Tidd Bitts - Did You Know...?

Golf Course Facts

Golfing Feats

• The Lowest Recorded Score on a long course in the UK is 58 by Harry Weetman, the British Ryder Cub golfer, for the 6170-yard Croham Hurst Course in Croydon, Surrey, on January 30, 1956. 
•  The Lowest Recorded Score in the world is a 57 shot by Wayne Meyers of Easley, S.C. back in 1994 at Southern Oaks golf course in Powdersville, South Carolina in the USA.
•  The Lowest Recorded Score by a Woman in a professional tournament on an 18-hole course of more than 6,000 yards was a 62, first recorded by Mickey Wright on the Par 71, 6,286 yard Hogan Park Course at Midland, Texas, in November 1964.  The score was equaled by Laura Davies in the 1991 Rail Charity Classic.
•  A Score of 59 The first professional to record a 59 on the US Pro Tour was Al Geiberger on June 10, 1977, in the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic at the Colonial Country Club.  It included 11 birdies and an eagle and just 23 putts.  The score was eventually equaled by Chip Beck, and more recently David Duval.
•  The Record for 36 Holes is 122 by Sam Snead in the 1959 Sam Snead Festival on May 16-17, 1959.
•  The Most Holes-In-One in a year is 28 by Scott Palmer in 1983.  All were on par 3 and par 4 holes between 130 yards and 350 yards in length at Balboa Park in san Diego, California.
•  The Most Holes-In-One in a career is 68 by Harry Lee Bonner from 1967 to 1985, most of them at his 9-hole home course of Las Gallinas, San Rafael, California.
•  The Longest Hole-In-One ever recorded is the 10th (447 yards) at Miracle Hills Golf Club at Omaha, Nebraska, by Robert Mitera on October 7, 1965.  A 50mph gust carried his shot over a 290-yard drop-off. 
•  Drive of 2,640 Yards across ice was achieved by an Australian meteorologist named Nils Lied at Mawson Base, Antartica, in 1962.
•  The Longest Recorded Drive on an ordinary course is one of 515 yards by Michael Hoke Austin of Los Angeles, California, in the US National Seniors Open Championship at Las Vegas, Nevada on September 25, 1974.  Austin drove the ball within a yard of the green on the par 4 450-yard 5th hole of Winterwood Course.  It rolled 65 yards past the flag aided by an estimated 35mph tailwind.
•  On the Runway at Baldonnel Military Airport in Dublin, Liam Higgins drove a Spalding Top Flite ball 634.1 yards on September 25, 1984.
•  The Longest Holed Putts in a major tournament were both 110 feet - Jack Nicklaus in the  1964 Tournament of Champions and Nick Price in the 1992 PGA.
•  Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones, Jr. was reputed to have holed a putt in excess of 100 feet at the 5th green in the first round of the 1927 Open at St. Andrews.
•  A Putt Measured at 140 feet and 2 3/4 inches on the 18th at St. Andrews was sunk by Bob Cook in the International Fourball Pro Am Tournament on October 1, 1976.
•  The Greatest Margin of Victory in a major tournament is 21 strokes by Jerry Pate in the Colombian Open with 262 on December 10-13, 1981.  Cecil Leitch won the Canadian Ladies Open Championship in 1921 by the biggest margin for a major title - 17 up and 15 to play.

 Golf Oddities

Origins of Golf

The Earliest Days
While Scotland is widely associated as the home and birthplace of golf, there is great debate about the earliest derivation of the game. Some historians believe that golf descended from "paganica", played with a feather stuffed ball and a curved stick, a game that the Romans brought with them to Britain. Another idea is that golf was a Dutch game called "het kolven" and there are paintings from the 18th century by Dutch painters showing a game similar to golf being played on ice and land. However, by this time it is believed some form of golf had been played in Scotland for three hundred years.

The name golf may have been derived from the old Scots verb " to gowff" meaning to "strike hard." The earliest known written detail on the subject of golf is from King James II in 1457 who demanded that "fute-ball and golfe be utterly cryed down and not to be used." The King was concerned that his citizens were so involved in leisurely pursuits that they were neglecting the Royal and vital sport of archery, which would protect him from the enemy. It took until 1502, in the reign of King James IV and a Treaty of Perpetual Peace (which didn't last!) with England's King Henry VII before the Scots were allowed to spare the time on such pursuits. King James IV himself played the game at Perth.

Mary Queen of Scots was known to play a round or two and by the end of the 16th century it was noted that people were neglecting attendance at church in order to indulge in their favourite pastime. With the Union of the Crowns in 1603, King James VI and his court took golf to Blackheath in London. By that time he had appointed an Edinburgh bowmaker as royal club-maker.

The first record of a caddie to carry the golf clubs is Andrew Dickson of Edinburgh, in the second half of the 17th century. As a young man he had caddied for the Duke of York - later King James VII. "Caddies" were originally an organised corps of message boys in Edinburgh and other large towns in Scotland.

Early Golf Balls
Initially, golf balls were wooden and these continued even after hand-made balls made of leather stuffed with feathers appeared. In 1848 the solid gutta-percha (a flexible juice from trees in Malaya) was introduced which were cheaper to make.

In America, at the start of the 20th century, balls made of tensioned rubber thread were invented although initially there was opposition to them. But the winner of the Open Championship used them in 1902 and ordinary golfers were converted.

Modern Golf
The rules of golf were laid down by the Honorable Company of Edinburgh golfers in Leith, which was formed in 1744. The St. Andrews Society adopted these rules and over the next century took over the administration and development of the game. The famous Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews is the governing body that continues to set the rules and standards for the world's golfers to this day. The Old Course at St. Andrews, Fife has greens and bunkers created easily around the natural landscape of the seashore. The Royal and Ancient is renowned as the Mecca worldwide for those who love to play golf.

There is a British Golf Museum behind the Royal and Ancient golf course at St. Andrews with audio-visual displays, and the full story of golf explained as it has developed across the centuries.

In 1888 a Scot, John Reid of Dunfermline, "imported" his passion for golf to the United States and built his own course at Yonkers, New York. The United States Golf Association was founded in 1894.

The Open
Scotland originated the first professional Open golf championship in 1860, first held at Prestwick, and this event continued until 1894 when England also began to arrange golf competitions. Since then the British Open has moved around the United Kingdom from one links (seaside) course to another on a rota between eight leading golf courses, three in England and five in Scotland.

The British Open (The Open Championship) (The Open)

The British Open, The Open Championship, or simply The Open, is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico. The Open is played on the weekend of the third Friday in July. It is the third major to take place each year, following The Masters and the U.S. Open, but preceding the PGA Championship.
The event takes place every year on one of nine links courses in Scotland or England (the event has been held once in Northern Ireland, but Royal Portrush is no longer on the rotation). In 2011, The Open will have a prize fund of £5.0 million, with 900,000 going to the winner, an increase of £150,000 over the previous three years.[1] Historically, The Open's prize money was consistently the least of the four majors; but from 2002 to 2008 it was the highest. Uniquely among the four major championships, the Open features a four-hole playoff for all golfers tied at the end of regulation, with the playoff continuing into sudden death holes if players remain tied after four holes. (The PGA uses a similar three-hole playoff.)
The current champion is Louis Oosthuizen who won the 2010 Open Championship with a score of 16 under par.

History

The Open Championship was first played on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club, in Ayrshire, Scotland. The inaugural tournament was restricted to professionals, and attracted a field of eight Scottish golfers,[2] who played three rounds of Prestwick's twelve-hole course in a single day. Willie Park Senior won with a score of 174, beating the favourite, Old Tom Morris, by two strokes. The following year the tournament was opened to amateurs; eight of them joined ten professionals in the field.

Prestwick Golf Club, the venue for the first open in 1860.
Willie Park, Snr. wearing the Championship Belt, the winner's prize at the Open from 1860 to 1870.Originally, the trophy presented to the event's winner was the Champion's Belt, a red leather belt with a silver buckle. There was no prize money in the first three Opens. In 1863, a prize fund of £10 was introduced, which was shared between the second- third- and fourth-placed professionals, with the Champion still just getting to keep the belt for a year. In 1864 Old Tom Morris won the first Champion's cash prize of £6. By 2004, the winner's cheque had increased one hundred and twenty thousandfold to £720,000, or perhaps two thousandfold after allowing for inflation. The Champions Belt was retired in 1870, when Young Tom Morris was allowed to keep it for winning the tournament three consecutive times. Due to having no prize, the tournament was cancelled in 1871. In 1872, after Young Tom Morris won again for a still-unmatched fourth time in a row, he was awarded a medal. The present trophy, The Golf Champion Trophy, better known by its popular name of The Claret Jug, was then created.

Prestwick Golf Club administered The Open from 1860 to 1870. In 1871, it agreed to organise it jointly with The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. In 1892 the event was doubled in length from 36 to 72 holes, four rounds of what was by then the standard complement of 18 holes. In the same year the prize fund reached £100. The 1894 Open was the first one held outside Scotland, at the Royal St George's Golf Club in England. Because of an increasing number of entrants, a cut was introduced after two rounds in 1898. In 1920 full responsibility for The Open Championship was handed over to The Royal & Ancient Golf Club.

The early winners were all Scottish professionals, who in those days worked as greenkeepers, clubmakers, and caddies to supplement their modest winnings from championships and challenge matches. The Open has always been dominated by professionals, with only six victories by amateurs, all of which occurred between 1890 and 1930. The last of these was Bobby Jones's third Open and part of his celebrated Grand Slam. Jones was one of six Americans who won The Open between the First and Second World Wars, the first of whom had been Walter Hagen in 1922. These Americans and the French winner of the 1907 Open, Arnaud Massy, were the only winners from outside Scotland and England up to 1939.

The first post-World War II winner was the American Sam Snead, in 1946. In 1947, Fred Daly of Northern Ireland was victorious. While there have been many English and Scottish champions, Daly was the only winner from Ireland until the 2007 victory by the Republic's Pádraig Harrington. There has never been a Welsh champion. In the early postwar years The Open was dominated by golfers from the Commonwealth, with South African Bobby Locke and Australian Peter Thomson winning the Claret Jug in nine of the 11 championships from 1948 and 1958 between them. During this period, The Open often had a schedule conflict with the match-play PGA Championship, which meant that Ben Hogan, the best American golfer at this time, competed in The Open just once, in 1953 at Carnoustie, a tournament he won.

Another South African, Gary Player was Champion in 1959. This was at the beginning of the "Big Three" era in professional golf, the three players in question being Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Palmer first competed in 1960, when he came second to the little-known Australian Kel Nagle, but he won the two following years. While he was far from being the first American to become Open Champion, he was the first that many Americans saw win the tournament on television, and his charismatic success is often credited with persuading leading American golfers to make The Open an integral part of their schedule, rather than an optional extra. The improvement of trans-Atlantic travel also increased American participation.

Nicklaus' victories came in 1966, 1970 and 1978. This tally of three wins is not very remarkable, and indeed he won all of the other three majors more often, but it greatly understates how prominent he was at the tournament throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He finished in the top five 16 times, which is tied most in Open history with John Henry Taylor and easily the most in the postwar era. This included seven second places, which is the record. Nicklaus holds the records for most rounds under par (61) and most aggregates under par (14). At Turnberry in 1977 he was involved in one of the most celebrated contests in golf history, when his duel with Tom Watson went to the final shot before Watson emerged as the champion for the second time with a record score of 268 (12 under par).

