The Start of Golf on White Lake
White Lake Golf Club has the oldest roots in the community. Founded in 1916, the first nine holes opened July 4, 1917. Tom Bendelow, known as the “Johnny Appleseed of Golf,” designed that original routing. Early players enjoyed a scenic layout on the north side of Michillinda Road. In 1925, the club purchased 50 more acres south of the road and expanded into a full 18-hole course. Generations of golfers watched the landscape grow as fairways stretched further into the shoreline woods. Three generations of the Lundell family kept the grounds in shape, tying their lives to the club’s history. In 2020, Dylan Barry became superintendent, taking the reins of a course that has always blended family tradition and championship golf. Recently, architect Raymond Hearn designed a new No. 3 hole and reshaped No. 4 as part of a master plan to restore strategy while adding modern touches. White Lake Golf Club remains private but continues to teach through junior programs, clinics, and lessons open to local players.
The Legacy of Old Channel Trail
The Old Channel Trail Golf Course tells the story of golf’s expansion across decades. Its Woods Nine opened in 1927 and was designed by Robert Bruce Harris, the first president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. This nine feels like a trip into the Jazz Age with narrow fairways, postage-stamp greens, and bunkers built in a Scottish style. Almost 40 years later, in 1966, W. Bruce Matthews added the Meadow Nine. This side gave golfers a more open look, with longer fairways and rolling greens suited to the 1960s era of power golf. His son, Jerry Matthews, completed the Valley Nine in 1995. This routing crossed a ravine and gave players a series of bold, risk-reward shots. Today, Old Channel Trail offers 27 holes that each reflect the design trends of their time. Locals often call it three courses in one, a living museum of golf styles perched on the Lake Michigan bluff.
Public Courses for Everyday Players
As golf grew in popularity, Whitehall added public courses that opened the game to more people. Bent Pine Golf Club started in 1968 on Duck Lake Road. With 18 holes, a full driving range, a putting green, and a large clubhouse, it became the go-to for daily play. Families and high school golfers used the course for decades, enjoying a layout framed by pines and maples. Hickory Knoll Golf Course, located on Alice Street, took a different approach. Built over several decades, it expanded into four nine-hole loops: Gold in 1967, Red in 1972, Blue in 1985, and White in 1992. Together they form 36 holes with flexible combinations for casual rounds. Hickory Knoll built its reputation on being simple, affordable, and welcoming. Golfers could often walk on without tee times, playing quick loops on a summer evening. The course’s modest layout and accessible prices made it an everyday tradition for local residents.
Regional Links That Connect the Story
White Lake’s golf history cannot be separated from nearby Muskegon County. Lincoln Golf Club, founded in 1927, offered a semi-private course that blended classic parkland design with public access. In 1986, Jerry Matthews renovated it, tying it to the same design family that shaped Old Channel Trail. Muskegon Country Club stretches the story even further back. Founded in 1908, it was originally laid out by Tom Bendelow, then updated in the early 1920s by Donald Ross, one of the game’s most famous architects. That same design DNA shaped White Lake Golf Club, showing how early-20th-century golf spread through West Michigan. Muskegon Country Club has hosted state events and qualifying tournaments, connecting the region to a larger competitive tradition.
A Culture More Than a Game
Together, these courses built a culture of golf around White Lake that spans more than a century. White Lake Golf Club shows the elegance of Bendelow’s early 1900s design and the care of families who protected it. Old Channel Trail embodies three different eras of American golf architecture, from the Jazz Age to the 1990s. Bent Pine and Hickory Knoll represent the wave of public courses that made the game accessible to everyday players, families, and high school teams. Lincoln Golf Club and Muskegon Country Club remind us that the White Lake story is part of a larger West Michigan tradition, filled with legendary architects and historic tournaments. From private clubs to casual nines, the White Lake area has always balanced exclusivity with openness, history with change, and classic design with modern improvements. The fairways and greens here hold more than golf—they hold the story of a community that has always found joy in the game.
Note to Readers:
We do our best to gather accurate information for these history pieces, but some details may be incomplete or mistaken. If you notice any errors or have additional knowledge about the history of our local golf courses, please share in the comments. Your input helps us keep White Lake’s history as accurate and complete as possible.
