Page 44 - 2019 Western Amateur Championship Program

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HISTORY OF POINT O’ WOODS
GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

In 1954, five Twin-Cities-area residents Robert Trent Jones, one of the leading golf course, and the lake was an ideal
met informally and voiced the opinion golf course architects of the country, was source of water supply for fairways and
that a new country club was needed for contacted and asked if he would inspect greens. Jones was then instructed to
the greater St. Joseph Benton Harbor the location to decide whether it had prepare a tentative layout for the course.
area. Those initially interested in the sufficient possibilities for development
The five “founders” devoted many hours
project were C.E. (Bud) Blake, Charles into a fine golf course. After careful
of work to make the new course a reality.
W. Gore, Richard Merrill, Malcolm study of the terrain, he reported
After about a year of investigation and
Ross and Frederick S. Upton. enthusiastically that it was an ideal
planning, financing was obtained and
location for a championship 18-hole
About that time, approximately Jones was instructed to proceed with
course.
350 acres of land, owned by Donald final plans for the golf course.
H. Ross, became available for such The rolling terrain and trees provided
In the spring of 1957, the first bulldozer
a project. interest and beauty to the contemplated
arrived on the scene to start shaping the
Point O’ Woods golf course.
Building progress was rapid, and during
the months that followed, land was
cleared, fairways were formed and in the
fall of 1957 seed was sown. On June 14,
1958, the course, which only 14 months
earlier had been rugged wooded land,
was opened for play.

It was recognized from the start that the
course was a great one. Golf legends
such as touring professionals Arnold
Palmer and Jack Nicklaus have played
the course. Comments are the same:
“One of the truly great courses in
America.”
That reputation continues to grow.
Golfweek magazine consistently rates
Point O’ Woods among the top courses
in the nation. It is one of only a few
courses in Michigan to have earned a
spot on the Golfweek top courses list.

The 17th hole

42 History of Point O’ Woods Golf & Country Club Point O’ Woods Golf & Country Club