People from around our region say it all the time: Spokane has some of the best golf you’ll find in the country. There are more than 40 golf courses in the Intermountain Northwest and you don’t have to break the bank to play. We decided to go check out one of our most historic member partners – Wandermere.
Wandermere Golf Course was started in 1929 by brothers Bill and Wes Ross. It wasn’t always just a golf course. It has an entire history of its own and used to have an area that locals would flock to for swimming, fishing, skiing, and ice skating in the wintertime. Now, it’s a beautiful 18-hole public course in North Spokane positioned around lakes and the Little Spokane River.
Herb Brown has been with Wandermere since 1964. It was also where he met his wife, Sandy, the daughter of founder Bill Ross and his wife, Dorothy. Herb and Sandy married in 1965. Bill Ross was happy to have Herb not only as a son-in-law, but as a full-time employee of the golf course and someone to take charge and take on part ownership along with Sandy, Bob Ross, and his wife Carol. Together they have continued the Wandermere legacy and continue the tradition of a family owned and operated business. Herb and Bob’s children and grandchildren work for the course clubhouse and pro shop.
Aside from its beauty, Brown is proud of his family, his staff, and the family-feel environment of the course. “We have a nice staff here. You get to know everybody – they’re all our family. Wandermere has the greatest customers in the world, and we have the biggest men’s club in Spokane with 450 right now,” Brown said. “People that come here are treated right. Mead and Mt. Spokane both have their high school golf league here, and most of them end up coming here after high school.”
You only need to talk with Herb for one minute to really feel that you’re talking with someone special. Not only did he revitalize the area, but he’s lived in Spokane his entire life and still looks for ways to give back to the community. “We have spring tournaments and a fall tournament to raise money for Wandermere community services. We give to the middle schools around here to feed the kids all winter long. And we did about $13,000 last year for clothes for the kids. We want to keep the kids off the streets and on the golf course.”
Check out the course before winter hits and learn more about Wandermere here.