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At the Title Company
February 2004 |
Patrick & Karen
Farrell bought Alvin Golf & Country Club in February of 2004. Since then,
they have made many changes, including buying a new cart fleet, redoing the greens
and fairways, reopening the grill, remodeling the banquet room, and adding a
Website.
You can say that AGCC has been in Karen's family since the beginning in 1946
when her grandparents, Art and Ethelind Schacht, were founding members. In 1945, they
were also one of the original purchasers of the land on which the course sits.
Many of our customers have been members for over 30 years and can tell stories
about the clubhouse before central air, Andy Hillhouse and his dogs, poker games
in the bar, and even stories about the piano and formal parties back in the 40s
when the club was the only game in town.
Many stories abound about Karen's grandmother. She had her own style, and
didn't worry about what people thought about it. At one point she had a corn-cob
pipe. She had that pipe when she sunk one of her many holes-in-one.
There was one time when Andy raised beer
prices a nickle. Ethelind would not have it. She went in to buy a beer and Andy
said thirty-five cents. She said, "Thirty-five
cents? I'm not paying thirty-five gotd@*n cents for a beer!" And she proceeded
to cuss him out. Andy calmly opened the beer, took a swig, set it back down
on the counter, and told her it would be thirty cents. Satisfied, she paid
her regular thirty cents and went back to her game.
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Art & Ethelind Schacht
September 1976
70th birthday celebration for Art,
Alvin State Bank |
Karen spent her summers with her grandparents at the club and has many happy
memories from the 70s: riding with MaMaw, driving the cart, eating bananas and
beef jerky, drinking iced tea, and swimming at the pool. It was a family place
then, and it is again now.
From 1946 to about 2002, the club thrived. But as members aged and moved on
with work and other obligations, the club began to suffer. By the latter part
of 2003, it had changed so much and was in such dire straights that the board
decided it was time to sell.
The Farrells were devastated. They had planned on raising their children at
and bringing their grandchildren to the club. So they took action. They rallied
their forces and presented an offer to the stock members to purchase the club
with the promise that it would remain a golf course. After some counteroffers
and wrangling, their offer was finally accepted. And the rest, as they say, is
history.
Do you have something to add to this
history? Send it to us!
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