The McCloud Golf Club golf course first opened for play in 1923. It was built by the McCloud River Lumber Company, with the land donated by the Hearst family. The course has expansive view of nearby Mt. Shasta which rises more than 14,000 feet in elevation.
The course was established for the McCloud Lumber Company board of directors who travelled from Minneapolis for regular meetings. The course, built on pasture land, maintained the existing field grass for the fairways and the greens were a lightly oiled sand. Squaw Creek runs throughout the course as does runoff from springs on the property. A pond was built on the edge of the 7th fairway in 2006. These water features add challenges to course play.
In 1935, the course opened to the lumber town’s residents and the greens were converted to grass. A few years later people from surrounding towns were allowed to play.
The course was originally built using teams of horses and highwheelers (carts with large diameter wheels). No irrigation was necessary at first due to surface water which was plentiful. Irrigation of upper level areas were flooded from a ditch on the west side of the course. Tees and greens were watered with hoses and sprinklers at night until 1965. As the course became drier, a fully automated sprinkler system was installed by 1968.
There was great cooperation between the company owned golf course and the people who worked for and played the course until 1993. At that time the McCloud River Lumber Company sold their land holdings and the course was purchased by the members.
The McCloud Golf Course has been extensively upgraded in recent years. The original clubhouse (which still stands) has been replaced. Within the new clubhouse is the pro shop, snack bar area and restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch. and beverages, a driving range, putting green, electric carts and spectacular views of Mt. Shasta.
McCloud Golf Club is a regulation length 9-hole golf course, which has separate tees on the back side to create a fun and challenging 18 hole experience..
