St. George's Golf and Country Club

Last updated
St. George's Golf and Country Club
St Georges Logo.jpg
Club information
Location Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Established1929
Total holes18
Events hosted Canadian Open
Designed by Stanley Thompson
Par 71 [lower-alpha 1]
Length7,025 yards (6,424 m) (Black tees)
Course rating 73.7 (Black tees)
Course record60 – Carl Pettersson (2010), Justin Rose (2022)

St. George's Golf and Country Club (originally The Royal York Golf Club) is a golf course and country club located in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the west end neighbourhood of Islington.

Contents

History

The club was originally established in 1909 by Robert Home Smith from Stratford-upon-Avon, England who purchased the area of land which was located on the banks of the Humber River.[ citation needed ]

The club was built in co-ordination with the construction of the Royal York Hotel, which was being designed in downtown Toronto, with the plan being that the golf facilities would be necessary for the guests staying in the hotel. Leading the construction of the hotel was Sir Edward Wentworth Beatty, who was known to be acquainted with Smith. Leading construction of the golf course was Stanley Thompson, the leading Canadian golf course architect. At its Islington Avenue location, the course opened in 1929. The course, under the Royal York name, hosted the Canadian Open in 1933. However, in 1935 Smith died, and his executor trustee Godfrey S. Pettit, became president of the club.[ citation needed ]

In 1946 the name of the country club was changed from The Royal York Golf Club to St. George's Golf and Country Club as a result of the financial arrangement with the Canadian Pacific Railway (of which Beatty was president) ending. The club has been rated several times in the top three of Canada and amongst the top 100 in the world [1]

St. George's has hosted the Canadian Open six times:

The course has been extended in length, to 7,025 yards (6,424 m), par 71 [lower-alpha 1] , to attract more Canadian Open events. While the course is universally regarded as outstanding, issues of logistics, access, and available space in a crowded neighbourhood make hosting a tournament of this magnitude somewhat problematic. Logistical steps taken to host the Open include closing the busy thoroughfare Islington Avenue before and during the tournament, using the nearby Islington Golf Club's practice facilities, shuttling the players back and forth to Islington Golf Club, limiting the number of spectators who can access the course, and starting play for the first two rounds from the 1st and 9th tees (normally it would be the 1st and 10th tees). St. George's has been announced as the host for the Canadian Open in 2022. [2]

The club has also hosted the Canadian Women's Open five times: 1975, 1978, 1980, 1982, and 1984. The course was also the host venue for golf of the 2017 Invictus Games.[ citation needed ]

The 2020 RBC Canadian Open tournament, which had been scheduled at the club, was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario. [3] After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian Open returned in 2022.[ citation needed ]

Curling

In 2020, members of the golf club voted to discontinue curling operations at St. George's, citing that curling was "no longer a good fit for golf". [4] Since then, the curling space has been replaced by an indoor golf facility and pickle ball court.[ citation needed ]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Plays as a par 70 during the Canadian Open.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Etobicoke</span> District of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Etobicoke is an administrative district and former city within Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west end, Etobicoke is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the east by the Humber River, on the west by Etobicoke Creek, the cities of Brampton, and Mississauga, the Toronto Pearson International Airport, and on the north by the city of Vaughan at Steeles Avenue West.

The Canadian Open is a professional golf tournament in Canada. It is co-organized by Golf Canada and the PGA Tour. It was first played 120 years ago in 1904, and has been held annually since then, except for during World War I, World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the third oldest continuously running tournament on the tour, after The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Etobicoke Collegiate Institute</span> Public high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, previously known as Etobicoke High School is a high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Islington neighbourhood of the former suburb of Etobicoke. It is overseen by the Toronto District School Board. The school was founded in 1928 and was part of the former Etobicoke Board of Education until 1998.

Bob Weeks is a reporter and analyst for TSN, covering golf and curling. He was previously the editorial director of SCOREGolf magazine. In addition, he served as host for SCOREGolf TV. He was also the curling columnist for The Globe and Mail for more than 25 years and editor of the Ontario Curling Report for 30.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humber Valley Village</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Humber Valley Village is a neighbourhood located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is within the former suburb of Etobicoke and includes some of the most expensive real estate in the metropolitan west end. The boundaries are from Dundas Street on the south to Islington Avenue to the west, Eglinton Avenue to the north, and the Humber River in the east. The neighbourhood is in the political riding of Etobicoke Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islington-City Centre West</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Islington-City Centre West is a commercial and residential neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. One of four central business districts outside Downtown Toronto, it is bounded by Rathburn Road to the north, Islington Avenue to the east, Bloor Street to the south, Mimico Creek to the west.

