History

Hillsdale Golf Club began with a group of dedicated men who shared a dream and had the determination needed to make their vision a reality.

Since then, Hillsdale has grown into a multi-cultural club with a rich history of traditions, memorable moments, and great golf.

These different events are a part of our history and define who we are today. The golf industry and its trends are constantly evolving, and our team and our members do their best to adapt and respond to the trends of today’s golfers and their families.

Here you will discover the highlights of the Club since its foundation in 1953.

June 4^th 1953

A group of 26 young men met and decided that a new private Jewish club should be established as soon as possible, due to the growing demand and lack of supply of private golf clubs open.
June 13^th 1953

Obtained provincial & federal construction permits
August 13^th 1953
Hillsdale has already received over 300 applications for membership, even before deciding where the club would be located.
August 25^th 1953
Purchase of the 600 acres in Mirabel (formerly Sainte-Thérèse) for the site. Sainte-Thérèse was chosen over Oka or Dorion at that time because of the rumour of a mega-highway being constructed in the Laurentians.
September 20^th 1953
Breaking ground ceremony near what is now hole #12 of the Laurentien course.
September 6^th 1954

The first round of golf is played at Hillsdale, just 14 months after the founders first meeting. Hillsdale had 300 members at that time, in addition to women and children. In those days, golf was almost exclusively a man’s sport, so Hillsdale is proud to say that we have been family oriented from the very beginning.
September 13^th 1954
The Board of Directors follows through on its initial commitment to ensuring that everyone has access to the game of golf and 15 single women are accepted as playing members.
June 19^th 1955

Official opening of the Laurentien course and the Clubhouse, which at the time measures 12,000 square feet.
June 8^th 1958

Hillsdale is full, with 500 senior members. The club needed more space. Plans for a new course were created and work began.
June 20^th 1959

Hillsdale now has 27 holes. These nine new holes, originally called the “Blue Nine”, are the foundation of the course we know today as Woodside. It offered golfers a whole new challenge with its narrow, curved fairways as well as being built directly into the woods.
Summer 1959
The Clubhouse was expanded by an additional 16,000 square feet and the pool was built. It is now easier for members to get to the Club since the construction of the Laurentian Autoroute is completed.
July 1969

Construction of the final nine holes of the course is complete, but Hillsdale is threatened to be expropriated by the federal government for construction of an international airport in the area.
1974
The Governments finally drops its expropriation plan and Hillsdale can return to normal.
Summer 1974

The Hillsdale Ladies’ Section hosts the Québec Amateur Golf Association Championship.
Summer 1977
Hillsdale hosts the prestigious Canadian Ladies Amateur Championship.
August 1978

Hillsdale celebrated its 25^th anniversary!
1986
Major investments are made, including the construction of a huge paved parking lot and the iron gate that still stands at the entrance of the club today.
1990
Installation of a computerized irrigation system on Laurentien.
1993
The Club’s 40th anniversary ceremony, where couples who have been married for more than 40 years also renewed their wedding vows. The Grill Room was also renovated, removing the section that was exclusively for men.
1994
An underground drainage system is installed on the 18th hole and part of the 9th hole of Laurentien. This began the irrigation plan for all 36 holes.
1995
Beginning of our cooperation with the Audubon Society, which advocated ecological land management and natural resource conservation. The club returns non-game areas to their natural states, reduces its use of pesticides and provides a more welcoming living space for wild life.
1997

Hillsdale becomes the first golf club in Québec, and the 6th club in Canada, to be certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. This includes the use of local trees and in turn, reduced application of chemical agents, and increased bird and bat populations to reduce mosquitoes and flies.
1998
Hillsdale hosts the prestigious Canadian Amateur Championship, joining the ranks of the highest rated clubs in the country.
2000-2001

The pavilion is almost completely renovated and restructured. Major improvements are made to the dining room, lounge, and upstairs terrace. Upgrades are also made to the courses, including the installation of a state-of-the-art irrigation system on the Woodside course.
August 21^th 2011

Host club for the 2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open