Ontario, although not the largest province or territory in Canada, is the nation’s most populous, with four and a half million people living in Toronto, its largest city. The rocky Canadian Shield is a heavily forested area covering large swathes of land to the north of the province so most of the cities and general infrastructure are concentrated within the 53,000 square miles that comprise the Southern Ontario region.

The Golf Association of Ontario was founded in 2001, following the merger of the Ontario Golf Association and Ontario Ladies Golf Association and this new governing body organises over 100 competitions annually for male and female golfers in all age groups. With 115,000 golfers affiliated to more than 420 clubs, the GAO divides its membership into 14 more manageable districts.

There’s a wide choice of superior golf courses to be found in Ontario. If it’s classic old layouts that appeal most to you then check out a pair of Stanley Thompson-designed courses from the late 1920s at St George’s and Westmount or take a look at the old Harry Colt tracks at Hamilton (1916) and Toronto (1911). On the other hand, if modern courses are what you prefer, then the Tom McBroom course at Rocky Crest or the 18 holes designed by Doug Carrick at Muskoka Bay might just be to your taste.