Stanley Thompson was a Canadian golf course architect, and a high-standard amateur golfer. He was a co-founder of the American Society of Golf Course Architects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Golf Club</span> Private golf club in Mississauga, Ontario

The Toronto Golf Club is a private golf club in Mississauga, Ontario, a suburban municipality to the west of Toronto. Established in Toronto in 1876, it is the third-oldest golf club in North America, after the Royal Montreal Golf Club and the Royal Quebec Golf Club. The Toronto Golf Club adopted its current name in 1909 and moved to its present location in 1913. The club has hosted the Canadian Open five times and the Canadian Amateur Championship nine times, more than any other club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lambton Golf and Country Club</span> Golf and tennis club in Toronto, Canada

The Lambton Golf and Country Club is a private golf and tennis club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The golf club was established by Albert William Austin in 1902. The golf club is presently members with Golf Canada, and the United States Golf Association., and has hosted a number of competitions including the Canadian Open, and the Canadian Amateur Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississaugua Golf & Country Club</span>

The Mississaugua Golf & Country Club is a mixed club featuring an 18-hole championship golf course, curling facilities with six sheets, pro shop and lounge, tennis courts, fitness centre, and an active bridge club. It was founded in 1906 and is located in south-central Mississauga, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Gardens</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Princess Gardens is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the western area of Toronto that was formerly the City of Etobicoke. Its boundaries are Eglinton Avenue to the north, Martin Grove to the west, Islington to the east, and Rathburn Road to the south. The southeastern part of this area is the separate neighbourhood of Thorncrest Village. The neighbourhood is divided into two areas: The portion east of Kipling Road is known as Princess Anne Manor, while the portion west of Kipling is Princess Margaret Gardens. They are named after Princess Anne, Princess Royal, and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, the daughter and sister of the late Queen Elizabeth II respectively. Both Princesses visited the Gardens and opened up Princess Margaret Public School during its opening ceremony. The southwestern part of the neighbourhood is also sometimes known as Glen Agar. Princess Gardens has some of the highest income Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area according to a 2016 census, at an average of $222,218 per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosedale Golf Club</span>

Rosedale Golf Club is a private golf club in Toronto, founded in 1893 in Moore Park. The course hosted the Canadian Open in 1912 and 1928.

Cataraqui Golf and Country Club is a private golf and curling club located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1917.

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club is a private golf club in Canada, located on Southwest Marine Drive in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1984 the Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club was also the subject of a dispute, Guerin v. The Queen between the Crown and the Musqueam Nation; the case ended up in the Supreme Court of Canada and established the government had a fiduciary duty to the First Nations of Canada.

Weston Golf and Country Club is located in Toronto, Ontario. Designed by Willie Park, Jr., it was home to Arnold Palmer's first PGA Tour victory in the 1955 Canadian Open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rivermead Golf Club</span>

Rivermead Golf Club is a private, 18 hole golf club in Aylmer, Quebec. It is located 10 minutes from downtown Gatineau/Ottawa and is one of the oldest clubs in the National Capital Region. In 2010, the club celebrated its centennial anniversary.

The Scarboro Golf and Country Club is a private club in eastern Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located in the former city of Scarborough. Until 2018, it had facilities for curling and has an 18-hole golf course that is ranked among the top courses in Canada.

Centennial Park Golf Centre is a 27-hole golf course situated on the border of Etobicoke and Mississauga in Southern Ontario. The facility includes a driving range, putting green, chipping green, and an 18-hole mini-golf course. Although privately owned, it is open to the public and operates on a first-come, first-served basis. The hours of operation are typically within 30 minutes of sunrise and sunset, depending on weather conditions. While the season is influenced by the weather, the course usually opens at the beginning of April and closes at the beginning of December.

Oakdale Golf & Country Club, founded in 1926, is a private, parkland-style golf and tennis club located in North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It hosted the 2023 Canadian Open and will host the tournament again in 2026.

References

  1. ↑ The top three in Canada, amongst the top 100 in the world Retrieved on July 18, 2007.
  2. ↑ "St. George's Golf and Country Club to host RBC Canadian Open in 2021 and 2024". Golf Canada. May 24, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  3. ↑ "RBC Canadian Open in mid-June is cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic". Global News. April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  4. ↑ "St. George's decision ends curling in Etobicoke". toronto.com. March 21, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
Preceded by Host of the Canadian Open
2010		Succeeded by

43°40′30″N79°31′52″W / 43.675°N 79.531°W / 43.675; -79.531

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.