McCleery Golf Course Vancouver, British Columbia
McCleery Golf Course is a par-71 public course in Vancouver, British Columbia, playing 6,380 yards from the TEE 1 tees with a rating of 70.6 and slope of 127. It is the flattest of Vancouver's three municipals and comfortably the tightest.
The Course
Fitzgerald and Samuel McCleery, Irish brothers, farmed this land from 1862 and sold produce, milk and butter across the river to New Westminster. The city bought what was left of it in 1954 on one condition: that it stay a park or a golf course in perpetuity. That covenant is the reason there is still golf here.
A.V. Macan drew the course and it opened on 3 July 1959, built for $625,000 and paid for out of the sale of the Marine Drive land next door. Macan had already laid out Marine Drive in 1922, on the other half of the same farm. The Parks Board planted 1,700 deciduous trees and more than 600 evergreens into what had been open field. Those trees are the golf course now.
It opened with three consecutive par 5s of 485, 490 and 495 yards. The card reads par 71 today, so the routing has been reworked since, but the character has not: flat, low, beside the river, and narrow. The dyke is built into the round rather than fenced off from it.
Across the holes we have mapped, the fairway measures a median 25 yards wide where a tee shot lands, and pinches to 20 at its narrowest. Six of the 15 holes bend more than 18 yards off the straight line. The map carries 60 bunkers. Water crosses the line of play on the 4th, 7th, 12th and 13th.
A median 25 yards of landing area is the kind of number that settles a round before you swing. Yards works the tee shot on every hole here for your handicap and your own carry distances, then names the target that loses fewest strokes. Holes 1 and 2 are open to anyone, which here means a 493-yard par 5 and a 331-yard par 4.
Worth knowing before you go
- The 1954 purchase protects the land as park or golf course in perpetuity, which is why McCleery has sat out the periodic debates about converting the city's courses.
- Macan also laid out Stanley Park Pitch and Putt in 1932 and the Queen Elizabeth par 3. A Vancouver golfer has probably played more of his work than they realise.
- Flat ground beside the Fraser. The easiest of the three municipals to walk.
- Certified an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, as are Langara and Fraserview.
Sources: McCleery Golf Course celebrates 60th Anniversary, BC Golf House, McCleery Golf Course, City of Vancouver, McCleery Golf Course, Where2Golf
Course Overview
| Type | Public |
| Holes / Par | 18 holes, par 71 (5 par 3s, 9 par 4s, 4 par 5s) |
| Length | 6,380 yards |
| Rating / Slope | 70.6 / 127 |
| Tee Options | 6 |
| Location | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Coordinates | 49.2202, -123.1679 |
Tee Options & Ratings
| Tee | Yards | Metres | Par | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tee 1 | 6,380 | 5,834 | 71 | 70.6 | 127 |
| Tee 1/Tee 2 | 6,035 | 5,518 | 71 | 68.7 | 123 |
| Tee 2 | 5,782 | 5,287 | 71 | 67.9 | 120 |
| Tee 2/Tee 3 | 5,360 | 4,901 | 71 | 65.7 | 115 |
| Tee 3 | 4,965 | 4,540 | 70 | 63.8 | 108 |
| Tee 4 | 4,479 | 4,096 | 67 | 61.5 | 106 |
Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tee 1 70.6/127 | 493 | 331 | 209 | 407 | 182 | 402 | 151 | 350 | 476 | 3001 | 428 | 529 | 363 | 202 | 524 | 383 | 182 | 397 | 371 | 3379 | 6380 |
| Tee 1/Tee 2 68.7/123 | 493 | 331 | 182 | 349 | 147 | 402 | 151 | 350 | 476 | 2881 | 428 | 529 | 363 | 152 | 468 | 354 | 153 | 397 | 310 | 3154 | 6035 |
| Tee 2 67.9/120 | 476 | 306 | 182 | 349 | 147 | 364 | 131 | 322 | 453 | 2730 | 400 | 512 | 340 | 152 | 468 | 354 | 153 | 363 | 310 | 3052 | 5782 |
| Tee 2/Tee 3 65.7/115 | 437 | 306 | 117 | 312 | 129 | 364 | 131 | 283 | 453 | 2532 | 390 | 404 | 340 | 152 | 390 | 326 | 153 | 363 | 310 | 2828 | 5360 |
| Tee 3 63.8/108 | 437 | 265 | 117 | 312 | 129 | 276 | 103 | 283 | 397 | 2319 | 390 | 404 | 296 | 120 | 390 | 326 | 128 | 324 | 268 | 2646 | 4965 |
| Tee 4 61.5/106 | 369 | 265 | 117 | 278 | 129 | 255 | 103 | 236 | 364 | 2116 | 330 | 362 | 249 | 103 | 404 | 255 | 128 | 264 | 268 | 2363 | 4479 |
| Par | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 35 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 71 |
| Hdcp |
Which Tees Should You Play?
