New Deal Accomplishment: More than 1,000 projects to build or improve golf courses

Above: A beautiful day at the Oakland Municipal Golf Course, Maryland, 2013. Photo by Brent McKee.

Above: A historical marker at the Oakland Municipal Golf Course, Maryland, explaining the WPA's role in its creation. Photo by Brent McKee, 2013.

Above: Photo by Brent McKee, 2013.

Above: The West Seattle Golf Course in Washington State, ca. 1940. On May 17, 1940, it was reported that "More than 4,000 persons yesterday attended the dedication of the 18-hole West Seattle municipal golf course, built by WPA funds" ("Open New Links," United Press, in the Spokane Chronicle). Photo from the National Archives.

Above: Golfing at the WPA-constructed course at Ohio State University, ca. 1938. This 294-acre course, which cost $558,000 to build ($473,000 contributed by WPA), was described as the best in the state ("OSU Golf Course Nears Completion As WPA Project; Called 'Best in Ohio,'" Greenfield Daily Times (Greenfield, Ohio), May 3, 1938). Photo from the National Archives.

Above: Golfers enjoy the St. John Golf Course in New Orleans, January 1939. The course was built by WPA workers in 1938. The New Deal's recreation projects--both infrastructure and supervised activities--were designed to get people moving and socializing. We could use similar efforts today, because Americans' sedentary lifestyles are causing wide-ranging mental and physical health problems (e.g., loneliness and type 2 diabetes). Photo from the National Archives.

Above: The WPA also built many nice buildings for public golf courses, such as this one at Mount Hood Golf Course in Massachusetts, 1935-1943. Photo from the National Archives.

Above: A WPA-built clubhouse, at a municipal golf course in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1938. Photo from the National Archives.

New Deal Tee Time

Between 1935 and 1943, WPA workers built 254 new golf courses across America, and had 378 other projects to improve existing courses. During this same time frame, the National Youth Administration (NYA) engaged in 442 projects to build, add-to, reconstruct, or otherwise improve golf courses. 

Other New Deal agencies performed golf course work too; but the total volume, as well as the relationship to WPA projects (if any) is sometimes difficult to determine.

In any event, we know that the New Deal carried out over 1,000 projects to build or improve golf courses, greatly increasing the number of recreation opportunities for generations of Americans.