The origins of Rossmere Country Club begin in 1950 when a committee was struck to consider building a golf course in East Kildonan. A nine hole course was laid out by Glendale golf professional Danny Stack. The course opened for play in 1952 aided by the purchase of seven greens from the Polo Park Golf Course. A new clubhouse was opened in 1957.
The current 18 hole golf course was designed by Norman H. Woods in 1958. Mr. Woods graduated from what was then the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph and worked with Stanley Thompson (arguably Canada’s greatest golf course architect) for approximately 20 years. After Stanley Thomson died, Norman Woods established his own business based in British Columbia and designed an estimated 200 golf courses, primarily in Western Canada and the U.S. northwest. In addition to Rossmere, Mr. Woods designed Falcon Lake Golf Course and the “west” nine of St. Charles Country Club in Manitoba as well as other tracks such as Glendale Golf and Country Club (Edmonton), Willow Park Golf and Country Club (Calgary) and Penticton Golf and Country Club. Mr. Woods died in 1987. Recent design work on the curse has been done by local architect David Grant.
A number of provincial golf championships have been contested at Rossmere over the years as well as national events. Rossmere has hosted two very successful Manitoba Opens (now known as the Free Press Classic). In 1971, John Elliott, Jr. (who is now a famous golf instructor) beat the legendary Moe Norman in an epic 7 hole playoff after they finished play with a three-day total of 210. Dan Halldorson won in 1983 with a 208.
In 1981, Rossmere hosted a national event for the first time, the Canadian Junior Women’s Golf Championship. Rossmere again hosted a national championship in 1985; the Canadian Junior Men’s which was won by Southwood’s Todd Fanning. Rossmere’s Ken Tresoor, Jr. placed 3rd with a 69 on the last day, the low round of the day. Manitoba also won the inter-provincial team event with two Rossmere golfers, Ken Tresoor, Jr. and Dave McMillan, joining Todd Fanning and Glenn Collins.
The Royal Canadian Golf Association looked to Rossmere in 1993 to host the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship however torrential rains necessitated moving the golf to Elmhurst Golf and Country Club. Gerry Morrissey was the head golf professional from 1957 until 1991 at which time Craig Yahiro took over. The quality of Rossmere’s golf course has attracted and developed some of Manitoba’s finest golfers over the past fifty years.