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About the Club

HISTORICAL TIMELINE OF FLUSHING VALLEY GOLF CLUB

According to local American Indian history, much of which is unauthenticated due to lack of eye-witness accounts by American Indians themselves, club property probably first belonged to the Sauks who lost it in warfare to the Chippewa. The land was included in the Treaty of 1819 when the U.S. purchased some 6 million acres from the Chippewa.

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  • 1835: It was first deeded to Waterman Neff. It changed hands numerous times and, just prior to its beginnings as a site of recreation, was farmed by the William Davie family.
  • 1928: A group of men from Detroit expressed an interest in the property and began developing the original golf course.
  • 1930: The property was deeded to Flushing Valley Golf Club, Inc. Nine holes were developed. The Davie Farmhouse (pictured) was located on Flushing Road and served as the Flushing Valley clubhouse.
  • 1931: The club was unable to meet mortgage obligations during the depression and the property reverted to Gertrude Davie and Walter and Mildred Heenan. Walter Heenan operated the club as a public course and the clubhouse as a social club during the 1930s and early 1940s.
  • 1935: Due to gas shortages, it became increasingly difficult to obtain machinery, parts and gasoline. Interested golfers contributed their time and equipment to help maintain the course but the shortages finally led to the club’s closure in 1943.
  • 1944: The property was purchased by Dr. N.A.C. Andrews, Dr. William Braamse, Ed Dalton, Fred Russell, Paul Shepard and Gerald Wheeler, all of Flushing. The clubhouse was torn down in late 1944 or early 1945 and the property was dormant for 14 years.
  • 1958: A group of 35 people known as the Flushing Valley Golf and Country Club, Inc. entered into a land contract with the owners.
  • 1961: a modern clubhouse was built.
  • 1969: a pool and bath house opened.
  • 1973: The golf course had the 18 holes that had been talked about for years.
  • 1977: Tennis courts opened.
  • 1995: The clubhouse was demolished and a new clubhouse opened in 1996.
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Flushing Valley Golf Club was designed in 1930 by Wilfred Reid & William Connellan
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Wilfrid Ewart “Wilfie” Reid

Was born November. 3, 1884 in (born November. 3, 1884 in BulwellNottinghamEngland) was both a professional golfer and golf course designer.

EARLY CAREER

Reid studied club and ball making under Tommy Armour‘s father, Willie, in Edinburgh, Scotland. A scratch golfer at 15, Reid turned professional at 17 and was a protégé of Harry Vardon who helped him get a club professional job at La Boulie Golf Club in Versailles, France, in 1901 for roughly five years. He later was the professional at Banstead Downs Golf Club in Sutton, London, England, for roughly nine years and a successful tournament player. Reid – who was never short on confidence – was a fine competitive golfer despite being small of stature, and he beat his mentor, Vardon, on several occasions.

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