Although the original 1894 Clubhouse had been enlarged through several additions over the years, by the beginning of W.W.I, it was certainly inadequate for the 450 members of 1914. During the war, membership dropped – to 250 by 1919 – so when plans for a new clubhouse were prepared, the membership was too frightened by the current economy to approve them. They lay dormant for the next eight years, becoming more out of date each month. At last, in April 1927, a contract for $28,000 was signed and work started on a new clubhouse.
By mid-August, when the finishing touches were being made, disaster struck. Alan Taylor, son of Phil Taylor the Head Pro, recalls the event:
I looked out of the window of our home on Newport Avenue and saw a bright glow in the sky towards the golf links. The new Clubhouse had caught fire and was to burn to the ground. My father had already opened up his Pro Shop in the basement of the new structure and he lost everything – mostly new golf clubs from England, but there were several bags of clubs belonging to members as well. So he caught the next night boat over to Vancouver and came back the following day with enough stock to sell to the unfortunate members. Then he set up a workshop in the basement of our house and it was here that he made his clubs, He would often call me down to help him.”
Peter Corley-Smith continues the story in his History of the VGC:
“As if this wasn’t enough of a calamity, there was more to come. A Committee member was supposed to have contracted an insurance company for coverage during construction. Either he forgot, or the agent forgot and the Club was uninsured. This meant, in effect, that the Club was bankrupt; but once again Hew Paterson was called on to exercise his diplomatic and negotiating skills. He met with the agent and, between them, they talked the insurance company into honouring the claim.”