The Club was incorporated as the Washington Golf Club on January 1, 1894, although evidence exists that it was organized over a year earlier in December 1892. Members of the Metropolitan Club headed by Col. Henry May (the first President of Washington Golf Club and 1897 U.S.G.A. committee member), Edward F. Riggs (Riggs Bank) and Sir Julian Pauncefote (the first British Ambassador), were among the prominent Washingtonians who founded the club. The first course, a nine-hole layout believed to have been designed by Alexander R. Campbell and laid out by Col. May, as well as a renovated makeshift clubhouse were located on land once owned by the Hoover and Ross families.  There was also a smaller ladies links built for play.  The location was near the present Colonial Village Apartments on Wilson Boulevard, in the area known as Arlington Heights in Alexandria (now Arlington) County, VA. Although there were plans for adding nine additional holes, it appears they were never built. Play was on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the golfing season, which was May through October. Most members lived in Washington, DC so an omnibus transported the golfers from the city to the Rosslyn, VA site. The club’s lease was terminated on the property in 1907 and a group of the members searched for a new location for the club.