Osterville Men's Club

Golf is said to have originated in Scotland, where the first written record of the game is James II's banning of golf  in 1457, as an unwelcome distraction to learning archery. James IV lifted the ban in 1502 when he became a golfer himself, with golf clubs first recorded in 1503 "For golf clubbes and balles to the King that he playit with"

However, Boston holds a special place in American golf history, with the first game of golf played in 1882 at The Country Club in Brookline. It was here Francis Ouimet’s historic 1913 U.S. Open win took place.

In the fall of 1890, George Wright and his friend John Smith went to the southern slope of Franklin Park in Boston and laid out holes with a yardstick fashioned with a red flannel pennant for flags. With this crude, makeshift course, Wright and a group of his friends enjoyed the first game of golf in Boston. Not only were these first golf players in Boston destined to create a trend, but it was also, according to Fifty Years of American Golf, Undoubtedly…the first golf ever played in a public park in this country.” The William J. Devine Golf Course at Franklin Park was officially established in 1896 and is considered the second-oldest public golf course in the nation, the first being behind Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx of New York City. An eighteen-hole golf course, it was designed by Donald J. Ross, ASGCA, one of the foremost designers of golf courses in the twentieth century.

Golf is considered an art and many play for “a combination of social connection, mental relaxation, physical exercise, and the personal challenge of improving their skills. It offers a unique escape into nature, acting as a stress reliever that encourages "flow" through a balance of difficulty and fun.” According to Bill Cutliff, “Golf was introduced as early as fifty eight [1958]. Those were different times, OMC played the big three Wianno, Oyster Harbors and Hyannisport, with Green Fees never exceeding five dollars.” Even seventy years ago, members of the Osterville Men’s Club joined to enjoy eighteen holes but at a significantly higher greens fee! Whatever handicap one has, there were some golfers who were quite impressive. One was Don Ellis who served as Chair of Golf in 1998. Said to be “A very affable chap; seldom talked much about his past. In the 1960’s Don was Producer of NBC Sports. Word has it, he sported three Emmy’s in his pack.”

Well, whether we have an Emmy in our pack or just enjoy the camaraderie and excitement of the game, it is a welcoming group. This year the golf season begins on May 4^th at the New Seabury Country Club. Some of the courses that will be played this year include The Cape Club, The Ridge Club, Indian Pond and Ocean’s Edge. The purpose of the OMC Golf Tour is for golfers of all levels to enjoy each other’s companionship at some of the finest golfing venues in and around the Cape. If this sounds like something you would like to participate in, Eric Solomont, Ronnie Farquhar, Kevin McCarthy serve as Co- Chairmen so please call if you would like to participate (508) 954-0775.

Did you know that King Henry VIII was an avid bowler? Interestingly, in 1511 he banned bowling for the lower classes and imposed a levy for private lanes to limit them to the wealthy. In 1617 King James I published Declaration of Sports, banning bowling on Sundays! Well, fortunately the Osterville Men’s Club does not ban bowling, nor limit those who can play it, but encourages members to join in on the fun at the Ryan Amusement Center on Route 28 in Yarmouth.

Known as the Gerald R. Fortier Bowling League, this is a handicap league that bowls weekly and since it is handicapped, one’s skill level as a bowler is not a significant factor.  Substitute bowlers are encouraged to participate since there are currently eight teams.  The club bowls from September until April, which allows players to participate in the start of golf season.  At the end of each season all bowlers receive a monetary award based on their team’s final standing at a bowling banquet.   

In his brief history of the Osterville Men’s Club, Bill Cutliffe said that in 1963 Rudolph R Lind was the first Bowling Chair. Interestingly there have only been ten Chairs in fifty-four years. The last two, Fortier and Hulme, spanned twenty-two and yet counting.

But who was Gerald R. Fortier, for whom the bowling league was named? Fortier was graduated from St. Cloud State College in St. Cloud, Michigan where he majored in French and Spanish; he later received a master’s degree in education. Initially employed with the St. Cloud High School as chair of the language department, he later joined the Springfield, Massachusetts School system as coordinator of languages, eventually becoming superintendent. In 1999 he was called to serve as interim school superintendent in Truro on Cape Cod. He was a member of the Modern Language Association, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, and Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.

