The Royal And Ancient Chappaquiddick Links was founded in 1887 (give or take a few years) by Frank Marshall, a dentist from Needham, MA. Frank and his school boy chum, Sam Seager, each built their own fishing camps on Chappaquiddick’s North Neck before the age of twenty, and together laid out 24 holes of golf on the salt plains along the shore. Frank married Molly Cobb in 1895 and (perhaps surprisingly) she fully embraced the Chappy way of life. The Big Camp (Frank’s house) was extended to accommodate a sundry of Maine, Cobb and Bradfords, the lot of them descending on the island in the late spring (with cows and sheep and chickens and horses) to form a formidable, mirthful workforce that kept the Links a center of their summers for decades. A clay tennis court, a Tea Bar, and a clubhouse rounded out the experience.
The Great Depression and World War Two dampened the gang’s spirit and verve that were vital to its perpetuation. Consequently, the Links quietly succumbed to nature’s plan, becoming treed (careless birds dropping seeds) and overgrown with ivy, pucker brush, grapevines and bittersweet. Nary a hole was left recognizable.
Robert Marshall, Frank’s son, moved to Chappy with his new bride Ruth in 1945, and never left. Bob and Ruth were childhood sweethearts who had spent every summer of their youth at their respective families’ island summer homes, though mostly at The Big Camp. Their shared affinity for the island made them the perfect candidates to put back together what had fallen apart. They took over the Marshall property which consisted of the Big Camp, the golf course and 40 additional acres of land. Bob and Ruth designed and built over 40 of Chappy’s cottages between 1945 and 1970, further cementing their place in Chappy’s history.
Bob’s sister, Mary, also returned to Chappy with her new husband, Ham Kelly, in 1960. They transformed the (still standing) Tea Bar into their new home with a series of additions over the years. Nearing retirement age (but not the retiring types) the quartet of Bob and Ruth and Mary and Ham determined that this phase of life should be dedicated to the resurrection of the golf course they had so loved in their youth. They began reclaiming the land in 1966 - cutting trees and pulling stumps. By 1968, they had cleared 20 acres (of the original 60), and began the task of golfifying these acres. They trenched an irrigation loop that circled the area, allowing for seven distinct zones that they could water by hand with hoses. These circles of green(er) grass became the landing destination for 7 reclaimed holes. The golf course was renamed The Island Ball Watcher’s Society (IBWS) which boasted a new robust membership of 15 friends and neighbors. From 1969 to 1987, IBWS became the home for many rounds of golf and a seemingly similar number of tournaments and parties. The highlight of each year was the season ending clambake, notable for its proliferation of Tervis Tumblers full of ice, rum and milk (mostly rum) and loud and colorful clothing. One could say these folks introduced the hipster movement to Chappy. One could also say that they did not.
By 1987 this generation was reaching its denouement, replete with broken hips and arthritic hands. Brad Woodger took over for his ailing grandfather, Ham, as the course superintendent. Three weeks of mowing lawns the summer of ‘76 provided Brad with ample experience to undertake this endeavor. His salary of $1,500 a summer reflected his skill level. Brad reformed a membership of left-overs, scoundrels, and unsuspecting souls that remained mostly intact for the next 25 years. The IBWS board would meet twice a summer to discuss financials and remind Brad that he was NOT Ham Kelly.
The IBWS was surviving, but perhaps not thriving. So, in 2004, Brad, his girlfriend Kim Bennett, and neighbor/friend George Bennett (no relation) teamed up to purchase the golf course from the Marshall family estate. Joining the ranks of Carnegies, Rockefellers, and Buffets (both Warren and Jimmy), the BB&W group asserted itself quickly and began renovations of the IBWS. Three new holes were added (1,7, and 8) and all greens and tees were renovated. New (real) irrigation was installed, the original name was returned, and by 2010 the Royal and Ancient Chappaquiddick Links stood proudly once more.
Still lacking an adequate replacement, Brad continued in his capacity as superintendent and manager. Armed with a staff of volunteer family members and a philanthropic owner, Brad and Kim undertook the tasks of continuing the legacy of Chappy golf and financial woe. Even with an unpaid staff, the RACL managed steady losses. Not to be outdone, the following ten years averaged substantially “lesser spoils”. George, infinitely patient and generous, sustained the Links throughout.
2025 witnesses the start of a new era. Doug and Catherine Halbert, current owners of Big Camp, after a thorough examination of the books, put heart before head and purchase the course from George. Brad is now a partner in the endeavor. Chris Kennedy returns after a brief stint at the VGC as Vice President of Hair and Operations. Jack McCauley is back for his 3rd year as Manager and Bad Cop. Mattie Floyd, Rhys Floyd, and Marley Daggett round out the dream team.
Some 138 years later, here we are. And we are here because that original love and enthusiasm for golf on Chappy has never waned. A healthy suspension of disbelief and an unnatural capacity to weather woes have helped too.
Long live Chappy’s Royal And Ancient!
