History of Whitefish Lake Golf Club
More Information & Reservations
For more information on Whitefish Lake Golf Club or to book reservations, contact:
Whitefish Lake Golf Club- 406-862-4000 - www.golfwhitefish.com
Playing golf in Whitefish is a highlight for many visitors, yet few know the unique story of the Whitefish Lake Golf Club. In the late 1920s, several citizens of Whitefish, headed by Mr. D.P. Dedon, bought over 100 acres of land just west of town for $1600 with the interest of building a premier golf course. After clearing some land for the first few fairways, the group quickly realized they wouldn't have enough money to complete such a large project. A local politician suggested that they look into a federal program sponsored by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) that provided grants to cities for building emergency landing fields. The original property owners put together a grant request, which was approved and funded by the WPA. The property owners then donated the land to the City of Whitefish and the Whitefish Lake Golf Course became a project for the entire community. On January 15, 1934, all plans were finalized and long fairways would soon double as emergency landing strips.
The Whitefish Lake Golf Association (WLGA) was formed in March of 1934, with Mr. D.P. Dedon serving as President. The association banded together to raise money to finish construction of the course and hire a golf professional by offering twenty-five cent annual memberships to the community and collecting private contributions. On May 24, 1936, the 9-hole Whitefish Lake Golf Course and hand-constructed lodgepole pine clubhouse held its Grand Opening Tournament.
But the good news didn't last. Despite the hard work and effort to complete the course, by the 1940s, high operating costs and large debts forced the City of Whitefish to re-evaluate keeping the course open. Fortunately for golfers and admirers of the course's breathtaking design and location, the Whitefish Lake Golf Association and the City jointly decided that the Association would lease the course from the City and take responsibility for all the debt incurred during the lease. Remarkably so, this partnership has continued for the last 60 years and the WLGA still runs the golf course as a non-profit organization providing premiere golf for locals and visitors alike.
By the 1950s the WLGA felt an expansion for an additional nine holes was needed to make an 18-hole golf course. Once again, the community came together and was able to raise enough money to purchase additional land. Nearly a decade and $70,000 later, the 18-hole golf course was finished through the hard work of volunteers.
Soon the beauty and quality of play at the Whitefish Lake Golf Course became well known around the region. With the popularity came additional expansion. In the early 1980s, Grouse Mountain Development bought land across from the Whitefish Lake Golf course and built an additional 9-hole course , which it leased to the WLGA for one dollar a year for the next 75 years with a renewable option. The WLGA operated the 27-hole course and continued expansion with a remodel of the original 18-holes by golf course architect, John Steidel, in the mid-1980s at a cost of $750,000. With continued success, the WLGA acquired additional land for another 9 holes (South Course), while remodeling the Mountain 9 to create the first 36-hole course in the state to the tune of $1,200,000.
This project came with its own set of problems when the new course flooded in the mid 1990s and had to be raised four feet to rebuild the fairways, greens and tees at a cost of $400,000 in order to re-open in 1998. Today, Whitefish Lake Golf Course offers championship play at municipal prices and was recently honored in the USGA Golf Journal's "One Great Hole," featuring the 8th hole on the South Nine course. The lodgepole pine clubhouse, home of the Whitefish Lake Restaurant, has recently been renovated with an eye toward protecting the original appearance and feel of its rustic, warm setting. Whitefish's junior golf program is known as one of the best in the nation.
The ups and downs of the Whitefish Lake Golf Course tell the story of a community's commitment and perseverance to follow their passion for the game. Was the effort worth it? According to the thousands of golfers that play the course annually and the current volunteer board of the WLGA, the answer is a resounding "Yes!"
For more information on Whitefish Lake Golf Club or to book reservations, contact:
Whitefish Lake Golf Club- 406-862-4000 - www.golfwhitefish.com
The Whitefish Lake Golf Association (WLGA) was formed in March of 1934, with Mr. D.P. Dedon serving as President. The association banded together to raise money to finish construction of the course and hire a golf professional by offering twenty-five cent annual memberships to the community and collecting private contributions. On May 24, 1936, the 9-hole Whitefish Lake Golf Course and hand-constructed lodgepole pine clubhouse held its Grand Opening Tournament.
But the good news didn't last. Despite the hard work and effort to complete the course, by the 1940s, high operating costs and large debts forced the City of Whitefish to re-evaluate keeping the course open. Fortunately for golfers and admirers of the course's breathtaking design and location, the Whitefish Lake Golf Association and the City jointly decided that the Association would lease the course from the City and take responsibility for all the debt incurred during the lease. Remarkably so, this partnership has continued for the last 60 years and the WLGA still runs the golf course as a non-profit organization providing premiere golf for locals and visitors alike.
By the 1950s the WLGA felt an expansion for an additional nine holes was needed to make an 18-hole golf course. Once again, the community came together and was able to raise enough money to purchase additional land. Nearly a decade and $70,000 later, the 18-hole golf course was finished through the hard work of volunteers.
Soon the beauty and quality of play at the Whitefish Lake Golf Course became well known around the region. With the popularity came additional expansion. In the early 1980s, Grouse Mountain Development bought land across from the Whitefish Lake Golf course and built an additional 9-hole course , which it leased to the WLGA for one dollar a year for the next 75 years with a renewable option. The WLGA operated the 27-hole course and continued expansion with a remodel of the original 18-holes by golf course architect, John Steidel, in the mid-1980s at a cost of $750,000. With continued success, the WLGA acquired additional land for another 9 holes (South Course), while remodeling the Mountain 9 to create the first 36-hole course in the state to the tune of $1,200,000.
This project came with its own set of problems when the new course flooded in the mid 1990s and had to be raised four feet to rebuild the fairways, greens and tees at a cost of $400,000 in order to re-open in 1998. Today, Whitefish Lake Golf Course offers championship play at municipal prices and was recently honored in the USGA Golf Journal's "One Great Hole," featuring the 8th hole on the South Nine course. The lodgepole pine clubhouse, home of the Whitefish Lake Restaurant, has recently been renovated with an eye toward protecting the original appearance and feel of its rustic, warm setting. Whitefish's junior golf program is known as one of the best in the nation.
The ups and downs of the Whitefish Lake Golf Course tell the story of a community's commitment and perseverance to follow their passion for the game. Was the effort worth it? According to the thousands of golfers that play the course annually and the current volunteer board of the WLGA, the answer is a resounding "Yes!"
