Until the museum conducts a search of the “Campbell River News” newspaper, we can only speculate on the exact reasons why local citizens, Ralph Wilkes and Ben Fellows, introduced golf to the Valley in 1959. Perhaps they hoped to encourage tourists who arrived for the world-famous salmon fishing to have a second recreational option. In 1958, tourists visited the province in record numbers to participate in the centennial celebrations. Many came to fish for the world famous tyee salmon at Campbell River. Perhaps, the enterprising businessmen realized Campbell River lagged behind Courtenay for too long. In 1922, the Courtenay GC opened. Tin 1934 the new owners changed to the name to the Sunnydale GC.
In the spring of 1958, the promoters began clearing their land on the Peterson Road for the golf course. One news report described their efforts: “Ralph Wilkes and Ben Fellows sent soil samples to the agricultural station in Duncan for testing to ensure they purchased the correct grass seed for the site.”
As the course neared completion local aspiring golfers called a meeting to organize a golf club for the new course. The Canadian Ladies Golf Union (CLGU) records indicate the women in the club joined the BC Branch in 1960 under the name the Glen Arden Ladies Golf Club. Therefore, the course likely opened nine holes in late 1959 or early 1960. The owners constructed “the original clubhouse by combining five bunkhouses from the Elk Falls dam project that were placed on skids and moved to the course.” News clippings from the 1960’s show the “Glen Alden course opened with a clubhouse, driving range, and nine-hole course.” The owners made constant upgrades over the next decade with the goal to create an eighteen-hole golf course.
The Campbell River telephone directories indicate the course changed the name to the Campbell River G&CC between 1969 and 1970. Scorecards in the Museum collection from the 1970’s indicate the course measured 3088 yards consisting of: 2 par fives measuring 558 and 501 yards; 5 par fours measuring 265 – 370 yards and 2 par threes measuring 166 and 177 yards.
In 1975, seeking an investment property, Barrie and Linda Brown purchased the Campbell River G&CC. Barrie admitted: “I didn’t know much about maintaining a golf course but I sure learned in a hurry. For example, I discovered I had to go to the course around midnight and start watering the course and then be back at 4:00 AM to turn off the water.”
The couple along with their son immediately commenced a tree-planting program. “Since 1975 we have planted over 4,000 trees. When we took over you could stand outside the clubhouse and see all the way to the end of the course. Now with the trees, most of them Sequoias, standing twenty feet high there is a feeling of privacy when you play each hole.”
Again, using the CLGU record books, the women’s’ club changed their name to Sequoia Springs G&CC in 1988. The Islander Golf Magazine reported in May 1998: “Sequoia Springs opens new $150,000 clubhouse. The new 14,000 square foot facility contains a restaurant, pro shop, bag storage, and banquet facility.”
The July 2002 Islander Golf Magazine headline reported: “No longer 9 – holes in a farmer’s field” The expanded course measured 5415 yards.
“When Brown purchased the course, he knew he would expand it from nine to eighteen. Only 3 ½ greens exist from the original layout. With most golf courses using about 150 acres one is amazed this course occupies only 67 acres. There is no wasted space”
In 2004, the routing for the golf course changed to accommodate a housing development around the course. “First two holes combined into one hole 600 yards. We are going to reverse the way we play #5 and it will become #3. The old 3rd and 4th holes will be eliminated. We plan to build three new holes (new par 5, par 4, and par 3) on land northwest of the current 5th hole. The elimination of the 3rd and 4th holes gives additional room for expanding the 14th. The new holes will stretch the course from 5415 to 6000 yards.”
“We have tried to build a course that will appeal to the majority of the golfers. One that is easy to walk and can be played in 3 1/2 hours.”
On March 1, 2017, Linda Brown completed the sale of the property to the long time residents the Mailman family. On the sale Linda Brown commented: ” Keeping the business in the community was really important to us. And we could not be happier to have the Mailman family taking over the club.”
Craig Brown, Larry’s son, added: ” This business was always a labour of love for my dad Barrie who passed away in 2013. He did everything around here himself, even physically installing all the irrigation system.”
Kris Mailman provided his vision for the future: “Our vision for Sequoia Springs is to enhance the total club experience by expanding the amenities and revitalizing the course. The plan is to create a resort type atmosphere and increase tourism in Campbell River. We will construct a brand new 18-hole championship course designed by Graham Cooke and his Northern Golf Design team, the addition of a state-of-the-art driving range and practice area, a new pro shop that will include a golf simulator room, an underground cart storage area, a full rejuvenation of the existing clubhouse with an expanded restaurant and banquet facilities. Plans call for a 300-person hotel. We will return the name back to the original Campbell River Golf & Country Club. The only remaining characteristic from the 1959 Glen Arden course is the sequoia trees.”
Other courses that have opened during the sixty-year history for golf in the Campbell River Valley include: Storey Creek Golf Course (1989) and Saratoga Beach Golf Course (2003 or 2004).
