Diablo Country Club is a welcoming and unique place nestled at the foot of Mt. Diablo. Opened
100 years ago as California’s original family oriented golf club, the traditions of excellence and
sportsmanship for generations of members stand the test of time. The grounds, originally an
1874 country estate for the families of railroad barons and gold mining icons, was converted in
1914 to a world class golf and country club by our founder Robert Noble Burgess.
Atop a knoll among native oaks, perched a little distance above the Club Inn and electric rail
stop, the Clubhouse, when he acquired it, included six suites, a large billiard hall, and two ten-pin
alleys, around a comfortable parlor. He replaced the night commode with indoor plumbing,
added electricity, lighting and telephone service. With those changes in place, the Clubhouse
became the central gathering point for Diablo, his “Community With an Ideal.” He had the all-
important golf course constructed around it, the first tee sitting just below, adjacent to the
Clubhouse, and the finishing green just down the hill and across the creek. By 1917, the
Clubhouse was almost four decades old. Constructed in 1881 by Dan and Caroline Cook, the
couple created “the best appointed fine stock farm and most elegant private summer retreat west
of the Rocky Mountains” and the building reflects this timeless, classic elegance. Today’s
Clubhouse is still built around the location of the original parlor, the Carriage Lounge.
Throughout the building are reminders of its long and colorful past, enticing members and
guests to stroll its corridors and take in a history that is tied to America’s western expansion and
early industrial giants.
The Clubhouse remains the heart of Diablo Country Club, and will be the location of our 9th
Annual Hearts for Hope.