Before it was a golf club, West Shore was a dairy farm owned by Douglas Kingsley. In the early 1900’s you might have had a cow standing where your living room is today.

The dairy business was tough for farmer Kingsley for one of the same reasons golf is challenging today. Sand. “Sinking sand” was scattered around the farm in little patches near the creeks and his cows were always getting stuck in it. Many times he had to lasso their horns and pull them out using his horse.

“I could never make much money with milk,” Kingsley said, and after pulling 5 cows out one day, in frustration he shouted, “The heck with cows, I ‘m turning this place into a golf course where people will pay to get stuck in the sand!”

And around 1916 West Shore Golf Links opened for business.

Kingsley hired George Ferry, a noted golf architect to design West Shore in the early 1900’s. It is one of the ten oldest courses in Michigan. For more than 90 years the sporty course with its elevation challenges has been lovingly maintained and operated by three families: The Kingsley's, The Randall’s and The Wicks. In 1960, Jean and Carl Wicks purchased the course from the Randall family and changed the name from West Shore Golf Links to West Shore Golf Course. In 1984, they sold the course to their son Paul Wicks who became the manager, and continues to operate the course today.