Founded in the golden age of American leisure, Glen Arven Country Club stands as one of the South’s most storied sporting institutions, with a legacy spanning more than 130 years. Its origins trace back to the late 19th century, when Thomasville, Georgia emerged as a winter retreat for Northern industrialists and prominent families drawn by the region’s mild climate, pine forests, and celebrated quail hunting plantations.
In 1888, J. Wyman Jones, joined by Charles Merrill Chapin, Howard Melville Hanna, John F. Archbold, and John Hay “Jock” Whitney, resolved that Thomasville should have a grand pleasure park—one that embraced recreation, camaraderie, and the emerging game of golf. Together, these five visionaries established Glen Arven upon a 300-acre tract of land first acquired by Jones. In 1892 golf at Glen Arven began modestly with nine rudimentary holes and sand greens, but ambition soon matched the club’s growing stature. In 1929, during golf’s Golden Era of design, the course was transformed into a challenging and artful 18-hole layout by renowned architects Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek. In 2013, celebrated architect Bob Cupp led a sensitive restoration that returned the course to its classic character and strategic brilliance, honoring its historic roots while meeting modern standards.
Glen Arven’s influence on the game of golf extends far beyond its fairways. Club member Coburn Haskell invented the revolutionary Haskell golf ball, a development that forever changed how the game was played. The club is also home to the Piney Woods Amateur, first contested in 1919 and distinguished as the longest continuously running amateur tournaments in the country. During the 1930s and 1940s, Glen Arven further cemented its competitive pedigree by hosting a PGA Tour event with the likes of Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson among many of the game’s top professionals.
The club’s history intersects with national history as well, including a notable connection to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose love of golf linked him to Glen Arven and its traditions. Eisenhower would decide to run for a second term while playing the 18th hole stating, “if he could make it up cardiac hill he was fit enough for a second term.”
Excellence has long defined Glen Arven’s membership. The club proudly boasts four U.S. Women’s Amateur Champions: Beatrix Hoyt (1896, 1897, 1898), Frances Griscom (1900), Mary Lena Faulk (1953), and Megan Schofill (2023). Continuing that championship legacy, Mason Howell won the 2025 Men’s U.S. Amateur Championship. Both Mason Howell and Megan Schofill represent the next generation shaped by the club’s culture of excellence.
At the heart of that future is Glen Arven’s Junior Golf Program, widely recognized for developing competitive players while instilling sportsmanship, tradition, and a lifelong love of the game. Complementing its golf heritage, the club features a premier tennis and pickle ball facility recognized by the USTA, underscoring Glen Arven’s commitment to excellence across sports.
Today, Glen Arven Country Club is guided by a dedicated golf and tennis professional staff devoted to preserving its rich traditions while thoughtfully growing the game for generations to come. Rooted in history yet alive with purpose, Glen Arven remains a timeless gathering place—where championship golf, Southern heritage, and enduring friendships continue to flourish.