“Our intention was to create a world-class club in a beautiful setting that offered a pure golf experience without pretense – family-oriented, member-owned and focused solely on golf. And we succeeded.”
Wil Matthews, Co-Founder
Well before construction began in 1990, Peter Barnard, Wil Matthews and Ray Richards set down the essential characteristics of what would become The Mad River Golf Club. While superb course design and excellent turf conditioning were a given, the founders also wanted a club that was affordable, relaxed and encouraging of family participation – a place to unwind from the pace of city life.
The first step in achieving their dream was to hire the acclaimed Atlanta-based golf architect Bob Cupp, former chief of design for Jack Nicklaus. On a large parcel of rolling countryside near Creemore, Ontario, Cupp created a design that made the most of the property’s beautiful long views and mix of treed and open spaces. When it opened in 1991, Mad River received rave reviews, not only for its strategy, aesthetics and conditioning but also for its playability for every level of skill.
Over the past 26 years, Mad River has become synonymous with excellence in the golf industry. Careful budgeting and skilled management have kept annual dues among the lowest of comparable private clubs in the Central Ontario region. Two decades of ongoing reinvestment have enabled us to maintain the course – and the Club’s balance sheet – at championship levels.
