[Frank M]

The Summit is located in Richmond Hill and occupies a beautiful parcel of land on the Oak Ridges Moraine. The property is in my opinion one of the best pieces of land in Southern Ontario and the course takes advantage of this well. Playing to a par of 70 and 6425 yards, the routing is unique in that the front is a par 36 with two par 3s and two par 5s, but the back is a par 34 with 4 par 3s and two par 5s (in fact there is a 5 hole stretch without a single par 4). The routing also plays in an out and in fashion, never returning to the clubhouse.

[Frank M]

HOLE 1 : Par 4 445 yards
Good start to a great golf course. Left side gives you the best angle, but right side offers the flatest lies.

Tee Shot


Fairway


Looking back

[Frank M]

HOLE 2 : Par 3 186 yards

Tee (Green slopes towards the tee, don't want to be above the hole)


Behind green (Don't miss long)


Green (From the right side, nice contours)


HOLE 3 : Par 4 378 yards

Tee


Fairway


Looking back

[Paul Stephenson]

I've always enjoyed playing Summit.  It is underrated.

I was driving up Bayview Ave. the other week and saw a lot of work taking place on either the 6th or 7th hole.  Do you know what is going on there?

[Frank M]

It's the 7th hole. There were problems with the old hole and balls going OB so they are redesigning, moving the green further left. They are also rebuilding the 8th tee. 

[Frank M]

HOLE 4 : Par 4  387 yards

Tee


Fairway


Short of green right


Short of green left


Looking back


HOLE 5 : Par 3 181 yards (Now in play with the redesign of 7, but usually an extra hole)

Tee


Green


HOLE 6 : Par 5 533 yards

Tee


Fairway


Layup


Short of green

[Rob Rigg]

I played at Summit a bunch in high school and college after my dad joined.

Haven't been back in ages but absolutely love this course. Bizarre to see carts on the fairways, that was a rare occurrence 10+ years ago.

The course got hosed by the expansion of Bayview and Richmond Hill Rd (or whatever is north of #7). That was a great little short par 4 - I believe Knudson said it was one of his favorites.

For a non-GBI course there is a bit of quirk at Summit which makes it special. Haven't really got to those holes yet but can't wait.

The 1st is a great starting hole, definitely not a push over. The 2nd can be a challenging one shotter depending on the wind and tees. The 3rd is a birdie hole but there is trouble if you hit a bad approach or push the ball left off the tee. The 4th is strong and before modern technology played really tough with the uphill approach especially into the wind. I remember the 5th as a reachable par 5 a lot of the time - a bit of a breather after the steep walk up the path from the 6th - but trouble on both side of the fairway puts a premium on accuracy and OB is not far right of the green. The extra par 3 always seemed a bit out of character with the place IMO but a necessity and there was not a lot Carrick could have done with the space available. It's fun playing it off the back hill onto the green.

I have played most of the classics around TO at some point growing up and always enjoyed getting back to Summit because it is on a fantastic piece of property and the golf has a lot of character - that is probably the thing I love about Summit - its unique character and land makes for very interesting play/lies etc. round after round. There are few flat lies on the course - and as on the 1st - having a flat lie can make for a more challenging angle into the green.

Thanks for this thread Frank.

[Ryan Admussen]

Summit was the highlight of my trip to Ontario a few weeks ago, I would join in a heartbeat if I was in Toronto.

Thanks for the pics Frank!

[Mark Saltzman]

Frank,

The course looks great.  There aren't many courses around TO I haven't seen, but this is one of 'em.  Seems like I've missed out on a real hidden gem.

Ryan,
Out of curiosity, what other courses did you play that you preferred Summit to?

[Frank M]

The Summit definitely has some "quirk" and I think that may be what confuses some people and keeps it from being held in higher regard. For me, I think it is exactly that which makes it so great.

[Ryan Admussen]

Ryan,
Out of curiosity, what other courses did you play that you preferred Summit to?

Mark,

I played the following courses
Summit
Thornhill
Redtail
Cobble Beach
Heron Point
Glendale
Ironwood

[Frank M]

HOLE 7 : Par 4 313 yards

Tee (Don't want to hit it more than 200 yards up the left side unless you are trying to drive the green in which case take it over the bunker)


Fairway left of bunker


Behind the green (again don't miss long)


Looking back


HOLE 8 : Par 4 412 yards

Tee


Fairway


Looking back


HOLE 9 : Par 5 537 yards

Tee


Fairway


Layup


Looking back

[Frank M]

HOLE 10 : Par 3 206 yards

Tee


Green


HOLE 11 : Par 4 424 yards

Tee


Fairway


Green from right side


Looking back from 12th tee


Looking back from 12th tee 2


HOLE 12 : Par 4 397 yards

Tee (blue fence due to construction on 7th hole)


Fairway


Short of Green


Crowned Green

[Frank M]

HOLE 13 : Par 3 202 yards

Tee


Green


HOLE 14 : Par 5 541 yards (One of the best par 5s anywhere)

Tee


Fairway


Short of green


Behind green


Behind green 2


HOLE 15 : Par 3 150 yards

Tee


Green


Looking back


HOLE 16 : Par 5 593 yards

Tee


Fairway


Layup


Looking back

[Frank M]

HOLE 17 : Par 3 137 yards

(I am sorry the quality is horrible but the sun was TOO strong no matter where I tried to take it from).

