In honour of golf season officially kicking off in the city, we thought it’d be nice to take a trip down memory lane! Turns out, Edmonton is home to Canada’s oldest municipal golf course, and it even predates the city itself. Sure, Victoria Golf Course is iconic for swinging the sticks, but did you know it was so old?
The course can trace its history to the Edmonton Country Club, which opened a private in what is now Victoria Park way back in 1896. For reference, Edmonton was still classified as a town at that point, and wouldn’t become a city until a few years later, in 1904.
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The course stayed private for almost two decades after its founding. But, in 1912, the City of Edmonton bought the area that would become Victoria Park, including the land on which their new golf course sat. Fun bonus? They could turn the private club into a public one!
Which is exactly what happened. In 1914, Edmonton officially opened Victoria Park, and with it the 9-holes known as the ‘Municipal Golf Links’. Even with the intermittent closures, the history of the course (even over a century ago) gave it the right to claim its status as Canada’s first, and oldest, municipal golf course.
Of course, the fun didn’t stop there. Victoria Golf Course was upgraded to a full 18 holes in 1927, and then to 36 in 1950. Yeah, even if you’re going out for a twilight nine, you’re walking on a part of not just Edmonton’s but all of Canada’s golf history. Not bad for under $40, hey?
Victoria Golf Course
Where: 12130 River Valley Road
Cost: $30+ for 9 holes
