This year Elmwood Country Club is celebrating its 125th anniversary along with its 101-year-old golf course. The Course at Elmwood, a Tom Bendelow design, is a classic layout that was established at its current location in 1920. In 2018, the club began embarking on the process of renovating, modernizing, and most importantly restoring the golf course back to its original ideals.
THE PLAN
Our 18 hole, par 70 course is known for always being in great shape and providing both an excellent challenge for the skilled player as well as a fun and friendly atmosphere for the every day player.
Golf at Elmwood is a year-round pursuit. During the off season, our members enjoy the The Learning Studio, which has a state of the art simulator and launch monitor.
As most communities across the United States have struggled to support similar nostalgic country clubs, Elmwood Country Club has not been immune from some of those same challenges. However, late in 2019 the Elmwood Board of Directors began to shake things up and make some big changes to create a resurgence at Elmwood! Today, the four key components are all in place and the resurgence has rightfully begun.
The first key component was getting a great golf professional to become the latest in a great line of golf professionals at Elmwood. Dating back to the fall of 1952, Elmwood Country Club has been home to two of the best golf grofessionals in the country.
Joe August 1952-1985
Joe August came to Marshalltown in the fall of 1952 after spending a combined six years working as an assistant club pro at Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago and as the club pro at Minnesota Valley in Minneapolis. Joe had graduated from Libertyville High School in Illinois and then went on to the University of Illinois on a football-golf scholarship before he became a golf professional. At Elmwood, Joe was tournament director of the State Best Ball which was held at Elmwood for 30 plus years. He was also tournament director for the Women’s Amateur Open and the Men’s State Tournament. Joe was President of the Iowa PGA for three terms starting in 1961. He was also named Iowa Section PGA Pro of the Year on two separate occasions. In 1988 Joe was the first PGA Pro inducted into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame. He also held one of the best caddy programs in the state.
Jerry Johnson 1986-2015
When Joe August retired in the fall of 1985, Jerry Johnson, a 1968 graduate of Marshalltown High School, lettering in football, basketball, baseball and golf, took over as the head pro at Elmwood. Jerry played collegiate golf at Eastern New Mexico University and the University of Iowa and then worked as a PGA Professional in Mason City, Iowa and Galesburg, Illinois before coming to Elmwood. Jerry was named the Golf Professional of the Year in 1990 and he gave significant time to teach area high school golf teams and P.E. classes in proper swing execution and golf etiquette. He also helped to implement the Swings with Kids program in Marshalltown schools.
Jay Giannetto 2015-Present
After winning the Iowa Golf Association’s PGA Professional of the year in 2014, Jay Giannetto took over as the Golf Professional at Elmwood upon the retirement of Jerry Johnson. Jay was born and raised in Marshalltown and as a junior at MHS he was a member of the 1998 State Championship golf team, where Jay finished third. In Jay’s senior year at MHS, the Bobcats finished second by one stroke. Jay said, “Winning the 1998 State Championship was special for a lot of reasons. My dad, Tony Giannetto, had been coaching golf at MHS for years. The teams had always been successful, but they’d never won a championship. There were a lot of good junior players in Marshalltown throughout my time in high school and these players pushed each other to get better. To be a member of the first state championship and to do it with my dad as the coach, just made it so special.”
After high school, Jay went on to become an All-American at Indian Hills Community College before he played for the Mississippi State golf team from 2002 to 2004. After college, Jay turned pro and worked part time at the Newton Country Club until he took a position at Ames Golf and Country Club in 2006. Jay became the head professional at Ames in 2009.
Jay is married to Brandi (Jansen) Giannetto who was also a member of the MHS class of 2000. They have 5 children and when Jay was offered the Elmwood position he said, “I jumped all over it! Elmwood has always been such a special place to me and I’m excited to be here. It has been special having our kids be so close to their grandparents and cousins.”
Jay also said, “I have played golf all over the country and there is no golf course that I enjoy more than playing Elmwood. The course has so much character and it provides a fantastic golf experience to players of all ability levels. As a young person my fondest memories are from the long days spent at Elmwood. We’d play 18 holes in the morning, eat lunch, swim at the pool, and then more golf. It was a great environment for kids and it still is today. Playing golf with my dad throughout those years brings back extremely fond memories.”
