A North Whidbey par 3 golf course that has been in the same family for almost 50 years is on the market for $975,000 — and a sale is already pending.

Lam’s Golf Links is located on Highway 20 near Deception Pass State Park. The 28-acre property includes a nine-hole par 3 golf course, a miniature golf course featuring iconic Oak Harbor structures, a 1,008-square-foot clubhouse, a three-bedroom caretaker home, a large shop, a pond, an orchard and plenty of rolling green hills.

The golf course has been in Jason Gentry’s family since its inception in the 1970s. His great-uncle Bill Lam built the course in his spare time and the original map is still inside the clubhouse.

Lam bought the property in the 1940s and operated it first as a poultry farm; the current clubhouse used to be a chicken coop. He took a break from chicken farming to pursue logging in Oregon but came back to Whidbey to work construction in the 1950s.

While working in construction, Lam helped build the first nine holes at Useless Bay Golf and Country Club, and the original nine at Whidbey Golf and Country Club before setting out to make his own course. It took him two years to finish, but Lam built his links course mostly on his own. Golfers could pay at the pay booth on the honor system, and the booth is still on the course today. Lam passed away in 1999.

Gentry bought the property in 2001 from Lam’s estate. He added the mini-golf course after buying the set from the former Deception Pass Grocery. Mini-golfers can try their luck at a hole in one among miniatures of the Roller Barn, a windmill and the Deception Pass Grocery building.

Despite being a relatively small course, Gentry said that maintaining it and running his other business has become too big a task. He is ready to sell it. Gentry is also a co-owner of Valdez Construction in Oak Harbor.

In an ideal world, he said, the property would continue as a golf course.

“I just think it’s a good thing to have around. It’s a great beginner course,” he said.

He admitted that he has no control over what the future owners decide to do with the property and there are a lot of potential uses for it.

His real estate agent, Marissa Evans of Coldwell Banker, said the owners have already received an offer and a sale is pending.

But “anything can happen,” she said, and those interested in the property can call her at 360-969-9182.

Photo by Emily Gilbert/Whidbey News-Times Robin Myers from Bow plays at Lam’s Golf Links on North Whidbey. The 28-acre property includes the par 3 golf course, a miniature golf course, a caretaker home, a clubhouse, and is for sale for $975,000.