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The Niakwa Experience
Golf at Niakwa
A great location paired with Manitoba’s premier golf course and the best patio in the city, Niakwa provides an exceptional member experience from start to finish.
A family-oriented facility with members ranging from those who have played at Niakwa for decades to those who are just now becoming connected to the game, the club offers great value for anyone seeking to join a premier club. Niakwa’s a community of people who have come together because of their common love of golf and the social connections and interactions it brings. We know you’re going to love our golf course.
The most successful course is one that will test the skill of the most advanced golfers without discouraging the duffer, while adding to the enjoyment of both.
Stanley Thompson's philosophy
Niakwa is a beautiful 18 hole parkland course designed by Stanley Thompson, recently updated by Doug Carrick to remain true to this philosophy. Niakwa is a tremendous golf experience for all levels. The Niakwa Country Club was launched in the fall of 1921 by a few enthusiasts who envisioned a need in Winnipeg for a high quality golf course, close to the city. On November 1, 1921, a final decision was made to move forward with development and to name the club “Niakwa” meaning “Winding River”. Stanley Thompson, internationally renowned Canadian golf architect, arrived in November 1922 to begin design. Thompson took full advantage of the Seine River and the ravines that ran through the property.
The Clubhouse & Patio
Our newly renovated clubhouse and patio allow members and guests to enjoy a social event or even a bite to eat.
What sets Niakwa apart is the warm welcoming atmosphere created by our staff, members, and accommodations.
An escape from the city, within the city. The spacious Niakwa patio looks over the 18th green, includes an outdoor bar which provides an ideal social environment for friends and family. The patio is known as one of the best places to enjoy a beautiful Manitoba summer day.
With a wide variety of events held at the club, great times and memories can be enjoyed with friends and family throughout the year.
Niakwa Country Club offers an exciting calendar of events for members to enjoy all year round. So, come mingle, dine, and enjoy the company of your fellow members!
Some of the most popular events are the beloved special holiday dinners and brunches. Members are encouraged to bring their families and friends to celebrate Valentine’s day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, with extravagant food and dessert in our stunning clubhouse setting.
Our modern clubhouse and patio are going to be your new hot spot to relax after a game of golf or to simply enjoy one of our many social events throughout the season. Our Clubhouse is open year-round; members can stop by to enjoy a full range of facilities, events, casual and formal dining, banquet and meeting facilities and much more.
The Gupta Terrace will be one of your favorite spots to enjoy on a beautiful summer evening. We host many events on the Terrace, including live music nights, dining events and celebrations during the warmer seasons and you won’t want to miss out!
Dinner on the patio with a glass of wine is my favorite way to spend a warm summer evening here in Winnipeg.
Interested in a Social membership that allows you to have access to the club for social and dinning events, learn more below:
Social Membership Privileges
- Year-round clubhouse privileges
- Gupta Terrace
- Access to all social events
- Booking privileges and preferred pricing on meeting rooms and banquet facilities
- Access to the indoor golf studio and fitness center (*additional fee required)
Indoor Golf
The Gallagher indoor golf studio includes 3 simulated golf bays, a state-of-the-art coaching studio, practice putting green, a full-service bar (The Bunker), and a lounge area.
Keep your game sharp all year long!
The Gallagher indoor golf Studio provides a state-of-the-art virtual golf experience of over 50 world-renowned courses for our members to choose from. By using advanced computer vision technology our simulators provide spectacular photo-realistic graphics that capture the true beauty of these championship courses. This facility allows our members to enjoy the game of golf over the winter months, or work on improving their game under the direction of the clubs PGA of Canada professionals.
Our indoor facility features The Bunker, a full-service bar and lounge that members will have access to as part of their indoor studio experience. It is a great social spot for our members to enjoy with the company of friends and family.
The indoor golf studio has been such a great addition to the club. Between the amazing virtual golf experience, and the refreshing beverages served to us by the wonderful staff, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Fitness Centre
Tired of busy gyms, and monthly membership fees?
We are happy to announce that we have now opened our indoor fitness center, a warm and welcoming place that members can take advantage of. We want members of all fitness levels to have access to a non-judgmental fitness studio where they can improve their health and wellness in a comfortable, non-intimidating atmosphere.
The fitness studio features a variety of comprehensive strength and cardio equipment including treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and rowing machines, as well as free weights, and functional equipment. Like our indoor golf studio, the fitness studio will be accessible year-round so members can maintain their active lifestyle even throughout the winter months. Use of Fitness studio will not only improve fitness levels, but it will also improve performance on the golf course by increasing flexibility and reducing injuries.
Please contact us for more information on our fitness studio and membership offerings.
Club Policies
All members and guests are expected to wear appropriate attire for the various areas of the club. Members are responsible for informing their guests of the dress code.
Dress Code
Golf Course and Driving Range
Men:
Golf shirts with collar and sleeves must be tucked in at the waist unless tailored to be worn out as defined by – hemmed evenly cut around the bottom and a reasonable length below the belt. Tailored pants and shorts of an appropriate length, no shorter than mid-thigh.
