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Club History
Woodhaven Country Club was the product of Raymond S. Bischoff and Florence Smith, a couple both born into large Kentucky families the early 1900’s. Raymond and Florence married in 1925, and started their life together farming in Mount Washington, Kentucky. Through the years, they became very successful in the poultry business and even owned and operated the Stockyards Poultry House on Market Street in Downtown, Louisville.
Raymond and Florence retired from the poultry business in the early 1950’s and sold the Stockyards Poultry House to two of the top employees. With their poultry house money, they bought and farmed 500 acres of tobacco and cattle at Floyds Fork. After farming that land for several years, they sold the farm and established the Florence Realty Company, a real-estate brokerage business. Together, Florence and Raymond built and sold several homes on Watterson Trail.
In the 1950’s, Raymond, Florence Bischoff, in collaboration with a few close friends, developed Wildwood Country Club in Fern Creek on Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky. They purchased the existing Fischer farm and land and changed the farmhouse into the original clubhouse and transformed the barn into a golf, swim and pro-shop facility. An area between the house and the barn was dynamited out and became the pool area and they hired an architect to design the golf course. The Bischoff’s successfully managed Wildwood Country Club in it’s early years and eventually sold the club and land to the club members in the mid-1950’s.
Raymond Bischoff had a new vision - a new concept - for a new country club. Raymond envisioned a country club that would be a very affordable and have a family-family friendly environment. With this goal in mind, Raymond and Florence used the experience they had acquired in their Wildwood venture to develop Woodhaven Country Club on Watterson Trail in 1957. Within just one short year, they made their dream a reality and Woodhaven Country Club was established in 1958.
Woodhaven Country Club was a popular dance club in it’s early years. There were buffets every THursday and Friday evening and a dinner dance every Saturday evening. In the late 1950’s The Bischoff’s brought nationally famous entertainment to Woodhaven Country Club. The members and their guests enjoyed dancing to the music of Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians and Harry James (husband of film star Betty Grable) and his band. Pee Wee King was also an occasional entertainer at the club.
Unlike other country clubs, there has never been forced food spending at Woodhaven Country Club, which is economically good for a majority of it’s members. Members and non-members are able to rent the banquet facilities for special parties, receptions, weddings or other special occassions with full dining-room and catering service.
Florence Bischoff passed away in 1975 and Raymond Bishoff in 1986, but their legacy lives on. Woodhaven Country Club remains a family club. It is operated by the Chance Maguire, son of Shirley Bischoff Maguire and Stanley Maguire and overseen by a Board of Trustees. The Maguire family received certified recognition from the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2001 for their successful accomplishments at Woodhaven Country Club. Larry Clark, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, acknowledged the families achievements.
CPA’s, attorneys and other prominent business figures have commented that there is no other country club business in the country like Woodhaven Country Club. At the present time, Woodhaven Country Club is still considered the most affordable club for families in Louisville and will continue to be successful for many, many years to come!
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