I had always known of its presence. After all, it is difficult to hide an eighteen-hole golf course.
It is just that I had, for some reason, ignored its existence, or rather, had forgotten about the course and dining experience at Westward Ho! Public House & Grill Room – the restaurant located at the University Golf Club (UGC).
The club has existed since 1929 and is frequently voted as one of the favourite public golf courses in Vancouver. In addition to offering all the standard golfing facilities (18-hole course, training lessons, golf shop, putting green, tournaments), the clubhouse also has facilities to host events such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions in a spacious venue overlooking the course.
And the clubhouse is also home to Westward Ho! Public House & Grill Room, which the golf club describes as its “best kept secret.”
Although many believe the golf club – located within the University Endowment lands – is affiliated with the university, it is not. The original name of the golf course was ‘Westward Ho!’ In 1985 when the original course went through a substantial redesign and upgrade, it took the name of the University Golf Club. Then in 1998, when the clubhouse renovated its food and beverage operations, Westward Ho! became the name of the restaurant.
A few months ago, I arranged to meet a couple of friends for lunch, and they suggested Westward Ho! It had been over five years since I had eaten at the venue and recalled little of my original experience. Upon arrival at lunchtime on a Friday I was amazed how easy it was to find parking, and to then immediately learn no payment was expected. Where else in the University Endowment Lands, or UBC for that matter, is free parking available? Indeed, where else in Vancouver is this possible? It was like being transported back to the 1980s.
I walked towards the clubhouse and restaurant as complete strangers smiled and said hello. Maybe I had gone through a time warp.
Westward Ho! is a large, spacious restaurant comprising a bar with seating, well-spaced tables and chairs, and an outdoor covered patio area with lovely views of the greens – very much a casual dining ambiance.
On the Friday of my visit, the clientele all appeared to be older, retired people. The majority, it seemed, were women. I found it difficult to believe they had just completed 18 holes of golf. In contrast the staff were not of this vintage. Our servers were young and attentive, with genuine welcoming smiles and what seemed to be a sincere desire to accommodate our dining preferences and overall experience.
What really surprised me was not only the convenience of the location, but how well priced the comprehensive food and drink menus were. Golf clubs generally have the reputation of being somewhat elitist, unwelcoming and a little snobby towards those who are not regular visitors or golfers. This was not the case at Westward Ho!
The tab for three light lunches including a tip was under $70. There’s also a kid’s menu for $14.00 (fish and chips, burger or chicken strips, including a drink and desert), and the restaurant was promoting a weekend roast with roast beef, potatoes, fresh vegetables and Yorkshire pudding for $29.95.
The restaurant is open seven days a week from 9.00 a.m. until 8.00 p.m., with a happy hour from 2-5:00 p.m. Brunch is served on the weekends. Reservations are accepted, but not for the patio.
University Golf Club describes Westward Ho! as “Miles from Ordinary” which I saw as a more than adequate description. Following my recent visit, I was left wondering why I had driven past on so many occasions and not called in. I regularly hike the trails of Pacific Spirit Park, pathways which run adjacent to the course itself, but have never considered breaking my walks with a stop.
It’s another benefit of living at UBC and certainly, miles from ordinary.
JAYNE SEAGRAVE IS A B.C. RESIDENT AND BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF “CAMPING BRITISH COLUMBIA, THE ROCKIES AND THE YUKON”. SHE WRITES FICTION AND NON-FICTION, AND OCCASIONALLY TEACHES WRITING AND PUBLISHING COURSES.