THE HISTORY OF LAKE ARROWHEAD COUNTRY CLUB
More than a century ago, the Mountains around the Lake Arrowhead area were primarily used for logging operations, lumber mills and a limited amount of gold and silver mining. Around 1893, construction began on the dams that created Lake Arrowhead and Grass Valley Lake in an effort to capture water to be sold to the San Bernardino area.
In 1920, a Los Angeles syndicate formed the Lake Arrowhead Company to buy the lake and surrounding property to transform the entire area into a unique year-round resort. Lake Arrowhead village, three hotels and a nine-hole course were built on what was originally a cow pasture. Much of the lakeside land was sold for private homes and secluded estates. Many Hollywood stars stayed here during that era and movie studios used the location for filming. But the golf course eventually fell into disuse and returned to the cows.
By the early 1960’s the Lake Arrowhead Development Company, to promote Lake Arrowhead, began updating the original course. The first phase of the project was entrusted to Billy Bell, designer of Canyon Country Club in Palm Springs.
In 1963 a back nine was carved out of the surrounding mountain. At the same time construction began on a new clubhouse in the architecturally dramatic A-frame design. Honored guests at the grand opening of the Club House included Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett.
In September of 1978, the members of the Lake Arrowhead Country Club purchased the course, clubhouse and tennis facilities from the then owners, California Golf and turned it into the private, member-owned, equity Country Club that it remains to this day.
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