Designed by Harry Colt after a few trips to Ancaster, Ontario in 1913 and 1914, Hamilton is one of just a handful of remaining H.S. Colt designs across North America. Many of his contributions are NLE (“No Longer Existing”), one of which includes the other nine at Hamilton: the Ladies Nine.
Like the eighteen holes comprised of the West & South nine holes at Hamilton, Colt’s Ladies nine was also routed in triangles, consisting of three loops of three where the driving range is now, the Tom Clark short course is, and parts of Robbie Robinson’s East course. Rather than individual hole drawings like the Colt course, the Ladies Nine was largely constructed off the blueprint, below.
Without a scorecard listed or yardages to indicate exactly what we’re looking at, an approximate guess:
- Hole 1: ~320 yards, par 4
- Hole 2: ~300 yards, par 4
- Hole 3: ~340 yards, par 4
- Hole 4: ~320 yards, par 4
- Hole 5: ~180 yards, par 3
- Hole 6: ~230 yards, par… 4?
- Hole 7: ~290 yards, par 4
- Hole 8: ~140 yards, par 3
- Hole 9: ~330 yards, par 4
Among the best classic golf courses in Ontario—the three being St. George’s, Toronto Golf Club, and Hamilton—they all either had ladies/junior nines built or designed. At Toronto Golf Club, Colt drew nine additional holes playing down below to the right of the opening holes across the Etobicoke River, with the first hole directly to the south of the current clubhouse, the 2nd crossing the river on the left, the third crossing and the 3rd, 6th, and 8th also crossing. The 4th played directly below the 2nd, with the finishing nine holes doglegging with the river to finish the round. It is largely understood these nine holes of golf were never built.
At St. George’s, the Brule course did exist, located to the North of the 15th hole, west of the 12th, and occupying parts of the current upper parking lot to begin the round. While not explicitly listed as a “Ladies” course like Hamilton, the concept was juniors and women had to beat a certain score on the Brule to be able to play the Royal York “big” course. The property the additional nine holes at St. George’s sat on is now homes, with the club selling off the land in the 1960s.
Hamilton’s additional nine holes lasted until Robbie Robinson added the East nine, which also included alterations to the 15th and 16th holes. In particular, the three holes across the land where the driving range currently resides is fruitful for golf and likely produced an excellent opening three holes. That first swing, working downhill backwards across the current practice hole and the short game facility for the RBC Canadian Open, would have been a superb par 4, with the green sitting at the base of the hillside where the aiming bunker on 9 resided (note: a group of trees sits on top of this hill now). The second was a shorter, rollicking hole across the high side of the back of the driving range while the 3rd played opposite of the opening hole on the eighteen hole course.
The land where the 4th-6th were is far less inspiring and frankly more cramped. A par 3 course, built in 2011 by Tom Clark, pays homage to Colt’s best work, but flatter terrain meant the architecture had to be a bit more dynamic, and H.S. Colt stepped it up a notch. That includes a seeming homage to the 6th on the Championship course with the 5th here, featuring bunkers short of the green in a similar manner, and a difficult approach shot on the 4th across a big bunker as well.
The last of the three triangles resides where the opening two holes on the East nine are currently, which includes the short par 4’s at the 7th and 9th and a demanding single swing on the par 3, 8th.
Notably, the 7th, running in a similar fashion to the current 1st on the East (sort of), had a big bunker left in the fairway to carry, cut into the hillside and likely looking terrifying from the tee. To finish, a couple top-shot bunkers coming back up the 9th hole on the East, ending a charming, yet short nine holes of golf.
Given the length of the holes (ballparked) and the overall profile of the golf course, it becomes clear this was designed as a short course—or, a much more “appropriate” test for women, seniors, and juniors back in the day. The early days of golf were not exactly inclusive, and forward tees suitable for distances for those who hit the ball shorter are a relatively modern addition to the game of golf (post-WWII). When Colt designed and built the Ladies Nine, he had this in mind and delivered a similar experience strategically and visually to that of the current golf course we know.
It is reasonable to understand why the club left this golf course in the past—both layout wise and conceptually—and especially with the addition of the nine hole par 3 course and the East nine, which helps Hamilton arguably have the finest private facility in Canada, but losing Colt holes is all the same sad. With all that said, the current offerings at Hamilton are exceptional, and wanting the Ladies nine restored or returned is simply being a nostalgia merchant, though one wishes the East nine incorporated a bit more of Colt’s style or concepts presented on the Ladies Nine into the layout as a homage or tribute. The par 3’s, as an example, could easily be transported to new ground, and the 7th on the Ladies Nine would fit nicely onto the 5th hole on the East right now.
Either way, a facility once having twenty-seven Colt holes in North America (or, in general), is rare and showed Colt’s dedication to this project, which he unfortunately never saw completed because of World War One. Either way, an interesting tidbit as you walk around to see if you can spot a hole or two, or perhaps at the RBC Canadian Open Concert Series when the artists get up on stage.