Ladies:
Shirts with either collars or sleeves. Tailored pants, shorts, skirts and skorts of an appropriate length, no shorter than mid-thigh.
Clubhouse & Patio
Men and ladies shall remove headgear when seated in Members and Formal Dining Rooms. Footwear must be worn at all times. Denim is permitted and must be in good repair, without any rips, frayed ends or holes and must fit appropriately. Denim is not appropriate anywhere on the golf course, driving range or practice areas.
Inappropriate Attire:
- Any clothing in disrepair including rips, frayed ends, or holes.
- Sweat pants, track suits or pants with side stripes.
- Cargo pants or shorts defined by – a loose out sewn side pocket.
- Tank tops and halter tops.
- Any top which exposes a bare midriff.
- Caps worn backwards.
- Shirts or hats with inappropriate or rude symbols or language.
- Any other items that may be judged inappropriate.
The Board of Governors has instructed the Pro Shop and club staff to refuse service and/or course privileges should these standards not be observed.
Do you have a friend or family member who is interested in becoming part of the Niakwa Family? What better way to show them why you love it here at Niakwa than to have them join you as a guest!
Guest Restrictions:
Playing guest tee times are after 12:15pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays and each guest may play up to five (5) times in a season. A member may introduce one (1) guest who resides more than 161 km out of town anytime on a weekend or holiday morning.
- A member may introduce a maximum of three guests at one time.
- Guests must be accompanied on the course by a playing member.
- Guests must adhere to the Club Dress code.
- All guests must be introduced to the Pro Shop and sign the register before playing or practicing.
Guest Green Fees:
- $140 + GST Member/Client
- $85 + GST Adult 18-hole (19 years and up)
- $50 + GST Adult 9-hole (19 years and up)
- $35 + GST Junior 18-hole (18 years and under)
- $20 + GST Junior 9-hole (18 years and under)
A Rich History
From the time of its opening day in 1923 to today, Niakwa has been acknowledged and continues to be one of Canada’s finest golf courses. Like a living work of art, Niakwa has evolved and changed over the decades, but always with the ever-present spirit of its master, Stanley Thompson.
1921 – 1989
The Niakwa Country Club was launched in the fall of 1921 by a few enthusiasts who envisioned a need in Winnipeg for a high-quality golf course, close to the city. The 125 acres for the new club was purchased from the Roman Catholic Church at $260 an acre. This property was part of the land given by Lord Selkirk to the Catholic Mission over 100 years before. To finance the total project $100,000 was required: land – $32,500; clearing and seeding fairways and building bunkers – $40,000; water supply and equipment including rollers and mowers – $10,000; and clubhouse facilities – $17,500. A small sum by today’s standards.
Traversed by several suitably contoured ravines, flanked and given character by the winding Seine River, the mapped-out area for the proposed golf course was perfect. On November 1, 1921, a final decision was made to move forward with development and to name the club “Niakwa” meaning “Winding River”. Stanley Thompson, internationally renowned Canadian golf architect, arrived in Winnipeg in November 1922. Natural artistry has been described as the essence of Thompson’s design philosophy and this was never clearer than with the layout of this course. In designing Niakwa, Thompson took full advantage of the Seine River and the ravines that ran through the property as nine of the holes either crossed the river or a ravine. In his final plan, the river was to be played over three times and alongside three more holes.
The original Thompson layout at Niakwa was virtually unchanged from its opening day in 1923, until the devastating flood that engulfed Winnipeg in 1950. The rising spring waters flooded the course and ruined the original clubhouse. A second clubhouse had to be built and in May of 1952, the Winnipeg Free Press reported “Niakwa opened their swell new clubhouse Saturday afternoon.”
1990 - 2000
To accommodate the increase in members, a modern, expanded clubhouse was constructed in 1990. The objective was to continue to improve Niakwa members’ experience. The ground-breaking ceremony was in August of 1990 and the new facility was officially opened in May of 1991. This third clubhouse is the clubhouse that stands today.
Changes were made to the course as a result of the new clubhouse. The updated par three 10th hole was replaced by the new par three 14th hole. The original 10th hole with its famous and extremely difficult to hit “Hogan’s Flat” and awkward dogleg, had already been modified in the 1970s by Robinson and Cornish. The 11th – in the classic Thompson model with a small, well bunkered green – the 12th and the 13th were unchanged. “The Horn” continues to be a challenge for today’s golfers.
2001 - 2019
Commencing in 2006, significant changes took place in accordance with the master capital plan; however, preserving the original Stanley Thompson feel remained a priority. The driving range was lengthened to over 200 yards. The par four 2nd hole was eliminated and replaced by a beautiful and challenging 180-yard par three. A fairway drainage system was installed and the bunkers on all holes were redesigned in the original Thompson style.
