Cataraqui Golf and Country Club
Encyclopedia
Cataraqui Golf and Country Club is a private golf
and curling
club located in Kingston, Ontario
, Canada
. It was founded in 1917.
-era construction of the LaSalle Causeway and provincial highway, across the Cataraqui River
as it feeds into Lake Ontario
. The new highway also crossed the property used by the Kingston Golf Club, disrupting the flow of play there. Kingston had been a military centre since its founding as Fort Frontenac
by French explorers in 1673, on the site of an aboriginal settlement known as Cataraqui, and the military base was being expanded with the world war, necessitating the causeway
and highway construction. The Kingston GC, located on the Barriefield Commons, just north of the Royal Military College of Canada
and Fort Henry
, and just east of the Cataraqui River, was the first golf course in the area; it had operated from 1886 to 1888 and then again from 1892, eventually with 13 distinct holes, and was a charter 1895 member of the Royal Canadian Golf Association
. The first Canadian Amateur Championship
winner in 1895, Thomas Harley, a Scottish
immigrant carpenter
and stevedore, employed on the dockyards at RMC, represented the Kingston Golf Club. The Kingston Golf Club operated until 1925, with a modified layout, but the area's golfers gradually switched to Cataraqui.
. It had six holes; the club gradually acquired more land and expanded to 13 holes by 1921; by June 1925 the course had 18 holes. One of the original designers may have been George Cumming, a top Toronto
golf professional, Canadian Open and Canadian PGA Championship
winner, and golf course architect, who is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
.
, already a world-famous golf course architect, was hired to renovate the course. The club was selling some land (and losing several holes, to facilitate the construction of grain elevators) near Lake Ontario
, while acquiring new land to the north and west. The western boundary became the marshlands around the Little Cataraqui Creek
. Thompson used the new, much larger property to design and build several new holes, including most of the present back nine. He kept several of the existing holes, and reshaped several others. Thompson had left Kingston before the new course was completed; his work was finished by the club's professional, Richard H. (Dick) Green. The new course, opened in May 1933, drew acclaim from the beginning. Cataraqui began hosting important events soon after its redesign, and was ranked #57 on the list of Canada's top courses in 2006 by Scoregolf
magazine. The 15th hole, a very challenging 206-yard uphill par 3, christened 'Plateau', has often been ranked among the top holes in Canada. The routing plan from Thompson's 1931 redesign has remained intact. From the back tees, the course currently plays at 6,461 yards to a par of 70.
The club's curling
program began in 1961 with six sheets of ice installed in an addition to the clubhouse. With curling's arrival, the club became a year-round operation. Curling was retained in 1975 in the new clubhouse, again with six sheets of ice.
(1936, 1938); the Canadian PGA Seniors Championship in 1997; the Ontario Junior Match Play Championship in 2009; and the Ontario University Athletics
championship on several occasions. Major annual local events include the elite Kingston Whig-Standard
men's tournament, and the elite Eastern Provinces women's tournament. Notable champions from events staged at Cataraqui have included Sandy Somerville, Marlene Streit
, Moe Norman
, Warren Sye
, and Jerry Anderson.
Notable golfers from the club include Richard H. (Dick) Green, the club's professional for nearly 40 years, who assisted Stanley Thompson with the 1931 redesign; Mark Siemonsen (1974 Ontario Juvenile champion and 1977 Ontario University champion); local legend Ronald G. Brown; golf teacher and former Canadian Professional Golf Tour
player Kevin Dickey; 1981 Ontario Junior champion Barry Wood; Canadian Professional Golf Tour
event champion John Colwell; Willingdon Cup
players Craig Revell and Jeff Crowe; two-time Ontario Junior champion Brad Revell; Ontario University Athletics
women's champion (2006 and 2008) Danielle Green; Women's Ontario women's interprovincial team 2008 member Patti Hogeboom; and current Canadian Professional Golf Tour
event champion Matt McQuillan
. McQuillan, who has earned PGA Tour
playing privileges in December 2010 for the 2011 season, set a new competitive course record of 62 in a Pro-Am tournament in July 2008, breaking the mark set in 2003 by Chris Barber (a former Cataraqui member and several times Ottawa Zone CPGA champion) by one stroke. McQuillan's achievement was celebrated by the Club on December 21, 2010; he received an honourary membership.
Notable curlers include Ted Brown, third on the Ontario Tankard champion (Dr. Alex Scott, skip) rink 1975-76, and also skip of the Ontario Mixed champion rink that same year.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
club located in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was founded in 1917.
Early golf in Kingston
Cataraqui G&CC was established in 1917. Its founding followed the World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
-era construction of the LaSalle Causeway and provincial highway, across the Cataraqui River
Cataraqui River
The Cataraqui River forms the lower portion of the Rideau Canal and drains into Lake Ontario at Kingston, Ontario. It is also known as the Great Cataraqui River or the Greater Cataraqui River to distinguish it from the smaller Little Cataraqui Creek, 4.5 km to the west...
as it feeds into Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. The new highway also crossed the property used by the Kingston Golf Club, disrupting the flow of play there. Kingston had been a military centre since its founding as Fort Frontenac
Fort Frontenac
Fort Frontenac was a French trading post and military fort built in 1673 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It was positioned at the mouth of the Cataraqui River where the St. Lawrence River leaves Lake Ontario , in a location traditionally known as Cataraqui...
by French explorers in 1673, on the site of an aboriginal settlement known as Cataraqui, and the military base was being expanded with the world war, necessitating the causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
and highway construction. The Kingston GC, located on the Barriefield Commons, just north of the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
and Fort Henry
Fort Henry, Ontario
Fort Henry is located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada on Point Henry, a strategic point located near the mouth of the Cataraqui River where it flows into the St. Lawrence River, at the upper end of the Thousand Islands...
, and just east of the Cataraqui River, was the first golf course in the area; it had operated from 1886 to 1888 and then again from 1892, eventually with 13 distinct holes, and was a charter 1895 member of the Royal Canadian Golf Association
Royal Canadian Golf Association
Golf Canada, formerly known as the Royal Canadian Golf Association is the governing body of golf in Canada.-Beginnings:The RCGA was founded on June 6, 1895 as the Canadian Golf Association at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. The Royal prefix was granted to the CGA in June 1896 by Queen Victoria through...
. The first Canadian Amateur Championship
Canadian Amateur Championship
The Canadian Amateur Championship, begun in 1895, is the men's amateur golf championship of Canada. It is staged annually by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. It was played at match play until 1968, went to stroke play beginning in 1969, and reverted to match play in 1995...
winner in 1895, Thomas Harley, a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
immigrant carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
and stevedore, employed on the dockyards at RMC, represented the Kingston Golf Club. The Kingston Golf Club operated until 1925, with a modified layout, but the area's golfers gradually switched to Cataraqui.
Early years of Cataraqui G&CC
The original course at Cataraqui was located past the western edge of the city at that time, on Lake OntarioLake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. It had six holes; the club gradually acquired more land and expanded to 13 holes by 1921; by June 1925 the course had 18 holes. One of the original designers may have been George Cumming, a top Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
golf professional, Canadian Open and Canadian PGA Championship
Canadian PGA Championship
The PGA Championship of Canada is a golf tournament organized by the PGA of Canada. It was first played in 1912 as the Canadian PGA Championship. It was a Nationwide Tour event from 2001 to 2005. It was also an event on the Canadian Tour. Stan Leonard holds the record with eight victories...
winner, and golf course architect, who is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum and hall of fame covering the history of the game of golf in Canada, and celebrating the careers and accomplishments of the most significant contributors to the game in that country...
.
Thompson redesigns the course
In 1931, Stanley ThompsonStanley Thompson
Stanley Thompson was a Canadian golf course architect. He was a co-founder of the American Society of Golf Course Architects....
, already a world-famous golf course architect, was hired to renovate the course. The club was selling some land (and losing several holes, to facilitate the construction of grain elevators) near Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, while acquiring new land to the north and west. The western boundary became the marshlands around the Little Cataraqui Creek
Little Cataraqui Creek
The Little Cataraqui Creek is a watercourse, much of which is a semi-urban wetland, that empties into Lake Ontario within the municipality of Kingston, Ontario, Canada...
. Thompson used the new, much larger property to design and build several new holes, including most of the present back nine. He kept several of the existing holes, and reshaped several others. Thompson had left Kingston before the new course was completed; his work was finished by the club's professional, Richard H. (Dick) Green. The new course, opened in May 1933, drew acclaim from the beginning. Cataraqui began hosting important events soon after its redesign, and was ranked #57 on the list of Canada's top courses in 2006 by Scoregolf
Scoregolf
SCOREgolf Magazine is a Canadian golf publication, which started in 1981 as the program for the Canadian Open golf tournament. The magazine is now the largest circulation golf publication in Canada and has grown into other media including television and radio.-History:Scoregolf is published by...
magazine. The 15th hole, a very challenging 206-yard uphill par 3, christened 'Plateau', has often been ranked among the top holes in Canada. The routing plan from Thompson's 1931 redesign has remained intact. From the back tees, the course currently plays at 6,461 yards to a par of 70.
Curling; 1973 clubhouse fire
The original clubhouse burned to the ground in 1973, destroying virtually all of the club's archives. A photo of the fire was published in many newspapers around the world.The club's curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
program began in 1961 with six sheets of ice installed in an addition to the clubhouse. With curling's arrival, the club became a year-round operation. Curling was retained in 1975 in the new clubhouse, again with six sheets of ice.
