Vintage Photos of Golf in Vancouver

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt Thursday, July 21st, 2016 — 9:41am PDT

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Earlier this summer, Langara Golf Course in Vancouver celebrated its 90th anniversary. Opening in 1926, it was the city’s first public 18-hole course, and was constructed by The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).

“In order to sell their large tract of land for housing in South Vancouver, in 1924 the CPR altered their philosophy slightly. They decided to construct the best 18-hole public golf course in the Dominion on land bounded by Cambie and Main and south of 49th Avenue.

To accomplish their goal they hired the leading golf course architect in the Pacific Northwest A. Vernon Macan… To further insure a high quality course the CPR gave him 170 acres and basically an unlimited budget.

Spring 1926 the CPR prepared for the Official Opening Day. In order to add a local flavour to the new enterprise the company revived a lost name “Langara” for the golf course. In 1790 Lieutenant Jose Narvaez named the peninsula that we know today as Point Grey the Islas de Langara. Captain Vancouver renamed the area in 1792 as Point Grey. This choice preserved the name “Langara” forever.” [Source: BC Golf House]

1927. Clubhouse at Langara. Archives# Bu N322.

The Langara Golf Links opened June 26th, 1926. All the local professionals plus the club captains attended. The Reeve for South Vancouver, JW Cornett, hit the first shot.

Vintage Photos of Golf in Vancouver

The first public 9-hole course was at the PNE in 1925, and private courses were also scattered throughout the city. Here’s a glimpse at Vancouver golf culture over the years, courtesy of the City Archives: