Royal Colwood Golf Club: Host of the 42nd Pacific Coast Amateur Championship

Royal Colwood Golf Club is a private golf club located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

A Royal Experience

Designed by Arthur Vernon Macan in 1913, Royal Colwood is a traditional-style parklands championship course set amongst 450-year-old Douglas Firs and majestic Garry Oaks. One of a select few in the world, Royal Colwood received its Royal designation from King George V in 1931.

History of Royal Colwood Golf Club

In the early 1900's golf was developing rapidly in the Victoria, British Columbia area. It was then that James Dunsmuir, along with co-founder Joseph Sayward, both members of Victoria Golf Club, got the idea of forming a new club. In 1913, reigning BC Amateur Champion Mr. A.V. Macan was given the task of designing the championship course and construction was started immediately. The course covers 135 acres, and is virtually unchanged in design from the original plans of 1913. Sayward was the first president, holding office from 1913-1933.

The first clubhouse was constructed in the war years of 1914 to 1918. It was called "The Shack" and was replaced in 1922 by an imposing structure in time to host the 1922 PNGA tournament. Unfortunately that building burned to the ground in 1929. A replacement of Elizabethan style was soon built and was used until taken over in 1943 as an RCAF convalescent hospital. The club had a small temporary building through the remaining war years but returned to the "Old Clubhouse" in 1945. Financial pressures caused the club to sell the clubhouse and it was replaced by a new one in 1951. The present clubhouse was built in 1993, and formally opened by HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, youngest son of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

Royal Colwood has over the years played host to many major golf tournaments, beginning in 1922 when the Pacific Northwest Golf Association chose to hold its tournament at Royal Colwood. Competitions included Men's Open, Men's Amateur, Ladies Amateur, and daily driving and putting competitions for both men and women. This championship returned to Royal Colwood in 1927.

The BC Open Championship was contested at Royal Colwood in 1934, followed in 1935 and 1955 by the Canadian Ladies Closed Golf Championship. In 1967 and again in 1976, the Canadian Amateur was awarded to Royal Colwood. The RCGA Canadian Seniors Championships were held in 1995, and the CLGA brought the BC Ladies Amateur to Royal Colwood in July 1997.

Professional golf tours also recognize the championship quality of Royal Colwood. In 1985, the Payless Open was held at Royal Colwood when this tournament was part of the TPS Tour. The TPS Tour was the precursor to the Hogan/Nike/Buy.com/Nationwide Tour. The Canadian Tour now has the Victoria Open as its Vancouver Island tournament each year and Royal Colwood shares the privilege of hosting of this event on a four-year rotation with other local courses. The Victoria Open returned to Royal Colwood in July of 2003. Canadian Tour rookie Patrick Damron won his first Tour title with a score of 269 for four rounds, 11 under par.