Innisfail Golf Club celebrates 100 years

It’s been 100 years since the Innisfail Golf Course first opened and it has since become one of the top courses in the province.

To celebrate the occasion, the Club will host a special celebration on July 13 to reveal a centennial commemorative piece. They also plan to celebrate it further with future events in the works.

“We definitely recognize what an incredible asset the golf course is,” said Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay in a media release.

“We know its importance to the community. Lots of people have moved to Innisfail because of the Innisfail Golf Course. You think of the economic impact it has when you have tournaments coming in. People come and stay overnight for weekends and play golf. It’s a huge attraction for this area.”

The milestone makes the Innisfail Golf Club one of just 24 clubs in Alberta to make it to 100 years. A book has also been put together by the club which showcases their long history with photos and stories of the course.

They originally opened on July 11, 1924, as a nine-hole course just west of Innisfail. They originally went by the name Me-too-seke, which is a Cree term for meeting place in the woods. However, in 1925 they changed their name to the Innisfail Golf Club.

A big part of the club’s success has been because of many volunteer hours over the years as well as the support from the community. The course, which was designed by Bill Robinson, expanded to 18 holes and later 27 holes in 2006.

This year they rebuilt the number nine hole on the Aspen course and officially reopened on June 29.

To celebrate the anniversary, Golf Canada selected Innisfail to host the Junior Boys Canadian Championship from Aug. 13-16 which will be the first-ever national championship hosted in in the community. Previously, they also hosted the Alberta Golf Men’s Amateur Championship in 2002, 2016, and 2023.