While it’s been a very wet summer for golfers, there is a club in Edmonton that has plenty to offer no matter what the weather has going on. It is a place where members can bring the whole family, where there is plenty of parking and a variety of activities for everyone while having all the luxury and member care you expect from a private facility. It’s the Derrick Golf and Winter Club – a year-round family favourite destination since 1959.

“The Derrick Golf and Winter Club was opened by a group of oilmen who wanted a multipurpose facility,” explains general manager Jim Hope. “When the club opened it had tennis, curling, golf, badminton and an outdoor swimming pool. Edmonton had other golf clubs, but none with any other family activities.”
It turned out that the club was exactly what Edmonton needed and wanted. The Derrick Club was incorporated in 1957 and between 1957 and April of 1958, 100 shares were sold. By June of 1959, that number rose to 1,000 shares. The club also quickly became a favourite destination for hosting sporting galas like the Telus Edmonton Open along with a variety of private functions including weddings, celebrations of life, birthdays and corporate events.

“We are very proud of how current and relevant we are and with the services we provide to our families,” says Hope. This relevancy is maintained with constant evolution. In March 2000 the grand opening of indoor aquatics, fitness and the administration expansion took place. In 2014 the new golf course, redesigned by Jeff Mingay, was unveiled along with the new badminton courts, the multipurpose gymnasium and the lounge facilities expansion. In 2017 the locker rooms were expanded. The club staff are dedicated to providing some of the finest facilities in Canada as well as excellent services to all club members.

The Derrick Golf and Winter Club has many long-term members and is constantly attracting new ones. “There is a balance to maintain between traditions and the wants of our newer members in terms of what the facility offers in technology, features, and activities. We achieve this balance by listening to our members’ needs, communicating, and being innovative. All our members understand and embrace this,” says Hope.
A great deal of the club’s success is owed to the fact that it really is welcoming to all.

“Private clubs have a reputation for being stuffy and closed,” admits Hope, “people are really surprised how casual and relaxed it is here. We are very open and friendly to everyone who walks through our doors. We are the only family-oriented private club in Edmonton that offers an 18-hole championship golf course, a social environment, and comprehensive athletics that every member of the family can enjoy. The staff truly care about being your partner and helping you succeed with your golf game, your fitness goals, or by helping you host a memorable event.”

Today the game of golf is less about corporate executives looking to make deals on the course and more of a family and social activity – and the Derrick is perfectly suited for that.

“We certainly have our share of competitive golfers, but people really enjoy the social aspect of golf and want to have fun, laugh with their friends, and not take all day to do it. We pride ourselves on playing golf here in 3.5 hours,” Hope says.
The club is also pleased to give back to the community by hosting charity-focused golf tournaments, providing meeting and event space at reduced costs for non-profit organizations, and issuing donations to charitable causes.

Whether you are looking to practice your golf game or learn how to golf, wanting to swim and work out in a modern gym, are looking to host an event or belong to a club where your health is the focus, you’ll find all you need – and more – at the Derrick Golf and Winter Club.

Hope concludes, “Time is very precious for families. Spending time at a club – any club, it doesn’t have to be us – will allow families to have quality, active time together. At the Derrick we continue to grow and offer services and facilities that are relevant to our current and future members. We will continue to be good neighbours and supporters of the community.”

Learn more by visiting www.derrickclub.com online,
@derrickclub on Facebook, the_derrick_club on Instagram and @TheDerrickClub on Twitter.