Watson won five Opens, more than anyone else has since the 1950s, but his final win in 1983 brought down the curtain on an era of U.S. domination. In the next 11 years there was only one American winner, with the others coming from Europe and the Commonwealth. The European winners of this era, Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, Sandy Lyle, who was the first Scottish winner in over half a century, and the Englishman Nick Faldo, were also leading lights among the group of players who began to get the better of the Americans in the Ryder Cup during this period.

In 1995, The Open became part of the PGA Tour's official schedule. John Daly's playoff win over Italian Costantino Rocca began another era of American domination. Tiger Woods has won three Championships to date, two at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005, and one at Hoylake in 2006. There was a dramatic moment at St Andrews in 2000, as the aging Jack Nicklaus waved farewell to the crowds, while the young challenger to his crown watched from a nearby tee; Nicklaus afterward decided to play in the 2005 Open when the R&A announced St Andrews as the venue, giving his final farewell to the fans at the Home of Golf. In 2002, all Open wins before 1995 were retroactively classified as PGA Tour wins. Recent years have been notable for the number of wins by previously obscure golfers, including Paul Lawrie's playoff win after the epic 72nd-hole collapse of Jean Van de Velde in 1999, Ben Curtis in 2003 and Todd Hamilton in 2004. All three missed the cut when defending the title the following year, as did Mark Calcavecchia in 1990 and Mark O'Meara in 1999.

In 2007, the Europeans finally broke an eight-year drought in the majors when Pádraig Harrington of the Republic of Ireland defeated Sergio García by one stroke in a four-hole playoff. In 2008 at Royal Birkdale, Harrington retained the Claret Jug with a final round of 69 to win the tournament by four shots from Ian Poulter, with a total of 283 (+3) after 72 holes. In 2009, 59-year-old Tom Watson turned in one of the most remarkable performances ever seen at The Open. Leading the tournament through 71 holes and needing just a par on the last hole to win, Watson bogeyed, setting up a four-hole playoff, which he would lose by six shots to Stewart Cink. In 2010, Rory McIlroy set a new record for best opening round of an Open Championship, shooting a 9-under-par 63 at St Andrews.

Trophies
Claret JugThere are several medals and trophies that are, or have been, given out for various achievements during The Open Championship.

Challenge Belt – awarded to the winner from 1860 until 1870 when Young Tom Morris won the belt outright.
The Golf Champion Trophy (commonly known as the Claret Jug) – replaced the Challenge Belt and has been awarded to the winner since 1873.
Gold medal – awarded to the winner. First given out in 1872 when the Claret Jug was not yet ready, but since awarded to all champions.
Silver medal – awarded since 1949 to the highest finishing amateur.
Bronze medal – awarded since 1972 to all other amateurs playing in the final round.
The Professional Golfers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland also mark the achievements of their own members in the Open.

Ryle Memorial Medal – awarded since 1901 to the winner if he is a PGA member.
Braid Taylor Memorial Medal – awarded since 1966 to the highest finishing PGA member.
Tooting Bec Cup – awarded since 1924 to the PGA member who records the lowest single round during the championship.

Host Courses

From 1860–70, The Open Championship was organised by and played at Prestwick Golf Club. Since it was revived in 1872 after a lapse of one year, it has always been played at a number of courses in rotation. Initially there were three courses in the rotation, namely Prestwick, St Andrews, and Musselburgh. In 1893 Royal St George's and Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake were invited to join the rotation. Since then a handful of further clubs have been added, and a few have been dropped. The common factor in the venues for The Open is that they have always been links courses. In more recent times the rotation has generally followed the pattern of being played in Scotland and England alternately. The general interruption to this pattern is the Old Course at St Andrews, which hosts the event every five years or so. There is, however, no strict rule and the host is appointed by the R&A around five years in advance. There is a map showing the locations of the venues here (there are thirteen dots for the fourteen courses; two of the courses are in the town of Sandwich). The Open is usually played in Scotland, North West England, or Kent in South East England. It has never been played in Wales, and it has only been played in Northern Ireland once.

Opens held in the years from 1987 until 2011, were played at venues which followed a course rotation, with the rota (for years ending in):

(0,5) –  – Scotland – (Old Course at St Andrews, every fifth year)
(1,6) –  – England
(2,7) –  – Scotland
(3,8) –  – England
(4,9) –  – Scotland
2012, 2013 and 2014 do not follow this pattern, reversing the countries.

England will host consecutive Opens for the first time in 2011 and 2012.

There are nine courses in the current rota, St Andrews, plus another four in Scotland and four in England:

Courses in Scotland:

Old Course at St Andrews: In 1873 the "Home of Golf" became the second course to host the Open. Nowadays, it does so more often than any other course. Since 1990 it has been scheduled every fifth year. The 2010 Open was held at St Andrews.
Carnoustie Golf Links, Championship Course: Carnoustie first hosted The Open in 1931, and rejoined the rotation in 1999 after an absence of 24 years, and returned in 2007.
Muirfield: This private course was built for The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, one of the trio of clubs which ran The Open in the 1870s and 1880s. It first staged The Championship in 1892, just nine months after it had been built. Muirfield last hosted in 2002 and is scheduled for 2013.
The Turnberry Resort, Ailsa Course: A course on the southwest coast of Scotland which hosted The Open in 1977, 1986, 1994, and 2009.
Royal Troon Golf Club, Old Course: Also in southwestern Scotland, Troon has been in the rotation since 1923 and last hosted in 2004.
Courses in England:

Royal St George's Golf Club: This course is in the town of Sandwich in the county of Kent in southeast England. In 1894 it became the first Open venue outside Scotland. It last hosted The Open in 2003 and will host again in 2011.
Royal Birkdale Golf Club: This course in northwest England has been in the rotation since 1954 and hosted The Open in 2008.
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club: Also in northwest England, this course first hosted The Open in 1926, and entered the rotation in 1952. It is scheduled to host the 2012 Open, which will be the first time that consecutive Opens will be held outside Scotland since 1952, and the first time ever for consecutive Opens in England.
Royal Liverpool Golf Club: This course, often referred to simply as "Hoylake", joined the rotation in 1897 and hosted ten Opens up to 1967. After a 39 year absence, it returned to the rota in 2006, and is scheduled to host again in 2014.
Courses which are no longer in the rotation:

 – Prestwick Golf Club: The founder club was dropped from the rotation in 1925, by which time it had hosted twenty-four Opens.
 – Musselburgh Links: Musselburgh is a public course which was used by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. When that club built Muirfield, Musselburgh dropped out of the rotation.
 – Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club: This course in the town of Deal in Kent hosted the Open in 1909 and 1920. Although situated in Deal, the course is very close to Royal St George's in Sandwich, on the current rota. In fact, the 11th tee at Royal Cinque Ports is closer to the clubhouse at Royal St George's than it is to the clubhouse of Royal Cinque Ports.
 – Prince's Golf Club: Prince's hosted its only Open in 1932. The course is in Sandwich, Kent, and is adjacent to Royal St George's on the current rota.
 – Royal Portrush Golf Club: The 1951 Open was staged at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the only Open not played in Scotland or England.

Exemptions and qualifying events

The field for the Open is 156, and golfers may gain a place in three ways. Around two thirds of the field is made up of leading players who are given exemptions. The rest of the field is made up of players who were successful in "Local Qualifying" and those who came through "International Qualifying".

There are over thirty exemption categories. Among the more significant are:

The top 50 on the Official World Golf Rankings. This key sweep up category means that no member of the current elite of world golf will be excluded.
The top 30 in the previous season's PGA Tour money list and European Tour Race to Dubai (which replaced the Order of Merit starting in 2009). Most but not all of these players will also be in the World top 50.
All previous Open Champions who will be age 60 or under on the final day of the tournament.
All players who have won one of the other three majors in the previous five years.
The top 10 from the previous year's Open Championship.
Among other things, the additional exemption categories ensure that the six largest regular (i.e., under-50) men's tours are represented,[8] and that there are some amateur competitors. Full details of all the exemption categories for the 2009 Open can be found here. Effective with the 2010 Open, The R&A added a new exemption category in direct response to the high finishes of Greg Norman, then 53, in 2008 (tied for third) and Tom Watson, at the time nearly 60, in 2009 (lost a playoff). A past Open champion who finishes in the top 10, including ties, will be exempt for the following five years. This new exemption will not currently affect Norman, who will still be under 60 when it expires, but will allow Watson to play in The Open until 2014 if he so chooses.

Local Qualifying is the traditional way for non-exempt players to win a place at The Open. It comprises sixteen 18-hole "Regional Qualifying" competitions around Britain and Ireland a week and a half before the event, with successful competitors moving on to the four 36-hole "Local Final Qualifying" tournaments a few days later. There are now twelve places available through Local Qualifying, though there used to be far more.

Local Qualifying is open to players from all over the world, and it used to attract some big names. In order to make it easier for professionals from outside Britain and Ireland to compete for a place, the R&A introduced International Qualifying in 2004. This comprises five 36-hole qualifying events, one each in Africa, Australasia, Asia, America and Europe. Only players who have a rating in the Official World Golf Rankings may enter, which is a more stringent standard than for Local Qualifying. Thirty-six places are available in International Qualifying. Eligible players may choose whether to enter local qualifying or international qualifying, but they may not enter both. For full details on qualification see here.

Tournament name

In Britain, the tournament is best known by its official title, The Open Championship. The tournament's website uses only this name, while UK media generally refer to the Open (with "the" in lower case).

Outside the UK, the tournament is generally called the "British Open", in part to distinguish the tournament from another of the four majors that has an 'open' format, the U.S. Open, but mainly because other nations with similar 'open' format golf events refer to their own nation's open event as "the open." The PGA Tour refers to the tournament as the British Open, as do many media outlets in the United States, though US TV rights-holder ESPN has taken to referring to it as The Open Championship.

Records

Oldest winner: Old Tom Morris (46 years, 99 days), 1867.
Youngest winner: Young Tom Morris (17 years, 181 days), 1868.[18]
Most victories: 6, Harry Vardon (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914).
Most consecutive victories: 4, Young Tom Morris (1868, 1869, 1870, 1872 - there was no championship in 1871).
Lowest absolute 72-hole score: 267, Greg Norman (66-68-69-64), 1993.
Lowest 72-hole score in relation to par: –19, Tiger Woods (67-66-67-69, 269), 2000 (a record for all major championships).
Norman's 1993 score was −13. Par at Royal St George's, the site of the 1993 Open, was 70, as opposed to the par 72 of The Old Course at St Andrews, the 2000 site. The to-par record broken by Woods was not held by Norman, but by Nick Faldo, who shot −18 at The Old Course in 1990.
Greatest victory margin: 13 strokes, Old Tom Morris, 1862. This remained a record for all majors until 2000, when Woods won the U.S. Open by 15 strokes at Pebble Beach. However, Old Tom's 13-stroke margin was achieved over just 36 holes.
Lowest 18-hole score: 63 – Mark Hayes, 2nd round, 1977; Isao Aoki, 3rd, 1980; Greg Norman, 2nd, 1986; Paul Broadhurst, 3rd, 1990; Jodie Mudd, 4th, 1991; Nick Faldo, 2nd, 1993; Payne Stewart, 4th, 1993; Rory McIlroy, 1st, 2010.
Lowest 18-hole score in relation to par: -9, Paul Broadhurst, 3rd, 1990; Rory McIlroy, 1st, 2010.
There is an extensive records section on the official site here.

