History

The game of golf made its first appearance in Peterborough in the summer of 1899.  It was at this time that a group of friends who were “lovers of outdoor life” met and established a golf club. To facilitate their interests, the club was granted the use of some local fields. One of the more prominent and enthusiastic golfers of this group was Edward Alexander MacDowell.  

 

Edward MacDowell, a composer and professor, summered in Peterborough and believed strongly in outdoor sports and community neighborliness.  His enthusiasm for the game in that first year had been so great that in the winter of 1900 he scraped together nearly all of his available cash to purchase the land which comprises our present course.  He offered the property outright to the club with the only provision being that if it ever ceased to be a golf course, it would revert to him or his heirs (later to be deeded to the board of trustees).  

 

The new site, more suitable in every respect to the old grounds was joyfully accepted. In the spring of 1901 construction began on a 67 by 40-foot clubhouse complete with banquet facility, kitchen, dressing rooms and a bowling alley. With yearly dues of $1.00 for individuals and $2.50 for families in those early years, members enjoyed golf, tennis, croquet, bowling archery and social events.

 

 

 

Much of the club's popularity for the first half of the century came from the love of bowling.  Unfortunately with the arrival of automatic pin-setting machines in commercial lanes in town, enthusiasm for bowling at the club was dampened.

 

Originally called the Peterboro Golf Club, the name was changed in 1907 to The Country Club.

 

On July 20, 1931 disaster struck the Golf Club. The clubhouse and adjoining bowling alleys were completely destroyed by fire.  Within 48 hours, plans for a new club house were drawn up.  Timbers from the MacDowell estate were offered for the new (and still existing) building and construction of the clubhouse (bowling alleys included) began shortly thereafter.

 

 

 

For the first 50 years of its existence, the golf course itself remained much the same, with the gradual improvement of the fairways and greens. Then in the mid 50’s the club experimented with a change in the layout. The changes were not well received and with the exception of one of the greens, the course reverted to its former shape in 1956.  

 

MCC is the 13th oldest course in New Hampshire.