Wawasee Golf Club

Wawasee Golf Club sits along the shores of Lake Wawasee in Syracuse, Indiana, part of the state's northern lake country near the Michigan border. 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, primarily during his long tenure with the A.G. Spalding sporting goods company. Bendelow's work ranged from simple nine-hole layouts for small communities to more ambitious projects, and he became known for bringing golf to regions where the game was just taking root. The routing takes advantage of the natural lakeside terrain, with holes moving through a mix of relatively flat stretches and gentle elevation changes typical of glacial lake country. The property offers views of Lake Wawasee, one of Indiana's largest natural lakes, which has long been a summer recreation destination. The course reflects Bendelow's practical approach to design—straightforward holes that work with the land rather than imposing dramatic features on it. Wawasee Golf Club serves as a traditional member club in a small northern Indiana community, offering a quiet retreat focused on recreational golf rather than championship competition. The setting emphasizes the natural beauty of the lake region, and the course provides a window into early American golf design during the period when Bendelow was helping establish the game across the Midwest and beyond.