STANLEY THOMPSON
GOLF COURSE PROFILE
Te Summit to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012
the club would remain nothing more than a good idea, born out of the desire for a few men to enjoy their sport, but rendered an early death by World War 1. Tat was author Lorne Rubenstein’s take on
T
the origins of Te Summit Golf and Country Club in a book he penned for the club in 1987 on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. Te Summit was founded by a group of Toronto businessmen on May 6, 1912, the ninth golf club in the Toronto area. Te club’s founders purchased the land on May 2, 1913 and a clubhouse architect was re- tained in April 1914. Te future looked bright! Te course was originally laid out by George
Cumming, Head Pro at Toronto Golf Club, and George S. Lyon, an Olympic gold medallist in the sport, and eight-time Canadian Amateur cham- pion. It was Cumming who found the heavily wooded property in the scenic Oak Ridges Mor- aine some 30 kilometres north of the heart of downtown Toronto. Tere was no access to the site by train or streetcar. Ten in August 1914 Canada went to war as
part of the British Empire and the plans to seed the golf course came to a screeching halt as did con- struction of the clubhouse foundation which was already underway. Te years ticked away as the war continued overseas and the club went dormant as the directors did all they could to keep creditors happy without losing the property. Finally in 1919, the club pulled it together, paid off its major cred- itors and the course opened with temporary greens and tees for an exhibition match on July 19th. A few weeks later, the club decided it was time
to replace the temporary course with a permanent layout and on the recommendation of Cumming, Stanley Tompson was hired to do just that. Aſter
he Summit had more trouble getting started than a stalled car in a northern Ontario winter. For a time it seemed that
the War, Tompson returned to Canada and worked for Cumming at Toronto Golf Club before starting the firm of Tompson, Cumming & Tompson. Tompson and his crew had the course ready in good time for the official opening on July 21, 1921.
ers require accuracy more so than distance, others yet, reward those with a precise short game. Tompson magic is alive and well. Greens are true, the sand traps strategic, and numerous ele- vated tees use enchanting natural vistas as back- drops to remind the members why they joined
Today, with its Yonge Street address, Te Sum-
mit still seems far away from the city, if not in dis- tance, then certainly in atmosphere. Te founders thought that Te Summit lands, now 260 acres would provide an ideal environment for golfers who love the game and that spirit holds true today. Remarkably you won’t find one house or any de- velopment when you play the course. “I think it’s one of the most natural properties
in Ontario,” says golf course architect Doug Car- rick who has been a Summit member since joining in 1978. “Te holes are secluded, nature abounds and it’s fun to play. It always has something differ- ent to offer each time you play it.” Several holes mandate length off the tee, oth-
26 | ST. GEORGE’S GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
Te Summit. Carrick, who is the consulting golf course ar-
chitect at St. George’s, has just completed con- struction of a new seventh hole that is scheduled to open in 2012. Te original seventh hole, which ran parallel to Stouffville Road, was closed nearly a decade ago as a result of safety issues. Members have been using an extra par-3 hole that Carrick created, before the headache started, to make up the difference. Te fairway on the new hole has been raised significantly and it certainly appears that the 320-yard par-4 plays more uphill. Carrick also added some length and new tees to No. 8, proving once again that great courses only get bet- ter with time!
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