With a public meeting coming up for input on the City of Marcus purchasing the local Marcus Community Golf Course, I went searching for information on whether this present Golf Course was the only one Marcus had or were there others in the past. As far back as 92 years ago, golf was of interest to people of Marcus in 1930.
The depression was on but yet there were some people who were able to find something other than the depression to concentrate on. The game of Golf had been thought of earlier but yet money was hard to come by at this time to build one in Marcus. But, it didn’t stop people from going out of town to play golf. So, Nagle Brothers decided to do something about having a golf course in town rather than see people leave town to play. And, besides there would be people coming to Marcus from other towns that would spend some money in Marcus while they were here!
July 31, 1930 “Miniature Golf…All the Rage”. Nagle Brothers are building an up-to-date mini golf course on the lot north of Wixcel’s residence.
The 18 hole course covers a lot of ground 100 feet square with built-in hazards. The equipment which costs between $1,500 and $2,000 will be here next week and the course will be open Saturday of next week.
Although a new game, miniature golf has taken the country by storm and many courses can be found in larger cities.
Only 15¢ and 25¢ will be charged by the management and no doubt, the course will receive a large patronage from the people of this vicinity. (It didn’t take long to get a mini golf course going!)
August 14, 1930 “Golf Course to Open Monday, August 18”. The most unique and complete golf course to be found anywhere in the Northwest will be opened to the public Monday, 18 at 7 p.m. by Nagle Brothers at Marcus, Iowa. A formal opening will be held later, at which, will be announced a prize winning contest for naming the course. A cordial invitation is extended to all.
House and Prices: From 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Children 15¢ per game, Adults 25¢. From 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., 25¢ to all.
August 21, 1930 “Marcus Has Miniature Course Second To None”. At last, Marcus is making some effort to gain a place among the forward moving towns of Northwest Iowa and it is gratifying to all citizens with home pride and civic culture to know that we have men in Marcus who believe in the future of the small town and are willing to invest in such enterprises as will keep it abreast of the times and make it a bigger and better place in which to live.
Nagle Brothers, who have made a success in the produce business, are not slow to see business opportunities in other lines. Knowing that a large percent of the people in this community, both young and old, are spending much time and money on the miniature golf courses at Cherokee, Le Mars, Storm Lake and Sioux City, they reasoned that we should have a miniature golf course in Marcus, not merely to entertain our home folks, but one with style and attraction that would draw folks from neighboring communities to Marcus and they immediately set out to do that very thing. How well they have succeeded, the course in its completion gives testimony.
This course was planned and constructed by home people at a cost of $2,500 which is far below the contracted price on other courses not nearly as complete and unique. S.M. Wixcel of the S.M. Wixcel Mfg. Co. designed the course, office building, fixtures for the grounds and hazards; made the working plans and supervised all construction. Contractor, Oscar Johnson had charge of the carpenter work; Benj. Blietz was in charge of cement work; Henry Zembsch of the Hamilton Hardware Co., executed the sheet metal work. From points of beauty and novel design, Marcus now has a miniature golf court that is second to none anywhere.
The course is now open for play but the official opening will occur on Wednesday evening, August 27, at which time a name for the course will be chosen. The proprietors of the course will give a prize to the one offering the best acceptable name. Details of this prize winning contest will be given out at the office on the golf course Saturday evening, August 23.
August 28, 1930_“Best Name for Golf Course to be Announced Saturday”. The prize winning name for Nagle Brothers miniature golf course will be announced Saturday night at 11 o’clock p.m. The contest was to have closed Thursday, but the management decided Saturday was a better time.
A tournament to be held in September has been announced. Those holding lowest score will be given prizes.
Marcus Boy Scouts have challenged Cherokee Boy Scouts to play and a tournament will be held on the local course Friday afternoon.
(We searched files and could not find who the person was with the winning name of “Junior Country Club” or what the prize was for the winning name.)
September 11, 1930_“Will Install Indoor Golf Course”. On Saturday night, September 23, Nagle Brothers will give away a Pendleton woolen robe. A free chance on this robe will be given with each game of golf played at Junior Country Club. Nagle Brothers expect to install an indoor course later in the season.
September 25, 1930_“Invitation”. The proprietors of Junior Country Club will be Host at a wienie Roast Party which they will give in honor of the players on Tuesday evening, September 30. Come and enjoy a fireside party with us.
A free ticket on a five dollar gold piece is given with each game of golf played. The five dollar gold piece will be given away after the wienie roast.
October 9, 1930_“Marcus to Have Indoor Golf Course”. Nagle Brothers will have their indoor miniature golf course ready for play about Nov. 15. The indoor course will have 18 holes and will be held at the building adjoining to the Junior Country Club.
December 25, 1930_“New miniature Golf course Opens Today”. Nagle Brothers Complete Construction of Fine Indoor Course Have Enlarged.
The News takes pleasure in announcing that the new indoor miniature golf course which has been under construction by Nagle Brothers for the past two months will be open on Thursday, December 25.
Last summer Marcus people had the opportunity of playing on one of the finest midget courses, one that would compare with any course anywhere, also constructed by Nagle Brothers, known as the Junior Country Club.
When winter approached, the outdoor course had to be abandoned and immediately the erection of the indoor course commenced. The new course in its completion, is one of the most unique in Northwest Iowa. The course has been constructed with an eye toward the artistic, and as you enter the building for the first time, you will be amazed at its beauty. The indoor is tinted a buff with sage green trimmings, while the walls are paneled with the latest crumble roll stippie, encased in an attractive border. Over each window attached to a golden spear-head, hangs a handsome awning of heavy flowered cretonne (heavy printed cotton or linen cloth, used for curtains, slipcovers, etc.) with a background of orange and green mixture, lined with a beautiful shade of greet to harmonize. The balcony is supported with natural trees from the forests of Wisconsin.
The course has 18 holes, 15 on the lower floor and 3 on the balcony. The fairways are covered with the finest greens that could be had and have hairfelt made from goat hair. This same material was used on the Chicago’s golf tournament fairway, recently held and it made a great sensation. The hazards are all new and offer an interesting diversion from the ordinary course.
A luncheonette and free checking room have been added for the convince of the public. The building is heated by a large furnace and the heat is distributed by electric fans, thus assuring a comfortable temperature in all parts of the building.
In addition to the golf courses, Nagle Brothers also operate a produce house and are known throughout the Northwest as large buyers of poultry and eggs. Floyd, “Bud” and “Babe”, Nagle have lived in Marcus all their lives and are among the town’s most progressive business people.
(I could not find in Webster’s dictionary what “stippe” or “hairfelt” was that were used in the decorating of the mini indoor golf course.)