Tee


Looking back


HOLE 18 : Par 4 401 yards

Tee


Fairway


Short of green


Looking back

[Jeff_Mingay]

Wow.

I've seen nearly every course worth seeing in the GTA, but Summit is a glaring omission from that list. These picture show a very, very attractive property and a classic course that seems to have retained its old-fashion charm. Beautiful.

Thanks for posting, Frank. I gotta get out to take a look at Summit soon.

[Ian Andrew]

Cumming is credited with at least 9 holes of the routing (closest to the clubhouse).
The question has always come on the other nine holes.

5th/alternative - added by Doug Carrick (he's a member)
7th green and rebuild of 7th hole - Carrick
9th green - Carrick
11th hole - Robbie Robinson
13th hole - Bob Cupp
14th green - Bob Cupp

Bunkering was far simpler and was redone by Doug



It's a great routing with excellent greens

[Rob Rigg]

The 6th is a fascinating original - lay up and wedge, or drive the green and risk an uphill pitch from the gully or a real bomb could put you over the green. I believe the green slopes left to right off the hill which makes a pitch from up top challenging if you don't control spin bc it can run off the right side (I might be wrong).

Not sure how 8 plays now (with "modern" driver) but it used to one of my favorite holes anywhere. If you take your drive over the fescue on the right you can get a big run out leaving a downhill pitch to the green which is sloped back to front. It is fairly narrow off the tee though so a push or pull can put you in the woods or in the fescue and a short drive can leave a long second to a green with a little gully in front and bunkers waiting. If guys are now driving the ball to the bottom of the hill then it's a shame.

9 was always reachable but the run up to the green deflected a lot of balls away to the left in particular. The fairway probably isn't narrow but if you really turn the shoulders you can bring the woods on both side into play or the long rough. I think they fixed the green which used to have major air flow problems.

10 is a brutal up hill par 3 unless they changed something. The green slopes severely from back to front so if you go long it can be challenging to get your ball up and down (or even keep it on the green sometimes). A par here feels like a birdie.

11 is one of the most demanding par 4s I played in the GTA - a brilliant hole - almost a 4.5 (or at least it used to be). The hole turns to the left while the fairway cants to the right and anything with to much fade or slice can end up in a collection area leaving a really long second (around 200+ if I recall). A strong drive can cut the corner a leave a much shorter iron. There is a lot of movement in the green as well so a two putt is never guaranteed. Another hole where par is a great score.

12 is definitely "quirky" - You can play short for a flat lie or just blast away and hit an uphill short iron to the crowned green. They don't build holes like this anymore and it adds to the Summit charm (while likely frustrating a ton of people).

13 is the Cupp par 3 as Ian said. A decent one shotter.

14 really is a cool hole - a reachable far 5 with an EPIC tee shot from the elevated tees to the fairway below. Standing on that tee looking out over the tree tops is incredible.

15 usually plays around 150ish if I recall - another uphill par 3 where a bit long is a lot better than short where you can see the steep drop - or too far right which is long rough and fescue. Birdies are possible but great rounds have run into serious speed bumps here.

16 used to be more interesting when there was a little creek running across the fairway at a distance where longer hitter had to make a decision whether to lay up or go for it. The hole kind of looks like a long runway now - definitely a grind.

17 is a common hole on classic courses in the GTA. A really short par 3 that will yield a ton of birdies but if you don't compress the ball and end up short it can turn into a nightmare. The tree on the left also causes problems if the pin is on that side of the green as it can be hard to draw a wedge if you want to go pinseeking. I think the green runs front to back which makes it less receptive.

18 is a great finishing hole - A strong drive (at least in the old days) could crest the ridge and leave a short iron approach to the elevated green. Gauging distance was also really challenging as this putting service is larger than most and depth perception is stressed. A short drive can leave a long approach and immediately brings bogey into play. The rough is usually fairly thick and the bunkers on the right side are below the green making an up and down difficult. A very good finish to what is most definitely a thoroughly enjoyable round of golf.

Apologies for any mistakes - it's been a while - but it's been most enjoyable playing a mental round at The Summit.

[Peter Pallotta]

My thanks too, Frank - that was great. I have never seen Summit from start to finish and in such detail. And thanks too to Rob for the analysis. It really seems a terrific place.

Peter

[Frank M]

Thanks everyone

[Gary Slatter]

Frank, thanks so much for the great memories of Summit!  I`ve always felt it was the typicl Canadian course, excepting it is the ONLY one.  I love the turf, much of it is built on sand and gravel left over by the glacier.
My father used to live in a house on the right of the 14th hole, that great par five!  He worked on the course prior to going to Huntsville to work on building Huntsville Downs with Stanley Thompson`s team.
14 is still my favourite elevated tee shot, anywhere.
Thanks again!!!! I holed a 30 footer on the 18th green for 112 in the 1955 Ontario Junior, I was 10. Got chewed out for leaving my ball in the hole while others putted.

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