In April 1921, a general committee was formed to find and secure a site for a Yorkton-based golf course. The far west end of Broadway Street, on farmland belonging to the Dr. T. Simpson family, was swiftly chosen. The land’s gently rolling hills and aspen bluffs sat directly adjacent to a wild animal park maintained by Judge J.A.M. Patrick, whose wandering elk and deer inspired the course’s name – Deer Park.
The official course opening was held on May 24, 1921. The speed at which the course had been developed meant that not everything was perfectly in place for its debut. Only nine holes out of the proposed 18 had been designed and laid out, neither a clubhouse nor a pro shop had been built (although a granary was later moved and used as a pro shop space), and signs had to remind patrons that horses and cars were not permitted to sit on the fairways. Nonetheless, Deer Park proved instantly popular with Yorkton’s public. By the course’s second season, a women’s club had formed in addition to the men’s club.
In the early 1940s, the completion of a back nine actualized Deer Park as an 18-hole sand green course, and a purpose-built clubhouse increased both the status of the course and the regional interest in golf as leisure.
With an interest to both maintain and upgrade the course, the City of Yorkton purchased Deer Park from the daughter of the late Dr. T. Simpson in 1961. That decade saw much change for the course, including the erection of a new clubhouse, the cut-through of Highway 10, and the installation of grass greens. In August 1967, a grand re-opening of the course coincided with Canada’s centennial celebrations.
Innovations and improvements to Deer Park have continued to the present day, and have included the installation of pipeline irrigation, an overhaul of the front nine holes, and interior and exterior clubhouse renovations. The dedication of Deer Park’s member clubs and patrons has resulted in its consistent ranking as one of the top municipal courses in Canada.
