One of the most hilarious/not hilarious/how-the-other-half-lives golf moments recently came onto my radar the other week via this Golf Digest post. First, let me say that country clubs everywhere have different cultures and different politics, but there are always country club stereotypes that exist, and some for good reason. What “cracks me up” is that people are usually paying good money to belong these clubs and it’s supposed to be a place to escape and enjoy themselves. Yet somehow, the drama always seems to be abound and social circles compete against each other. Well this one from the historic Congressional Country Club might be one of the best examples I’ve seen.
Washington, D.C. is known for backroom deals, backstabs and grandstanding. Even against that backdrop, what a disgruntled member did to Congressional C.C. is pretty low.
According to the Washington Post, Congressional, past home to U.S. Opens and future site of the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup, has been cited by inspectors in Maryland’s Montgomery County for failing to obtain a permit for tree removal. The Post reports that officials discovered “over 20,000 sq. ft. of tree canopy” had been trimmed from the property.
Inspectors technically received notice from Helen Wood, a board member of the environmental nonprofit organization Conservation Montgomery. “We all have a stake, really, in their trees,” Wood told the Post. “By regulation, they have a plan that’s approved that allows them to have their beautiful golf course, their lovely grounds. But they have, if nothing else, a civic responsibility to fulfill their conservation role in the county. And that’s a legal responsibility.”
However, Wood was tipped off on the club’s dealings by someone on the inside. Specifically, a Congressional member who was fed up with the new look.
If you read that correctly, they’re saying a member of Congressional blew the whistle on the club because they were mad at the decision to trim the trees! Rather than deal with the matter in house, this vigilante took it to the authorities! What a power move.
“I am [upset] because they’re ruining my club,” the member told the Post, speaking on anonymity because, let’s be honest, this person is losing his/her membership once their identity’s revealed. “I think they don’t want members to fuss. I think it [was] also quietly done so it didn’t draw attention from the county.”
Great point, Golf Digest, great point. Fair to say, that member will have made some new enemies. There are so many questions I still have about how this all went down. Was this widely discussed at the club? Did a few board members just “make it happen” under the cover of darkness? Did the member try to speak up and prevent this in advance? I need to know more about this soap opera! Anyway, I hope everyone at Congressional still finds away to enjoy their still-prestigious private club. I’m sure they’ll find a way.
I’m curious to hear how members of clubs would handle this in their clubhouse. Let us know in the comments!
Read Joel Beall’s original Golf Digest post here.
