It All Started in 1910
John A. Scott, the famous Classics Professor at Northwestern University, dreamed of building a golf course on the beautiful hills overlooking Gull Lake. He enthused over this to his distinguished Gull Lake neighbor, James H. Dewing of Kalamazoo, the father of Mrs. Paul Todd. John Scott was a very good salesman because Mr. Dewing was unable to say “no”, and found himself (to his amazement) telling Dr. Scott to go ahead and that he would foot the bills within reason.
Dr. Scott lost no time after getting this “blank check” and soon found his dream acreage available, including most of the Club’s present frontage on Gull Lake. He was able to buy it for $6,000 from John Kellogg, a retired farmer. The land consisted of about ninety-six acres of well-rested farm land, thoroughly obscured by a dense tangle of brush, weeds and undergrowth.