McHenry Country Club was originally established in 1922 as a nine-hole facility. Construction on the second nine holes began in 1925 and the course was opened for play as a full 18-hole facility in 1926. In 1953, substantial changes were made in the golf course including lengthening several holes, planting numerous trees, adding sand traps, and rebuilding greens. Since then, while there have been numerous aesthetic improvements, the overall hole layout has generally remained unchanged.
The original clubhouse was a structure 14 feet by 30 feet and was built by three men in a single day. It simply contained a lunch counter and restrooms. The present clubhouse was constructed in 1953 with major and minor renovations in 1970, 1988 and most recently, a million dollar plus renovation in 2003. Unique in its river location, the views from the lounge and dining room are unsurpassed.
A club with our longevity has a long history of golf professionals. The first golf pro at McHenry Country Club was Harry Morris who came to us when the club was opened in 1922, and served the club for 14 years.
Another pro with long years of service to the club is Vale Adams whose tenure extended almost 20 years from 1962 until his retirement in 1981. Vales son, Gary V. Adams, is widely known as the innovator of the metal wood and the founder of TaylorMade Golf originally located in McHenry, Illinois. McHenry Country Club is honored to have an association with one of the true pioneers in the development of modern golf equipment. The full extent of this relationship with McHenry Country Club and impact of Gary’s contributions to the golf industry can be found under “The Adams Legacy”.
Today, the emphasis on the golf course is centered upon maintenance and playability to ensure that McHenry Country Club offers playing conditions unsurpassed by any golf club in the Chicagoland area.
As member needs continue to evolve McHenry Country Club utilizes its long range planning committee to make sure that we stay in tune with the changing needs of our membership and continue the legacy for generations yet to come.
The Adams Legacy
McHenry Country Club is honored to have an association with one of the true pioneers in the development of modern golf equipment through McHenry’s long-time Pro Vale Adams, and his son Gary V. Adams.
Gary Adams was the innovator of the metal wood and founded TaylorMade Golf, which was originally located in McHenry. Gary went on to build two more companies featuring metal woods…, Founders Club and McHenry Metals.
The history of McHenry Country Club and the evolution of the metal wood are documented in two short videos entitled… “McHenry Country Club / The Making of the Metal Wood” and “Gary Adams TaylorMade Metal Wood Pioneer”
The Walking Bridge on our signature 8th hole is dedicated to the contributions and memory of Gary Adams, as is the unique “TaylorMade Tree” located by the 10th tee which was dedicated in 2009 during the inaugural Gary V. Adams Invitational Golf Tournement.
McHenry Country Club can be considered the birthplace of the metal wood and visitors will find many early models on display in the McHenry Heritage Room located in the lobby of the club.