Winners

Year Venue Champion Country Winning Score 1st Prize
2011 Royal St George's Golf Club    £ 900 000
2010 St Andrews Louis Oosthuizen  South Africa 272 (−16) £ 850 000
2009 Turnberry Stewart Cink  United States 278 (−2)PO £ 750 000
2008 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Pádraig Harrington (2)  Ireland 283 (+3) £ 750 000
2007 Carnoustie Golf Links Pádraig Harrington  Ireland 277 (−7)PO £ 750 000
2006 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Tiger Woods (3)  United States 270 (−18) £ 720 000
2005 St Andrews Tiger Woods (2)  United States 274 (−14) £ 720 000
2004 Royal Troon Golf Club Todd Hamilton  United States 274 (−10)PO £ 720 000
2003 Royal St George's Golf Club Ben Curtis  United States 283 (−1) £ 700 000
2002 Muirfield Ernie Els  South Africa 278 (−6)PO £ 700 000
2001 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club David Duval  United States 274 (−10) £ 600 000
2000 St Andrews Tiger Woods  United States 269 (−19) £ 500 000
1999 Carnoustie Golf Links Paul Lawrie  Scotland 290 (+6)PO £ 350 000
1998 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Mark O'Meara  United States 280 (E)PO £ 300 000
1997 Royal Troon Golf Club Justin Leonard  United States 272 (−12) £ 250 000
1996 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Tom Lehman  United States 271 (−13) £ 200 000
1995 St Andrews John Daly  United States 282 (−6)PO £ 125 000
1994 Turnberry Nick Price  Zimbabwe 268 (−12) £ 110 000
1993 Royal St George's Golf Club Greg Norman (2)  Australia 267 (−13) £ 100 000
1992 Muirfield Nick Faldo (3)  England 272 (−12) £ 95 000
1991 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Ian Baker-Finch  Australia 272 (−8) £ 90 000
1990 St Andrews Nick Faldo (2)  England 270 (−18) £ 85 000
1989 Royal Troon Golf Club Mark Calcavecchia  United States 275 (−13)PO £ 80 000
1988 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Seve Ballesteros (3)  Spain 273 (−11) £ 80 000
1987 Muirfield Nick Faldo  England 279 (−5) £ 75 000
1986 Turnberry Greg Norman  Australia 280 (E) £ 70 000
1985 Royal St George's Golf Club Sandy Lyle  Scotland 282 (+2) £ 65 000
1984 St Andrews Seve Ballesteros (2)  Spain 276 (−12) £ 55 000
1983 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Tom Watson (5)  United States 275 (−9) £ 40 000
1982 Royal Troon Golf Club Tom Watson (4)  United States 284 (−4) £ 32 000
1981 Royal St George's Golf Club Bill Rogers  United States 276 (−4) £ 25 000
1980 Muirfield Tom Watson (3)  United States 271 (−13) £ 25 000
1979 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Seve Ballesteros  Spain 283 (−1) £ 15 000
1978 St Andrews Jack Nicklaus (3)  United States 281 (−7) £ 12 500
1977 Turnberry Tom Watson (2)  United States 268 (−12) £ 10 000
1976 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Johnny Miller  United States 279 (−9) £ 7 500
1975 Carnoustie Golf Links Tom Watson  United States 279 (−5)PO £ 7 500
1974 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Gary Player (3)  South Africa 282 (−2) £ 5 500
1973 Royal Troon Golf Club Tom Weiskopf  United States 276 (−12) £ 5 500
1972 Muirfield Lee Trevino (2)  United States 278 (−6) £ 5 500
1971 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Lee Trevino  United States 278 (−10) £ 5 500
1970 St Andrews Jack Nicklaus (2)  United States 283 (−5)PO £ 5 250
1969 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Tony Jacklin  England 280 (−4) £ 4 250
1968 Carnoustie Golf Links Gary Player (2)  South Africa 289 (+1) £ 3 000
1967 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Roberto De Vicenzo  Argentina 278 (−10) £ 2 100
1966 Muirfield Jack Nicklaus  United States 282 (−2) £ 2 100
1965 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Peter Thomson (5)  Australia 285 (−3) £ 1 750
1964 St Andrews Tony Lema  United States 279 (−9) £ 1 500
1963 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Bob Charles  New Zealand 277 (−7)PO £ 1 500
1962 Royal Troon Golf Club Arnold Palmer (2)  United States 276 (−12) £ 1 400
1961 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Arnold Palmer  United States 284 (−4) £ 1 400
1960 St Andrews Kel Nagle  Australia 278 (−10) £ 1 250
1959 Muirfield Gary Player  South Africa 284 (E) £ 1 000
1958 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Peter Thomson (4)  Australia 274 (−10)PO £ 1 000
1957 St Andrews Bobby Locke (4)  South Africa 279 (−9) £ 1 000
1956 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Peter Thomson (3)  Australia 286 (−2) £ 1 000
1955 St Andrews Peter Thomson (2)  Australia 281 (−7) £ 1 000
1954 Royal Birkdale Golf Club Peter Thomson  Australia 283 (−5) £750
1953 Carnoustie Golf Links Ben Hogan  United States 282 (−6) £500
1952 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Bobby Locke (3)  South Africa 287 (−1) £300
1951 Royal Portrush Golf Club Max Faulkner  England 285 (−3) £300
1950 Royal Troon Golf Club Bobby Locke (2)  South Africa 279 (−9) £300
1949 Royal St George's Golf Club Bobby Locke  South Africa 283 (−5) £300
1948 Muirfield Henry Cotton (3)  England 288 (E) £150
1947 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Fred Daly  Northern Ireland 293 (+5) £150
1946 St Andrews Sam Snead  United States 290 (+2) £150
1940–1945: No Championships because of World War II
1939 St Andrews Dick Burton  England 290 £100
1938 Royal St George's Golf Club Reg Whitcombe  England 295 £100
1937 Carnoustie Golf Links Henry Cotton (2)  England 290 £100
1936 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Alf Padgham  England 287 £100
1935 Muirfield Alf Perry  England 283 £100
1934 Royal St George's Golf Club Henry Cotton  England 283 £100
1933 St Andrews Denny Shute  United States 292PO £100
1932 Prince's Golf Club Gene Sarazen  United States 283 £100
1931 Carnoustie Golf Links Tommy Armour  United States 296 £100
1930 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Bobby Jones (a) (3)  United States 291 Am – £100
1929 Muirfield Walter Hagen (4)  United States 292 £100
1928 Royal St George's Golf Club Walter Hagen (3)  United States 292 £100
1927 St Andrews Bobby Jones (a) (2)  United States 285 Am – £100
1926 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Bobby Jones (a)  United States 291 Am – £75
1925 Prestwick Golf Club Jim Barnes  England 300 £75
1924 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Walter Hagen (2)  United States 301 £75
1923 Royal Troon Golf Club Arthur Havers  England 295 £75
1922 Royal St George's Golf Club Walter Hagen  United States 300 £75
1921 St Andrews Jock Hutchison  United States 296PO £75
1920 Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club George Duncan  Scotland 303 £75
1915–1919: No Championships because of World War I
1914 Prestwick Golf Club Harry Vardon (6)  Jersey 306 £50
1913 Royal Liverpool Golf Club John Henry Taylor (5)  England 304 £50
1912 Muirfield Ted Ray  Jersey 295 £50
1911 Royal St George's Golf Club Harry Vardon (5)  Jersey 303PO £50
1910 St Andrews James Braid (5)  Scotland 299 £50
1909 Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club John Henry Taylor (4)  England 291 £30
1908 Prestwick Golf Club James Braid (4)  Scotland 291 £30
1907 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Arnaud Massy  France 312 £30
1906 Muirfield James Braid (3)  Scotland 300 £30
1905 St Andrews James Braid (2)  Scotland 318 £30
1904 Royal St George's Golf Club Jack White  Scotland 296 £30
1903 Prestwick Golf Club Harry Vardon (4)  Jersey 300 £30
1902 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Sandy Herd  Scotland 307 £30
1901 Muirfield James Braid  Scotland 309 £30
1900 St Andrews John Henry Taylor (3)  England 309 £30
1899 Royal St George's Golf Club Harry Vardon (3)  Jersey 310 £30
1898 Prestwick Golf Club Harry Vardon (2)  Jersey 307 £30
1897 Royal Liverpool Golf Club Harold Hilton (a) (2)  England 314 Am – £30
1896 Muirfield Harry Vardon  Jersey 316 PO £30
1895 St Andrews John Henry Taylor (2)  England 322 £30
1894 Royal St George's Golf Club John Henry Taylor  England 326 £30
1893 Prestwick Golf Club William Auchterlonie  Scotland 322 £30
1892 Muirfield Harold Hilton (a)  England 305 (Am)
1891 St Andrews Hugh Kirkaldy  Scotland 166 £10
1890 Prestwick Golf Club John Ball (a)  England 164 Am – £8
1889 Musselburgh Links Willie Park, Jnr (2)  Scotland 155PO £8
1888 St Andrews Jack Burns  Scotland 171 £10
1887 Prestwick Golf Club Willie Park, Jnr  Scotland 161 £10
1886 Musselburgh Links David Brown  Scotland 157 £10
1885 St Andrews Bob Martin (2)  Scotland 171 £10
1884 Prestwick Golf Club Jack Simpson  Scotland 160 £10
1883 Musselburgh Links Willie Fernie  Scotland 159PO £10
1882 St Andrews Bob Ferguson (3)  Scotland 171 £10
1881 Prestwick Golf Club Bob Ferguson (2)  Scotland 170 £10
1880 Musselburgh Links Bob Ferguson  Scotland 162 £10
1879 St Andrews Jamie Anderson (3)  Scotland 169 £10
1878 Prestwick Golf Club Jamie Anderson (2)  Scotland 157 £10
1877 Musselburgh Links Jamie Anderson  Scotland 160 £10
1876 St Andrews Bob Martin  Scotland 176 £10
1875 Prestwick Golf Club Willie Park, Snr (4)  Scotland 166 £6
1874 Musselburgh Links Mungo Park  Scotland 159 £6
1873 St Andrews Tom Kidd  Scotland 179 £6
1872 Prestwick Golf Club Tom Morris, Jnr (4)  Scotland 166 £6
1871 No Championship
1870 Prestwick Golf Club Tom Morris, Jnr (3)  Scotland 149 £6
1869 Prestwick Golf Club Tom Morris, Jnr (2)  Scotland 154 £6
1868 Prestwick Golf Club Tom Morris, Jnr  Scotland 157 £6
1867 Prestwick Golf Club Tom Morris, Snr (4)  Scotland 170 £6
1866 Prestwick Golf Club Willie Park, Snr (3)  Scotland 169 £6
1865 Prestwick Golf Club Andrew Strath  Scotland 162 £6
1864 Prestwick Golf Club Tom Morris, Snr (3)  Scotland 167 £6
1863 Prestwick Golf Club Willie Park, Snr (2)  Scotland 168 -
1862 Prestwick Golf Club Tom Morris, Snr (2)  Scotland 163 -
1861 Prestwick Golf Club Tom Morris, Snr  Scotland 163 -
1860 Prestwick Golf Club Willie Park, Snr  Scotland 174 -

(a) denotes amateur 

The Canadian Open

RBC Canadian Open

Tournament information
Location  Canada
Established 1904
Course(s) 2011 - Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, British Columbia
Par 70 in 2011
Length 7,010 yards in 2011
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play
Prize fund US$5,200,000
Month played July
Tournament record score
Aggregate 263 Johnny Palmer (1952)
To par -23 Arnold Palmer (1955)
Current champion - Carl Pettersson

The RBC Canadian Open is a golf tournament which was founded in 1904 by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. It has been played annually ever since, excepting some years during World War I and World War II.

