Detailed planning for the Hylands Golf Club began in 1960 when permission was received from the Department of Transport to use a remote corner of airport property for an 18-hole course. Then, as now, the objective was to provide affordable golf for military personnel. A small team was assembled to initiate the project, with little more to guide them than two USGA manuals, one on course layout and the other on clubhouse design. However, they did receive a great deal of advice and assistance from the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club Directors, as well as from officials at the Experimental Farm.
The original layout for what is now known as the Hylands (South) Course was begun in the spring of 1961 with the clearing and preparation of the grounds. As the project gathered momentum, interest for the fledgling course grew and the ranks of volunteers began to swell. The daunting task of clearing rock and stone became a friendly competition between teams of volunteers, especially among the local military units.
Even the Department of Transport and National Research Council mobilized its enthusiasts to help with this back-breaking task. Finally, the fairways, tee boxes and greens were seeded and some 500 trees were planted to complete the original 18-hole course, which was officially opened in 1963. The course was initially called the Uplands Golf Club, due to its close association with the nearby CFB Uplands military base.
During the next few years, the course developed into a first-class golfing facility and membership grew to the point that, in 1969, it was decided to construct a second 18-holes now known as the Rockcliffe (North) Course. This course was formally opened in 1972, coinciding with the expansion of the Clubhouse, the construction of a Pro Shop and club storage area, and the official renaming of the facility to the Hylands Golf Club. Such was the early progress of Hylands that in July of 1977 it hosted the annual Canadian Professional Golfers Association championship tournament. This was certainly beyond the wildest dreams of those early planners and rock pickers!
Since its inception, Hylands has matured into top-quality military golf facility that offers a full range of services and amenities to its 1,500 members and their guests. With each passing year, more improvements are made to ensure that a day at Hylands remains a memorable and enjoyable experience. A true jewel among Canadian Forces golf facilities, Hylands continues to host numerous regional, national and international military tournaments. That being said, we have never lost sight of the original mandate to provide affordable golf to our local military personnel.
The History of The Collaboration of the Hunt Club and Hylands: A Tale of Two Golf Courses
