More than 100 of the nation’s top golfers would dedicate the new Hesperia Golf Course with the first Invitational golf tournament held there, The Desert Dispatch in Barstow announced Oct. 24, 1957.

The PGA had an annual tournament in Hesperia?

Few residents of San Bernardino County realize that from 1957 to 1961, the Hesperia Golf Course — with its rolling 7,054-yard dimensions, designed by noted architect William F. Bell Jr. — was promoted as a well-renowned scenic sensation.

Each year, the tournament attracted the majority of the nation’s touring golf stars.

The first Hesperia Invitational Open Tournament in 1957 offered a purse of $15,000, and then again in 1958. In 1959, with the added attraction of a pro-am celebrity tournament, winnings increased to $20,000. Thousands came to watch the matches and get a glimpse of the golfers and celebrities.

That inaugural four-day tournament — from Thursday to Sunday — featured such top names as Ken Venturi, Mike Souchack, Ed “Porky” Oliver, Jerry Barber, Mike Fetechick, Ed Furgol, Jay Herbert, Don January and Gene Littler.

The price of tickets for the event was $2.50 for Thursday and Friday and $3 for Saturday and Sunday. A four-day admission ticket was available for $5.

During the five-year run as a PGA stop, Billy Maxwell placed first in 1957. Following that inaugural year, John McMullin took first in 1958, Eric Monti in 1959, Billy Casper in 1960, and Tony Lema in 1961.

Among other famous PGA champions who participated during the 5-year span were Art Wall, Doug Sanders, Bob Roseburg, George Bayer, Chi-Chi Rodriguez, Jay Herbert and Don Witt.

The Hesperia Inn and the desert community’s chamber of commerce were sponsors.

In preparation for the fifth annual Hesperia Open in October 1961, tournament and managing director Lorne Pratt declared the course was the finest place to view a tournament on the tour.

In an interview with The Sun on Oct. 6, Pratt listed three reasons why he felt it was the finest.

One reason was the size of the community. With a population of 5,000 at the time — the smallest community in the nation to stage a PGA tournament — they didn’t have to deal with thousands of people milling around and blocking the view.

Another reason was that they had possibly the only course in the country built with spectators in mind on the ninth and 18th greens. Both greens were in amphitheaters and all spectators can sit and watch with an unobstructed view.

“It’s a friendly crowd,” Pratt recalled. “We don’t have the trampling and running of bigger tournaments. Maybe 150 will be following the average threesome.” He called it an intimate atmosphere. He recalled how when the competition drew 5,000, everybody could see on the 18th green at the finish.

The third reason was the panoramic emerald green course. It was snuggled between two mesas, dotted by Joshua trees and sprinkled by four artificial lakes, which presented a relaxing, easy-going oasis for the golfers.

Among the amateurs who participated in the pro-sponsor celebrity affair that was a prelude to the big event, were Burt Lancaster, Rock Hudson, Jack Kelley, Jim Garner, Phil Harris, John Weismuller and Dennis O’Keefe. From the sports world came Wally Moon, Don Drysdale and Stan Williams from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Albie Pearson from the Angels and football players Frankie Albert, Les Horvath, Jack Banta and Jeff Watson.

As a result of the attractive qualities Lorne Pratt gave about the small crowds at the Hesperia Golf Course, shortly before the sixth annual PGA tournament was to begin in 1962, the event was canceled because of monetary limitations.

Fortunately, after the five year run, Hesperia Golf Club — acknowledged by many participants as the seventh toughest public course in Southern California — continued to hold events. One of those was in 1963, when TV program “Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf” filmed an episode of “Challenge Golf.”

The event was a major compliment considering the program produced the weekly series from all over the world.