Established in 1982, Heritage Consulting Group is a national historic preservation advisory firm that specializes in drafting National Register of Historic Places nominations, providing local preservation services, and securing state and federal historic tax credit approvals to support the rehabilitation of historic properties. The firm’s 2,000-project portfolio includes hundreds of successful nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, which are pursued both independently and as a part of the historic tax credit application process.
In recent years, Heritage Consulting Group has successfully partnered with owners and state historic preservation offices to list several historic golf clubs in the National Register of Historic Places. Some have pursued designation for purely honorific reasons, while others have chosen to leverage National Register listing in order to secure federal and state historic tax credits. These credits can significantly reduce costs associated with the rehabilitation of certified historic structures, such as primary club houses; functionally related structures, including maintenance sheds and gatehouses; and pre-existing estate structures, such as converted barns. Three outstanding representative projects follow.
Claremont Country Club
Heritage Consulting Group guided the client through the National Register nomination process to recognize the history of the golf course – originally established in 1904 – and its Tudor Revival country club complex alongside the work of legendary golf course architect Alister MacKenzie, who redesigned the course in 1927. The nomination resulted in the successful listing of the property for its recreational and architectural significance.
The Portland Golf Club Clubhouse and Golf Course
Established in 1914 as a nine-hole course, the Portland Golf Club underwent a redesign in 1922 by renowned golf course architect A.V. Macan. Robert Trent Jones went on to update portions of the course in 1964. The main permanent clubhouse was completed in 1928 to serve a growing membership. Heritage Consulting Group led the National Register of Historic Places nomination process for Portland Golf Club, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2023.
Oakwood Country Club
Originally created as a welcoming social and recreational sanctuary for the Jewish community facing exclusion elsewhere, Oakwood Country Club was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2021, led by Heritage Consulting Group. The nomination highlighted the evolution of the course, established in 1912, with a majority of the course and the clubhouse dating to 1930. The property is listed for its Jewish social history and recreational significance during the 1912-1972 period of significance.
Thousands of golf courses nationwide are considered “classic,” generally built before 1960. Among those, 172 are believed to be more than 100 years old. Outside of those that already hold a national historic designation, all are potential candidates for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, for purely honorific purposes, as an avenue to historic tax credit equity or a combination of both.
Considering National Register listing for your classic golf club? Contact Heritage Consulting Group to discuss your project: 215-248-1260 or info@heritage-consulting.com.
