It is almost axiomatic to say that golf courses that grow into truly significant golf clubs seem to have one thing in common – a single dominant individual who runs the club in a firm – and more often than not, highly autocratic manner – shaping it into a truly world-class entity through their laser- like vision and dogged tenacity.

Look no further than Clifford Roberts at Augusta National or John Y. Brown – and later Ernie Ransome – at Pine Valley. Unquestionably they developed and nurtured superlative golf entities.

In a similar vein Quaker Ridge was fortunate to have William Rice Hochster – a founding member of the club and first president – guide the club firmly through its formative years. Most notably, he had the wisdom to hire A.W. Tillinghast, then a little-known golf course architect who grew to become what Golf Digest later called “…the world’s best architect”.

Starting with an existing nine holes, Tillinghast, under Hochster’s watchful gaze, reshaped those nine holes and added another nine to complete the course in 1918. In 1924, after Tillinghast completed the two courses across the street at Winged Foot, Hochster brought Tillinghast back after the purchase of some adjoining property to make significant changes to the original Quaker Ridge layout. Seven holes changed dramatically. The result is essentially the course you see today, one that modern-day architect Gil Hanse recently brought back to Tillinghast’s original specifications, updating the course length-wise so as to accommodate the modern game.

Under Hochster’s leadership, the club also hired the Farrell brothers – older brother Jimmy and younger brother Johnny – as co-head professionals in 1925. It proved to be a wise decision, as Johnny won what was then called the “Great Streak” of six tournaments in a row in 1927 and went on to defeat Bobby Jones by one in a 36-hole playoff after the 1928 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields.

In 1934 the first Hochster was played at Quaker Ridge. It has been played every year since, except for four years during the heart of World War II.) Fittingly, many of the winners of the Hochster have been winners of other national and international golf tournaments.

Frank Strafaci, a four-time Hochster Champion, also won the USGA’s Amateur Public Links in 1935, the North-South Amateur in 1937 and 1938 and finished ninth in the U.S. Open as an amateur in 1937. Big-hitting Jess Sweetser, a contemporary of his good friend Bobby Jones, won the NCAA Championship in 1920, the U.S. Amateur in 1922, the British Amateur in 1926, and played on six consecutive Walker Cup teams, including the first at the National Golf Links of America. He added the Hochster in 1936.

One of the greatest American amateurs ever, Willie Turnesa – the only one of the seven famed golfing brothers not to turn professional – won the Hochster four times. He also won two U.S. Amateurs, one British Amateur and played on three Walker Cup teams. Significantly, Turnesa co-founded the highly successful Westchester Caddy Scholar- ship Program with Quaker Ridge member Udo Reinach.

Other significant Hochster champions include Dick Siderowf (four victories), who also won two British Amateurs; George Zahringer, (six Hochsters) also won five Met Amateurs and the U.S. Mid Amateur; and Ken Bakst (winning in his 30s, 40s and 50s), also a U.S. Mid Amateur Champion.

The Hochster has also been a family affair with the father-son duo of Jerry Courville, Sr. and Jr. winning a total of six Hochster Memorials between them along with multiple second place finishes. While many of the Hochster participants have entered the professional ranks over the first 77 playings of the event, one of them, Doug Ford, the 1947 Hochster Champion who turned pro in 1948, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame last year. Despite not turning professional until he was 27, Ford won nineteen PGA TOUR events, including two majors – the PGA Championship in 1955 and the Masters in 1957. He also played on four Ryder Cup teams. (Ask Doug to name his favorite course and he’ll tell you – it’s Quaker Ridge.) John Harris, the Hochster Champion in 1997, won the U.S. Amateur at Champions Golf Club in 1993 and was a member of the U.S. Walker Cup Teams in 1993, 1995 and 1997 (played at Quaker Ridge). He also was a member of the U.S. World Amateur Team in 1994.

Other significant Hochster participants include the four sons of long- time Winged Foot head professional Claude Harmon – Butch, Craig, Dick and Bill. Though not generally known, there is a strong family connection between the Harmon family and Quaker Ridge. Not only does Claude have the Quaker Ridge professional course record of 61, but the club’s long-time head professional, Vic Oberhammer, was his brother-in-law and the uncle to the four Harmon boys.