As a national open, and especially as the most accessible non-U.S. national open for American golfers, the event had a special status in the era before the professional tour system became dominant in golf. In the interwar years it was sometimes considered the third most prestigious tournament in the sport, after The Open Championship and the U.S. Open. This previous status was noted in the media in 2000, when Tiger Woods became the first man to win The Triple Crown (all three Opens in the same season) since Lee Trevino in 1971. Nonetheless, this special status has largely dissipated, but the Canadian Open remains a well-regarded fixture on the PGA Tour.

A limited number of entries are allocated to players of the Canadian Tour; however, prize money won at the Canadian Open does not count towards the Canadian Tour money list.

Celebrated golfers who have won the tournament include: Walter Hagen, Tommy Armour, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Bobby Locke, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods. The Canadian Open is regarded as the most prestigious tournament never won by the great Jack Nicklaus, a seven-time runner-up. Leo Diegel has the most titles with four.

In the early 2000s, the tournament was held in mid-September. Seeking to change this, Golf Canada lobbied for a summer date. When the Tour schedule was revamped in 2007, the tournament was rescheduled for July, albeit sandwiched between three events with even higher profiles (The Open Championship the week prior, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational the week after, and the PGA Championship the week after that). A further tweaking of the schedule in 2009 saw the Canadian Open receive a slightly more favourable date; while it is still held the week after the Open Championship, it now is two weeks before the Bridgestone Invitational. Still, the tournament counts towards the FedEx Cup standings.

 
Nick Price celebrates his 1994 victory at the Canadian OpenGlen Abbey Golf Course has hosted the most Canadian Opens, with 25 to date. Glen Abbey was designed in 1976 by Jack Nicklaus for the Royal Canadian Golf Association, to serve as the permanent home for the championship from 1977, with occasional visits to other clubs. From the mid-1990s, the RCGA decided to move the championship around the country. Royal Montreal Golf Club, home of the first Open in 1904, ranks second with nine times hosted. Mississaugua Golf & Country Club has hosted six Opens, Toronto Golf Club and St. George's Golf and Country Club have each hosted five Opens, and three clubs have each hosted four Opens: Lambton Golf Club, Hamilton Golf and Country Club, and Scarboro Golf Club. The championship has for the most part been held in Ontario and Quebec, the two most populous Canadian provinces. Ontario and Quebec have seen all but eight Opens. New Brunswick had the Open in 1939, Manitoba in 1952 and 1961, Alberta in 1958, and British Columbia in 1948, 1954, 1966, and 2005.

The Open will return to Vancouver's Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club for 2011, and to Hamilton Golf and Country Club for 2012.

 History

The Royal Montreal Golf Club, founded in 1873, is the oldest continuously running official Golf Club in North America. The Club was the host of the first Canadian Open championship in 1904, and has been host to eight other Canadian Opens. The 1912 Canadian Open at the Rosedale Golf Club was famed American golfer Walter Hagen's first professional competition.

The Royal Montreal Golf Club, in Montreal, the first host of the Canadian Open in 1904.Englishman J. Douglas Edgar captured the 1919 championship at Hamilton Golf and Country Club by a record 16-stroke margin; 17-year-old amateur prodigy Bobby Jones (who was coached by Edgar) tied for second. The 1930 Canadian Open at Hamilton was another stellar tournament. Tommy Armour blazed his way around the course over the final 18 holes of regulation play, shooting a 64. Four-time champion Leo Diegel and Armour went to a 36-hole playoff to decide the title. Armour shot 138 (69-69) to defeat Diegel by three strokes.

Toronto's St. Andrews Golf Club hosted the Open in 1936 and 1937 -- the only place to hold back-to-back Opens until the creation of Glen Abbey -- before it felt the impact of the growth of the city, and was ploughed under to allow for the creation of Highway 401. The Riverside Golf and Country Club of Saint John, New Brunswick was host to the 1939 Canadian Open where Harold "Jug" McSpaden was champion. This was the only time the Open has been held in Atlantic Canada.

Scarboro Golf and Country Club was host to four Canadian Opens: 1940, 1947, 1953, and 1963. Three of these events were decided by one stroke, and the only time the margin was two shots was when Bobby Locke defeated Ed "Porky" Oliver in 1947. With his win at Scarboro in 1947, the golfer from South Africa became just the second non-North American winner of the Canadian Open. Locke fired four rounds in the 60s to finish at 16-under-par, two strokes better than the American Oliver. After the prize presentation Locke was given a standing ovation, and was then hoisted to shoulders by fellow countrymen who were then residents of Canada.

In 1948, for the first time, the Canadian Open traveled west of Ontario, landing at Shaughnessy Heights Golf Club in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Charles Congdon sealed his victory on the 16th hole with a 150-yard bunker shot that stopped eight feet from the cup. The following birdie gave him the lead, and Congdon went on to win by three shots.

Mississaugua Golf & Country Club has hosted five Canadian Opens: 1931, 1942, 1951, 1965, and 1974. The 1951 Open tournament was won by Jim Ferrier, who successfully defended the title he had won at Royal Montreal a year earlier. Winnipeg's St. Charles Country Club hosted the 1952 Canadian Open, and saw Johnny Palmer set the 72-hole scoring record of 263, which still stands after nearly 60 years. Palmer's rounds of 66-65-66-66 bettered the old mark set by Bobby Locke in 1947 by five shots. In 1955, Arnold Palmer captured the Canadian Open championship, his first PGA Tour victory.

 
Gene Sarazen, Tommy Armour and Walter Hagen playing the Canadian Open at Lakeview Golf Club, 1934.Montreal, Quebec's Laval-sur-le-Lac hosted the 1962 Open where Gary Player was disqualified after the first round, when he recorded the wrong score on the 10th hole. He had won the PGA Championship the week before. Californian Charlie Sifford attended the 1962 Canadian Open in part to raise the profile of African-American players on the PGA Tour. He was one of only 16 of the top 100 players on tour to play there in 1962.

Pinegrove Country Club played host to the Canadian Open in 1964 and 1969. Australian Kel Nagle edged Arnold Palmer and Raymond Floyd at the 1964 Open to become, at the time, the oldest player to win the title. Five years later, Tommy Aaron fired a final-round 64 to force a playoff with 57-year-old Sam Snead. Aaron won the 18-hole playoff, beating Snead by two strokes (70-72).

The small town of Ridgeway, Ontario, in the Niagara Peninsula, was host of the 1972 Open at Cherry Hill Golf Club. A popular choice of venue, it drew rave reviews by the players, specifically the 1972 champion Gay Brewer, who called it the best course he has ever played in Canada, and Arnold Palmer, who suggested the Open be held there again the following year. In 1975, Tom Weiskopf won his second Open in three years in dramatic fashion at the Blue Course of Royal Montreal's new venue, defeating Jack Nicklaus on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. Windsor, Ontario's Essex Golf & Country Club was host of the 1976 Canadian Open, where Jack Nicklaus again finished second, this time behind champion Jerry Pate. Essex came to the rescue late in the game, when it was determined that the newly-built Glen Abbey was not yet ready to host the Canadian Open. The 1997 Open at Royal Montreal was the first time Tiger Woods ever missed a professional cut, after previously winning the Masters Tournament a few months before.

Angus Glen Golf Club was host to two recent Canadian Opens, 2002 and 2007. In 2007 Jim Furyk became one of a few golfers who have won two consecutive Canadian Open titles, joining Jim Ferrier, James Douglas Edgar, Sam Snead and Leo Diegel. Angus Glen owns the unique distinction of having each of its two courses (North and South) host the Canadian Open.

Glen Abbey Golf Club of Oakville, Ontario has hosted 25 Open Championships (1977-1979, 1981-1996, 1998-2000, 2004, 2008-2009), and has crowned 24 different champions. The 11th hole at Glen Abbey is widely considered its signature hole, and begins the world-famous valley sequence of five holes from 11 to 15. The picturesque 11th is a 459-yard straightaway par-4, where players tee off 100 feet above the fairway, which ends at Sixteen Mile Creek, just short of the green. John Daly left his mark, and a plaque is permanently displayed on the back tee deck, recounting Daly's attempt to reach the green with his tee shot. His ball landed in the creek, but Daly still managed a respectable 12th place finish in his first Canadian Open.

In 2000, Tiger Woods dueled with Grant Waite over the final 18 holes, before finally subduing the New Zealander on the 72nd hole with what is probably the most memorable shot of his illustrious career so far. Holding a one-shot advantage, Woods found his tee shot in a fairway bunker, and after watching Waite put his second shot 30 feet from the hole, decided he had no choice but to go for the green. Woods sent a 6-iron over the flag 218 yards away, and then had a chip and a putt for the title-clinching birdie. With the victory, Woods became only the second golfer to capture the U.S., British and Canadian Opens in the same year, earning him the Triple Crown trophy.

A Canadian has not won the Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher in 1954, and one of the most exciting conclusions ever seen at the Open came in 2004, extending that streak. Mike Weir had never done well at the Glen Abbey Golf Course, the site of the tournament that week. In fact, he had never made a cut at any of the Opens contested at Glen Abbey. But Weir clawed his way to the top of the leaderboard by Friday. And by the third day at the 100th anniversary Open, he had a three-stroke lead, and many Canadians were buzzing about the possibility of the streak's end. Weir started off with a double bogey, but then went 4-under to keep his 3-stroke lead, with only eight holes left. Yet, with the expectations of Canadian observers abnormally high, there was another roadblock in the way of Mike Weir: Vijay Singh. Singh did not pull away, and Weir had two more chances to win the tournament: a 25-foot putt for eagle on No. 18 in the first hole of sudden-death, and a 5-foot putt on No. 17, the second playoff hole. On the third playoff hole, Weir put his third shot into the water after a horrid drive and lay-up, and Singh was safely on the green in two. Singh won the Open and cemented his legacy as the world's best player (he overtook Tiger Woods as the world's number one player).

