Club History

In the late 1890s, Glenview; was a six-hole private course built by Jacob (Jake) Englehart, one of Imperial Oil's first vice-presidents.  It was a hangout for oil barons and the rich and famous from all over the world.

Jake Englehart was the owner of one of three Oil Refineries operating in Petrolia at that time.  The three refineries later merged forming a new company called The Imperial Oil Company Limited.  At the time, Petrolia supplied 90 percent of Canada's oil.

In 1891, Jake and his new wife, Charlotte Eleanor, honeymooned in St. Anne's, Scotland and fell in love with Scottish courses.  Englehart vowed he would build a course when he got home.  The course is believed to have been opened in 1895, and was called Glenview.  Englehart's original course of six holes was constructed on 18 acres of Bear Creek flats.  Back then, the first tee was almost right outside the front door of the mansion, next to Bear Creek.  It was a par-22 course measuring about 1,330 yards.  The holes remained virtually unchanged for 100 years.

After expanding to nine holes, the course was bequeathed to the town, and incorporated as the Glenview Golf and Country Club in 1922.  The original clubhouse was built on Queen Street but was torn down in 1965 because it had become too small and too noisy for neighbours.

In the early days, when Petrolia was "dry", the clubhouse was a popular spot.  A new clubhouse opened in 1965 and a curling rink in 1969.  In 2001, the course expanded to it's current 18 hole layout, with the new nine being built within the Glenview Estates subdivision.

The Englehart Cup trophy which dates back to the 1920s, is presented annually to the club champion.  Past winners include oil barons such as C.O. Fairbanks in 1932-1934.  (From The London Free Press - Summer 2001).