Peace Arch Monument and Peace Portal Golf Course

The symbol of the golf course is the Peace Arch Monument

When using the Peace Arch Crossing into Washington State, I am reminded of the connection between the Peace Arch Monument and the Peace Portal Golf Course.  The connecting link is Samuel Hill, a Seattle lawyer.  Hill had dreams of creating a famous golf course/resort called Semiahmoo or Half Moon Bay.  The resort never lasted once prohibition ended in the United States, but the golf course has endured.  Samuel Hill is also responsible, along with Victoria’s mayor, Alfred Todd for constructing the Peace Arch Monument in 1921 as a symbol of the lasting peace between the two countries.  There is no coincidence that the symbol of the golf course is the Peace Arch Monument.

Building the golf course

The golf architect was Francis L. James, who built the course almost on the Canadian/United States border.    The course layout has changed little over the years, although the holes have changed numbers.  For example, the present second hole was the original first hole.   The present first hole was the ninth hole, while the present tenth hole was the eighteenth hole.  Construction started in 1927, and the course opened the following year with nine holes.  It would not be until 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression, that the Peace Portal Golf Club was expanded to 18 holes.  Although designed to attract wealthy Americans, Portal, as the locals call it, soon became a popular local course.  Samuel Hill died in 1931, and his vision was carried on by his cousin Edgar Hill and his friend Howard Merrill — the general manager and co-owner until he died in 1960.

In addition to changing the hole numbers, there were other renovations.  In 1947, the Government of Canada expropriated land to build a new Custom and Immigration building, which helps explain why Hole no.11 is so narrow with the B.C. Visitors Bureau on the other side of the fence.  After 50 years, the old clubhouse behind the second tee was replaced in 1979 with the present facilities.  A pond in the 1980s was added between the 8th and 17th holes to stop flooding and assist fish habitat.  Lastly, Portal also has a second golf course, a Par 3 which opened in 1993.

Peace Portal has matured and become a highly respected manicured course.  It is a traditionally designed course that is carved out of old growth forest with a rolling terrain and the Fergus and Campbell rivers meandering across the course.  The fairways are soft, green and lush while the greens are traditional size with some undulation.  Only Hole no.12 green is built on two levels, making putting a real challenge.

At one time, Portal had a four-star rating in Golf Digest Magazine and was listed in the Top 100 public courses in Canada.  Score Magazine in 1989 rated the course in the Top 15 public golf courses in the nation. But now the course relies on its good reputation and not its ranking.

Playing the course

Front nine

The key word for playing Portal is accuracy off the tee.  The first hole is a good opening Par 5 at only 452 yards (from back tees) with an elevated green.  Hole nos. 2, 3, and 6 can be described as tight, and it is necessary to avoid the trees.  Portal is not target golf, but knowing where to place your drive is essential, especially on Holes no. #5 and 6.  Trees can prove to be a hazard on Holes no. 1, 4, 5 and 6.   Hole no. 5, a Par 4 at 461 yards, is one of the hardest holes in the province, being longer than the Par 5 first hole.   A good drive to the left side of the fairway will give you a view of the green around the dogleg corner, but still leaves 230 yards to the green.  The best strategy is to play this hole as a Par 5.  Water only comes into play on Hole no. 8, a short Par 4 at 324 yards, being a good risk/reward hole if long off the tee.

Back nine

The back nine plays easier than does the front nine because there are more birdie attempts.  The tenth hole is a good opening hole with a long uphill shot to the green.   Hole no. 11 is a tight Par 5 at 511 yards.  Hole no. 12 is a difficult Par 3 at 185 yards and anything right is down the hill.  Hole nos. 13 through 16 are good birdie holes. Water comes into play on Hole nos. 13, 14, 16 and 17.   Hole no. 17 at 350 yards frightens everyone.  This is the Signature Hole with water left, right and center plus an elevated green.  My solution is to aim down the middle and pray.

Peace Portal is a classic, mature golf course that has aged gracefully and continues to evolve. The golf course remains a fitting legacy to the memory of Samuel Hill and the many who have followed. Elaine Morrison wrote a history of the course entitled Seventy-five Years: Peace Portal Golf Club, 1928-2003. She said it best: “Peace Portal’s rich character is the result of the historic sense and maturity that only years of meticulous care can deliver.”