With tight twisting fairways and undulating terrain, St George’s Golf & Country Club is a man and woman-sized test of golf and five-time host to the Canadian Open.
St George's Golf & Country Club - Ontario
With tight twisting fairways and undulating terrain, St George’s Golf & Country Club is a man and woman-sized test of golf and five-time host to the Canadian Open.
The Royal York Golf Club, as St George’s Golf and Country Club was formerly known, was founded in the Roaring Twenties with the help of Canadian Pacific Railway money. Stanley Thompson, one of North America’s most talented architects was commissioned to fashion a championship course in downtown Toronto, close to the shores of Lake Ontario and in 1929 the course opened for play. In 1992, Doug Carrick was commissioned to renovate St George’s. We were unclear as to exactly what work Carrick implemented, so we asked Doug directly and his response follows:
“As you know Stanley Thompson designed the original course which was built in 1928 and 1929. C.E. (Robbie) Robinson was a newly hired design associate at the time and St. George's was the first golf course Robbie worked on with Thompson. Robbie consulted with the club following Thompson's death until his own death in 1989. I began working with Robbie Robinson in 1981 and established my firm in 1985. I continued to work with Robbie until his death in 1989. We became partners in 1987. So there have been only three architects that have worked on the course since it opened 1929, Thompson, Robinson and myself.”
Doug continued, saying that Robbie Robinson made the most significant changes to the course between 1965 and 1967 in preparation for the Canadian Open in 1968, which mainly comprised of lengthening a number of holes. Since then, Carrick has constructed a new green on hole 10, added various new tees and built new practice facilities for the club. In 2001 a bunker restoration was undertaken by his associate at the time Ian Andrew. In 2014, St George's rung further changes as outlined by Ian Andrew:
"Tom Doak and myself rebuilt the greens in July and August of 2014. During this process all the greens relocated or rebuilt by other architects (3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th and 15th) were renovated to match the original greens. The most significant change was the restoration of the original 3rd hole back to its Stanley Thompson configuration.
The club continues to restore a few more original bunkers each year and has undertaken a massive tree removal program to address issues of sunlight and to open up the landscape to view."
In 2019, Ian Andrew returned to the club to oversee a programme of further bunker work, using old photos and notes from the 1920s and 1930s to guide the project. The hazards were upgraded to Better Billy Bunker standards, which helps minimize the effect of bad weather on high sand faces, and all the green surrounds were stripped and re-sodded with new turf.
With tight twisting fairways and undulating terrain, St George’s is a man and woman-sized test of golf. The club has proudly played host to the Canadian Open on five occasions (most recently in 2010) and the LPGA Classic also on five occasions. The Canadian Open was to return to St George's in 2020 but was cancelled due to COVID-19. St George's will host the event in 2021 and 2024.
Today’s layout measures a tad more than 7,000 yards from the back tees and with par set at 71, St George’s really is a serious challenge, especially at the two demanding closing holes, which were both par fives, but now they are each taxing par fours, having been converted for the Canadian Open. #17 measures 486 yards and its devilishly narrow, crowned green calls for an exacting approach The home hole is just as tough (465 yards uphill) to a steep, heavily bunkered green.
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
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Welcome to a special episode of Top 100 Clubhouse called 'The Cutting Room Floor', where we release previously unheard podcast content. In this special we're jumping back to a couple of really interesting podcast guests. First, we return to our conversation with pro golfer Zac Blair. We continue to discuss Zac's project to build The Tree Farm, the importance of being able to walk the course, and the surprising back story of the Tree Farm bell! The second conversation is with David Margolis. We discuss his strong views on what makes a clubhouse shower great, where you can get the best clubhouse food, and his opinions on golf course rankings. Enjoy! Previous Episode - Don't Miss Out! The previous episode features John Caven. John is the General Manager at St Georges Golf & Country Club in Ontario, Canada. He previously worked at the exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club, and has a lot to say about life in the golf industry and what it takes to host professional events in the current climate. What Are The Top 100 Clubhouse Podcasts About? Top 100 Clubhouse is the ultimate podcast for golf enthusiasts! Join us as we delve deep into the minds of fascinating individuals from every corner of the golfing world. From players to course designers, caddies to golf historians, we'll leave no stone unturned in our quest to share unique insights and experiences with the Top100 Community. Together we'll explore the stunning courses and breathtaking landscapes, enjoying the unforgettable stories that bring the game of golf to life. How Do I Listen To The Latest Top 100 Clubhouse Podcast? You can download and listen on the following links. Listen now, wherever you download your podcast! Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Podtail We Need Your Feedback? The Next Podcast Interview? Top 100 members can share their views on who should join the next Top 100 Clubhouse podcast show? If you have an idea who you would like to hear, why not drop our Top 100 Clubhouse host James Henderson an email on james@top100golfcourses.com Happy Listening!
