HistoryLink Tours

6505 Inglewood Road NE

Early Kenmore residents knew Inglewood as Peterson’s Goat Farm until 1919, when the land was cleared for the formation of the golf course. The club is one of the oldest in the Pacific Northwest. In October 1925, the original clubhouse caught fire and burned to the ground. Only $15 worth of melted silver trophies was salvaged from the ruins. The current magnificent red tiled roof and stucco clubhouse was completed in 1926 and has recently been restored to enhance and reflect its rich French Provincial influence.

Beginning in 1987 the first of a long series of GTE Senior Tour Championships were played at Inglewood. Among the pros who played in tournaments at Inglewood, Arnold Palmer was by far the favorite. He played every year in the GTE Seniors. The large galleries had the thrill of seeing Arnold birdie the last hole to shoot his age for the first time.

Craig Smith, a golf writer for the Seattle Times, recounts some of Inglewood’s other memorable stories: When most of the course was shut down during World War II, sheep grazed to keep the grass from getting too long. The clubhouse and some of the property were used as a rest and relaxation site by the Coast Guard. In 1954 a light plane made an emergency landing on the 18th fairway, then had to be dismantled for removal. In 1973 an arrest for prostitution was made at a home bordering the 10th fairway. Clientele for the house of ill repute came from throughout the Seattle area (the place even had membership cards) and sometimes golf carts were parked in front of the establishment. Some members said they didn’t realize it was going on until the police arrest. “I was so naive that it never occurred to me why all those women were in the house,” said one member.

During a Memorial Day in the early 1950s, the competing golfers and gallery reached the top of the 4th hole during the morning round and looked down to find the pin placement. Instead, they saw a man and a woman entwined on the green doing something other than putting. The story goes that the club pro at the time, Charlie Mortimer, turned to the gallery and ordered, “move back, back, back, especially you ladies.” Since then, some members have called the 4th hole “Lovers Lane.”

Return to the intersection of Inglewood Road and NE 170th. Turn right onto Juanita Drive NE (the extension of 68th Avenue NE). Proceed to the intersection at NE 145th Street and turn right into the park entrance. You will reach a fork in the road, with the right fork going to Saint Edward Park, and the left going to Stop No. 14, Bastyr University.