History

Early History

When Robert W. Nelson stepped off the train at the Westfield Station in 1908 looking for a new home, he had no idea that he would be part of golfing history. Mr. Nelson, president of the American Type Founders Company, was looking to move his family from Great Kills, Staten Island, New York to somewhere in the Westfield area. He told a local realtor that he wanted a farm with a lake. He was shown the Lambert farm located just over the border of Westfield in Fanwood Township also known as Scotch Plains. The Lambert farm at one time was widely known for its flour and cider mill. The farm had everything Mr. Nelson was looking for, meadows, woods and a lake. Mr. Nelson had found the perfect place to call home.Some years went by and many improvements were made to the property. The old farm house was completely renovated and a new concrete dam was built to expand the lake. Justifiably proud of his estate, Mr. Nelson had many visitors but none would change his life more than Mr. Wadsworth A. Parker, a good friend and avid golfer. Mr. Parker, after touring the natural beauty of the land, looked at Mr. Nelson and said, "What a wonderful place for a golf course." Mr. Nelson could not have agreed more and set out to build a first class golf course. Mr. Nelson named the course Shackamaxon Country Club to honor what he believed was the name of the Native Americans that he thought once lived in this area. However, the word Shackamaxon is actually an Indian word for "place where chiefs meet." It could very well be that the area in or around Shackamaxon was a special meeting place of the local Native Americans. As time passed and Shackamaxon Country Club grew in popularity it would affectionately be known as "The Shack."