Champions

George Sargent, winner of the 1912 Canadian Open in Rosedale Golf Club.
Tommy Armour, three-time Canadian Open champion in 1927, 1930 and 1934. Other three-time winners are Sam Snead and Lee Trevino.
Walter Hagen, winner at the 1931 Canadian Open Championship.
Arnold Palmer, 1955 Open winner, his first PGA Tour victory.
Jack Nicklaus, seven-time Canadian Open runner-up in 1965, 1968, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1984 and 1985.
Greg Norman, two-time Canadian Open champion in 1984 and 1992.
Tiger Woods, champion of the 2000 Canadian Open and winner of the Triple Crown of Golf along with Lee Trevino.
Jim Furyk, back-to-back Canadian Open winner in 2006-07, along with Jim Ferrier, James Douglas Edgar, Sam Snead and Leo Diegel.
Year Country Champion Course Location Score To par
2011   Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club Vancouver, British Columbia  
2010  SWE Pettersson, CarlCarl Pettersson St. George's Golf and Country Club Toronto, Ontario 266 086 !−14
2009  AUS Green, NathanNathan Green † Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 270 082 !−18
2008  USA Reavie, ChezChez Reavie Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 267 083 !−17
2007  USA Furyk, JimJim Furyk (2) Angus Glen Golf Club (North Course) Markham, Ontario 268 084 !−16
2006  USA Furyk, JimJim Furyk Hamilton Golf and Country Club Ancaster, Ontario 266 086 !−14
2005  USA Calcavecchia, MarkMark Calcavecchia Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club Vancouver, British Columbia 275 095 !−5
2004  FJI Singh, VijayVijay Singh † Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 275 091 !−9
2003  USA Tway, BobBob Tway † Hamilton Golf and Country Club Ancaster, Ontario 272 092 !−8
2002  USA Rollins, JohnJohn Rollins † Angus Glen Golf Club (South Course) Markham, Ontario 272 084 !−16
2001  USA Verplank, ScottScott Verplank Royal Montreal Golf Club Ile-Bizard, Quebec !Île-Bizard, Quebec 266 086 !−14
2000  USA Woods, TigerTiger Woods ‡ Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 266 078 !−22
1999  USA Sutton, HalHal Sutton Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 275 087 !−13
1998  USA Andrade, BillyBilly Andrade † Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 275 087 !−13
1997  USA Jones, SteveSteve Jones (2) Royal Montreal Golf Club Ile-Bizard, Quebec !Île-Bizard, Quebec 275 095 !−5
1996  USA Hart, DudleyDudley Hart Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 202 086 !−14
1995  USA O'Meara, MarkMark O'Meara † Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 274 086 !−14
1994  ZWE Price, NickNick Price (2) Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 275 087 !−13
1993  ZAF Frost, DavidDavid Frost Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 279 091 !−9
1992  AUS Norman, GregGreg Norman (2) † Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 280 092 !−8
1991  ZWE Price, NickNick Price Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 273 085 !−15
1990  USA Levi, WayneWayne Levi Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 278 090 !−10
1989  USA Jones, SteveSteve Jones Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 271 083 !−17
1988  USA Green, KenKen Green Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 275 087 !−13
1987  USA Strange, CurtisCurtis Strange (2) Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 276 088 !−12
1986  USA Murphy, BobBob Murphy Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 280 092 !−8
1985  USA Strange, CurtisCurtis Strange Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 279 091 !−9
1984  AUS Norman, GregGreg Norman Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 278 090 !−10
1983  USA Cook, JohnJohn Cook † Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 277 089 !−11
1982  USA Lietzke, BruceBruce Lietzke (2) Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 277 089 !−11
1981  ENG Oosterhuis, PeterPeter Oosterhuis Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 280 092 !−8
1980  USA Gilder, BobBob Gilder Royal Montreal Golf Club Ile-Bizard, Quebec !Île-Bizard, Quebec 274 094 !−6
1979  USA Trevino, LeeLee Trevino (3) Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 281 093 !−7
1978  USA Lietzke, BruceBruce Lietzke Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 283 099 !−1
1977  USA Trevino, LeeLee Trevino (2) Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville, Ontario 280 092 !−8
1976  USA Pate, JerryJerry Pate Essex Golf & Country Club Windsor, Ontario 267 087 !−13
1975  USA Weiskopf, TomTom Weiskopf (2) † Royal Montreal Golf Club Ile-Bizard, Quebec !Île-Bizard, Quebec 274 094 !−6
1974  USA Nichols, BobbyBobby Nichols Mississaugua Golf & Country Club Mississauga, Ontario 270 090 !−10
1973  USA Weiskopf, TomTom Weiskopf Richelieu Valley Golf & Country Club Ste. Julie de Vercheres, Quebec 278 094 !−6
1972  USA Brewer, GayGay Brewer Cherry Hill Club Ridgeway, Ontario 275 091 !−9
1971  USA Trevino, LeeLee Trevino †‡ Richelieu Valley Golf & Country Club Ste. Julie de Vercheres, Quebec 275 091 !−9
1970  USA Zarley, KermitKermit Zarley London Hunt & Country Club London, Ontario 279 091 !−9
1969  USA Aaron, TommyTommy Aaron † Pine Grove Golf & Country Club St. Luc, Quebec 275 087 !−13
1968  NZL Charles, BobBob Charles St. George's Golf and Country Club Toronto, Ontario 274 090 !−10
1967  USA Casper, BillyBilly Casper † Montreal Municipal Golf Club Montreal, Quebec 279 095 !−5
1966  USA Massengale, DonDon Massengale Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club Vancouver, British Columbia 280 096 !−4
1965  USA Littler, GeneGene Littler Mississaugua Golf & Country Club Mississauga, Ontario 273 093 !−7
1964  AUS Nagle, KelKel Nagle Pine Grove Golf & Country Club St. Luc, Quebec 277 089 !−11
1963  USA Ford, DougDoug Ford (2) Scarboro Golf and Country Club Scarborough, Ontario 280 096 !−4
1962  USA Kroll, TedTed Kroll Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac Laval-sur-le-Lac, Quebec 278 090 !−10
1961  USA Cupit, JackyJacky Cupit Niakwa Country Club Winnipeg, Manitoba 270 082 !−18
1960  USA Wall, Jr., ArtArt Wall, Jr. St. George's Golf and Country Club Toronto, Ontario 269 085 !−15
1959  USA Ford, DougDoug Ford Islesmere Golf & Country Club Montreal, Quebec 276 088 !−12
1958  USA Ellis, WesWes Ellis Royal Mayfair Golf & Country Club Edmonton, Alberta 267 087 !−13
1957  USA Bayer, GeorgeGeorge Bayer Westmount Golf & Country Club Kitchener, Ontario 271 087 !−13
1956  USA Sanders, DougDoug Sanders* † Beaconsfield Golf Club Montreal, Quebec 273 089 !−11
1955  USA Palmer, ArnoldArnold Palmer Weston Golf and Country Club Toronto, Ontario 265 077 !−23
1954  CAN Fletcher, PatPat Fletcher Point Grey Golf Club Vancouver, British Columbia 280 092 !−8
1953  USA Douglas, DaveDave Douglas Scarboro Golf and Country Club Scarborough, Ontario 273 089 !−11
1952  USA Palmer, JohnnyJohnny Palmer St. Charles Country Club Winnipeg, Manitoba 263 079 !−21
1951  AUS Ferrier, JimJim Ferrier (2) Mississaugua Golf & Country Club Mississauga, Ontario 273 093 !−7
1950  AUS Ferrier, JimJim Ferrier Royal Montreal Golf Club Dorval, Quebec !Dorval, Quebec 271 091 !−9
1949  USA Harrison, E. J. "Dutch"E. J. "Dutch" Harrison St. George's Golf and Country Club Toronto, Ontario 271 087 !−13
1948  USA Congdon, CharlesCharles Congdon Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club Vancouver, British Columbia 280 096 !−4
1947  ZAF Locke, BobbyBobby Locke Scarboro Golf and Country Club Scarborough, Ontario 268 084 !−16
1946  USA Fazio, GeorgeGeorge Fazio † Beaconsfield Golf Club Montreal, Quebec 278 094 !−6
1945  USA Nelson, ByronByron Nelson Thornhill Golf Club Thornhill, Ontario 280 092 !−8
1944 – None Cancelled due to World War II
1943 – None Cancelled due to World War II
1942  USA Wood, CraigCraig Wood Mississaugua Golf & Country Club Mississauga, Ontario 275 095 !−5
1941  USA Snead, SamSam Snead (3) Lambton Golf Club Toronto, Ontario 274 090 !−10
1940  USA Snead, SamSam Snead (2) † Scarboro Golf and Country Club Scarborough, Ontario 281 097 !−3
1939  USA McSpaden, Harold "Jug"Harold "Jug" McSpaden Riverside Country Club Saint John, New Brunswick 282 094 !−6
1938  USA Snead, SamSam Snead † Mississaugua Golf & Country Club Mississauga, Ontario 277 097 !−3
1937  ENG Cooper, HarryHarry Cooper (2) St. Andrews Club Toronto, Ontario 285 097 !−3
1936  USA Little, LawsonLawson Little St. Andrews Club Toronto, Ontario 271 083 !−17
1935  USA Kunes, GeneGene Kunes Summerlea Golf Club Montreal, Quebec 280 092 !−8
1934  USA Armour, TommyTommy Armour (3) Lakeview Golf Club Toronto, Ontario 287 099 !−1
1933  AUS Kirkwood, Sr., JoeJoe Kirkwood, Sr. St. George's Golf and Country Club Toronto, Ontario 282 098 !−2
1932  ENG Cooper, HarryHarry Cooper Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club Ottawa, Ontario 290 102 !+2
1931  USA Hagen, WalterWalter Hagen † Mississaugua Golf & Country Club Mississauga, Ontario 292 104 !+4
1930  USA Armour, TommyTommy Armour (2) † Hamilton Golf and Country Club Ancaster, Ontario 273 093 !−7
1929  USA Diegel, LeoLeo Diegel (4) Kanawaki Golf Club Kahnawake, Quebec 274 094 !−6
1928  USA Diegel, LeoLeo Diegel (3) Rosedale Golf Club Toronto, Ontario 282 098 !−2
1927  USA Armour, TommyTommy Armour Toronto Golf Club Mississauga, Ontario 288 100 !E
1926  SCO Smith, MacdonaldMacdonald Smith Royal Montreal Golf Club Dorval, Quebec !Dorval, Quebec 283 103 !+3
1925  USA Diegel, LeoLeo Diegel (2) Lambton Golf Club Toronto, Ontario 295 111 !+11
1924  USA Diegel, LeoLeo Diegel Mt. Bruno Golf Club St. Bruno, Quebec 285 101 !+1
1923  SCO Hackney, ClarenceClarence Hackney Lakeview Golf Club Toronto, Ontario 295 107 !+7
1922  USA Watrous, AlAl Watrous Mt. Bruno Golf Club St. Bruno, Quebec 303 119 !+19
1921  USA Trovinger, WilliamWilliam Trovinger Toronto Golf Club Mississauga, Ontario 293 105 !+5
1920  ENG Edgar, James DouglasJames Douglas Edgar (2) † Rivermead Golf Club Aylmer, Quebec 298 110 !+10
1919  ENG Edgar, James DouglasJames Douglas Edgar Hamilton Golf and Country Club Ancaster, Ontario 278 098 !−2
1918 – None Cancelled due to World War I
1917 – None Cancelled due to World War I
1916 – None Cancelled due to World War I
1915 – None Cancelled due to World War I
1914  CAN Keffer, KarlKarl Keffer (2) Toronto Golf Club Mississauga, Ontario 300 112 !+12
1913  CAN Murray, AlbertAlbert Murray (2) Royal Montreal Golf Club Dorval, Quebec !Dorval, Quebec 295 115 !+15
1912  ENG Sargent, GeorgeGeorge Sargent Rosedale Golf Club Toronto, Ontario 299 119 !+19
1911  CAN Murray, CharlesCharles Murray (2) Royal Ottawa Golf Club Aylmer, Quebec 314 126 !+26
1910  USA Kenny, DanielDaniel Kenny Lambton Golf Club Toronto, Ontario 303 119 !+19
1909  CAN Keffer, KarlKarl Keffer Toronto Golf Club Mississauga, Ontario 309 121 !+21
1908  CAN Murray, AlbertAlbert Murray Royal Montreal Golf Club Dorval, Quebec !Dorval, Quebec 300 120 !+20
1907  ENG Barrett, PercyPercy Barrett Lambton Golf Club Toronto, Ontario 306 122 !+22
1906  CAN Murray, CharlesCharles Murray Royal Ottawa Golf Club Aylmer, Quebec 170 (36 holes) 126 !+26
1905  SCO Cumming, GeorgeGeorge Cumming Toronto Golf Club Mississauga, Ontario 148 (36 holes) 108 !+8
1904  ENG Oke, John H.John H. Oke Royal Montreal Golf Club Dorval, Quebec !Dorval, Quebec 156 (36 holes) 116 !+16