This week we welcome John Caven to the Clubhouse. John is the General Manager at St Georges Golf & Country Club in Ontario, Canada. He previously worked at the exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club, and has a lot to say about life in the golf industry and what it takes to host professional events in the current climate. Previous Episode - Don't Miss Out! The previous episode features David Davis. David is a Partner at Top100golfcourses.com and Co-Founder of The Lockhart Travel Club. The 43rd person to finish playing the World Top 100 (November 2018). A true golf travel and golf course architecture enthusiast who has been a golf course panelist and international course rater for over 15 years. A father of 3 kids and a lifetime expat, originally from Oregon, having now lived overseas (in The Netherlands) for the better part of 30 years. What Are The Top 100 Clubhouse Podcasts About? Top 100 Clubhouse is the ultimate podcast for golf enthusiasts! Join us as we delve deep into the minds of fascinating individuals from every corner of the golfing world. From players to course designers, caddies to golf historians, we'll leave no stone unturned in our quest to share unique insights and experiences with the Top100 Community. Together we'll explore the stunning courses and breathtaking landscapes, enjoying the unforgettable stories that bring the game of golf to life. How Do I Listen To The Latest Top 100 Clubhouse Podcast? You can download and listen on the following links. Listen now, wherever you download your podcast! Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcast Podtail We Need Your Feedback? The Next Podcast Interview? Top 100 members can share their views on who should join the next Top 100 Clubhouse podcast show? If you have an idea who you would like to hear, why not drop our Top 100 Clubhouse host James Henderson an email on james@top100golfcourses.com Happy Listening!
18th July 2008 Rock Golf Club - Muskoka reopens Closed for the 2007 golf season to facilitate a series of improvements, the award winning The Rock Golf Club re-opened on Thursday, May 22 to rave reviews. Completed course upgrades have made a great golf course even better. The Rock Golf Club is a classic Muskoka golf club that established itself from the start as one of Canada’s finest golf courses. Voted best new golf club in Canada when it originally opened in 2004, The Rock Golf Club, quickly earned a reputation with golfing enthusiasts as a course that was technically challenging as well as spectacular in beauty. Designed by golfing legend Nick Faldo - his first golf course to be built in Canada, The Rock Golf Club hugs the shoreline of beautiful Lake Rosseau, one of Muskoka’s premier lakes. The 6545-yard course, carved out of the rugged Canadian Shield, is truly distinctive with tight tree-lined fairways, strategically placed ponds and bunkers, slopping greens, sheer rock walls and the ever-present large granite rock outcroppings from which the course was named. Managed by Marriott Golf, one of the world’s foremost golf course operators, The Rock closed back in the fall of 2006 for the planned modifications. These renovations, which were overseen by Nick Faldo and implemented by his design team, included the redesign of six holes, the expansion of the tee areas and widening fairway landing zones. This massive project also included alterations to 14 holes, the removal of 16,480 square feet of surface rock and the reconstruction of all greenside bunkers. Completed renovations of The Rock Golf Club and its scheduled reopening had been planned to coincide with the highly anticipated opening later this summer of The Rosseau, the prestigious new JW Marriott Resort and Spa at Red Leaves. The Rock’s improved course will compliment the world-class amenities of The Rosseau, a 221-room luxury resort that includes a spa, marina and a 700-acre nature reserve; further enhancing Muskoka’s reputation as a leading destination resort area. “The modifications that we have made at The Rock were specifically intended to improve the overall playing experience for golfers of all skill levels and further establish The Rock’s reputation as one of the most spectacular courses in Canada,” states Greg Downer, Director of Golf, The Rock Golf Club. “I am confident that the improvements that we have made have done just that. The positive feedback that we have been receiving from golfers since we reopened in May has been phenomenal. People are saying that the course is now better then ever,” adds Downer. About The Rock Golf Club The Rock Golf Club in Minett, Ontario offers world-class golf, services, amenities and clubhouse facilities, including a pro shop, dining lounge and terrace with breathtaking views of the 1st and 18th holes. This Nick Faldo designed Muskoka golf course gives golfers of all skill levels the opportunity to test their game while enjoying the beautiful Muskoka scenery.
