The U.S. Open Was Held At A Country Club So Exclusive It Denied A Major Celebrity Couple

This past weekend, tens of thousands of pro golf fans descended upon one of the most prestigious and exclusive country clubs in the United States to take in the sights and sounds of the U.S. Open. The U.S. Open is one of the golf season's most coveted tickets. This year, the tournament was held on the legendary course of The Country Club, an ultra-exclusive country club situated in the heart of one of Boston's most prestigious suburbs, Chestnut Hill. The club's member list is a who's who of wealthy Boston elites, looking for a place to cut loose away from prying eyes.

The Country Club also prides itself on affording its heavily guarded list of members the highest level of privacy while indulging in the club's many amenities, one of them being an elite golf course. The U.S. Open has not been held at the club since 1988, and it first held the tournament in 1913 when the then unknown amateur, Francis Ouimet, won the tournament against the best players in the world in a shocking upset. This was widely credited with spreading the popularity of golf in America

You simply cannot mention Massachusetts high society without mentioning one of New England's most beloved couples — New England Patriot's former quarterback, Tom Brady, and supermodel Gisele Bündchen. Per Business Insider, the couple built a mega-mansion in Chestnut Hill on a lot near to the club. Soon after taking up residence, the couple then proceeded to apply for membership at their casual, neighborhood country club as well. There was, however, one small issue with what was assumed to be a done deal and a welcomed addition to the club's membership list: They were not accepted — at least not initially.

In an article written by the Boston Globe, it's speculated that The Country Club was concerned about admitting such high-profile members to an establishment that values "privacy and understatement above all else." As a result, the Brady's application was put on hold for two years while the admission board deliberated over whether or not to allow the couple to join their ranks. The rumors of Tom and Gisele's rejection from the club came on the heels of Tom Brady's widely publicized "deflategate" scandal. It was speculated to be another reason for the downturned application as well (via Golf Digest). Fortunately, all is well that ends well, as it usually does for the pair, and they were eventually welcomed into the exclusive club in 2017.

The Country Club is one of the oldest establishments of its kind in the United States, having been established in 1882, some 140 years ago. The Club is one of five original charter members of the United States Golf Association, the organizing body of the U.S. Open. Good luck getting a look inside this historic club, however. According to an article by the Boston Globe, new members must "be sponsored by two current club members and provide the admissions committee with testimonials from seven other people with whom the applicant has a personal relationship" in order to be admitted. That's just the first step.

If you want to join The County Club, you'll also need to attend events like a cocktail reception, which kind of sounds like sorority recruitment. While that's the standard process, it's unclear whether or not Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen actually went through the same admission process to join. Either way, the couple finally made it in as members.