A Brief History
A Brief History
The first golf club in the area was built in 1927 adjacent to the pulp mill and town of Port Alice. The site, cleared from the forest, was actually intended as a firebreak between the forest and the town. Undoubtedly, some frustrated golfers saw it as an opportunity to create a golf course and set about building a nine-hole course, which, although modified over the years, is still very active.
Unfortunately, for many years, there was no road connection between Port Alice and the east-coast of the region where the towns of Port Hardy and Port McNeill are located. The only means of transport to Port Alice was by boat from Coal Harbour. The construction of the Vancouver Island Highway in the late 1970’s brought an economic expansion to the North Island and a significant increase in the populations of both Port Hardy and Port McNeill.
Although a logging road link was now available between the highway and Port Alice, it was a difficult road to drive. In the early 1980’s two separate groups were planning to build golf courses in both Port Hardy and Port McNeill. The Port Hardy group was almost ready to start construction near the Beaver Harbour section of the town when part of the land was sold for commercial development. The name ’’Seven Hills’’ actually comes from this area, not from the spectacular vista one sees from the present clubhouse.
At this time, the two groups joined forces to build the course in its present location. The course is located on private land owned by Western Forest Products (WFP) and is centrally situated between the “TriPort” communities. WFP has supported the club since the beginning by providing use of the its land at no cost and donated many resources (machinery, material and labour) during the course’s construction in 1981-82. The architect was William Overdorf, who has designed several courses in the Pacific Northwest. The Seven Hills Golf & Country Club opened for play in June of 1983 and continues to be a valued recreational resource for all North Island communities and visitors to the area. WFP remains a strong ongoing supporter of the club and is one of the major sponsors of the annual North Island Logger’s Golf Tournament which has been one of the largest annual events at the club for over 30 years.
This course is a real challenge for any golfer. It measures 6300 yards from the blue tees, 5954 yards from the white tees and 5604 yards from the red tees. However, its undulating fairways and the thick forest lining most of the holes demand accurate tee shots to keep the ball in play. In addition there are a number of water hazards and sand traps waiting to gather any errant shots. Bears and deer can also be seen frequently on the golf course. Seven Hills Golf & Country Club is an energetic walk and finishes with a few holes with hills that will test your stamina.