Gull Lake at Gull Lake Country Club

Gull Lake Country Club sits along the shores of its namesake lake in Richland, Michigan, roughly midway between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek in the southwestern part of the state. The course was designed by Tom Bendelow, the prolific Scottish-born architect who laid out hundreds of courses across America in the early twentieth century, many for modest budgets and communities seeking accessible golf. Bendelow's work ranged from quick routing jobs to more considered designs, and while he is best remembered for a handful of courses that received later refinements, his influence on spreading golf throughout the Midwest was considerable.

The layout takes advantage of the natural lakeside terrain, with holes routed through rolling ground and mature tree corridors typical of southern Michigan golf courses from this era. The property offers views of Gull Lake itself, and the topography provides enough movement to create variety in lies and approaches without severe elevation changes. Bendelow's routing philosophy generally emphasized playability and straightforward hole corridors, allowing golfers of varying abilities to navigate the course while still presenting strategic interest for better players.

Gull Lake Country Club serves as a traditional private club for the local community, maintaining the kind of member-focused atmosphere common to many American country clubs established in the first half of the twentieth century. The course represents a piece of the region's golfing heritage, preserving a Bendelow design in an area where his work helped establish the game's foothold during golf's expansion across the United States.