John Townes said “At the monthly Osterville Men’s Club Luncheon at the Hyannis Yacht Club [March 8, 2025], Gerry Fortier was presented with an inscribed trophy, two signed bowling pins, and a bowling pin bank (complete with a starter kit of 100 pennies). The bowling league members, and the OMC Executive Committee, voted to rename the league to the: Gerald R. Fortier Bowling League. Gerry was asked to read the trophy’s inscription in front of over 60 members.” Well, the teams have nicknames such as The Dudes, the Bad Boys, the Cape Codgers, the Pretenders, the Bull Horns and the Four Aces, with members sporting nicknames such as The Albany Flyer, The Swede, and the Candy Man, and Darwin.

The Fortier Bowling League meets on Thursdays at 10:00 AM at the Ryan Amusement Center on Route 28 in Yarmouth. Will Helmlinger is chair of the league and can be reached at (503) 779-8425 email: willhelminger@outlook.com

Bill Cutliffe mentions in his brief history of the Osterville Men’s Club that the “first OMC Picnic took place at the Crawford Hollidge Estate [on] October 10, 1958. Member C. Crawford Hollidge owned the Boston, Tremont Street high end clothing store… [and picnics] were held there many a year.”

C. Crawford Hollidge and his wife Nettie Beulah Gudgin Hollidge lived in a grand mansion on Adams Street in East Milton and had a summer estate at what is now 200 Hollidge Hill Lane overlooking Middle Pond and Hamblin Pond in Marstons Mills. Their son Colonel Crawford Hooe Hollidge and his wife Mary Virginia Urann Hollidge lived at 11 Cabot Street in Milton and summered on the Marstons Mills estate. Mary Hollidge hosted the last OMC picnic in 2001 as Cutliffe mentioned that the “Widow Hollidge made a brief lakeside appearance to warmly welcome the group and wish all best.”

But who was he? Clarence Crawford Hollidge (1878-1939) opened a dry goods business in East Milton in 1909 that prospered and in 1920 he built a store at the corner of Tremont and West Streets facing the Boston Common. Designed by Fehmer & Page, the six-story building was an upscale women's clothing store that displayed a distinctive style in the early 20th century. By 1930 he had transformed the store into a high-end women’s apparel and accessories store that was renowned for its red-carpet customer service, and the fact that with a prearranged appointment one could have a personal shopper who would select items for a customer and help with fittings, as well as accessories and jewelry. Successful, the store opened branches in Hyannis, Wellesley and Cohasset. The store would become a rival of R.H. Stearns Department Store that was located on the opposite corner. A disastrous fire destroyed the store in 1967, and the business was closed.

 

 

Wesley F. Rennie 

                                                     

Last time we discussed the founding in 1957 of the Osterville Men’s Club. After libations at the Fox Hole, lunch was served at Wimpy’s across the street. When the scheduled speaker didn’t appear, Dr. Wesley F. Rennie presented a thought-provoking address on education, totally without preparation.  

In 1966 the Rennie Current Events Discussion Group, led by Dr. Wesley F. Rennie, began by offering topical discussions in such subjects as politics, economics, social problems, and international affairs. It proved to be a popular event sponsored by the Osterville Men’s Club and the name was changed in 1975 to the Wesley F. Rennie Discussion Group. This popular event is held at the Osterville Village Library on the Tuesday after the monthly meeting from September to May at 10:15 AM

But who was he? Wesley Frederick Rennie (1893-1974) was born in Michigan and educated in Illinois and in the State of Washington. He was married to Zura Mae Karshner Rennie. He was associated for many years with the YMCA, which had been founded in 1844 by George Williams to provide a refuge for young men in London. The YMCA of Greater Seattle (YGS) was a pivotal group that pioneered social services including housing, meals, vocational training, and education to prepare boys and young men for life. Under Rennie’s leadership as director, YGS addressed the growing need of a redlined, segregated Seattle in Black and Asian communities and opened branches throughout Seattle. He achieved success and in 1949 The New York Times reported that Rennie “has been appointed executive director of the Committee for Economic Development… The group is a non-profit research organization of leading businessmen and educators. Mr. Rennie was general secretary of the Y. M. C. A. from 1933 to 1947.”

The Rennie’s retired in 1956 and moved to Oyster Harbors in Osterville, but two years later he was appointed to serve as interim president of Springfield College in Massachusetts from 1957 to 1958. Founded in 1885, Springfield College focuses on educating students—in spirit, mind, and body—for leadership in service to others. He said ''I'm new at this field in a sense, but at the same time, I've had long experience in the fields that these youths are preparing for."

The current chairman of the Rennie Discussion Group is Bob Callahan (508) 681-0242 and his email is debandcal@yahoo.com

Celebrating 70 Years

The Osterville Men's Club

Founded 1957

This article is on our OMC 70th Anniversary Page. Click below.

OMC 70