Jay continued, “Elmwood has always been a great club. My dream is that it becomes regarded as one of the best clubs in Iowa. It has the bones to be just that! We have an experienced GM in Cory Strait, an extremely talented, hardworking and knowledgeable superintendent in David Eichhorn and a wonderful Executive Chef in Kurt Nyguard. The future looks bright!”
The Jay Giannetto Pro Shop at Elmwood Country Club proudly offers the latest in golf fashions as well as golf equipment and accessories. Our professional staff would also love to assist you with any of your personal or corporate apparel needs by personalizing apparel, hats or any other gear with the Elmwood logo or your own corporate branding.
Pro Shop Service Pricing for 2021
Cart Rental:
$10 Per Seat Per 9 holes
Golf Car Packages:
20 Hole Round Rental ~ $310 + tax (23% Savings)
40 18 Hole Round Season Rental ~ $525 + tax (35% Savings)
Unlimited Golf Car Package ~ $835 + tax
Instruction:
Individual Lessons $50
Series of 3 Lessons $120
Junior Lesson $30
Club Storage and Cleaning:
1st Adult Bag $110 + tax
2nd Adult Bag $90 + tax
Dependent Bag $50 + tax (No Cleaning)
Dependents of Adult Bag Storer (No Cleaning) Free
Push Cart Storage $40 + tax
USGA Handicap Service:
Adult ~ $35 + Tax
Juniors ~ Free
Practice Balls:
Small Bag: $3.00
Large Bag: $5.00
Season Range Membership:
Single: $150
Double Family: $175
Full Family: $200
Guest Fee Pricing:
18 Holes ~ $50.00 (+ tax)
9 Holes ~ $30.00 (+ tax)
Guest Fees For Direct Family Relatives:
18 Holes ~ $30.00 (+ tax)
9 Holes ~ $18.00 (+ tax)
Non-Members inside a 25 mile radius may play as a guest twice through September, excluding special events. Non-Members can play 2 more times from October 1st until the course closes for the season. Beginning October 1st until the course closes on weekdays and weekends the guest fee will be 18 Holes $30.00 (+tax) and 9 Holes $18.00 (+tax)
2021 Golf Events
March
Wednesday, March 31
Men’s Spring Golf Meeting
6:30pm Dining Room
April
Sunday, April 11
Kick-Off Best Shot
1:00pm Tee Times
Tuesday, April 13
ELGA Meet & Greet
6:00pm Dining Room
Thursday, April 22
Men’s League Opening Night
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Friday, April 30
Couples Twilight
5:30pm Shotgun Start
May
Saturday, May 1
The Classic Round 1
Course Closed Until 1:00pm
Saturday, May 1
The Classic Round 1
Course Closed Until 1:00pm
Tuesday, May 4
ELGA Opening Mixer
5:00pm Shotgun Start
Friday, May 7
Couples Twilight
5:30pm Shotgun Start
FootJoy Trunk Show
Wednesday, May 12
Men’s Stag Best Shot
4:00pm Shotgun Start
Friday, May 14
Ping Fitting Event
3:00pm – 6:00pm
Saturday, May 15
Beat The Pro Event
Sunday, May 16
Family Best Shot
3:00pm Shotgun Start
Tuesday, May 18
ELGA Mixer
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Thursday, May 20
TaylorMade Fitting Event
2:00pm to 5:00pm
Friday, May 21
Murder Mystery Twilight
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Thursday, May 27
Iowa High School State Tournament
Friday, May 28
Iowa High School State Tournament
Monday, May 31
Memorial Day Shotgun and Shoot-Out
9:00am Shotgun Start
June
Tuesday, June 1
ELGA Mixer
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Friday, June 4
Couples Twilight
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Sunday, June 6
Sr./Jr. Cup
8:00am Shotgun Start
Monday, June 7
Optimist Junior Championship Qualifier
Golf Course Closed Until 2:00pm
Friday, June 11
TaylorMade Fitting Event
2:00pm to 6:00pm
Saturday, June 12
Ladies Member Guest
Golf Course Closed Until 6:00pm
Sunday, June 13
Family Best Shot
3:00pm Shotgun Start
Wednesday, June 16
Lennox Dealer Outing
Golf Course Closed from Noon – 6:00pm
Thursday, June 17
Lennox/Quakerdale Pro-Am
Golf Course Closed All Day
Sunday, June 20
Parent Child Club Championship
