Can you share a little more about Markham Green? Why did they lose 9 holes? When did it happen? Would it be possible to restore them?
The course was a full eighteen hole course built for a single owner in the early 1960’s. Gary Slatter would know the details even better than I do. The course was designed by a local professional named Jimmy Johnston who did a pretty good job.
I was lucky enough to play there quite a bit as a teenager and remember the course in detail. Interestingly it opened and closed on two par fives. The 3rd and 16th were both threes as well. The course opened above the valley and through a series of holes set in wonderful trees worked it’s way down to the Rouge River (a major river in Toronto) The highlights included the long par three third played beside an 80 foot bluff down the right side all the way to the green and the extremely interesting short par four 4th.
The 6th was the start of the famous run along the river that finished at the 13th. The 6th itself was an outstanding three across the river to a super cool green surrounded by bunkers. The 7th played diagonally over the river and then played up the side all the way to a massive green 460 yards away from the tee (always was a par 4). The 8th was a pitch par three back across the river with the Green hanging on the bank. Then there was a long walk to the short and wild 9th that doglegged hard to the left to a really interesting elevated green.
The back nine begins at the top of the valley and plays down into the valley before finishing at a green set on the other side. The 11th crosses the river, plays along side and ten crosses back over to the green on the other side. The 12th was a long four where the river came into play up the left and crossed well short of the green.
The original 13th involved a walk to a tee on the land above the valley. The player tried to decide whether to take on the elbow created by the River’s bend and the massive landmark Willow at the corner. You had to decide whether to play long and right or short and left which meant a 150 yard carry into a green set hard against the River. This was an exceptional hole, but is now played as a three down below. That happened while I was still a teenager.
The 14th plays back up the valley with no river in play and is a terrific long four. My favourite was the 15th a short drivable four, now gone, where the valley was in play for the entire length of the hole along the right. The 16th was a long three over a large deep pond and was where I used to swim for balls. The 17th was 625 yards right from the outset. The 18th was a fine finishing five with wonderful bunkering at the corner of the dogleg. It was a great course.
The course was sold to IBM (I’m guessing in the 1970’s) who operated it for quite a long time. It also had a 9 hole short course (nothing special) and playing fields till the 1980’s when it was sold for development. I think the valley lands are leased and it’s currently operated as a nine holes where you drive out and play back in. The current course has a new opener, then borrows 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, the reised13th and the14th. This is the bulk of what made it famous in its day. The remainder is all under housing with the exception of the 6th which is fallow.