History:
The Lake Mills Golf Club opened its doors to the public on July 1st, 1927, and started a golf tradition that stands to this day. The initial capital for the foundation of the course was funded by selling 150 shares at $100 each, which included a lifetime membership. The initial group of investors purchased the land and farmhouse (currently the clubhouse) from George Everson, who farmed the original 80 acres.
The original nine holes took a lot of physical effort on part of the members who spent weekends shaping the course and removing stones from the fairways with horses and hand scoops. A large accumulation of stones from the fields were piled on the edge of what is now the 9th fairway and became known as the Chocolate Drop. During the early years the roughs were cut for hay by a farmer with a team of horses and a hay cutter, while the fairways were mowed with an old Ford tractor pulling a five-gang mower.
In 1948 George Wright arrived from Gary, Ind., and obtained a five year lease on the Tyranena Golf Course. Over several years he became the owner of about half of the shares in the club. In 1957 Wright assigned his lease to Tom Lees. The golf course was still incorporated with both stockholders and designated officers, outstanding shares in the old club remained in the hands of some of the original owners as late as 1963, though the Lees family held the majority of the shares and occupied most of the officer's positions.
The Lees family was responsible for the first major remodeling of the clubhouse in 1972. A few years later they sold the course to Monte Lounsbury. He made further improvements to the course and clubhouse, including obtaining land east of the course which he used to expand the course to a full 18 holes, and plotting a housing subdivision along the course boundaries. In addition to the expansion of the course, Lounsbury and his wife Jennifer started a regular Friday night fish fry. In 2004 Marc Nelson took over the golf course and clubhouse.
On January 1, 2008, Lester and Britton Mach assumed ownership of the Lake Mills Golf Club and Grill with a sincere dedication of maintaining and building upon the 80 years of golf in Lake Mills, as well as creating a friendly atmosphere where locals and visitors alike could have a good time.
In January 2012 ownership of Lake Mills Golf Club passed to Rishy and Quint Studer and Katye and Randy Chwala. With them came an extensive knowledge and dedication to establishing a deep-rooted business that will continue to provide a great experience to all their customers.
