“This is just a wonderful view.” That’s the word from John Panek, general manager and chief operating officer of the Davenport Country Club. He made that statement recently as he looked over the course near the ninth hole. But he could have been looking over any part of the country club and made the same […]
Already a subscriber? Log in
Want to Read More?
Get immediate, unlimited access to all subscriber content and much more.
Learn more in our subscriber FAQ.
- Unparalleled business coverage of the Iowa City / Cedar Rapids corridor.
- Immediate access to subscriber-only content on our website.
- 52 issues per year delivered digitally, in print or both.
- Support locally owned and operated journalism.
“This is just a wonderful view.” That’s the word from John Panek, general manager and chief operating officer of the Davenport Country Club. He made that statement recently as he looked over the course near the ninth hole.
But he could have been looking over any part of the country club and made the same statement. The views are great – no matter where you look.
This has been a special season to look at the Davenport Country Club. That’s because the club is celebrating its 100th year.
This milestone year has been marked with tournaments, festivals, picnics, and, of course, lots of golf. The final centennial celebration of the year will be the club’s 100-Year Gala from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday. The event will feature music, food, drinks, a magic show and fireworks at dusk.
“It’s been great celebrating our 100 years. … This is really a family-friendly club,” Mr. Panek told the QCBJ.
History on display
In addition to the gala finale in October, the club has been celebrating much of the year by honoring its proud history. That history is on display in almost every building and every hole on the course, located in Pleasant Valley. For instance, the club’s original course routing plan is framed and hung in the main clubhouse building. Mr. Panek said a club member found that plan in his home’s attic and donated it to the club. Not far from that historic document, an old white shirt is framed and hanging on another wall. That caddie shirt has the phrase “48th Western Open Championship” on the front. It’s from the 1951 tournament and was worn by a 14-year-old caddie. However, much of the club’s history can be found on the course. There are four red symbolic water pumps at different sites around the course. Those pumps are a symbol of the club’s long history. Mr. Panek said that before the country club was established in 1924, the land around it was a horse farm with many water pumps. When the club was formed, the horses were removed, but some of the pumps survived. In fact, a working water pump was still in place near the 13th hole for many years. As a salute to its past, four non-functioning pumps were placed around the course several years ago. Today, images of those pumps can be seen almost everywhere at the club. The red water pumps are on logos, shirts, the doormat at the front of the club, golf balls and even bottles of liquor. The water pump symbol is on the labels of a bourbon whiskey – called Birdie Juice Old Fashioned – that is made exclusively for the club by Mississippi River Distilling Co. in LeClaire. (During a recent tour of the club gift shop, club employee Melanie Tomczuk said the Birdie Juice has been a big seller for the club.) Much of the club’s history can also be seen in a book-length website history written by local author and former sports journalist Craig DeVrieze. That history work – called “Davenport Country Club: A Century on the Bluff” – is on the club’s website. Mr. Panek said there are plans to publish it as a book later this year. That history points out some of the key events at the club in the past 100 years. Some of those events include: The club hosted the Western Opens in 1936 and 1951; a 1969 fire that destroyed a renovated dairy barn, which was the club’s second clubhouse; an extensive renovation in 2014; and an achievement this spring when GolfWeek magazine ranked the Davenport Country Club as No. 1 in Iowa. The country club’s history also includes some comments from club members. Some of them include:- “I’m part of that club. Grew up there. It got me out of the west end and, through that, I got to meet a lot of the kids from all over the town. I’m proud of it. It’s my golf course.” — Dick Schmidt
- “I always loved the golf course. It’s just a beautiful piece of property. I wasn’t sure when they did the renovation whether that was going to be the right thing or not. But it was definitely the right thing. Every time I go back it’s just better and better and better. It was good before. It’s just great now.” — Sam Allen
- “I had never seen a course like this until I played here. It’s still my favorite of all. I don’t know that I have seen a course have so many holes that are pleasing to my eye. They are pleasing from the tee box as well as from the green when you look back. Not every course can pull that off.” — Laura “Divot” Ekizian
- “It’s interesting to see a course like Davenport that was always ranked among the top 5 in Iowa in Golf Digest but it never had much national attention. And now I think it gets some national buzz and I’m happy to see that. It’s a very distinctive course.” — Ron Whitten
- “If you took this golf course and you set it in Chicago you would be able to charge a $100,000 initiation and whatever dues you want because this place would be the best golf course they have. But it’s cool that we have this and not everybody knows about it. We’ve got a great country club community here. There’s no stuffiness here. Nobody asks what you do. Nobody cares how much money you make. That’s not what’s important. What’s important is that we all get along and we have this to play on.” — Jeff Hassel
