Rivermead Golf Club

Overview: Rivermead Golf Club is a private 18-hole club in Gatineau’s Aylmer district, roughly ten minutes from central Ottawa-Gatineau. The course occupies the same parcel of land used by the club for more than a century, on gently rolling ground a short distance from the north shore of the Ottawa River. It is an easily walked layout, listed by Golf Canada at par 72 and 6,715 yards from the back tees. The club also offers a practice facility, guest services and a traditional private-club setting for members, visitors and events.

History: Rivermead was founded in 1910. The club’s first nine holes were ready in 1911 under Charles Murray. After additional land was purchased, George Cumming completed the 18-hole Rivermead routing in 1915. The course was substantially renovated in 1989 by Ken Skodecek and Ken Venturi. More recently, a five-year enhancement programme led by Jeff Mingay was completed in 2023. Those layers make Rivermead less a single-period design than a continuing architectural conversation between early Ottawa Valley golf and modern course stewardship.

Did You Know? The 18-hole routing was completed in 1915 under George Cumming, an important early connection to the wider Stanley Thompson circle of Canadian course design. Rivermead’s later 1989 renovation and 2023 enhancement project show how that historic routing has continued to evolve while staying on its original Gatineau property.