Given the international popularity of golf today, it's hard to imagine a time before the sport had reached the shores of the United States. This was a time when lawn bowling, tennis, and bicycling were regular features in the newspapers of the day. The introduction of golf to the Brass City is credited to Waterbury native Arthur Fenn.

Although the exact dates aren't known for certain, Fenn built the first course in Waterbury prior to 1896 along the east bank of the Naugatuck River, running north from West Main Street, on land owned by his family and adjacent property owned by the Holmes family. The 9-hole course was officially called the West End Golf Links, but quickly became known simply as the Golf Lots.

The original Fenn layout was a 2,660 yard, par 36 course following the Naugatuck River north to the Thomaston Avenue overpass. The Spring 1900 edition of Connecticut Magazine described the course as follows:

   "Beautifully situated and easily accessible, with a splendidly appointed 
clubhouse and a well-kept field, the course of the Waterbury Golf Association 
is one of the most attractive in the state.  From the veranda of the clubhouse 
can be seen, more or less distinctly, every one of the nine greens, due 
largely to the well leveled surface of the field. . . . 
   The view to the north is delightful, especially in the changing lights of 
morning and evening, with the river on the left skirted by overhanging trees 
and marking the line of hazard on the western boundary, a middle ground broken 
by a few fine shade trees, and in the distance a long line of hills extending 
to old Plymouth, give picturesque surroundings that are at once the pride of 
the club and the envy of visiting golfers. . . . 
   To a stranger it would seem an easy matter to cover the 2,660 playing yards 
in a '45', but that is really an excellent score for a player well up in the 
game, and although there are no artificial bunkers in sight, the many natural 
gullies and dry ditches form splendid obstacles to indifferent play. . . . 
   It would be difficult to find a better playing turf than that of this course, 
the soil being light and fertile — but like many other New England links, it 
cannot resist the effect of prolonged dry weather.  On the upper end of the 
course there are several places where a good drive is heavily penalized by a 
bad lie, but the men and women alike take all as it comes, and the childish 
rule of placing a ball out of a bad lie has never been seriously discussed 
by the committee. 
   The club house is a unique structure built of moss covered fieldstones 
and logs, and large locker rooms and spacious verandas are its prime features." 

For visual details, you can view an early map of Waterbury where Golf Lots were (note "Oronoke District" in pink-shaded area at left).