Trophies

Canadian Amateur Trophy 1895-1907
The Seagram Gold Cup 1935-1970
The Du Maurier Trophy 1971-1993
Earl Grey Trophy 1908-
RBC Canadian Open Trophy 1994-present
Rivermead Challenge Cup (presented to low Canadian) 1936-1961, 2007-

Future Sites
 
2012 103rd Hamilton Golf and Country Club Hamilton Ontario July 21–24
2013 104th Royal Montreal Golf Club Montreal Quebec *
2014 105th Glen Abbey Golf Course Oakville Ontario

Fact or Fiction

Flex Ratings Are All The Same

True or Not true. Why does an ‚„S‚„ shaft from one manufacturer feel so different to that of another? Each shaft company has their own designs for shafts. They grade their shafts in accordance to their own flex ratings so an ‚„S‚„ shaft from one company could in fact be an ‚„R‚„ or ‚„X‚„ from another. Even within a company different ranges of shaft designs will show different flex readings. It is very hard to compare apples to apples without a Frequency Analyser. Table 1 below shows the results of three different manufacturers ‚„R‚„ flex‚„s tested as raw full length 40" shafts.

Two of the companies manufacture two ‚„R‚„ shaft designs however I have not indicated which these are or what materials the shafts were made of. The pairs from within the same company were both either steel to steel or graphite to graphite.

Raw Shaft Flex in Cycles Per Minute
40" Raw Shaft CPM
1 318
2 313
3 318
4 306
5 295

The Higher A Golf Ball Bounces, The Further It Will Fly

True or Not true. Have you ever been in a golf shop and noticed a fellow customer bouncing a golf ball on a hard surface, judging which brand bounced higher and basing their purchase decision on that test? Possibly, as it happens often. The compression stress placed on a golf ball, even when bounced on a hard surface, is minimal compared to stress placed on the ball when it is being hit by a clubhead at speed. 800-1000kgs of crush versus gravity‚„s pull. Different types of ball construction (Fig. 1), two-piece, three-piece, wound balls, number of cores and construction materials will all have an influence on how a ball will fly.

The only way to find the best ball for your game is to try a variety out at the driving range or on the golf course. Or better yet, find a launch monitor and experiment with a variety of golf balls until you discover the correct one for your swing and club.

The Lines On The Putter Are The Sweet Spot

Not necessarily true. If a manufacturer has put sightlines on the top of a putter then they have to line up with the sweet spot. Well they should do, however each clubhead is built with mass quality tolerance levels so these sightlines may not always correspond with the sweet spot.

To find the sweet spot hold your club between two fingers up high in front of you and tap the clubface with a pencil on the toe or heel of the club (Fig. 2). It will twist around. Keep tapping toward the middle of the clubface until the clubface stops twisting and moves only back and forth rather than to the side. Your last point of contact is your sweet spot and should be marked as such.

Face Grooves Create Backspin

This one is common and one of the great myths of golf. The backspin is created by the balls compression on the clubface. This occurs between the time of impact and the moment of separation from the clubface. The clubs swing path and type of head rotation sees the ball mashed into the clubface. The loft presented to the ball distorts it in shape and gives us the launch angle and all of its backspin. The ball does not actually ever ride up the clubface, instead it gets imbedded in the face where the groove lines reside. High-speed photography has proved this. The more loft the greater the backspin.

Therefore, the grooves have zero influence on the launch angle or backspin on the ball. Well known club designer Ralph Maltby built a set of irons with no face groves at all and played with them extensively to prove this point to disbelievers.

Also, in the mid 1980‚„s the USGA undertook extensive groove type testing and concluded that in dry conditions it was loft, not grooves that put backspin on the ball.

So what good are grooves then? Rather like car tyres which work perfectly in the dry, we need them to work in the wet as well. Clubfaces without grooves work fine in dry conditions but with water and grass in the way, the grooves allow some of the trapped materials to be moved from the collision zone. Without groves you may get a high flyer with less spin and in this instance the ball does in fact run up the face ‚œ it actually skids up the face on the lubricating water and/or grass.

5 Irons Have The Most Backspin

This is an old wives tale. Following on from the face grooves myth above it is pretty obvious that the more loft we have on a club the higher the backspin rate will be.

Topspin Creates More Ball Roll

‚Å“I hit that drive with a lot of topspin. Look at it roll way out there‚. To get the ball airborne we have to hit it with backspin. The backspin creates the lift the ball requires to stay up there. If we did hit a ball with topspin it would just knuckle ball into the ground. These days with the advent of launch monitors we see players trying to optimize the backspin on the balls being played so that they can improve length off the tee.

The perceived topspin is actually a ball that has been hit with a counter-clockwise turning clubhead through the impact to separation zone, a draw spin. In this case the ball has been presented a clubface that has a little less loft shown than a shot where the clubface has been left open and opening further, a clockwise increase in backspin if you like, a high slice.

Forged Irons Feel Softer Than Cast Irons

Many players think a forged club feels sweeter to play than an investment cast head. Indeed at an atomic level the grains in a forged club are a little farther apart in comparison to an investment cast iron. But in a blindfold test hardly anyone can tell the difference. It is probably more a case of most forged clubs look really good and this mental image adds to the mystique of the real feel.

Golf Shafts Lose Their Stiffness

Many people surmise that if you keep using your clubs over a long period of time the shafts will ‚„wear out‚„ and lose some of their stiffness and become weaker. This is not the case at all, even with steel shafts. The reason for this is that the loads put on the shafts never get anywhere near the break straining points which would be required to cause metal fatigue in steel. If you have kinked a shaft or there is rust present then this is a different matter but a good quality shaft, whether steel or graphite, will keep its flex.

7 Woods Are For Women & Seniors

Whilst in the US last year I walked by up to 200 golf bags a day on the driving range and I was actually surprised at how this old view just does not exist over there in comparison to Australia and the UK. A 7 wood flies higher and lands softer than a 3 iron for players with slower swing speeds. Many slower swingers cannot hit their 3 iron any farther than their 4 iron as the backspin they place on the ball is not high enough to keep it airborne. Learn to use a 4 iron from under a bush and the 7 wood becomes one of your best friends on course.

The History of Golf

   No one knows the precise origins of the game of golf.  Some think it really began in medieval times, with shepherds hitting pebbles around the hillsides with their crooks.

   Another suggestion is that the game derived from the ancient Flemish pastime of chole, which was already known about and played in England by the mid-14th century.
 
   Perhaps the most likely forerunner was the Dutch game of kolf, documented as early as the end of the 13th century and portrayed in many Dutch landscape paintings by the 16th century.  "Golfers" certainly played cross-country with a stick and ball, not into a hole but to certain landmarks, usually doors on specific buildings.

   It was in Scotland, however that the game really developed.  Up and down the east coast, it apparently became so popular a pastime that in 1457 King James II, in an Act of Parliament, banned golf - and soccer too - because they were interfering with archery practice.  Skill with the bow and arrow was crucial to keeping the English out of Scotland.  The game remained uniquely - perhaps with its Dutch counterpart of kolf - until James VI of Scotland also became King of England and took the game south with him.  At Blackheath in South London, the Scottish noblemen laid out a seven-hole course so they could continue playing their beloved game.

   The early courses in Scotland bore little resemblance to those of today.  The game was played over public land - as in places it still is - with natural hazards and obstacles to negotiate   Not only were walls and ditches part of the game, but players often had to thread their way through others out enjoying their various recreations - horse racing, cricket, picnicking and so on.

   Caddies were hired by the golfers, not just to carry the clubs - golf bags were not invented until around 1870 - but to help make a way through the other activities on the links and presumably to watch out for the ball.

   Courses were natural, manicured only by sheep and rabbits.  There were no formal tees as such; players simply teed up a few feet from the previous hole.

   Rules, of course, developed over the years, and golf clubs were formed.  The oldest of these, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers - now based at Muirfield - was founded in 1744, while ten years later the Society of St. Andrews' Golfers was created.

   The rules of various clubs and courses were standardized, following St. Andrews' lead in using 18 holes.  Before 1764, the course at St. Andrews consisted of 22 holes, others had as few as 6 and as many as 25.  But by 1858 it had been agreed.  the Society of St. Andrews Golfers, having become the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in 1834 now ruled that a round of golf should be 18 holes.  And so it has remained.

   The game developed rapidly and began to be played professionally in the mid-1800's.  Allan Robertson, the first great professional golfer, died in 1858.  Some say that his death prompted the first professional championship at Prestwick in 1860 to find a new national champion.  This competition was opened to amateurs in 1861 to become the first Open Championship.  In 1863 it attracted prize money for the winner of just 10 pounds.   And from there, the game of golf developed to the game we now know today. 

One less Excuse!

Hot Humid Air Won't Slow Your Ball Down

   Worried that humidity hampers ball flight?  Think that the ball has a harder time pushing its way through dense air?  If so, you're all wet.  Hot humid air actually is lighter than cold, dry air.  And water vapor is lighter than dry air, so on a humid day the air is actually less dense, providing less resistance.  That means a golf ball will fly farther on a humid day - but not enough that you'll notice a difference. Our conclusion: Don't sweat it.

Dog Days of Summer

In ancient times, when the night sky was unobscured by artificial lights and smog, different groups of peoples in different parts of the world drew images in the sky by ‚Å“connecting the dots‚ of stars. The images drawn were dependent upon the culture: The Chinese saw different images than the Native Americans, who saw different pictures than the Europeans. These star pictures are now called constellations, and the constellations that are now mapped out in the sky come from our European ancestors.

They saw images of bears, (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor), twins, (Gemini), a bull, (Taurus), and others, including dogs, (Canis Major and Canis Minor).

The brightest of the stars in Canis Major (the big dog) is Sirius, which also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky. In fact, it is so bright that the ancient Romans thought that the earth received heat from it. Look for it in the southern sky (viewed from northern latitudes) during January.

In the summer, however, Sirius, the ‚Å“dog star,‚ rises and sets with the sun. During late July Sirius is in conjunction with the sun, and the ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, ‚Å“dog days‚ after the dog star.

The conjunction of Sirius with the sun varies somewhat with latitude. And the ‚Å“precession of the equinoxes‚ (a gradual drifting of the constellations over time) means that the constellations today are not in exactly the same place in the sky as they were in ancient Rome. Today, dog days occur during the period between July 3 and August 11. Although it is certainly the warmest period of the summer, the heat is not due to the added radiation from a far-away star, regardless of its brightness. No, the heat of summer is a direct result of the earth's tilt.

