Check out Shoregate Was A Golf Course! Part 1.
What do you do with 125 acre golf course with a clubhouse, garage, tennis courts, and more when the rich decide to move? You make it a public golf course!
March 1929:
The Willowick golf course, along with another called Ridgewood, were made public by the Ridgewood Willowick company, headed up by father and son duo G.T. Whitmore St, and G.T. Whitmore Jr. The course would call Bill Livie it's general manager.
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| Cleveland Plain Dealer |
August 4, 1929:
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| Willowick as a public golf course, Cleveland Plain Dealer |
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| June 1930 advertisement, Cleveland Plain Dealer |
I'm not sure how long the Whitmore family controlled the golf course, as there are ads posted in November 1931 advertising a one to 6 year lease on the property, published by the Manakiki Country Club. In June 1932, though, Bill Livie was still the general manager, as evidenced by this ad:
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| Cleveland Plain Dealer |
9 holes cost 50 cents, 18 75 cents. Lunch and dinner could be had at the club grill for about the same price!
Imagine the changing face of this area in the 1930s and 1940s. Willowick is definitely no longer the countryside, it's becoming the suburb it is today. For most of it's life as a public course, the Willowick golf course is run by Captain Charles Clarke.
In 1949, the club is purchased by the Alves brothers: Gordon, Grange, and Art. The three are the sons of Grange Alves, built the Acacia Country Club. The brothers did go on to make modifications - removing a bridge and dealing with a difficult 6th hole, which was notorious to golfers near and far - but they would only have the course for the next few years.
In 1951, with the threat of extinction looming, the building of a commercial property was put on hold, and the brothers were guaranteed another three years of operating time.
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| February 8, 1953, Cleveland Plain Dealer |
In early 1954, the Alves brothers gave up the lease, and the 44 year old golf course began to officially disappear.
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| January 8, 1954, Cleveland Plain Dealer |
Interesting that some people kicked around the idea to leave 9 holes, which I'm not sure happened. An elementary school would be built.
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