Golf

Oakley will forever hold a special place in American golf history as it is the Club which recruited Donald Ross from Scotland and gave him his first golf course design assignment.  Thus began Ross' journey that ultimately led to his design of over 400 courses; including clubs which have hosted nearly 100 U.S. Amateur or Major Championships. Ross was a treasured Oakley employee from 1899-1910.  His duties included course designer, greenkeeper, clubmaker and professional.  Donald Ross was an accomplished golfer as well.  He won two Massachusetts Opens and several North and South Open Championships, and finishing among the leaders in several U.S. Opens and Open Championships.  After his time at Oakley, Ross never competed in another Major.

Oakley,  sits high on historic Strawberry Hill and commands  spectacular views of Boston and Cambridge. Oakley was established in 1895 and incorporated in 1898.  Originally known as The Cambridge Golf Club,  Oakley  had a prominent role in many stages of golf's development.  In 1897-98, renown golf course designer, Willie Campbell laid out the very first 18 hole golf course in Massachusetts at Strawberry Hill.  Oakley was a founding member of both the Mens and Womans Golf Associations of Massachusetts. Oakley has been visited by sitting and future US Presidents and some of the great champions of the game have played our fairways including Harry Vardon, Francis Quimet, and Walter Hagan. Oakley has survived economic depressions,  World Wars  and recovered from devastating fires.  We have been blessed with great membership and leaders who helped to guide the club through the challenges. Oakley is proud of the fact that its mid-century leadership recognized the patriotic contributions of millions of Americans during WW II who were not of Brahman ancestry.  This led to the approval of many new Club members with different and varying backgrounds. Today, Oakley's membership is a broad tapestry of America with who form one of the most cohesive and enjoyable clubs in the region.

Oakley has always been proud of its champion's pedigrees. One of its founding members, Joseph Thorp, was finalist in the second U.S. Amateur in 1896,  Former Pro, Mike Brady, the first great American born pro was twice U.S. Open finalist, Oakley Pro John Cowan was finalist in the 1921 NE PGA and won the event in 1923.  The woman players at Oakley were legendary, winning many Massachusetts Women's titles and U.S. Women's Amateur titles. Oakley member Fred Wright won the US Senior Amateur in 1956. In addition he is the record holder with seven Massachusetts Amateur titles

Oakley is many things, but, most of all, it is a place where beauty and tremendous member spirit abound. Through the years its membership has played and worked together, and been bound by a unique bond of their love of Oakley. For many of us, however, our Oakley membership has given us something that is even more important than all of these things; wonderful friendships that will last a lifetime.