Walking Tour – #14 The Caddy House

Continue down to the tennis courts and climb the stairs that lead to the small road above the courts. Hang a left and walk until you see Marker #14 next to some concrete steps that lead nowhere. Once upon a time, there was a caddy house at the top of these steps.

Back in 1906, the Ludington Golf Club was organized, with members from both Ludington and Epworth. By 1912, a golf course was constructed and in 1922 a small building appeared near the first tee where fees could be paid and caddies hired. Caddying was another job open to the young men of Epworth, and many a set of clubs was hefted and carried around the course. The tee for the first hole began below the Caddy Shack and above the south end of the tennis courts. If you were lucky or skilled, your drive went southeast between Devil’s Hole and the Lagoon. 

Over the winter of 1963-64, a violent storm destroyed the Caddy Shack pictured above. Before the 1964 season opened, a new Golf Shack was constructed on the present site and the course was rearranged so that players would both start and the finish at the same location. As a part of this course redesign, the two greens that were previously to the north of the entrance road were moved so that all nine holes were on the south side. This removed a serious health hazard for both the golfers and the cars. 

A little golf course history:  In 1920, many of the Ludington locals decided to build their own course, and so began the present day Lincoln Hills Golf Club.  The smaller nine-hole course that remained on Epworth grounds became known as ”Eplink” for a time.