History

April 26, 1911 – 4:00 p.m.

The Shaughnessy Heights Golf Course, today the Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, had its beginning at 4:00 p.m. on the afternoon of April 26, 1911, in the office of CPR executive, Richard Marpole. Nine businessmen, all residents of the prestigious and quickly developing enclave of Shaughnessy, agreed to turn 67 acres of land leased from the CPR into the Shaughnessy Heights Golf Course. By November 2nd of the following year, they had. The first nine holes opened on that date, the second nine, the next year. In the decades to follow, many of the names that played a prominent role in Vancouver’s growth and prosperity also appeared on Shaughnessy’s membership roster.

The fairways stretched eastward from Granville Street between 33rd and 37th Avenues. Outstanding views of the mountains, downtown Vancouver and the harbour presented themselves between the tall trees. The CPR made modest revenue from the leasing of the land, but with the course as a drawing card, sold 400 residential lots in the area on opening day alone!

The first Professional, William Bowden, was appointed in 1912 at a salary of $90.00 per month. The package deal included Mrs. Bowden as housekeeper and cook in the original Clubhouse.

The Bowden’s remained only a year, to be replaced by Alfred Blinko as Professional in 1913.

During World War 1, the overseeing of the Pro Shop and 100 or so caddies fell to the large and legendary Charlie MacDonald. Looming like an anything-but-benevolent Buddha, “Big Mac” struck terror in the hearts of the first generation of Shaughnessy’s caddies.

The 1913 U.S. Open, in which 20 year-old Francis Ouimet turned in a sizzling 72 in the playoff round to defeat seasoned British Professionals Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, made golf an instant “glamour game” in North America. Following the Open, Vardon and Ray toured the U.S. and Canada. Their exhibition game in Vancouver – for which they were paid the sum of $400.00 – was played at Shaughnessy, where both British visitors broke the course record of 70 with a 68 (Vardon) and 69 (Ray). Vardon’s flawless form enhanced Vancouverites’ growing intrigue with this sport, which was still relatively new to Canada.

Shaughnessy gained national eminence by the hiring of Davie Black as Professional in 1920, after the resignation of Alfred Blinko. For the next 20 years, Davie combined winning 48 of the top professional titles in Canada and the Pacific Northwest with an unparalleled dedication to the advancement of the game itself. This included the formation of the B.C. Professional Golfers’ Association. He was subsequently rewarded with the election to both the B.C. Sports and Canadian Golf Halls of Fame.

In 1921, British Champion Jock Hutchinson, and American U.S. Open Champion Jim Barnes, played and won an exhibition match at Shaughnessy with Club Professional Davie Black and Jericho Professional, Alex Duthie. Following it, Hutchinson offered to wager anyone with the cash and the inclination, that he could put a ball on or over the green of the 500 yard first hole in 2 strokes, using his putter. Disbelievers lined up to bet. Hutchinson put his ball handily over the green in 2, and left Shaughnessy a much wealthier man.

On a sunny afternoon in late July 1923, security guards replaced the usual crowd of golfers on the course. U.S. President, Warren G. Harding, on the first official visit by an American head of state to Canada, had departed from his schedule to play a round on what was reputed to be one of the finest courses in North America. On the 18th green, he took his putter from Club Professional, Davie Black, who had traded his usual role for that of caddy, stepped up to the ball and sank the last putt he would ever make, neatly into the cup. Five days later, Harding died in San Francisco of food poisoning.

When the discussion turns to all-time greats among Canadian golfers, “Stan the Man” Leonard’s name is often first to come up. While his long career was played for other clubs, his start came as one of “Big Mac’s” caddies at the original Shaughnessy course. The man who would become a legend honed his early skills by sneaking onto the course at night to play the holes by moonlight.

Ken Black, son of Shaughnessy Professional Davie Black, followed the family tradition by receiving his first set of clubs from his famous father before his 5th birthday. He won his first major title, the B.C. Open, in 1932 at the age of 20, and went on to become the #1 ranked golfer in Canada. At Shaughnessy, he may be best remembered for turning in a blistering course record of 62 on July 25, 1936 to capture Vancouver’s Jubilee Tournament!

In 1956, it became evident that the CPR wanted the valuable land on which the Shaughnessy Heights Golf Club stood for real estate development. After a search, a long-term lease was signed with the Musqueam Indian Band for the present, beautiful, 162-acre site of the new Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club. The last crack of a ball being struck on the original fairways echoed down Granville Street in early November 1960. The Club was then moved to the new site, without any interruption of play.