Is 42 The Perfect Age to Play Golf?

I recently received an article from a friend of mine about the perfect age of golfers.  She was quite upset as the age was mentioned as 42 and being that she was 83 and still playing golf she thought the perfect age would be 83 as long as you are still playing 18 holes 3-4 times a week. :-)

As Joan‚„s article states that many football or hockey players may burn out in their late twenties, or early 30‚„s but good old golfers have a much longer shelf life. According to their research and expert opinion by the Quinn Insurance Company, that the best age for men and women to play golf is age 42.

They say that for you to perfect your swing and with experience, stamina, confidence on the course, patience and technically should put them in the front of their game. Research recently shows that 42 is the average ideal age for precision and accuracy on the course. It seems they check with over 200 of the world‚„s top golfers on their average score over 18 holes and that the 40-45 age group topped the list leaving the 20-25 years old behind.

This test was done by sports physiotherapist, Cornel Driessen who works with the top European Tour golfers. It is quoted as saying many might be looking to Tiger Woods as top physical condition for golf. They state that there is an ideal golf specimen within each and every one of us playing this game, so mater what level, gender or age.

Driessen believes that peak golfing performance is down to physical conditioning and training the body and mind to perform. If we keep practicing and gaining the edge our body will respond which means a great deal of practice to make us successful. If we are to compete with the younger ones our game has to be in top performance. Mr. Dreissen explains that for those he works with to stay at high standard of physical conditioning program has to be tailored to their body‚„s individual needs throughout the years.

Lee Westwood was mentioned in this article as he hit the headlines here in America when he enjoyed his best performance at a major in the US Open. I remember watching him in the open and thought how much he improved himself as he has slimmed down and his game was in top form. Lee Westwood remarked that all this work he was doing now in 2008 will help him say in 2018 when he will be only 44 years old.

Another golfer was mentioned Nigel Ellis when he said that his performance on the golf course has improved massively with age, as he has cut his handicap down from 28 to 18. He believes that older players are more relaxed and patient on the course and all that practice sure is paying off as you get older.

I found this article very interesting as all it proves that the more you practice the better your golf game will become. I can‚„t say that I have lowered my handicap much, nor has Joan as she states she was scoring in the 90‚„s when she was at age 45 and is still scoring in the 90‚„s at age 83. However, she says she does practice a lot before each time she plays 18 holes.  She claims to have had many golfing lessons throughout her 50 years of playing golf. Some days my game is better than others she said and I think the mental game has a lot to do with that she claims.  Outside distractions can cause any golfer to lose that edge. Slow play bothers me the most as some players are never ready when it is their time to hit the ball. Some stand over their putt for longer than is necessary and when we are playing in 90 degree heat with the sun bearing down on those hot greens it gets to me. We have some players who are oblivious as to what is going on around them never pay attention to where everybody has hit the ball. I try to keep my cool as it is all part of the game.

Your age should not have anything to do with your game unless you have not taken care of yourself as you aged. Eating right, exercising and keep yourself mentally alert should go with you into old age. I know many of our golfers have aches and pains, some have diabetes, heart problems and corrective knee surgery but they are still out there because the love of the game of golf.  Age is just a number and with golf you can play at almosy any number you like.

Labour Day

Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

Canada
Labour Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in Canada since the 1880s. The origins of Labour Day in Canada can be traced back to April 14, 1872 when a parade was staged in support of the Toronto Typographical Union's strike for a 58-hour work-week.  The Toronto Trades Assembly (TTA) called its 27 unions to demonstrate in support of the Typographical Union who had been on strike since March 25.  George Brown, Canadian politician and editor of the Toronto Globe hit back at his striking employees, pressing police to charge the Typographical Union with "conspiracy."  Although the laws criminalising union activity were outdated and had already been abolished in Great Britain, they were still on books in Canada and police arrested 24 leaders of the Typographical Union. Labour leaders decided to call another similar demonstration on September 3 to protest the arrests. Seven unions marched in Ottawa, prompting a promise by Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald to repeal the "barbarous" anti-union laws.  Parliament passed the Trade Union Act on June 14 the following year, and soon all unions were demanding a 54-hour work-week.

The Toronto Trades and Labour Council (successor to the TTA) held similar celebrations every spring. American Peter J. McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was asked to speak at a labour festival in Toronto, Canada on July 22, 1882. Returning to the United States, McGuire and the Knights of Labor organised a similar parade based on the Canadian event on September 5, 1882 in New York City, USA. On July 23, 1894, Canadian Prime Minister John Thompson and his government made Labour Day, to be held in September, an official holiday. In the United States, the New York parade became an annual event that year, and in 1894 was adopted by American president Grover Cleveland to compete with International Workers' Day (May Day).

While Labour Day parades and picnics are organised by unions, many Canadians regard Labour Day as the Monday of the last long weekend of summer. Non-union celebrations include picnics, fireworks displays, water activities, and public art events. Since the new school year generally starts right after Labour Day, families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer.

An old custom prohibits the wearing of white after Labour Day. The explanations for this tradition range from the fact that white clothes are worse protection against cold weather in the winter to the fact that the rule was intended as a status symbol for new members of the middle class in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

A Labour Day tradition in Atlantic Canada would be the Wharf Rat Rally, while the rest of Canada is watching Labour Day Classic, Canadian Football League event where rivals like Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts, and Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers play on Labour Day weekend. Before the demise of the Ottawa Renegades after the 2005 season, that team played the nearby Montreal Alouettes on Labour Day weekend. Since then, the Alouettes have played the remaining team in the league, the BC Lions.

Labour Day parade in Grand Falls-Windsor Newfoundland started in 1910 and still continues today, 100 years later. The celebrations go on for three days with the parade on Labour Day Monday.

Worlds Most Unique Golf Courses

Golfing holidays have become increasingly popular over the past decade and are a perfect way to unwind and catch a tan, and unwind in your cheap hotels bar after being sorely embarrassed by your mulligan at the 9th. If you‚„re thinking of booking such a sporting vacation, you‚„ll be pleased to know that golf courses are popping up at a steady rate in pretty much every country you can name. However if you‚„re looking for something a little more unique, there are also a number of golf courses which are bizarre enough to become talking points in their own right, even before you‚„ve managed to buckle your first club.

To help you in your quest, here are just some of the world‚„s strangest golf courses and holes.

Brickyard Crossing Golf Course

Boasting a ridiculously vast seating capacity of 257,000+, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is comfortably the world‚„s highest capacity sports facility on Earth and is host to a number of high profile racing events throughout the year due to it‚„s world-famous 2.5 mile track. What many people fail to realise however, is that within the confines of said track sits four holes of Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort, an 18-hole course designed by Pete Dye which has itself been home to various golfing events over the years. The backstretch of the track separates the four-hole loop from the remaining 14 holes, and there‚„s even a water hazard within the track in the form of a lake.

Legend Golf And Safari

Should you choose to holiday in the vicinity of the 22,000 hectare Entabeni Safari Conservancy in South Africa, make an effort to play at least one round of golf at The Legend Golf Resort, surely one of the most beautiful courses yet to be created. If the surrounding scenery isn‚„t enough to guarantee your attendance, just take a look at the aptly named ‚ËœExtreme 19th Hole‚„ in the photographs above and reconsider. The good news: it‚„s a par 3. The bad news: you need to jump in a helicopter to reach the tee, which is situated nearly half a kilometre above the green, near the tip of Hangslip mountain.

 This is how it should be tackled:

The Movable Floating Green

When designer Scot Mills unveiled the stunning Coeur d‚„Alene Resort Golf Course in Idaho it was obvious that sooner or later his work would win an award, and Golf Digest soon presented it when naming the course top in the category ‚ËœBeauty and Aesthetics‚„. But beautiful golf courses aren‚„t unique. What is unique though, is the course‚„s 14th hole, pictured above. This is, according to its owners, ‚Ëœthe world‚„s only par 3 floating movable island green‚„ and due to its location is only reachable via its charming, dedicated Putter Boat shuttle.

Truly International Golf

 There are couple of reasons to take a golfing vacation at the Green Zone Golf Club. First of all, due to the course being located in Lappi, Finland, it‚„s possible to play a round at any time during the day or night in golfing season, as the sun doesn‚„t go down for months. Couple this with the fact that 9 holes are in Finland, the other 9 in Sweden and you have the ability to play a round of golf in two countries at 2am whilst the sun is still shining. If that isn‚„t a unique golfing experience, I don‚„t know what is.

Coober Peddy Opel Fields

Coober Pedy is a small mining town in Southern Australia, famous due to the majority of its inhabitants living underground to avoid the unbearable heat which bears down on the area throughout the year. It‚„s a surprise there‚„s a golf course at all. However it‚„s not a surprise to learn that the golf course which does exist above ground in Coober Pedy is without a single blade of grass, golfers choosing instead to carry a patch of turf around the course from which to tee-off. Also, due to the aforementioned heat, the majority of the golfing takes place at night using glowing balls.
Some dusty golfing takes place at 1:43 in the following video. 

The Longest Round

While you‚„re in Australia, why not have a quick round at Nullarbor Links? The 18 hole course only stretches 1,365 kilometres along the coast of South Australia after all. Officially the world‚„s longest golf course, Nullarbor Links opened in recent months to a flurry of disbelief, mainly due to the fact that the average distance between holes is a whopping 66 kilometres. In fact, two of the course‚„s holes are separated by approximately 200 kilometres of land, meaning you‚„ll need something more powerful than a Golf Cart to cover the 18 holes in anything less than a few weeks.

Clashing Rocks

Although now not as bizarre following a redesign, special mention must go to the original layout of ‚ËœClashing Rocks‚„, the 7th hole at Stone Harbor Golf Club in New Jersey. The course‚„s designer, Desmond Muirhead, was asked to design 18 unique holes back in the late 1980s and whilst all were certainly interesting, none confused as many people as the 7th; a par-3 whose green sat alone in the water, flanked by two jagged bunkers supposedly inspired by Jason and the Argonauts. Unfortunately such a green proved problematic, hence its current modified appearance.

Jim Furyk wins The Tour Championship, FedEx Cup - What Would You Do If Money Was No Object

Jim Furyk had an $11.35 million day Sunday as he took The Tour Championship in Atlanta, giving him a $10 million bonus for winning the FedEx Cup.

ATLANTA ‚ On a wet, dark and difficult Sunday, it all came down to making a par at the last hole. A mere par, from the deep greenside bunker at East Lake Golf Club, and Jim Furyk would win it all ‚ The Tour Championship, the FedEx Cup, all the money, his career-best third PGA Tour title of the year and, perhaps, the player-of-the-year award.

If ever there was a task that matched the man, this was it: a tough, blue-collar day at The Tour Championship, with rain falling and grips slipping and throats tightening and players faltering. And there was Furyk, having stoically fought the elements all day, a man who was disqualified from the first playoff event for missing his pro-am starting time because an alarm didn't go off. He was standing on wet sand with a 60-degree wedge and needed to get up and down to win $11.35 million.

That was what he did. With slightly more than 18 yards to the hole, Furyk's shot from the sand came out low and spinning. It bounced twice, grabbed the wet green and skidded to a stop 2 ½ feet past the hole, leaving him a tap-in the 40-year-old would call "just about dummy proof."

