Shamrock Heights marks 100 years

NEW LONDON — Generations of golfers have walked the rolling fairways at Shamrock Heights Golf Course. Few know its history better than Todd Huber.
As the course celebrates its 100th anniversary, Huber is sharing the story of a place he has tended, studied and played most of his life.
Over the years, the course has carried several names — from Springvale Golf Course in the 1920s to the New London Golf Club and later the New London Country Club — before becoming Shamrock Heights in the early 2000s.
Through those changes, Huber pieced together a record of its evolution, collecting photographs, memorabilia and newspaper clippings to preserve its story for future generations.
Huber’s bond with the course runs deep. He grew up tagging along with his parents, spent summers golfing barefoot with friends, and later took on the role of greenskeeper. In the early 2000s, he also helped design the new nine holes that expanded the course to 18.

Now, after thousands of hours of research, Huber is preparing to share what he calls his “love affair” with the place that shaped much of his life.

A brief history
Located north of New London on Old Highway 45, the course began as Springvale Golf Course in 1925. Founders named it for the springs on the property, which form the headwaters of a local creek.
It became New London Golf Course in the 1950s. In the 1970s, the course went private and operated as the New London Country Club until the early 1990s, when it returned to public status and its New London Golf Club name.
By the early 2000s, the board of directors and community backers undertook a major renewal, expanding the course into a par-70, 18-hole layout that officially opened May 22, 2005. The new back nine, often called the “quarry holes,” converted Gerndt’s pit north of the property into a striking addition.

The clubhouse also received upgrades, and the course drew regular coverage in the local newspaper.
In 2006, Kris Vemuri purchased the course and renamed it Shamrock Heights. Six years later, Superintendent Corey Kluge and golf pro Corey Feller purchased the course. Kluge later bought out Feller’s share and continues to operate Shamrock Heights Golf Course and Supper Club today.

Centennial celebration
Shamrock Heights will host its 100th anniversary celebration Saturday, Oct. 18. Festivities include classic cars and equipment displays from the early decades, drink specials, appetizers and prize drawings, including a chance to win a 2026 membership.
At the center of the program, Huber will present a history of the course, highlighting years of research and memorabilia collection.

A historian by nature, Huber has spent thousands of hours researching New London history through digitized newspaper archives, flea markets and community donations. He believes historical items from the area should stay in New London — and worries many are at risk of being lost.
Standing in his basement “war room” of research, surrounded by storyboards, photos and clippings, Huber said, “I think that we’re one generation away from losing this.”
“It’s like planting a tree — the best time was 30 years ago,” he added. “In terms of saving memorabilia, not everybody’s into that. Too often, historical artifacts and photos are simply thrown away.”
Why has he put in thousands of hours of research?
“I think it’s because I played for the first three years in my bare feet and you get a connection to the ground when you walk it for years,” Huber said. “My love affair with this place and curiosity for history, that’s why I’m doing this.”
His collection includes charter documents, photos, articles, signs, memorabilia and golf clubs dating back to the 1890s. He notes that the invention of metal clubs in 1931 significantly improved scores.
Huber credits help from community members, the library’s digital archive and the local museum staff. However, he worries about the long-term future of the course.
“In just one sale, it could be turned into a residential subdivision like so many other golf courses in the area,” he said. “That would be a sad day.”

Event details
Shamrock Heights is located at N5525 Old Hwy. 45, New London. Historic displays open at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, followed by Huber’s presentation at 5:30 p.m.

For details, visit www.shamrockheightsgolf.com.