Oakland Acres Golf Club

Grinnell, Iowa

In the mid 1950′s brothers Cliff and Cloyd Thompson purchased the Eb Turner farm with the intent of raising Angus cattle. The venture was later abandoned as impractical and over a bridge game the brothers and their wives agreed instead to build a golf course. After approximately one year of construction on a large portion of the 120 acres, the first 9 holes was completed and Oakland Acres Golf Club opened July 1, 1963. Homes began to be constructed. As the population grew, so did the interest in golf. In the early 1970′s, 80 Acres to the East of the 9 hole course was purchased. In 1973 the second 9 holes, a new clubhouse and restaurant opened. Oakland Acres became an incorporated city in 1975 with its own elected Mayor and City Council. After Cliff and Cloyd retired, the golf course changed hands several times. In 2012, Larry and Jim Heishman purchased Oakland Acres. From that moment on, it started to become a completely different place. That year, they demolished the old cart shed and built new and improved cart shed in its place. The following year the new clubhouse was built and the old one was demolished. New equipment was purchased, cart paths were put in, and landscaping was done on multiple tee boxes. Currently, the new project is building a new maintenance shed with another cart shed attached to it.