Canadian Open course

[mike_beene]

Looks like a nice old course. Is there a third nine? Comment on broadcast that greens on front more undulating. Anybody know anything about the course?

[Jeff Evagues]

They said there are 3 nines. They have taken holes from each nine.

[Pete Lavallee]

Original 2 nines by Stanley Thompson in the ‘20s. Third nine Robbie Robinson in 1957. Restoration by Ian Andrews.

[Matthew Rose]

https://oakdalegolf.com/golf/

[David_Tepper]

https://scoregolf.com/opinion/low-scoring-at-oakdale-shouldnt-worry-club-members-these-guys-are-good-after-all/

[Andrew Harvie]

The front nine is a composite between Stanley Thompson's original golf course, now called the Thompson and Homenuik nines. There are some good holes on the composite course, specifically, the opening hole, the 3rd-5th, and the 8th & 9th. The back nine is the Knudson nine, built by Robbie Robinson.


It is one of the worse Stanley Thompson efforts, but the Thompson/Homenuik nine is a decent golf course still (a bad Thompson is still a good golf course). The Knudson, Robinson side is weak, but the par 3, 11th is a pretty good redan-ish par 3.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Oakdale was founded in 1926 by a group of Jewish golfers denied membership at other Toronto clubs. There is a perception, then, that it remains a Jewish-only club to this day. It is not. It is predominately Jewish because of the club’s history, and as Jagroop pointed out, the generational nature of its membership. But people of all religions are welcome, whether they’ve married a Jewish person who is a member or not. Nowhere on Oakdale’s membership application form does it say, “Are you Jewish?”



https://www.thestar.com/sports/golf/2023/06/05/behind-the-scenes-on-how-and-why-oakdale-became-the-2023-canadian-open-host.html

[Tim Martin]

Seems like a long walk from 17 green to 18 tee. Anyone know the approximate distance?

[Daryl David]

They said it was around 250 yards.

[Greg Hohman]

The rough looked pretty darn shaggy/thick on Saturday. I was unable to watch today (Sunday).

[Ian Andrew]

Everybody question whether it would hold up. It did just fine.

They will host again in 2026. A few planned changes to come.
A few things to iron out.

It's interesting working on these events the last few years and being exposed to the non-golf a logistical side. Ugh.
It's a very intense exercise for everyone to make all of this work. Clubs go through hell to provide a good event.
It's an event now as much as it is a golf tournament.

My fun take-ways for the week-end:

I built the rink hole. It was cool to be there and watch play.
My wife went and loved it. She's never watched golf before!
Oh and we had a Canadian win and the place was as electric as any major.
Super fun event to be part of.

[Tim Martin]

The putt that Taylor holed to win reminded me of the one that Constantino Rocca made in 1995 at St. Andrews to get into the playoff with John Daly for purposes of both length and dramatic effect.

[Ronald Montesano]

The hit that the security guard put on Adam Hadwin, made me think of every hockey hit I've ever seen.

Oakdale was one of the courses played in the TriWizard Cup (or was it the TriSociety Cup) in 2022. It was the Ross, Thompson, and Travis Societies that got together last year. I was conspicuously absent.

[mike_beene]

From the logistical side Ian, you mention the club will host again in 1926. Your artist brains have an understanding of time I cannot grasp.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Seems like a long walk from 17 green to 18 tee. Anyone know the approximate distance?

I am pretty sure that is because they are using a composite routing and that is not the normal hole sequence.  They have mixed and matched holes from the three nines for the event.

[Ian Andrew]

From the logistical side Ian, you mention the club will host again in 1926. Your artist brains have an understanding of time I cannot grasp.

Opps, yes 2026 ... fixed it

[Ian Andrew]

Seems like a long walk from 17 green to 18 tee. Anyone know the approximate distance?

I am pretty sure that is because they are using a composite routing and that is not the normal hole sequence.  They have mixed and matched holes from the three nines for the event.

That the normal walk between 8 and 9 Knudson. 200 yards.
Never thought that felt long when I played it.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Thanks Ian, I didn't remember that but I have played it a few times in a Member-Guest when we were in carts.  I have walked the course at least once while playing, but we may not have played that nine.

[Matt_Cohn]

On TV they said something about one hole changing from a par-4 to a par-5 for the tournament? Was that right?

[Ian Andrew]

On TV they said something about one hole changing from a par-4 to a par-5 for the tournament? Was that right?

That was Jim Nantz - he was wrong.
It is a par five for members - they do try find the narrow neck by the river.
George Knudson was famous for doing this all the time and it's called Knudson's Alley


It was initially a par four for the event.
They played a qualifier the year before and there were many complaints about it being too hard a four.
The main issue was the forced lay-up, then a longer approach.


So they backed off and made it a par five again.
Because its reachable, regardless of tactic, there was little complaint from players.
Shots varied and some choose to lay back further and longer clubs to try and run the ball into the back.
The mid-tier is very strong and not much gets by it.