BIRTH OF THE CLUB – THE FOUNDERS

During the summer of 1959, Marcel Muylaert, a farmer, was planning to build a Golf Course on his farm located on the Boucherville Islands. He associated himself with architect Normand C. Gagnon. Both founders then decided to buy a property located in the rang du Pays Brûlé, (today called de Mortagne Boulevard) in the Sainte-Famille de Boucherville parish. Normand C. Gagnon "researched" the architecture and infrastructures of a golf course. He designed the golf course and prepared drawings and specifications for the clubhouse.

 

Beginning the Work

Right after the snowmelt in the spring of 1960, Marcel Muylaert started the landscaping work on the golf course and Duvert Construction, a company belonging to Normand C. Gagnon started building the Clubhouse.

 

Letters Patent

The letters patent were issued on May 2nd, 1960 and registered on May 25th, 1960. They incorporated Marcel Muylaert, farmer, Normand C. Gagnon, architect and Robert Crevier, accountant. The name of the company was "CLUB DE GOLF BOUCHERVILLE INC." – "BOUCHERVILLE GOLF CLUB INC."

 

Hiring the First Professional - Jean-Guy Périard

The Club's secretary hired Jean-Guy Périard as the professional. The latter was the assistant of Damien Gauthier, the professional at the Montréal Municipal Golf Club.

 

Opening of the Golf Course

Some five months after the beginning of the construction work, nine holes were opened as well as a practice green and the Clubhouse. The official opening celebrations took place on August 27th, 1960.

 

Arrangements

By the end of 1960, the Club was faced with serious financial difficulties. The sale of shares did not meet the objectives of the business plan. Creditors wanted their money. Due to the impossibility of getting refinancing, an arrangement was offered to and accepted by the creditors.

 

SECOND START

A new Board of Directors took over and revised the operations of the club. A second "nine holes" were inaugurated on July 29th, 1961. By the end of that same year, the Club had 361 shareholders.

 

Transforming a Rocky Field into a Golf Course

The efforts of the subsequent Boards of Directors were all focused on a single goal: to "transform this rocky field into a golf course". Over the years, different projects to improve irrigation, drainage of the fairways and overhaul the greens and teeing greens, all steadily improved the golf course. Meanwhile renovations of the Clubhouse over the years improved the services provided to the members.

 

New Orientation

In 1983, the Board of Directors, aware of the lack of character of the golf course, asked Graham Cooke, a well known golf architect, to draw up a plan with new elements that would make it possible to embellish certain sections of the golf course and make the game more challenging. Some of the recommendations, which were well received by the shareholders in 1984, were implemented in 1986, as soon as the budgets allowed it.

 

The 25th Anniversary

Many activities were organized to celebrate this anniversary. A highly successful open house was held for all the residents of Boucherville, on July 11th, 1984. Two hundred and fifty people participated in a tournament and then celebrated around a remarkable buffet. Jean-Guy Périard took this opportunity to give a memorable golf clinic.

 

Among the Five Most Beautiful Golf Courses

Our efforts over the years have paid off. The golf course was completely changed as journalist André Turbide of the La Presse newspaper noted in an article dated July 29th, 1986: "Of all the Montreal area private Golf Courses, it is not exaggerated to say that the Boucherville Golf Course is among the first five if not by its design then at the very least by the quality of the grass both on the teeing greens and on the fairways but especially on the greens, known to be among the fastest in the province."(Our translation)

 

A New Clubhouse

In 1994, a majority of the shareholders approved the proposal of the Board of Directors to borrow $1.7 MM to build and fit up a new Clubhouse, much better adapted to the members' needs.

 

RETIREMENT OF JEAN-GUY PÉRIARD

After 40 years of loyal services, the official Professional since the foundation of the Club left us. Jean-Guy Périard was highly appreciated by our members as well as the professionals of the other clubs for his implication and teaching abilities. He left his mark with the professionals by the subtlety of his game and his camaraderie. He was known as an excellent ambassador and a gentleman. On August 4th, 1999, more than 37 of his fellow professionals participated in a Pro-Am tournament held in his honour. A valuable memento was presented to him in recognition of his great loyalty for all these years. We owe him a lot for everything he brought to the Boucherville Golf Club and to our sport.

 

40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING

The organizing committee proposed several activities to commemorate the forty years of the Club's existence. A 'members and guests' tournament comprising two hundred and forty five participants took place on August the 20th, 1999 and everyone was treated to a gargantuan reception.

 

A New Professional

Professional Yves Tremblay from the Drummondville Club was chosen to replace Jean-Guy-Périard. He started working with us right from the opening of the 2000 season and has been with us ever since.

 

Tournaments of the Quebec Golf Professionals Association (APGQ)

Over the years the Boucherville Golf Club has had the privilege of hosting several APGQ tournaments. At the Daito Golf classic held in 2004, this is what the French professional Olivier Edmond had to say about the efforts made over the years to arrive at a high quality golf course: "Any golfer wishing to improve his putting, should make it a point of honour to come and play on this marvelous golf course. It represents a fantastic golfing challenge."

 

The Club's Mission and Vision for the Future

In 1998, the Boucherville Golf Club defined its mission which reads as follows:

"Provide members with excellent services and a remarkable quality golf course at competitive prices respecting everyone's needs."

 

GOLF COURSE

 

In this spirit and because "in a highly competitive environment, our golf club must stand out and remain a leader", in 2006, the Board of Directors recommended a vision to the shareholders, the plan for the future of the club of creating a "groomed garden" type of golf course. The first phase to be completed in four stages will take place from 2006 – 2014. Phase two should start in 2016. The work for the year 2006 was completed as planned and bodes well for the success for the work to come. NMP Golf Construction Inc., of Ste-Madeleine, whose expertise is recognized from as far away as the United States, developed the plans and carried out the work.

 

In 2008, true to its vision, more major improvements were made: drainage, restoration of three greens, teeing greens on three raised layers and enlargement of the parking lot.

In 2009, the members who were very satisfied with the work already done, overwhelmingly supported the Board of Directors to conclude the first phase in two stages (2010 & 2013) instead of the three initially planned (2010, 2012 & 2014).

The 2010 stage was completed as planned and involved the overhaul of two greens and three teeing greens along with the addition of sand traps.

 

Clubhouse

A renovation program spread over several years is also presently being completed on the Clubhouse, built in 1994. Significant improvements have thus been made to address new member needs. In 2008 for instance, an awning was installed over the terrace which in turn was fully refurnished. During the winter of 2011, major work was also done redecorating the bar section including the installation of a new carpet.

 

FIFTY YEARS OF HISTORY

The Boucherville golf Club, founded on August 27th 1960, passed the 50-year mark in 2010. As part of activities marking this anniversary, two major events were held: "A Celebration Day of the 50th Anniversary", an exciting day that left its mark on the people present and was a resounding success. On August 27th, 2010 the actual anniversary date of the founding, we held an "Elders' Day" where we honoured one of the two co-founders as well as some of the builders of our Club. There again, both elder and current members were completely gratified.

 

The publication of the History of the Boucherville Golf Club "As the years go by we only remember important facts inasmuch as they are made public" (Our translation).

A book about the history of the club was published to mark its fiftieth anniversary. Excerpts of the epilogue by author Danielle Normandin, member of the Boucherville Golf Club: "My work objective was to make the book attractive: like a golf bag containing different things, the book includes anecdotes, humour, testimonies and a lot of figures & information. In it, you will find the elements that contributed in making its members proud of the BGC.

 

RJC

April 2011