Bill Doyle
| Special to the Telegram & Gazette
Juniper Hill Golf Course will celebrate the 95th anniversary of opening the first nine of its 36 holes next year, but the club won’t wait until then to recognize the milestone.
Dudley Darling, Juniper Hill general manager and vice president, said the club plans to display construction, staff and golfer photos from the two courses on the wall in the hallway between the pro shop and grill room. Bob Munter of WCD Garage in Northborough helped Darling identify some of the old cars and construction equipment in some of the photos. Darling hopes the photos will be in place by this November.
Darling, 76, said he has a box of old photo negatives and he’s working with a company that will refurbish and print them. How many photos will be displayed? Ninety-five, of course.
Why doesn’t Darling wait until Juniper turns 100 to celebrate?
“We don’t know if I’m going to be around by 100,” he joked.
Darling grew up in the original clubhouse when it was a farmhouse and has been working at Juniper since he was 10 years old. Darling’s grandfather, Homer C. Darling, built the Riverside Course, which opened nine holes in 1931 and cost 50 cents to play all day. Another nine opened in 1953. Darling’s father, Homer D. Darling, built the 18-hole Lakeside Course, which opened in 1991.
Quite a few well-known sports figures have played or visited Juniper Hill, including Ted Williams and Rico Petrocelli of the Red Sox, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie, Drew Bledsoe of the Patriots and former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.
Darling remembers when a tornado ripped through the course in 1953.
“We had flooding at the golf course,” he said, “so my father rode us across the Assabet River in a boat to get over to the clubhouse. The roadway was flooded.”
Darling is scheduled to speak to the Northborough Historical Society about the history of Juniper Hill on Friday, Dec. 5.
Darling attributes the longevity of Juniper Hill to “hard work and a positive attitude.” He said he enjoys “making people happy.”
On Nov. 20 and 21, Juniper Hill will hold its 27th annual Turkey Day celebration. Instead of paying a greens fee, golfers can play by donating a turkey. Only a cart fee is required. On Thursday, Nov. 20, there will be tee times and on Friday, Nov. 21, there will be a double shotgun start.
The turkeys are given to the Worcester County Food Bank to distribute to those in need. Veterans Inc. in Worcester ends up with a lot of them.
Darling said usually about 300 turkeys are donated each year. Supermarket gift cards are also accepted.
Ideas welcome
You can suggest story ideas for this golf column by reaching me at the email listed below. Comments are also welcomed.
—Contact Bill Doyle at bcdoyle15@charter.net.
