A Four Season Club

Lochmoor Club’s story began in 1917—a year marked by the United States entering World War I and a group of passionate Detroit golfers purchasing 136 acres of farmland just inland from Lake St. Clair. The land, once part of the Beaufait, VanAntwerp, and D’Hondt farms, was acquired for $150,000 from the Grosse Pointe Improvement Company, with a simple vision: create a true “country” club for the families of Indian Village and Grosse Pointe.

From the very beginning, Lochmoor attracted some of Detroit’s most prominent families. Founding members included Edsel Ford, the Dodge brothers, and other business and civic leaders who saw the Club not just as a place to play golf, but as a place where their families could gather, relax, and grow together. That spirit still defines Lochmoor today: rooted in tradition yet focused on family, fun, and camaraderie, it has always been more than a club—it has been a community.

The golf course was laid out as a full championship test from day one. John H. Sweeney, working with noted architect Walter Travis, routed the original 18 holes, which opened for play in June 1918. In the early 1920s, Charles H. Alison of the famed Colt & Alison partnership refined the course, raising and reshaping greens and bunkers to improve drainage and strategy.  Over a century later, modern architect Paul Albanese worked from a detailed master plan to sensitively restore much of that “Golden Age” character, ensuring Lochmoor’s golf remains both true to its heritage and compelling for today’s players.

The clubhouse story is just as rich. The first clubhouse, completed in 1917–1918 by architects William B. Stratton and Dalton J. Snyder, grew out of an old farmhouse and was expanded with glassed-in terraces, broad verandas, and interiors decorated by Detroit’s Society of Arts and Crafts, complete with Pewabic tile and colorful parrot motifs. That original clubhouse was lost to fire in 1924, replaced by a second Stratton & Snyder design later that year. In 1969, the current clubhouse opened on Thanksgiving Day, with a more modern profile but the same purpose: to frame views of the course and serve as the social heart of the Club.

Lochmoor’s influence extends beyond its gates. In 1927, the surrounding community incorporated as the Village of Lochmoor—today known as the City of Grosse Pointe Woods—underscoring just how central the Club was to the area’s identity and growth. Generations have found their start here: future PGA Champion Walter Burkemo began in golf as an eight-year-old caddie at Lochmoor, and our Evans Scholars program continues that tradition of investing in young people and their futures. In 1957, Lochmoor even hosted the LPGA’s Wolverine Open, won by Hall of Famer Mickey Wright—another reminder that the fairways our members play every day have tested some of the best in the game.

So, what does all of that really mean for today’s members?

It’s championship golf year-round on a classic 18-hole course, supported by robust caddie and junior programs and a full calendar of leagues and events. It’s the buzz around the annual July Scottie Invitational and the easy rhythm of early-morning tee times followed by casual lunches at the Halfway House. It’s kids learning to swim with friends while parents unwind at the Patio Bar, and families gathering to celebrate milestones that become part of the Club’s shared story.

In winter, it’s a true four-season retreat—members competing in Closest to the Pin contests, practicing on TrackMan simulators in the LAC while snow falls outside, and heading upstairs afterward for a warm meal and conversation. Lochmoor is a place where neighbors connect in the quiet of the morning, children play freely across generations, and the world slows down just enough for you to savor the moment.

Most importantly, Lochmoor remains a club where the staff knows your name, your family, and your favorites. That continuity of care—passed down through decades of employees and members alike—turns tradition into something living. It ensures that, while the buildings, bunkers, and generations may change, the feeling of belonging at Lochmoor stays exactly the same.