To maintain par at 72 the 15th hole was lengthened. The bush was cleared from behind the tee and the tee was moved back 125 yards to make the 15th hole into a testing and beautiful 350-yard par four. Finally, in 2009, the greens on the 6th, 11th and 12th holes were replaced completing the improvements of the past few years.
Prominent Events
Over its rich history Niakwa Country Club has hosted many prestigious events: the CPGA Championship in 1952 and 1960; the Canadian Ladies Amateur in 1956, 1972 and 2001; the Canadian Men’s Amateur in 1974 and recently in 2011; and the Canadian Club Championship in 1980 and 1987. The most famous events at Niakwa have been the Gerhard Kennedy Classic in 1946, and the crown jewel of Canadian golf, the Canadian Open in 1961.
CPGA Championship (Gerhard Kennedy Classic): August 7 – 10, 1946
Niakwa truly hit the national stage when it hosted the Gerhard Kennedy Classic in 1946. Essentially this was two tournaments in one. The CPGA tournament had been scheduled at Niakwa, but to expand the tournament Gerhard Kennedy, a local clothing entrepreneur put up money to attract an amazing field of players from the St. Paul Open the week prior.
This tournament hosted many famous players of the time but perhaps none more famous than Ben Hogan, often considered one of the greatest golfers in the history of the game. Hogan won the overall event and collected the sizable amount of $3,500. This was also the same year that Hogan won his first Major title at the comparatively late age of 34. Over his career, Hogan won 64 PGA tournaments including eight Majors.
Another legend who played in this Classic was Sam Snead. Snead burst onto the PGA Tour in 1937 winning five times that year, wowing crowds with long drives that earned him the nickname “Slammin’ Sam”. Snead continued to wow at this tournament by acing Niakwa’s signature hole, the long par three 15th hole, fully measured at 235 yards from the “tips”. In all of the club’s history there have been fewer than a dozen aces at the 15th hole. Snead went on to finish third overall.
Jules Huot is noted as winning the closed portion of the tournament (the CPGA Championship). Other prominent golfers in the field were: Ken Black, Stan Leonard, Jimmy Demaret, Stan Horne, Bill Kerr, Lawson Little, “Jug” McSpaden, Dick Metz, Tony Penna, Craig Wood, Fred Wood and Jimmy Thompson.
Canadian Open: July 12-15, 1961
Niakwa Country Club was the site of the Canadian Open held July 12 to 15, 1961. The field of 150 included 11 amateurs. The professionals competed for a total purse of $30,000.
The 1961 Canadian Open was nicknamed the “Umbrella” Open. Until that point, Winnipeg’s summer was perfect and dry however, the rain started down on the first day and did not stop until after the last day of the July Tournament.
Prominent golfers in the field were: Tommy Aaron, Al Balding, Miller Barber, George Bayer, Guy Brewer, Billy Casper, Bruce Crampton, Jim Ferrier, Dow Finsterwald, Jack Fleck, Doug Ford, Marty Furgol, Bob Goalby, Tony Lema, Stan Leonard, Dave Marr, Don Massengale, Bobby Nichols, Moe Norman, Bob Panasik, Phil Rogers, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Doug Sanders, Charlie Sifford and local hero George Knudson.
Young Jacky Cupit was only one year into his professional career when he shot a remarkable 270 with rounds of 66-69-64-71 to win the Championship. His win netted him the sum of $4,300 while the final five professionals on the money list each received $20.
Other National Events hosted by Niakwa
CLGA Ladies Close 1937
Won by Heather Leslie 2 up in match play
CPGA Championship 1952
Won by Pat Fletcher with a 54 hole score of 210
CLGA Ladies Amateur 1956
Won by Marlene Stewart-Streit on the 38th hole of match play
CLGA Ladies Close 1956
Won by Marlene Stewart-Streit with a score of 235
CLGA Ladies Junior 1956
Won by Betty Stanhope-Cole with a score of 161
CPGA Championship 1960
Won by Bill Kerr with a score of 206
CLGA Ladies Amateur 1972
Won by Marlene Stewart-Streit with a score of 295
RCGA Men’s Amateur 1974
Won by Doug Roxburgh with a score of 280
RCGA Interprovincial Pro-Am Matches (Crown Life) 1979
Won by Team Manitoba
CPGA Canadian Club Professionals Championship 1980
Won by Jim Collins with a score of 210
CPGA Canadian Club Professionals Championship 1987
Won by Gar Hamilton with a score of 212
RCGA Canadian Club Champions Championship 1989
Won by Gordon Courage with a score of 283
Canadian Senior Men’s Amateur Championship 1994
Won by Doug Silverberg with a score of 217
CLGA Canadian Ladies Amateur 2001
Won by Lisa Meldrum with a score of 283
World Blind Golf Championship 2002
Won by David Morris, Dennis McCulloch, Peter Robinson
Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship 2011
Won by Mackenzie Hughes
Social Life & Events