Golf History
Waverly Municipal Golf Course History as related to Doug Snook by Gus Niewoehner and Ed Droste
Phase #1 (Approximately 1928) - Sand Greens
Notes From Ed Droste
#1 tee was approximately where the "skateboard" track is now.
#2 tee just NW of the present Second base on the main baseball diamond
#3 tee was just SE of the 4H building
#4 tee just south of third base on the main baseball diamond. One would shoot over the race track – over
the hog barn up to what is now the center of the parking lot.
#5 tee - walk west to near present #10 tee is and shoot SE down over hill toward RR track. The high
bank behind green kept ball from going down to the track.
#6 tee was uphill approximately where #3 tee is today shoot east.
#7 tee - shoot west to just about where cart path on #1 ends.
#8 tee - walk up hill to present ladies tee #1. Shoot over top of cow barn. East to Highway.
#9 tee - walk over to edge of race track next to old log cabin and shoot North over race track back into
infield of track.
New land revised 9 holes
First Sand Greens – then Bent Grass
#1 tee - our present #10 north
#2 tee - walk up hill to our present #13 and shoot NE down hill
#3 present tee #14, shoot west up top of hill by hospital
#4 tee by RR track, shoot south 626 yards (par 6), longest hole in the State for Iowa for many years
#5 Tee, our present #12, only did not cross the gulley. RR track ran along gulley, went underneath Illinois
Central track running north and south along west of #4.
#6 tee were present #11 is, shoot south
#7 tee (still north of gulley) shoot up hill to present #9.
#8 tee where ladies tee on #1, shoot over cow barn to Highway.
#9 tee up against fence, shoot west up hill where present practice green is.
Notes According to Gus Niewoehner
1923 –
During this time, the golf course was mowed by a gang mower pulled by a horse.
Fees were $10 for 4 years and $15.00 for 5 years.
1924-1925
Maintenance building was constructed.
1926
It became a 9 hole course.
1927-1929
Owners of the First Tee:
Gus Niewoehner
Guy Vanderver – Banker
Art Droste – Waverly Publishing
Les Moeller – Newspaper
During Fair Week the holes inside the race track were closed and 5, 6, and 7 were used during that time. The course was also closed when the race track was running and cars were parked on #10 and #11.
1928
Brase worked for Gus 40’s – 50’s
Dance Hall below #10 tee
PG green used to be #2
#18 original green (9)
#9 green was rebuilt
1930-1940
The course was gas mowed.
Spruce planted in 1930.
Grass greens 1931 – 9 holes
1933-1935
The golf course had sand greens.
Land was purchased for the front 9 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7 to the dry run).
Cart Shed (1935)
#1 was #1
#4 was #2
#5 tee was #3 tee
#3 green was #5
#6 tee was #6 tee
#2 green was #6 green
#9 green was #7 green
#8 tee was ladies #10 tee
#9 green was practice green
1938
Grass conversion started
Norway spruce were planted
#6 was a par 6 (626 yards)
Totally rebuilt #1, #2, #3, #4, #18, right 10, PG
1941-1948
First Greenskeeper – Ernie Brase – Retired Farmer
Club House was built (1948)
Sand greens 3 holes – 3 years
Dug weeds from the greens with table fork
1966
Dirt to build 6 greens was taken from along #7. Brought in peat.
Course was pasture.
10 green original on right
10 green on left
Henry Bush South side $600 acre city bought – row crop
1967
Harry Hastings, Ed Droste, and Dick Hemmingway purchased 11 acres by old road bed 40 acres purchased was an old quarry.
Irrigation drainage – Bustkirk – Sioux City
To meet budget they cut down size of greens by 1,500 sq. ft. each
#7 broader
#16 longer
#5 double level
#8 no change
#11 cut front off – elevate of flooding
1969
Left #10 green was build to separate for safety
North 10 was built after 1967 construction
Gravel quarry 7-8 filled in with cement
Greens building – Don Schoof, Boone, Iowa, Vern Kay
#9 rebuilt twice since 1967