In January 2020, the world was paralyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic. By the end of March, Delaware mandates required significant changes to the Club’s operations: quarantines and mask use; ceasing all in-person dining; closing all indoor facilities; and reducing Club staffing by nearly 60%. In June, Delaware permitted indoor dining with mask use and physical distancing; and by July, operations resumed, but with limited capacity, and continued physical distancing and mask use. The Club resumed full operation by May 2021. While revenue was significantly impacted from the pandemic, management’s responsible decisions and the membership’s commitment, the Club remained financially viable. Capital projects continued as planned. The Tennis Improvement Project – a new Racquets Center, with three indoor tennis courts and a larger Racquet Shop – opened in August 2020. But just days later on August 7, a line of severe storms and an EF-1 tornado cut a 3.8-mile-long path of destruction through the heart of the Club’s property. All physical structures were spared; but the South Course took the brunt of the destruction with over 300 trees lost. With the guidance of Andrew Green – the golf course architect contracted for the North Course renovations – clean-up and repair began shortly after. The South Course was closed from August 7 until late spring of 2021 as new trees were planted, greens and tees were repaired, and bunkers rebuilt. In the midst of course clean-up and repair, a 12-month Kitchen Renovation Project began the first week of January 2021. After gutting the main ala carte and banquet kitchen, the end result was a modern and efficient layout with all new culinary equipment. In addition to a global pandemic, devastating tornado and two large capital projects, and after months of discussion with the PGA Tour and Western Golf Association, Club leadership announced in November 2020 that Wilmington Country Club would host the BMW Championship in August 2022, featuring the top 70 players in the world. Patrick Cantlay was crowned champion after shooting an impressive four-day total of 14 under. It is estimated that the BMW Championship had a $30M economic impact on the Wilmington area and raised more than $4.5M for the Evans Scholars Foundation.
Members can be proud of the Club’s history and can look forward to a future that continues the Club’s finest traditions.
The Board of Directors expresses its appreciation to Jack Horty and Bob Donaghy who researched and wrote portions of this Club history.
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