Greetings Foulis Clubs,
The inaugural Foulis Invitational will be challenged on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at Lake Zurich Golf Club - 18 Holes, Match Play. The tournament is open to private clubs that have a connection to the Foulis brothers. Engaging tales of the Foulis family will be presented after dinner. The match will benefit Fairways, Greens & Clubs golf museum in Wheaton. This exceptional golf museum is host to exhibits, programs and a repository showcasing and preserving golf history. The Foulis brothers were pioneers in golf and settled in Wheaton before moving to other Midwest towns and working as golf professionals. The museum has a treasure trove of artifacts and documents on these men and is credited for making the successful Hall of Fame nomination presentation to the Illinois PGA.
This privately-funded museum has earned the respect of the U.S.G.A and the W.G.A. and deserves the support from clubs and golfers across the nation. Located in the Chicago area, you have the privilege of being able to play golf in this tournament while supporting the mission of Fairways, Greens & Clubs to operate a museum on the history of golf in America. Visitors from the U.S. rave about the exhibits and donations of golf memorabilia have come from all across the Nation. A copy of the museum’s latest newsletter, The Mashie is attached along with a flier on The Foulis Invitational.
Lake Zurich Golf Club has an interesting history. In 1895, Charles B. Wood accepted 12 acres of land in exchange for his service after he tired and won a lawsuit. With those 12 acres plus leased property, Lake Zurich Golf Club was established and opened for play in 1896. The shingle-style clubhouse was built the same year and still stands. The 9-hole course at Lake Zurich is probably the best representation of a Foulis course since it remains much like it was in the early 1900s. Tradition is the key to the success of this private club. Its members cherish and frequently toast Lake Zurich’s heritage and St. Barnabas, the club’s patron saint. Over its 115 years, tradition has maintained a small membership. Its original charter limited membership to 200 but was reduced a few years later to 50. Today membership is slightly below that 50 mark. The majority of the founding members were men from the University of Chicago who could take the train to Barrington and a surrey to the club. Over the years, prominent men from various walks of life joined the club. Chester Gould was probably the most famous member known for creating Dick Tracy. His art is on display in several rooms in the clubhouse. Other names include John Ogden, George G. Olmsted, Daniel H. Burnham, Jr., and Leo Burnett.
For information kindly contact one of the committee members listed on the flier. We hope you join us on September 29th for this inaugural event and experience golf back in the days when the Foulis brothers walked the fairways.
Alberta Adamson