A soaked Furyk, his cap spun backward, brushed in the putt and let out two whoops.

Furyk's par round of 70, anything but easy, gave him a total of 8-under-par 272 and a one-stroke victory over Luke Donald, who also shot a 70. Furyk got $1.35 million for winning the tournament and a $10 million bonus for clinching the FedEx Cup.

Donald, who holed a 100-foot birdie pitch at the 17th hole to give himself a chance, couldn't sink a 48-foot birdie putt on No. 18.

Ryan Moore (69) of Puyallup tied for ninth and was 21st in FedEx Cup points, a combination worth a total of $428,125.
 

What Would You Do?

Imagine you are Jim Furyk and just won 11 million, or better yet you are Tiger Woods and you were independently wealthy and did not have to work to support yourself and your family, what would you do with your life? How would you spend your time?

For those of us who don't know what we want to do in life, who aren't sure whether we have a passion or a calling, the answer to this question might provide a clue. If money were no object what would you do?

I know my answer. I'd do all the things I do and enjoy now; I'd just do them more often.  Spending time with my Girls (Wife and Two Daughters), Bass Fishing, Playing Golf, Collecting and Racing Slot Cars etc.  I'd build a log house on the end of a lake in which I could create a sanctuary for myself and my family to enjoy.  I would relish the opportunity to be able to focus more on my kids and to watch them grow up, become educated and independent and eventually have a loving spouse and a family of their own that I could call my grandchildren.   I'd continue to watch my health and continue to try to get into better shape so that I am around long enough to enjoy the things I just described.  One day I'd go back to university and continue my studies so that I continue to build the wisdom they say comes with age.

There's more of course. One can see all sorts of possibilities when money is not a worry or an issue. I'd probably want to find a place down south to escape the winter months and weather when I desired and to have a place to fish and play golf when Canada is frozen over.  Travel a little more often. Visit the local humane society and adopt some pets. And find ways of contributing to the community. The philanthropic possibilities when you're filthy rich would be simply endless.

What would you do? Would you start a business of your own if there were no risk of financial failure? Would you move to Hawaii for a permanent surfing holiday? Maybe you would throw over your position as a high-powered executive to open a daycare for children. Or decide to travel around the world studying history and trekking through ruins.

If there were no limitations what would you do with yourself? How would you spend your days? Where would you find meaning in your life?

Maybe your answer would surprise you. Maybe you love what you're doing right now and couldn't imagine doing anything else. If so, you're lucky. You've found your 'thing', your calling already.

But for those of you who haven't, this kind of dreaming might give you a glimpse into the life you really want. Think big, think outrageous, think no bounds. How would you express your talents and gifts? What desires are at the very core of your being? What fond wish have you never dared reveal to anyone?

Something you may discover when you dream like this, and especially when you write it down and can review it in black and white, is that it's not all that outrageous after all.

It's OK to Dream!!

The Bad

Being a public player, it is nice to read an article with many good choices for great golf courses at a fair price.  I decided to take a suggestion from you list of the Best Bang For The Buck and went to play Hidden Lake on August 25th and was completly disappointed.  The first issue is that the golf course was $67.50 to walk and the group that paid in front of me got a discount with their round of $55 dollars with cart.  (I'm not sure how this discount was available for some but not others).

The second issue is that the first three greens of the Old Course were unplayable and I feel this should have been explained to me beforehand as it took six holes for the greens to run consistently. 

The last issue I had was the terribleservice, which was terrible from the start to the finish.  The pro shop seemed to want nothign to do with us, and we did not see a beverage car throughout the entire round, which was upsetting as it was a sunny and warm day.

Overall, I enjoy you magazine immensely and I have played more than half of your :\"Best Bang" list and will continue to pick golf courses from this list. But I feel that if I do not say anything, I would not be helping others in the future for OG.  Thanks and please continue to produce an amazing magazine.

Easter

The meaning of the many different customs observed during Easter Sunday have been buried with time. Their origins lie in both pre-Christian religions and Christianity. In one way or another all the customs are a "salute to spring" marking re-birth.

The white Easter lily has come to capture the glory of the holiday. The word "Easter" is named after Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. A festival was held in her honor every year at the vernal equinox.

People celebrate Easter according to their beliefs and their religious denominations. Christians commemorate Good Friday as the day that Jesus Christ died and Easter Sunday as the day that He was resurrected. Protestant settlers brought the custom of a sunrise service, a religious gathering at dawn, to the United States.

Who is the Easter Bunny?
Today on Easter Sunday, many children wake up to find that the Easter Bunny has left them baskets of candy. He has also hidden the eggs that they decorated earlier that week. Children hunt for the eggs all around the house. Neighborhoods and organizations hold Easter egg hunts, and the child who finds the most eggs wins a prize.

The Easter Bunny is a rabbit-spirit. Long ago, he was called the "Easter Hare", hares and rabbits have frequent multiple births so they became a symbol of fertility. The custom of an Easter egg hunt began because children believed that hares laid eggs in the grass. The Romans believed that "All life comes from an egg." Christians consider eggs to be "the seed of life" and so they are symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Why we dye, or color, and decorate eggs is not certain. In ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and Persia eggs were dyed for spring festivals. In medieval Europe, beautifully decorated eggs were given as gifts.

In England, Germany and some other countries, children rolled eggs down hills on Easter morning, a game which has been connected to the rolling away of the rock from Jesus Christ's tomb when he was resurrected. British settlers brought this custom to the New World.

Dolly Madison - Queen of Egg Rolling

In the United States in the early nineteenth century, Dolly Madison, the wife of the fourth American President, organized an egg roll in Washington, D.C. She had been told that Egyptian children used to roll eggs against the pyramids so she invited the children of Washington to roll hard-boiled eggs down the hilly lawn of the new Capitol building! The custom continued, except for the years during the Civil War. In 1880, the First Lady invited children to the White House for the Egg Roll because officials had complained that they were ruining the Capitol lawn. It has been held there ever since then, only canceled during times of war. The event has grown, and today Easter Monday is the only day of the year when tourists are allowed to wander over the White House lawn. The wife of the President sponsors it for the children of the entire country. The egg rolling event is open to children twelve years old and under. Adults are allowed only when accompanied by children!

Easter Parades

Traditionally, many celebrants bought new clothes for Easter which they wore to church. After church services, everyone went for a walk around the town. This led to the American custom of Easter parades all over the country. Perhaps the most famous is along Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Good Friday is a federal holiday in 16 states and many schools and businesses throughout the U.S. are closed on this Friday.

Everyone Talks About The Weather, But Only The Weatherman Gets Paid To Do It

Being a TV weatherperson has got to be the best job in the world. Sure, being an ice cream taster at Baskin Robbins, the head of human resources for the Acme Funny Flick Company, or Leonardo DiCaprio are also good career choices, but they don’t afford you the luxury of messing up 365 days in a row while not only keeping your job but getting a raise, which means you can buy all the tax-deductible silly ties and hairspray you want. And as a weatherperson you’ll want plenty.

Think about it, if doctors, airline pilots, and dry cleaners had the same success rate as TV weather people there would be a major uprising. Well, except maybe from morticians, Amtrak, and clothing manufacturers.  But for some reason weather forecasters are exempt from the normal guidelines of job performance. Maybe, as in kindergarten, “plays well with others,” “shares,” and “goes potty by himself” really are the most important personal attributes.

I understand that weather forecasting — formally known as meteorology, from the Greek for “meatier paycheck” — isn’t an exact science, but it’s not right that my horoscope is more accurate than the 3-day forecast. We can put a man on the moon, create computers that do thousands of calculations per second while costing less than a big screen TV, and put cherries inside chocolate without the juice leaking out, yet we can’t say with better than a 25% probability whether it will rain six hours from now. This just isn’t right.

Luckily in some countries they’re doing something about it. Last month the head of the Romanian National Meteorology Agency was fired for predicting warm weather on days when — whoops! — the temperature dropped to a record minus 36C and the Black Sea froze. In Russia, the mayor of Moscow says he’ll fine weather forecasters who blow it. This came after the city had its heaviest snowfall since record-keeping began in the 19th century but — whoops again! — the weather forecasters hadn’t been able to predict when it would hit or how much snow they’d get.

It’s not as if TV weather people are stupid. Quite the contrary. Remember, they’re the ones with the cushy job, not you and me. Most of them went to college to study meteorology, which means they spent five or six of the best years of their life taking courses like Silly Weather System Names 201, Inane Banter 405, and Advanced Clowning Techniques. See, they figure that if they’re entertaining enough it will take our minds off the rain that’s about to wash away our house and car when just a few hours ago they said it would be sunny and warm for the rest of the week. They joke around, draw cute pictures on their weather maps, and generally act as if this is a steppingstone to getting a late night talk show. After all, it worked for David Letterman.

In amongst all this they manage to show off some of the latest technology, including satellite photos, Doppler radar, computer imaging, and those weather maps that zoom around like bad video games, making you glad you copped those airsickness bags from the plane even though you thought they were doggie bags for your mini-pretzels. Yet for all their weather charts, reporting stations — that’s right, get those elementary school kids to do your work for you! — barometers, hygrometers, anemometers, and divination of chicken entrails, they still use professional help, though maybe not the kind we think they should be getting. Every TV station subscribes to several weather forecasting services, like the National Weather Service, Accu-Weather, and Madame Gloria’s Psychic Hotline and Spanish Delicatessen. The weatherperson’s job, actually, is to cull through these and, using some of that college education, choose which forecast they think will be right. So it turns out that not only is their forecast usually wrong, so is their choice of which forecasting service to believe. Remind me not to listen to their stock tips.

Choosing the forecast isn’t the only part of their job that’s difficult. Night after night they have to try to find something new and fresh to say. Face it, there are a limited number of weather conditions — sun, clouds, rain, snow, sleet, hail, and wind — and between a 0 and 100% chance of each happening. Since we’ve long heard all the possible permutations, they’re stuck trying their damnedest to get excited about things like a heat wave in August and a cold snap in January. Excuse me, but isn’t that what happens in August and January?

Meteorology is a science, and as with all sciences, it’s can be very technical. So another part of the weatherperson’s job is to translate that jargon into language we all understand. Face it, we don’t care about isobars and inverted fronts, we want to know if we need to carry an umbrella and wear a jacket. But somewhere along the line weather people were told that their viewers have the IQ of a remote control with a dead battery, which is why they make up new weather words (thunder boomers), create their own catchphrases (Frank’s Frigid Front Flows Freely), and generally act like Willard Scott, which wouldn’t be so bad except they act like him during his pre-weatherman days as Bozo the Clown.

They should take a tip from the British, where the daily weather predictions in the newspaper include such true-life phrases as “bright start, then outbreaks of rain” and “freshening southeast winds.” Don’t these sound infinitely more refined? Though to be honest, the writer could have been wearing a red rubber nose while typing them for all I know.

Maybe we should quit griping about weather people — or at least I should — and just learn from them. “There’s a 50% chance of getting that hamburger the way you want it,” would really take the pressure off fast food workers. And personally, being able to say “Doppler radar indicates this article will be partly funny with a chance of light drivel followed by periods of clearing and gusts of hot blustery air” would really get me off the hook. Now if I can only find a way to make the silly ties and hair spray tax deductible.

Article take from Mad Dog Publishing