Western District History
The “Western Michigan Turf Association” was founded in 1938 to serve its members needs through communication, fellowship and continuing education. The WMTA’s geographic region stretched from Jackson west to the Lakeshore and from Cadillac south all the way to the state line.
The association was incorporated on August 23, 1963. The original founders were L.L. Anderson, George W. Field, William C. Miller, Arthur M. Young, L.E. Dustin, George Graber, Robert G. Spoelma, Alexander Wilson, Joel C. Case, Joseph Feringa, Harold Peck, Roy Peck, Donald A. Ross, Leslie L. Peck, Robert E.L. Ellis, Carl Andre, W. Bruce Matthews and Kyran Mitchelson.
The Association officially changed its name to the Western Michigan Golf Course Superintendent’s Association on May 10, 1966 at the urging of Norm Kramer, then superintendent at The Point O’ Woods Country Club, who had just been elected director of the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America. Norm Kramer went on to be west Michigan’s first and only GCSAA President in 1970.
Vice President Bob Spoelma
Sec / Treas Clare Ferguson
Directors Joel Case
Darl Scott
David Heiss
Harold Peck
Don Rose
Past President Roy Peck
The meeting was held at the Anchor Inn on Gull Lake and hosted by Darl Scott who, after the meeting gave the 47 members in attendance a tour of his new Gull Lake View Golf Course.