​Gold River Golf & Country Club

The vision for the Gold River Golf and Country Club began simply. After a day of golfing down Island, a group of local golfers gathered at the Elk Rest Area and posed a practical question: Why not build our own course at home and reduce the need to travel? From that conversation, a truly community‑driven project was born.  A series of meetings soon followed, and a dedicated executive committee was formed, leading to the establishment of the Gold River Golf Society. From the outset, decisions were guided by the original intent—to create a real golf course that would serve the community. One notable example was the decision to forgo a proposed video golf simulator, even though $50,000 had been earmarked for the idea. Instead, the focus remained firmly on developing a traditional course that would keep golfers in Gold River.  What followed was an extraordinary collective effort. Leaders from the pulp mill and logging divisions, the Village of Gold River, and countless community volunteers contributed time, equipment, labour, fundraising support, and professional expertise. Payroll deduction programs, creative fundraising initiatives, and thousands of volunteer hours helped turn a shared vision into reality.  The course officially opened in 1992 as a public 9‑hole golf course, designed by architect Jack Reimer. Nestled between surrounding mountains and bordered by the Gold River, the course is set within a striking natural landscape of forested fairways, flowing water, and dramatic mountain backdrops. The property was walked multiple times before the final layout was determined, allowing the natural terrain—rivers, slopes, and forest—to guide the design. This thoughtful approach shaped what would come to be affectionately known as the “Jewel of the Isle.”  Gold River’s first superintendent, Brett Lamontagne, brought both extensive turf knowledge and a distinctive personality to the early years, helping establish the high‑quality playing conditions the course continues to be known for today.  Since opening, the Gold River Golf Course has remained proudly community‑owned and community‑supported. It has hosted numerous local and Island‑wide tournaments, including the long‑running Mixed Open, Men’s Amateur, and Jewel of the Isle Ladies Tournament, and continues to welcome golfers from near and far each season—many drawn by the rare opportunity to play a course so closely connected to the surrounding rivers and mountains.  Today, the Gold River Golf Course stands as a lasting testament to collaboration, volunteerism, and community pride—a course shaped by its people and its landscape, built by the people of Gold River, for the people of Gold River.