Golf on the Hi-Line: BCGC stands the test of time

Beaver Creek Golf Course. To golfers in Havre, those words are synonymous with the history of golf on the Hi-Line.

In fact, there was a time when BCGC, the famed 9-hole course west of Havre, was truly the lone public course between Shelby to the west, Malta to the east and Fort Benton to the south. Of course, the golf course boom in Montana over the last three-plus decades has changed that, and soon, Havre will have a full 18-hole course at Prairie Farms.

But as it relates to the history of the Hi-Line, BCGC is an institution, especially in the golf world.

Over the years, ownership has changed several times, the Black Butte Country and Supper Club has come and gone, the course has undergone changes like an underground irrigation system, and added the large pond between holes No. 9 and No. 1. Bunkers have been added and bunkers removed, trees have been added and trees knocked down, new tee boxes and cart paths have been added and many more changes have been made over the lengthy life of the grand old course.

But what hasn’t changed and what won’t change as long as BCGC remains a public golf course, is the integrity and uniqueness of the course itself. It’s widely regarded as a much more challenging course than meets the eye, and one that favors, but also penalizes all types of golfers.

In other words, change happens, things come and go, but BCGC and its playability stand the test of time.

The Course

Many readers of this series don’t need much of an explanation about BCGC. Many readers grew up on the course, have looped it thousands of times, and know it as well as caddies know Augusta National.

But for those who don’t, BCGC, a par-36 layout, has a little bit of everything.

Water is the course’s main feature, as well its best defense. Historic and scenic Beaver Creek borders and flows through much of the course. Golfers must cross Beaver Creek on holes No. 1, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 9. The creek is also considered a water hazard along hole No. 6. But that isn’t all the H2O that’s out there. The large pond, which straddles right side of the par-5, ninth hole has really altered shots from what golfers who grew up playing the course until the 1980s were used to. The pond also changed the first hole’s tee shot as well. Now, those holes each have two water hazards to negotiate. There is also a pond which guards much of the No. 7 green, and another that guards the tricky, par-3 eighth hole.

Water, wind and white stakes also give BCGC plenty of defenses and can make the course very punishing at times. Havre is a place where the wind will likely blow from all four directions throughout the summer, and without towering trees to protect, BCGC is very susceptible to breezy days. Add to that, out-of-bounds comes into play on all but two holes, and the course can play very difficult.

And that’s one of the best features. Passersby have always thought BCGC looked flat and benign, but most avid golfers will tell you it’s anything but. BCGC has nine really distinct holes, included the par-3, fourth hole. The course’s signature hole plays from a high, elevated tee down to a beautifully sloped green, guarded by a large bunker, bushes, trees and out-of-bounds on three sides. From the men’s tees, the hole can play anywhere from 160 yards down to a shorter 130, but it also plays very tough, especially on a windy day.

The start and finish at BCGC are also tough. The par-4 first hole makes players cross Beaver Creek, while also trying to stay out of the pond to the right. The hole also plays from an elevated tee set right in front of the historic clubhouse, and the tee box overlooks much of the course, as well as the Bear Paw Mountains. The finish at BCGC is also a rough one. The par-4, seventh hole plays the most difficult on the course, and turns into a par 5 on the back nine. The par-3 eighth hole plays all of 180 yards, and though it’s a relatively straight shot, you must stay out of a pond which is nestled up against the right of the green, as well as a bunker and out-of-bounds left. And finally, the lengthy, par-5, ninth hole is a great finish. The hole can play 550 yards, has a difficult tee shot with a narrow landing spot, has two water hazards to get around and over, and has a final approach to probably the most narrow and undulating green on the course.

And the greens themselves are a distinct feature as well. BCGC is known for its severely sloped greens from front to back. Many greens actually play like false fronts, and depending on pin locations, precision shot=making can either set you up with birdies, or bring bogies and worse into play.

Of course, like any course, BCGC has its scoring holes. A birdie on the par-5, third hole is an opportunity to really get your round going. And No. 4 and No. 5 usually play as two of the easier holes on the course.

So, as mentioned above, the layout, scenery, the history, BCGC has something for everyone and has seemed to stand change, and the test of time.

Mother Nature

BCGC has long sat where it is, and it’s an interesting system in nature. However, nature seems to be changing, and it’s trying to change the course with it.

Over the last four years, Beaver Creek has spilled over its banks with ferocity three times. In each of those flood — in 2010, 2011 and 2013 — much of the course has been inundated with water. Floods have washed away bunkers, caused fairways to change shape and have really taken a toll on the fairways.

BCGC has continued to come back from the floods, but what seems interesting is why it’s flooding so often now. I’ve lived in Havre for most of my life, and spent many springs and summers at BCGC, and I can’t ever remember it flooding to these levels in my past. I know we’ve had bad winters and a lot of rain and spring runoff long before May of 2010, so it seems to me, something in nature has changed, because the course, like so many golf courses around the country, now seems very vulnerable to flooding.

Nevertheless, Beaver Creek Golf Course continues to survive. Many things have changed, some things have stayed the same, but one thing’s for sure, BCGC still stands. It still has golfers looping their way around the grand old track, and it’s still a scenic part of the Hi-Line.