Dublin-DeLeon Golf

The game of golf was apparently first brought to De Leon during the oil boom when Judson J. Cleveland, a nephew of President Grover Cleveland was sent by his family to manage the Cleveland oil interest in the the area. He built a three hole course beside his home which was more or less the near the northeast corner of the intersection of what is now the Sipe Springs Highway and Rusk Street. He taught many of the young men how to play the game and supplied clubs and balls.

Almost a decade after Mr. Cleveland left De Leon, locals from De Leon and Dublin got together to organize a golf club between the two cities on March 1, 1929. Gorman and Comanche were invited to participate. Gorman agreed to participate but Comanche insisted that the course be built near that city. As was stated by Bill Livingston, “It seems Dublin and De Leon could always come to an agreement on anything before Comanche and De Leon.” The site was just east of the Comanche-Erath county line north of what is now Texas Highway 6. Work got underway probably in April 1929 and was nearing completion in late June.

Twenty-eight men representing the two cities organized the club. W.H. Smith Sr. of De Leon was elected President, W. Hamilton of Dublin, Vice President; L. White, Green Coan and Rouse Bacher of Dublin and J.O. Stone and J.D. Tate of De Leon along with Charles Foust who lived in Dublin and had a lumber yard in De Leon formed the Board of Directors.

A building that was about to be demolished in Dublin was moved to the site. It was placed about a half mile north of the present highway. At the time, the road from Waco passed through Dublin to De Leon and then south to Comanche. It was several years later that the road from Dublin to Comanche was built.

A well was dug to obtain water and because the club house was located near a gas transmission line, natural gas was available to cook and heat the building. The club house was 88 feet long and 42 feet wide and contained a large club room, a ladies parlor, dining room, kitchen, and locker and shower rooms. The left side of the above photo is a house attached to the club house on the right. The club also had a tennis court, croquet, and a horse shoe pit.

Depending on the source of the information or which city is laying claim to the course, it was called either the De Leon-Dublin or Dublin-De Leon Golf Country Club, although generally the latter seems to have been the more common name. That name is engraved on a 1931 Trophy given to the Third Flight Winner of a tournament held at the course.

It was on this course Dublin’s Ben Hogan often played golf after moving to Fort Worth. The nine holes featured sand greens with rollers that could assure a smooth putt once the “green” was reached.

Many of the kids learned to play golf on the nine hole course by caddying. Bill Tate, Grady Terrill, Sam Weaver, Victor Wayne Ornmsby and Bill Livingston were among those boys. Most accompanied their fathers and would then earn 25 cents per round.

De Leon-Dublin Golf Course

Photos: from the collection of Candace Bibby

Description of the club house June 28, 1929 edition of De Leon Free Press