1:00pm Tee Times
Tuesday, June 22
ELGA Mixer
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Friday, June 25
Couples Twilight
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Saturday, June 26
Men’s Club Championship
Day 1
Sunday, June 27
Men’s Club Championship
Day 2
July
Tuesday, July 6
ELGA Mixer
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Friday, July 9
Couples Twilight
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Saturday, June 10
Junior Club Championship
11:00am Tee Times
Thursday, July 15
Elmwood Invitational Practice Rounds
Course Closed
Friday, July 16
Elmwood Invitational
Day 1
Saturday, July 17
Elmwood Invitational
Day 2
Tuesday, July 20
ELGA Mixer
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Friday, July 23
Couples Twilight
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Saturday, July 24
Men’s Senior and Ladies Club Championship
Golf Course Closed until 3:00pm
August
Tuesday, August 3
ELGA Mixer
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Saturday, August 7
City Championship Round 1 @ Elmwood
Friday, August 13
Caddyshack Twilight
6:30pm Shotgun Start
Wednesday, August 18
Men’s Stag Alternate Shot
4:00pm Shotgun Start
Thursday, August 19
Chamber Golf Event
Golf Course Closed at 12:00pm
Friday, August 20
Fisher Ryder Cup
Golf Course Closed Until 2:00pm
Friday, August 20
Couples Twilight and Awards
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Tuesday, August 24
ELGA Closing Mixer
5:00pm Shotgun Start
Friday, August 27
The Derecho Draft
6:00pm Dining Room
Saturday, August 28
The Derecho Pro-Am
Golf Course Closed Until 4:00pm
September
Friday, September 10
Cy-Hawk Challenge
5:30pm Shotgun Start
Tuesday, September 14
Emerson Impact Event
Golf Course Closed at 12:00pm
Sunday, September 19
Olive Cup
Tuesday, September 21
ITI Golf Fundraiser
Golf Course Closed at 12:00pm
Thursday, September 23
Iowa Cup
Golf Course Closed Until 4:00pm
Friday, September 24
Iowa Cup
Golf Course Closed Until 2:00pm
Monday, September 27
Iowa PGA Pro Senior
Golf Course Closed Until 5:00pm
Originally founded in 1896 as the Marshalltown Country Club, Elmwood is proud of its rich history serving central Iowa. Its first nine holes were built along the Iowa River and due to prominent flooding and poorly draining soils, the decision was made to relocate the club around 1918. The land selected sits on the southern side of town and features many rolling Hills in two streams. The new course was laid out by one of America’s greatest golf pioneers, Thomas M. Bendelow. Bendelow used the rolling terrain to his advantage, when designing Elmwood, by making the player focus on how they would hit every tee shot. Play the percentages and hit safely two spots could leave yourself blind approaches with deep bunkers or be aggressive and have short wedges into greens if drives were executed in the fairways. At 5750 yards the course was defined by these choices and execution as well as the green complexes.
In 2017 the club embarked on the path to restore, renovate, and modernize the club course. Already many fairways have been widened, collection areas around the greens have been implemented and several new tees have been built, the back 9 greens have been regrassed and much more is planned to ensure Elmwood will be a blast to play for years to come. The longest set of tees currently play at 6100 yards and once again requires precise shots into greens to score well. New strategically placed bunkers will challenge players of all skill levels and wide inviting fairways allow paths and angles for all to navigate throughout the round. The current Master plan is on schedule to be completed by the year 2024.
We welcome everyone out for a round of golf and to see what Elmwood has to offer!