Handicap 0-10: Tee 1 (6,380 yards, 70.6/127)
Course rating 0.4 below par.
Handicap 10-20: Tee 2/Tee 3 (5,360 yards, 65.7/115)
1,020 yards shorter than the back tees. Course rating 5.3 below par.
Handicap 20+: Tee 4 (4,479 yards, 61.5/106)
1,901 yards shorter than the back tees. Course rating 9.5 below par.
Hole by Hole, From the Map
The hole bends left about 183 yards out, and the fairway is 21 yards wide at 200 yards. There is water down the left, 46 yards off the line. Three bunkers ring the green.
The hole bends left about 224 yards out, and the fairway is 32 yards wide at 230 yards. Water crosses right in front of the green. One greenside bunker, and 38 yards of green to work with.
The fairway is 21 yards wide at 230 yards. There is water down the right, 27 yards off the line. Two greenside bunkers, and 33 yards of green to work with.
The hole bends right about 257 yards out, and the fairway is 25 yards wide at 230 yards. Water crosses the line 211 yards from the back tee. One greenside bunker, and 38 yards of green to work with.
The hole bends right about 171 yards out. There is water down the right, 50 yards off the line. One greenside bunker, and 35 yards of green to work with.
A bunker sits 231 out on the left. Three bunkers ring the green.
Nearby Courses
Frequently Asked Questions
What is McCleery Golf Course known for?
McCleery is known for sitting on the 1862 McCleery family farm, protected as park or golf course in perpetuity by the terms of the city's 1954 purchase. A.V. Macan designed it and it opened on 3 July 1959. It is the flattest and narrowest of Vancouver's three municipal courses, with water crossing the line of play on four holes.
What is the slope and rating of McCleery Golf Course?
McCleery Golf Course has a course rating of 70.6 and slope of 127 from the back tees. From the TEE 4 tees, the rating is 61.5 with a slope of 106.
How long is McCleery Golf Course?
From the back tees, McCleery Golf Course plays 6,380 yards. The course is par 71 with 18 holes (5 par 3s, 9 par 4s, 4 par 5s).
What tees should I play at McCleery Golf Course?
For handicaps 0-10, play the Tee 1 tees (6,380 yards). Handicaps 20+ should consider the Tee 4 tees (4,479 yards).
Is McCleery Golf Course public or private?
McCleery Golf Course is a public golf course in Vancouver, British Columbia. Tee times are available to the public.
What courses are near McCleery Golf Course?
Nearby courses include Marine Drive Golf Club (Vancouver), Point Grey Golf & Country Club, Musqueam Golf & Learning Academy (Vancouver), Shaughnessy Golf Course (Vancouver).
Is there a yardage book for McCleery Golf Course?
Yes. Yards Golf Book offers a personalized digital yardage book for McCleery Golf Course with hole-by-hole maps, shot dispersion analysis, strokes gained heatmaps, and club recommendations tailored to your handicap and distances. You can view it online or download a printable PDF.
How do you play McCleery Golf Course?
The Yards strategy engine simulates every hole at McCleery Golf Course for your handicap and your clubs: shot dispersion off each tee, strokes gained heatmaps for every target, and the club that loses the fewest strokes. Holes 1 and 2 are free to explore, so you can see the optimal way to play the opening stretch before you commit.
Does McCleery Golf Course have strokes gained data?
Yes. Yards Golf Book runs more than 20,000 simulated shots on every hole, factoring in your handicap, club distances, shot shape, and the actual hazard layout. The model recommends the best club and target for each shot.
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