Army Navy Country Club
| Location: | Arlington & Fairfax, VA |
| Year Opened: | 1940 |
| Society Delegate: | Jack O’Connell |
| Website: | www.ancc.org |
The Army Navy Country Club enjoys a rich and varied history. Army Navy Country Club (ANCC) is a private club founded in 1924 to provide for social and recreational activities for military officers stationed in the Washington, D.C. area. The Club began purchasing land in Arlington, Virginia in 1925. The first nine golf holes opened in September 1928 and a second nine the following summer. This 18-hole Richard Newman designed layout was replaced in the late 1930’s on the same site by a 27-hole Herbert Strong designed course.
In 1958 ANCC procured Fairfax Country Club and its Robert Trent Jones designed 18-hole golf course. Over the years changes were made to the RTJ layout to accommodate golf practice facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, new clubhouse, and an expansion to 27-holes. Today’s course includes eight of RTJ’s original holes and three other RTJ-designed green sites. Overall, ANCC’s two campuses include 54 holes of golf, two Clubhouses, two swimming complexes, and arguably the best private tennis facility in the country.
ANCC hosted the Washington Post Pro-Celebrity Tournament in 1949, 1950 and 1951. U.S. Open Local Qualifier in 1982 and U.S. Open Sectional Qualifiers in 1981 and 1986. However, all these events were hosted on the Arlington (Herbert Strong) course.
Given the pedigree among several designers over its history, ANCC enjoys design features from its many contributors, including RTJ, George W. Cobb, Algie Pulley, Tom Clark and Richard Mandell. The ANCC Foundation, which oversees the club, conducts historical tours of the course pointing out features and the various changes to the routing.
