Golf enthusiasts organized in March 1950, and land was purchased from the National Research Council for a nine-hole course on land, which had been partially cleared by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's grandfather, who once lived in the area.  Members contributed $6,000 and many hours of volunteer labour.  In July 1952, it was opened for play.  The course was laid out by Howard Watson, an international golf course architect.

This was the humble beginning of the Deep River Golf Club, located beside Highway 17, as you enter the Town of Deep River, Ontario in the scenic Upper Ottawa Valley.  World-renowned golf course architect Stanley Thompson designed the nine-hole course and Howard Watson assisted in the design and also supervised construction.

When you see the Deep River Golf Club, it is hard to imagine what little resources were actually used in its creation.  Minutes from a golf committee meeting held at the town office on Sunday, December 2, 1951 attended by E. J. Markus (Chairman), F. J. Hammond, D. Watson, R. W. Ashley, J. C. Horsman and R. E. Bell (Secretary) reveals the surprising number.  Estimates by Stanley Thompson put the projected cost at almost $70,000, while the committee was able to revise that to just over $50,000.  Five decades later, $50,000 for a Stanley Thompson designed golf course looks like a bargain.

When established, the Deep River Golf Club simply extended the facilities for a town well known for having residents enamoured with sporting pursuits.  A vibrant community with a wealth of natural beauty, the town sits strategically located mid-way between resource-rice northern Ontario and the population centres of Ottawa and Montreal.  The district has long been identified as one of North America's leading centres for research and development in the application of nuclear technology at Chalk River.  Deep River is known internationally as the research home of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) and related high technology businesses.  The golf course property was actually purchased from AECL in 2000, ending a lease agreement that began in 1952.

Initial development of the Deep River Golf Club was a staggered process.  While it was being constructed, course members actually utilized the Pembroke Golf Club as their home course.  Play on their new course began in 1953, with the current third hole acting as the starting hole and holes #8 and #9 being played twice to make up the nine hole round.  The full nine holes opened for play in 1954 and the basic design continues to this day.

Tom Lornie was the head professional and manager, who has been with the club for more than 25 years.  Chris Learmonth is now the head professional and manger since 2008.  "The 300 members and green fee players never get tired of the course, with its distinct looks and challenges from numerous tees on front and back nines", is his evaluation of the course.  A tour of the course reveals fairways lined by full growth trees, water on three holes and elevation changes, all of which affect your club selections.

While the Deep River golf course gives you the appearance of innocence with a limited amount of trouble, numerous visible and hidden bunkers as well as trees are waiting to grab errant shots.  “Nobody beats it up”, according to Tom Lornie.  The well-kept greens are a Poa- Annua/ Bent grass mixture that putt well but slope generally upwards from fount to back, adding to the challenge of play.

Sitting not far from the Ottawa River, the course has a sand base throughout its property and even after torrential rains can be played in a short time.  A recent and welcome addition was the full course watering system, with water being pumped directly from the Ottawa River.

Deep River Golf Club is home to a very active group of members who justifiable have great pride in their nine-hole course.  It is fairly common occurrence to see them helping out with on-course work projects with a mind to reducing costs to the clubs and giving back to the place they enjoy so much.  A resent tree planting drive by the membership has added further definition and shaping to numerous holes.  Apart from club events, members are also quite competitive in the Upper Valley and Ottawa Golf Association events.  The club runs a very active junior program, with upwards of 60 juniors participating each year.  The 2005 Canadian PGA Champion and National Tour player, Jon Mills, spent part of his youth playing the Deep River golf course and he represents just one of the fine players who have at one time called the club their home.

Off the course, the clubhouse at the Deep River Golf Club provides a very inviting social setting.  The club has leased out the kitchen operations to chef Kelly Yates and with the clubhouse open to the public, people come from far and wide to sample the high quality menu items featured in the Fabulous Fairways Restaurant.  The menu features food items that are not common to most golf clubs.  Menu items include quesadilla’s, bruschetta, spicy Thai chicken, chicken fajita salads, buffalo chicken sandwedges, chicken parmigiana, pan-fried pickerel, pasta primavera, and fish and ships.  At peak hours of operation, customers are warned to be patient as chef Kelly’s creations are homemade.