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Banff Springs Golf Club

Banff Springs Golf Club

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Non-Member redirect to Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Bookings

Non-Member redirect to Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Bookings

Welcome to
Banff Springs Golf Club

About Us

The Banff Springs Golf Club (BSGC), established in 1911, is a non-profit, non-share capital corporation under the Alberta Societies Act. Its main purpose is to operate a Club that promotes interest in the game of golf, conducts matches and competitions under its own auspices for members, organizes and conducts matches and competitions entrusted to it by others, and protects the mutual interests of its members.

The Club and The Course

Since its inception, BSGC has had a close “symbiotic” relationship with the owner/operator of the golf course – initially the Canadian Pacific Rail Company/ Canada Dominion of Interior – Parks, and now Fairmont Hotels & Resorts – a Canadian international hotel and golf courses operator – and a division of ACCOR SA of France. Together over the years, the Club and the course owners have both developed the course and built its reputation as one of the finest golf courses in the world. For a complete history of our course/club please find a copy of Banff Springs Golf Course – Celebrating 100 Years, by E.J.(Ted) Hart; published in 2011.

Opened 1911

Opened in 1911 as a nine-hole course laid out by Bill Thomson, a Scottish expatriate who apprenticed under Old Tom Morris at St. Andrews, the Banff Springs Golf Course was expanded to an 18-hole course by Donald Ross in 1924. But it was Stanley Thompson, Canada’s most significant and successful golf architect, who created the layout as it plays today. The course demonstrates his appreciation of traditional links golf courses while emphasizing the subtleties of the mountain landscape. Money was no barrier for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), and when unveiled in 1928, the Banff Springs Golf Course was the most expensive ever built.

Opened in 1911 as a nine-hole course laid out by Bill Thomson, a Scottish expatriate who apprenticed under Old Tom Morris at St. Andrews, the Banff Springs Golf Course was expanded to an 18-hole course by Donald Ross in 1924. But it was Stanley Thompson, Canada’s most significant and successful golf architect, who created the layout as it plays today. The course demonstrates his appreciation of traditional links golf courses while emphasizing the subtleties of the mountain landscape. Money was no barrier for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), and when unveiled in 1928, the Banff Springs Golf Course was the most expensive ever built.

Opened in 1911 as a nine-hole course laid out by Bill Thomson, a Scottish expatriate who apprenticed under Old Tom Morris at St. Andrews, the Banff Springs Golf Course was expanded to an 18-hole course by Donald Ross in 1924. But it was Stanley Thompson, Canada’s most significant and successful golf architect, who created the layout as it plays today. The course demonstrates his appreciation of traditional links golf courses while emphasizing the subtleties of the mountain landscape. Money was no barrier for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), and when unveiled in 1928, the Banff Springs Golf Course was the most expensive ever built.

Thompson’s layout incorporated some of Ross’s holes but also included some stunning new ones—none more iconic than Devil’s Cauldron, a short par 3 over a glacial lake nestled below the impossibly steep face of Mount Rundle. Devil’s Cauldron is one of the most famously scenic holes in the world of golf. St. George’s Golf Club (Toronto), Capilano Golf and Country Club (Vancouver), and the Fairmont Jasper Golf Course are other spectacular courses built by Stanley Thomson.

Man with surfing with paddle

Thompson’s layout incorporated some of Ross’s holes but also included some stunning new ones—none more iconic than Devil’s Cauldron, a short par 3 over a glacial lake nestled below the impossibly steep face of Mount Rundle. Devil’s Cauldron is one of the most famously scenic holes in the world of golf. St. George’s Golf Club (Toronto), Capilano Golf and Country Club (Vancouver), and the Fairmont Jasper Golf Course are other spectacular courses built by Stanley Thomson.

Thompson’s layout incorporated some of Ross’s holes but also included some stunning new ones—none more iconic than Devil’s Cauldron, a short par 3 over a glacial lake nestled below the impossibly steep face of Mount Rundle. Devil’s Cauldron is one of the most famously scenic holes in the world of golf. St. George’s Golf Club (Toronto), Capilano Golf and Country Club (Vancouver), and the Fairmont Jasper Golf Course are other spectacular courses built by Stanley Thomson.

Cascade golfers & horses

Although the Banff Springs Golf Course was built with visitors of the Banff Springs Hotel in mind, by the time it opened in 1911, the village of Banff had grown into a bustling tourist destination with a growing number of middle class merchants and professionals, many of whom had come from larger eastern Canadian cities where golf was already popular and had a following with the social strata to which they aspired. Not surprisingly, several of these residents were eager to form a club to play the new course, which they did on July 13, 1911.

Although the Banff Springs Golf Course was built with visitors of the Banff Springs Hotel in mind, by the time it opened in 1911, the village of Banff had grown into a bustling tourist destination with a growing number of middle class merchants and professionals, many of whom had come from larger eastern Canadian cities where golf was already popular and had a following with the social strata to which they aspired. Not surprisingly, several of these residents were eager to form a club to play the new course, which they did on July 13, 1911.

A kid practicing surfing

Our Club has a rich history of traditional tournaments for Men and Women, as well as Juniors. Many of today’s Men’s Night and Women’s Day tournaments harken back over a hundred years! Indeed, BSGC was one of the first clubs in the world to have Ladies members and tournaments. That said, BSGC has always had a commitment to evolve and modernize the game, the course and our competitions. We remain a dynamic and vital club today!

A kid practicing surfing

Our Club has a rich history of traditional tournaments for Men and Women, as well as Juniors. Many of today’s Men’s Night and Ladies' Day tournaments harken back over a hundred years! Indeed, BSGC was one of the first clubs in the world to have Ladies members and tournaments. That said, BSGC has always had a commitment to evolve and modernize the game, the course and our competitions. We remain a dynamic and vital club today!

A kid practicing surfing

Our Club has a rich history of traditional tournaments for Men and Women, as well as Juniors. Many of today’s Men’s Night and Women’s Day tournaments harken back over a hundred years! Indeed, BSGC was one of the first clubs in the world to have Ladies members and tournaments. That said, BSGC has always had a commitment to evolve and modernize the game, the course and our competitions. We remain a dynamic and vital club today!

Land Acknowledgement

The Banff Springs Golf Club has had a long relationship with the Indigenous Peoples since 1911. Today we continue to respect and acknowledge that the Club operates on traditional Treaty 7 territory. These lands around us continue to be a gathering place for members of the Blackfoot Confederacy, including the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani First Nations; the Îyârhe Nakoda of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations; the Tsuut’ina First Nation; the Métis Nation of Alberta, and many others. We are honoured to work with all Peoples to sustain the environment, cultures, and the game of golf that we share together.

Memories

Snapshots from the past.