Cairns Golf Club

Cairns Golf Club was formed after three meetings held at the Pa cific Hotel in 1923. Annual Subs were set at $4 (two guineas) for Members and $2 (one guinea) for Associates. A round of nine holes would cost sixpence for both male and female members.
The first course was established in a paddock owned by a Mr Dean at Edge Hill where a nine-hole course was laid out. The area etablished was where the Edge Hill State School now stands. On the 26th January 1924 (Foundation Day) the course was opened for play.

In 1924 the club explored the possibility of relocating the course to either a site at Freshwater or one at Burpu on the southern boundary of Cairns. The opening of the nine-hole course at Burpu was set down for 26th January 1926, a significant date for the club as it was exactly two years to the day after the course at Edge Hill had opened.

Cairns Golf Club was instrumental in the formation of the Far North Queensland Golf Association when in May 1927 it called a meeting to all clubs in the area to amalgamate.

During World War Two the course was used to billet Australian and United States military personnel.

It was extended to 18 holes in 1949. Major improvement works took place over the latter part of the 20th century and during the current Millennium to bring the course to the highly-regarded layout you find today.

The original clubhouse was built in 1926 and underwent several renovations and improvements before it was burnt to the ground by fire on Christmas night in 1970.

At the time of the fire a new clubhouse (the present one) was under construction and this building was officially opened in the latter half of 1971.

In 1934 it took seven days to mow nine fairways once and cut nine greens twice. Thankfully, times have changed, with new machinery and thanks to our dedicated greens staff you will find a course immaculately prepared each and every day!

This information was researched by one of our life members,
Keith Wilkinson.