Tournaments, champions, and notable players
Cataraqui has been a frequent host site for national, provincial and major local events, including the Ontario Amateur Championship (1939, 1952, 1963); the Ontario Ladies' Amateur Championship (1937, 1965, 1973); the Ontario Open (1955, 1958, 1966, 1973, 1979); the Canadian PGA ChampionshipCanadian PGA Championship
The PGA Championship of Canada is a golf tournament organized by the PGA of Canada. It was first played in 1912 as the Canadian PGA Championship. It was a Nationwide Tour event from 2001 to 2005. It was also an event on the Canadian Tour. Stan Leonard holds the record with eight victories...
(1936, 1938); the Canadian PGA Seniors Championship in 1997; the Ontario Junior Match Play Championship in 2009; and the Ontario University Athletics
Ontario University Athletics
Ontario University Athletics is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and events to the public...
championship on several occasions. Major annual local events include the elite Kingston Whig-Standard
Kingston Whig-Standard
The Kingston Whig-Standard is a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It is published daily, except on Sunday. It publishes a mix of community, national and international news and is owned by Sun Media...
men's tournament, and the elite Eastern Provinces women's tournament. Notable champions from events staged at Cataraqui have included Sandy Somerville, Marlene Streit
Marlene Streit
Marlene Stewart Streit, OC, O.Ont is a Canadian amateur golfer, and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.She was born in Cereal, Alberta. She learned golf from Gordon McInnis Sr. at the Lookout Point Golf Club in Fonthill, Ontario...
, Moe Norman
Moe Norman
Murray Irwin "Moe" Norman was a Canadian professional golfer. He was widely considered the best ball striker who ever lived among the best players in the world...
, Warren Sye
Warren Sye
Warren Sye is a Canadian amateur golfer who has won several important championships.-Biography:Sye was born Toronto, Ontario. He began playing at a young age at the Weston Golf Club in Toronto, where his father, a low-handicap player, had a membership. He attended the University of Houston on a...
, and Jerry Anderson.
Notable golfers from the club include Richard H. (Dick) Green, the club's professional for nearly 40 years, who assisted Stanley Thompson with the 1931 redesign; Mark Siemonsen (1974 Ontario Juvenile champion and 1977 Ontario University champion); local legend Ronald G. Brown; golf teacher and former Canadian Professional Golf Tour
Canadian Professional Golf Tour
The Canadian Professional Golf Tour is a men's professional golf tour headquartered in Oakville, Ontario. It was formally started in 1970 and was initially known as the Peter Jackson Tour....
player Kevin Dickey; 1981 Ontario Junior champion Barry Wood; Canadian Professional Golf Tour
Canadian Professional Golf Tour
The Canadian Professional Golf Tour is a men's professional golf tour headquartered in Oakville, Ontario. It was formally started in 1970 and was initially known as the Peter Jackson Tour....
event champion John Colwell; Willingdon Cup
Willingdon Cup
The Willingdon Cup is an annual amateur golf team competition among Canada's provinces.-History:The Governor General of Canada, Lord Willingdon, donated the cup to Golf Canada in 1927, for annual rivalry among men's amateur teams from the provinces of Canada...
players Craig Revell and Jeff Crowe; two-time Ontario Junior champion Brad Revell; Ontario University Athletics
Ontario University Athletics
Ontario University Athletics is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and events to the public...
women's champion (2006 and 2008) Danielle Green; Women's Ontario women's interprovincial team 2008 member Patti Hogeboom; and current Canadian Professional Golf Tour
Canadian Professional Golf Tour
The Canadian Professional Golf Tour is a men's professional golf tour headquartered in Oakville, Ontario. It was formally started in 1970 and was initially known as the Peter Jackson Tour....
event champion Matt McQuillan
Matt McQuillan
Matt McQuillan is a Canadian professional golfer. He has played on the Canadian Professional Golf Tour for several seasons, since 2003, and won one tournament there. McQuillan earned 2011 playing privileges on the PGA Tour with a strong performance in stage three of Q-School, on his first attempt...
. McQuillan, who has earned PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
playing privileges in December 2010 for the 2011 season, set a new competitive course record of 62 in a Pro-Am tournament in July 2008, breaking the mark set in 2003 by Chris Barber (a former Cataraqui member and several times Ottawa Zone CPGA champion) by one stroke. McQuillan's achievement was celebrated by the Club on December 21, 2010; he received an honourary membership.
Notable curlers include Ted Brown, third on the Ontario Tankard champion (Dr. Alex Scott, skip) rink 1975-76, and also skip of the Ontario Mixed champion rink that same year.