The History of Golf in the Gallatin Valley
as Seen Through the Eyes of Jeanne Roby
By Nina Sims
Golf in the Gallatin Valley traces its roots back to 1922, when the original Bozeman Country Club established a modest nine-hole course with sand greens just east of the cemetery near present-day Lindley Park. A simple log clubhouse anchored the course—remarkably, that structure still stands today as a quiet reminder of the valley’s earliest days in golf.
By the early 1930s, the game was gaining momentum. On June 26, 1931, seventeen Bozeman businessmen gathered to formally establish what would become Valley View Golf Club. At the time, the club consisted of 91 members, 71 of whom contributed a total of $1,065 in cash to get the project underway. The group secured 73 acres along Sour Dough Creek from R.E. Brown for $1,800—paying $400 down and financing the remainder over five years at 6% interest.
Early plans called for a nine-hole course, with greens estimated to cost just $280. Much of the construction was done by the members themselves, reflecting the hands-on, community-driven spirit that would define the club for decades. Originally referred to as the Bozeman Country Club, the Board of Directors ultimately selected the name Valley View Golf Club. Membership was capped at 125 adults, with new members paying a $30 subscription fee and annual dues set at $15 for the first season, rising to $20 in 1933. By 1940, the club had grown to 97 fully paid members.
The early Valley View course, located along Sourdough Ridge in what is now known as the Nob Hill area, was a rugged and simple layout. Golfers carried their clubs up steep terrain, and sand greens required players to smooth their putting lines with scrapers before each stroke.
World War II brought challenges to golf in the valley, as gasoline rationing and military service reduced participation. During this time, the Elks Club assumed operations of the Lindley Park course. By the 1950s, however, restrictions on charitable gambling led to the closure of both early courses. While discussions of merging operations took place, the result was instead the formation of two new clubs—laying the groundwork for today’s Valley View Golf Club and Riverside Country Club.
A major turning point for Valley View came on January 15, 1959, when the club traded its original Sourdough Ridge property for bottomland along Kagy Boulevard owned by Eugene Graf of BonTon Mills. This move set the stage for modern development. The new Valley View began as a nine-hole course with a driving range and a modest trailer clubhouse. True to its roots, members again contributed significant labor to build a permanent clubhouse.
Construction of a new clubhouse began in November 1961 and was completed in time for an opening dinner in May 1962. Over time, the club continued to reinvest in its facilities, eventually expanding to 18 holes and developing into the par-70 course that stretches just over 6,200 yards today. A new clubhouse, built in 1982, remains the heart of the club and a central gathering place for members.
At the same time Valley View was evolving, another group of local golfers established the Gallatin Valley Golf Association, which would become Riverside Country Club. Built along the East Gallatin River, Riverside opened its first nine holes with grass greens in 1960–61, quickly growing to approximately 200 charter members. Like Valley View, its early years required hands-on effort—members even removed rocks from fairways by hand before rounds.
Riverside expanded significantly in the 1970s, adding a back nine, pool, and additional amenities, and underwent major renovations in the early 2000s, culminating in a new clubhouse and reimagined course layout in 2007. Today, it stands as an 18-hole, par-71 course measuring nearly 6,800 yards.
Public golf also emerged as an important part of the valley’s landscape. Cottonwood Hills Golf Course opened in 1984, followed by Headwaters Golf Course in Three Forks and Bridger Creek Golf Course in the mid-1990s. Each brought new accessibility and variety to local golfers. The most recent addition, Black Bull Golf Club, opened in 2008 as a private championship course on Bozeman’s west side.
From hand-built greens and sand fairways to modern championship layouts, the story of golf in the Gallatin Valley is one of perseverance, community, and steady growth.