In college a group of us would trek up to the Thousand Islands after finals were over for a bit of consequence free getaway time. Its a magical place, with the ghosts of a foregone era of wooden boats and cliff-hugging mansions lingering just around the next turn. Plus, I love anywhere where the primary mode of transportation is on water.
I've never played golf in the area, but the question of the history of the Thousand Islands CC was posed to me recently making me realize I have more questions than answers on the courses and clubs around Wellesley Island. Today there are two courses on the island, that being the Wellesley Island Golf Course and the Thousand Island CC.
A quick breakdown of what I have:
Columbian GC, Round Island Club and
St. Lawrence Park GC - Noted in the 1900 and 1901 Harper's Reports. The 1900 Harper's notes the clubs were organized in 1899.
New Frontenac GC aka Frontenac GC - Laid out by Willie Dunn in 1899.
Aug. 20, 1899 New York Tribune
Sept. 1899 Golf Magazine
Harper's 1900
Thousand Islands Yacht Club - Noted as a 9 hole course with a date of organization of 1894 (probably the club, not the course) in the 1901 Harper's Report.
Thousand Islands Club aka Thousand Islands CC - The course first appears in the 1916 Annual Guide, with a date of 1906 and a note that the second 9 holes was being completed. William Watson came through in 1913 to make improvements, and some sources credit him with the original design. The club dates itself back to 1894, suggesting that this was originally the Yacht Club noted above. This is the course that Seth Raynor is given credit for in 1922-23.
Aug. 17, 1913 Syracuse Herald
1920 The Golfers Magazine
Thousand Islands Park GC - Noted in the Annual Guides from 1920 on as a 9 hole course with a date of organization ranging from 1915 to 1918.
Wellesley Island Club aka Frank Lowden Private Course - Noted only in the 1923 Annual Guide as an 18 hole course. See the Aug. 17, 1913 Syracuse Herald article above noting William Watson getting the course ready.