Inside the course: Glen Abbey Golf Club

text size

Laberge/Getty Images

A scenic shot of the ninth green at Glen Abbey Golf Club, the host of this year's RBC Canadian Open.

Jul. 18, 2009
By PGA TOUR Staff

The TOUR heads north of the border to Canada this week for the RBC Canadian Open in Oakville, Ontario. Here's all you need to know about the host course -- Glen Abbey GC.

Fast facts

Course Superintendent	Scott M. Bowman
Original architect	Jack Nicklaus (1976)
Course remodel	Nicklaus Design Group, No. 11 (2001)
Number of TOUR events as host venue	25 (including 2009)
Course ranking	Ranked 33rd (out of 54 courses) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2008
Yardage history	7,096 yards (1977)
	7,059 yards (1978)
	7,060 yards (1979-1982)
	7,055 yards (1983)
	7,102 yards (1984-1995)
	7,112 yards (1996, 1998-2000)
	7,222 yards (2004-present)
Grass	Pencross bentgrass, Penntrio bentgrass, Poa annua (tees); Bentgrass, Poa annua (fairways, greens); Kentucky bluegrass (rough)
Tournament Stimpmeter	11.5 feet
Sand bunkers	95
Water hazards	5
Course tour	Click here

Course record

Player
Greg Norman

Year
1986

Round
3rd

Finish
2

Holes-in-one

There have been 13 aces recorded during at Glen Abbey Golf Club

Player	Hole	Year
David Morland IV	7	2000
Frank Nobilo	3	2000
Tom Lehman	3	1996
Charlie Rymer	12	1996
Wayne Levi	3	1994
Tom Lehman	12	1993
Dudley Hart	12	1993
Greg Kraft	3	1992
D.A. Weibring	7	1991
Mark Calcavecchia	3	1989
Dave Barr	12	1988
Keith Fergus	3	1984
Paul Azinger	12	1984
David Ogrin	12	1983

2008 Rankings

Most Difficult Hole

	2008: 0 eagles, 31 birdies, 290 pars, 112 bogeys, 19 double bogeys, 1 other.
Easiest Hole
	2008: 33 eagles, 223 birdies, 166 pars, 25 bogeys, 6 double bogeys and 0 others.

Glen Abbey Golf Club			2008 rankings		Other 22 years
Hole	Par	Yards	Avg. Score	Rank	Avg. score	Rank
1	4	485	4.163	4	4.192	8
2	4	414	4.079	7	4.126	12
3	3	156	2.993	12	3.105	13
4	4	417	3.903	14	4.009	15
5	5	527	4.634	17	4.711	18
6	4	437	4.002	11	4.126	11
7	3	197	3.06	10	3.152	9
8	4	433	4.066	9	4.132	10
9	4	458	3.94	13	4.313	2
10	4	443	4.121	5	4.246	4
11	4	452	4.073	8	4.226	5
12	3	202	3.196	3	3.193	7
13	5	558	4.704	16	4.939	16
14	4	457	4.269	1	4.265	3
15	3	141	2.883	15	3.018	14
16	4	485	4.091	6	4.336	1
17	4	436	4.208	2	4.201	6
18	5	524	4.444	18	4.764	17

Course origins

One of Canada's premier daily fee courses, Glen Abbey Golf Club is ranked No. 8 in Canada. A house on the property, that was built in 1937, is said to be haunted. It was sold several times and eventually purchased by a group of businessmen who opened the golf club.

To commemorate the fact that the house was once owned by the Jesuit Fathers of Upper Canada, they named it Glen Abbey. It is reported that a ghost resides in the old mansion and is seen to be "walking up the back stairs and down the main hallway towards the library." Eyewitnesses claim the ghost is a man and resembles a Jesuit father. -- Source: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Tournament course history

Course	Location	Years
Royal Montreal GC	Dixie, Quebec	1904, 1908, 1913, 1926, 1950, 1975, 1980, 1997, 2001
Toronto GC	Mississauga, Ontario	1905, 1909, 1914, 1921, 1927
Royal Ottowa GC	Aylmer, Quebec	1906, 1911
Lambton GC	Toronto, Ontario	1907, 1910, 1925, 1941
Rosedale GC	Toronto, Ontario	1912, 1928
Hamilton G&CC	Ancaster, Ontario	1919, 1930, 2003, 2006
Rivermead GC	Aylmer, Quebec	1920
Mt. Bruno GC	St. Bruno, Quebec	1922, 1924
Lakeview GC	Mississauga, Ontario	1923, 1934
Kanawaki GC	Kahnawake, Quebec	1929
Mississaugua G&CC	Mississagua, Ontario	1931, 1938, 1942, 1951, 1965, 1974
Ottawa Hunt Club	Ottawa, Ontario	1932
Royal York GC	Toronto, Ontario	1933
Summerlea GC	Montreal, Quebec	1935
St. Andrews GC	Toronto, Ontario	1936-1937
Riverside CC	St. John, New Brunswick	1939
Scarborough G&CC	Scarborough, Ontario	1940, 1947, 1953, 1963
Thornhill GC	Thornhill, Ontario	1945
Beaconsfield GC	Montreal, Quebec	1946, 1956
Shaughnessy G&CC	Vancouver, BC	1948, 1966, 2005
St. Georges G&CC	Etobicoke, Ontario	1949, 1960, 1968
St. Charles CC	Winnipeg, Manitoba	1952
Point Grey GC	Vancouver, B.C.	1954
Weston GC	Toronto, Ontario	1955
Westmount G&CC	Kitchener, Ontario	1957
Mayfair G&CC	Edmonton, Alberta	1958
Islesmere G&CC	Montreal, Quebec	1959
Niakwa, CC	Winnipeg, Manitoba	1961
Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac	Laval-sur-le-Lac, Quebec	1962
Pinegrove G&CC	St. Luc, Quebec	1964, 1969
Montreal Muicipal GC	Montreal, Quebec	1967
London Hunt G&CC	London, Ontario	1970
Richelieu Valley G&CC	Ste. Julie de Vercheres, Quebec	1971, 1973
Cherry Hill Club	Ridgeway, Ontario	1972
Essex G&CC	Windsor, Ontario	1976
Glen Abbey GC	Oakville, Ontario	1977-1979, 1981-1996, 1998-2000, 2004, 2008-2009
Angus Glen GC (North)	Markham, Ontario	2002, 2007

This week's Kodak Challenge hole

HOLE: The par-4, 452-yard 11th at Glen Abbey GC
LAST YEAR: The 11th played to a stroke average of 4.073, with players recording no eagles, 82 birdies, 279 pars, 74 bogeys, 13 double bogeys and five "others."
DESCRIPTION: This green was rebuilt recently by Jack Nicklaus and tends to be a little firm and very fast (especially putting towards the creek). No. 11 is the first of the spectacular "Valley Holes" and is recognized as one of the most beautiful holes in all of golf. Check the tree tops for wind direction and try to split the fairway. On your approach, be sure to remember the distance to the flag is all carry. An extra club is recommended, and, if the pin is at the back, add another. (Click here for Glen Abbey GC tour)