1944. He even called it his "home course." The championship course was designed by a well-known architect named Donald Ross.
Contents
History of Inverness Club
How Inverness Club Started
Inverness Club began in 1903. Some of the richest people in Toledo bought land and built a nine-hole golf course. Over time, the course grew to have 18 holes.
In 1916, the club hired Donald Ross. He was a famous golf course architect. Ross designed a championship-level course, which was finished by 1918. He thought so highly of his design that he wrote about Inverness in his book.
A Big Change for Golfers
Before 1920, golf professionals were often not allowed inside country club buildings. They were sometimes seen as staff, not equal to club members. This meant they couldn't use the clubhouse facilities.
But things started to change around 1920. Sylvanus Pierre Jermain, who helped create public golf in Toledo, wanted to change this rule. He convinced the USGA and the Inverness Club members. They agreed to let all players, including professionals, use the clubhouse during the 1920 U.S. Open.
This made Inverness the very first golf club in the U.S. to welcome professional golfers into its clubhouse. It was a big step forward for the sport!
A Special Gift from Golfers
When the U.S. Open returned to Inverness in 1931, the professional golfers wanted to show their thanks. Walter Hagen, a famous golfer, led them in buying a special gift for the club.
They bought a beautiful grandfather clock. It still stands in the clubhouse today. On the clock, there is a brass plate with a poem that says:
God measures men by what they are
Not by what they in wealth possess
This vibrant message chimes afar
The voice of Inverness
Famous Golfers at Inverness
Byron Nelson was the head professional at Inverness Club from 1940 to 1944. He loved the course and felt it helped him become a record-breaking player. In 1945, he won 18 out of 35 PGA tournaments, including 11 in a row!
After Nelson, Lloyd Gullickson became the head professional. He worked at Inverness until he retired in 1965. Herman Lang, who was Nelson's assistant, took over as head pro from 1966 to 1980.
Keeping the Course Great
The Inverness course has been updated several times to keep it ready for championships. In 2016, golf course architect Andrew Green worked on the course. He studied old drawings and photos to bring back Donald Ross's original design. Green also updated the tee boxes and bunkers. Now, the course is over 7,700 yards long and still a classic championship design.
Major Tournaments Hosted
Inverness Club has been the host for many important golf tournaments. Here are some of the winners:
U.S. Open Champions
- 1920 – Ted Ray
- 1931 – Billy Burke (He holds records for his winning score and number of holes played.)
- 1957 – Dick Mayer
- 1979 – Hale Irwin
Other Important Tournament Winners
- U.S. Amateur (1973) – Craig Stadler
- PGA Championship
- 1986 – Bob Tway
- 1993 – Paul Azinger
- U.S. Senior Open
- 2003 – Bruce Lietzke
- 2011 – Olin Browne
- U.S. Junior Amateur (2019) – Preston Summerhays
- Solheim Cup (2021) –
Europe
The club also hosted the NCAA Men's Golf Championship in 1944 and 2009.
Upcoming Championships
Inverness Club will continue to host major events in the future:
- 2027 U.S. Women's Open
- 2029 U.S. Amateur
