Fraserview

Overview

The jewel of publicly accessible golf in Vancouver, Fraserview is a charming layout that criss-crosses through an old vineyard, now elegantly outlined by towering stands of trees. The routing is adventurous in nature, rising and falling in just the right spots for golfers to enjoy the lively uneven contours that make this game exciting.

AT A GLANCE

About

Construction at Fraserview began in 1930, during the depths of the Great Depression. The Vancouver Park Board commissioned Major H.L. McPherson — who had also built the University Golf Course for A.V Macan — to lay out a nine-hole course on a former vineyard sitting above South East Marine Drive, near the north bank of the Fraser River. Over 600 workers were hired to build it, averaging roughly 50 per day, their labour transforming agricultural land into one of the city's most enduring public amenities. The first nine opened for play in 1934. Construction on the second nine followed immediately, and the full eighteen holes opened in 1938. The club was known simply as Fraser Golf Course until 1943, when it was renamed Fraserview. A year earlier, the Fraser Golf & Country Club had been established with the backing of Vancouver City Hall and the Park Board — one of the oldest municipal golf organizations in western Canada — with a mandate to bring organized amateur golf within reach of the working residents of East Vancouver.

For decades the course ran largely as McPherson had designed it, aging into its landscape as the Douglas firs and cedars grew tall and the ravines cut by Vivian Creek became defining features of the property. By the mid-1990s, however, the layout needed modernization. The Vancouver Park Board turned to Thomas McBroom. His 1998 renovation preserved the fundamental character of the property while reworking the greens complexes, expanding the bunkers, and refining playing corridors to bring the course up to modern standards. The result retained distinct characteristics in the nines and the mature tree cover that McPherson's original routing had grown into.

Today, Fraserview sits on approximately 225 acres in Vancouver's southeast, operating year-round under the Park Board alongside Langara and McCleery. The golf course is blessed with an expansive property that possess highly desirable topographical qualities — holes cascade downhill, others across the hillside, and a few traversing uphill — yet never feeling like an impossible hike or daunting in playing characteristic despite the elevation changes. Most holes are defined by tall groves of Douglas fir and Western Red cedars, as such the city largely disappears once you're on the course creating a tranquil environment for players — with only a handful of glimpses outside the towering stands of trees to be found throughout the round. With the topography lending a hand to the more adventurous side of golf, each hole presents different challenges, often allowing players to choose their own path from tee to green, playing high in the air or along the ground. The golf is not only impressive, but it is affordable too — a leading indicator why the course is always jam packed. In a city where private club memberships are increasingly out of reach, Fraserview provides the common golfer with a tremendous public access experience. It is a testament to the idea that public golf in the heart of the city can just as good as private club offerings by deeply respecting the ground it occupies.

Featured Holes and Course Details

Third hole, par 3, 197 yards: The front nine's standout one-shotter plays downhill from an elevated tee to a bunkerless green. As such there are few visible hazards players must avoid beyond being swallowed up by the looming scrub behind the green itself. Players experience the sudden rush that comes from the nature of golf like this. The green itself is quite interesting with several small intricate contours that divide the green into numerous small sections, slightly tilted from right to left and back to front.

Fifth hole, par 4, 380 yards: Playing across the hillside, the par 4 fifth is another standout on the adventurous front nine. Off the tee, the fairway rests cambered strongly from left to right, although with no visible hazards one enthusiastic swing of the club is allowed. Yet, the approach is clearly demanding and players must be positioned well in order to navigate this heavily contoured green, surrounded by hummocks and hollows that swallow up and spit out wayward shots. There are no bunkers on this hole, only the topsy turvy contours of the land that may befuddle the golfer.

Another standout green appears at the sixth - which is bisected by a central ridgeline, creating two distinct halves to this putting surface. The strong tilt in the right portion only becomes evident once players approach the green. The fifth and sixth traverse the hillside wonderfully and are two of the standout holes on the property. Improved mow lines, particularly leading into and around these green’s would further accentuate these rambunctious landforms.

Seventh hole, par 3, 211 yards: If the third was not your flavour, perhaps the seventh might be. As the course's most demanding par three, it asks the player to hit a long iron across a shallow ravine to a well-bunkered green which rests with a high sprung face and deep cavity, leaving a delicate recovery.

Eighth hole, par 4, 317 yards: Naturally all of the elevation change that occurred on the front nine, sending golfers criss-crossing down the hillside, leads to the necessity for one to venture back uphill. Smartly, McPherson built a short drive and pitch par 4 for the steepest part of the journey. While the modern age may allow for some players to wail away towards the green, most are forced to contend with the bunkers on the inside of the hole and the tilt of the fairway off the tee. The green is perched high above, leaving golfers with a blind approach, and has a sharp false front which rejects shots hit towards the front edge.

11th hole, par 4, 422 yards: Most of the great features at Fraserview revolve particularly in an around the green sites themselves. Like at the 11th which is a downhill par 4 where the green rests at the bottom of the hill. There is a small knoll in the front portion of the green that kicks shots in different directions, including back off the front edge. Pins tucked in the lower left bowl are particularly tricky to navigate as one must play directly into and over the knoll to reach this area. Like most greens, long is difficult, as this green tilts from back to front.

14th hole, par 4, 426 yards: The three bunkerless holes at Fraserview are quite remarkable — allowing the land to do all the talking. While the fifth and 11th holes are downhill holes, the 14th contrasts that design with a long, uphill par 4. Its total yardage plays over well 440 yards from the back tee, and is not only a length that makes it difficult — with the bulging contours of the land making an even stance difficult to find. While the corridor is framed by the tall stands of trees and is amply wide, there may be no tougher tee shot than that of the straight ball with which there are few framing obstacles. This particular green site is excellent with a few rambunctious contours found internally. The front sits open to running shots, but the tilt of the land can send those shots careening to the back left, with long downhill puts towards the front of the green difficult.

18th hole, par 5, 520 yards: Most players would recognize the 18th as the signature hole at Fraserview. It's a nice closer that heads back towards the clubhouse, with Vivian Creek crossing through the hole around the 90 yard marker. The green cannot be reached without a lengthy carry over the hazard through the narrow gap in the trees, forcing players to lay up on this three shot hole. The green site is situated in an amphitheatre like setting with heavy tilt from back to front. It’s a fun and adventurous finish to a round that is both enjoyable for all types of players, while still remaining challenging and fair.

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