Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Matt Bosela on May 17, 2010, 11:07:11 PM
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I was a bit surprised after doing a search that very little has been written here about Hamilton G&CC in Ancaster, Ontario, currently rated as the second best course in Canada according to ScoreGolf.
The tremendous 'In My Opinion' piece on Canada's Top Golf Courses by Ian Andrew, Ben Cowan-Dewar, Jeff Mingay and Robert Thompson (http://golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/andrew-cowan-dewar-mingay-thompson-canadas-top-golf-courses) includes some intriguing commentary on Hamilton by two of the authors:
Jeff Mingay -
Harry Colt made two trips to Canada between 1911 and 1913 and set a new standard for golf architecture in our country at Toronto GC and Hamilton G&CC, respectively. Both courses were originally modeled after Colt’s previous work at Sunningdale and Stoke Poges in the healthlands southwest of London, England – rugged, textured courses, featuring deep, grass- and heather-faced bunkers, and an airy, heath-like sensibility. Although Hamilton has effectively been “tidied up” over the years, Colt’s original routing – the backbone of Hamilton’s genius – basically remains intact. It’s a brilliant routing over a dramatic piece of ground featuring some significant elevation change. Holes 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 17, and 18 stand out in my mind as nine of the very best holes in Canada as they lay across the inherent terrain. If the original “Colt aesthetic” was ever restored, Hamilton would likely vault to the top of my personal list of Canada’s very best golf courses. Unfortunately, that’s unlikely to happen any time soon. The Royal Canadian Golf Association recently assured Hamilton G&CC that its course is “ok” by awarding the club its second Canadian Open in three years, in 2006. In truth, Hamilton could use some work architecturally (particularly on the bunker styling and placement), which in a very strange way is a compliment. I mean, the fact that Hamilton finished so high on our final list of Canada’s Top 25 courses, despite some comparative shortcomings is a clear testament to the remarkable character of the property and the genius of Colt’s original routing.
Ian Andrew -
H.S. Colt came up with a wonderful routing for Hamilton. He created a course with large elevation changes and wonderful rolling fairways, all framed by large oaks and pines. The golf course proved during the last Canadian Open which it still has the strength to test the pros, while it remains a perfect golf course for membership play. The strength of the golf course is the par fours that traverse the major valley, with holes 3, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 18 all being standouts. The later holes on the back nine are on less interesting land, but still provide some wonderful golf. Hamilton would be the best course in Canada if it still had its original bunkering by Colt.
Hamilton must qualify as one of Harry Colt's better routings, with the course moving in and out of valleys on a beautiful piece of property in Ancaster, a suburb of the steel city of Hamilton just 30 minutes southwest of Toronto.
According to Hamilton's website, Colt visited Ancaster in May 1914 and the formal opening of the course was on June 1, 1916. The club has hosted numerous international events and four Canadian Opens, with the most recent held in 2006 and won by Jim Furyk. The course was a favourite of the players and the success of the Opens there in 2003 and 2006 and at other clubs like Royal Montreal and Shaughnessy in British Columbia prompted the RCGA (now Golf Canada) to decide to move the Open around the entire country to its top courses as opposed to just hosting it at Glen Abbey in Oakville every year.
I had the tremendous privilege of playing all 27 holes at Hamilton on a cold, rainy day last week. For the purpose of this discussion, I'll only be profiling the 18 holes that make up the Colt Course (West and South nines) and not the Robbie Robinson designed East Course which was added in the mid-1970s.
I strongly believe that this course is worthy of proper discussion - yes, it's likely one of our country's top candidates for a proper restoration/renovation but that doesn't diminish its greatness and its importance to Canadian golf. That said, I'll be posting commentary and photos three holes at a time to generate some discussion.
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Hole #1 - 404 Yards Par 4
A relatively bland opening tee shot away from the beautiful clubhouse on this dogleg left par four. Deep bunkers protect the inside of the dogleg and can be cleared by long hitters. However, the prudent play is to the right but balls that run through the fairway possibly will run into tree trouble. The approach shot is longer than it appears due to some heavy swales up near the green, which is protected by bunkers left, right and long. Not an overly difficult opener.
Tee Shot
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA21hbKvJLI/AAAAAAAADCM/73ZBChJNt8s/s800/1a.jpg)
Approach from Behind Bunkers on Left
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA21h8VYP2I/AAAAAAAADCU/4TbIDeJD45Y/s800/1b.jpg)
Approach from Middle of Fairway
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA21iJrrHwI/AAAAAAAADCc/xgr-dWbGkGI/s800/1c.jpg)
Behind Green Looking Back Toward Tee
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA21io3hlPI/AAAAAAAADCk/CDo3laRnRUs/s800/1d.jpg)
Hole #2 - 442 Yards Par 4
This hole was playing into a fierce wind, making it a very long two-shotter. The fairway is slightly crowned and there is a lot more room left than you'd think standing on the tee but of course, shots in that direction will just lengthen an already considerable approach. Many tee shots must find the bunker that protects the inside of the slight dogleg on the right, with the pin peeking out from the other side. The green accepts a ground approach and there are bunkers both left and right that swallow up wayward second shots.
Tee Shot
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA21ixUtprI/AAAAAAAADCs/RHO7FznlvAU/s800/2a.jpg)
Approach Shot from Fairway
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA214mG_WZI/AAAAAAAADC0/8bBilljj5TM/s800/2b.jpg)
Hole #3 - 408 Yards Par 4
Standing on the elevated tee on the third hole at Hamilton is an exhilarating feeling and it's the first moment you realize that you are experiencing one of the best courses Canada has to offer. The tee shot is daunting and the fairway looks much tighter than it actually is due to the elevation. In reality, there is a generous landing area, with the fairway split into two levels. The greensite is just tremendous, set well above fairway grade and into a hillside, with bunkers front right and back left and a significant false front that will send poorly hit approaches right back down the hill. A tremendous par four.
Tee Shot
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA215Bx0JGI/AAAAAAAADC8/G1lym136aok/s800/3a.jpg)
Approach Shot from Middle of Fairway
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA215i3ynUI/AAAAAAAADDE/9_LUGPS2ApA/s800/3c.jpg)
Behind Green Looking Back Toward Tee
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA2153AlPSI/AAAAAAAADDM/avborJeS8So/s800/3e.jpg)
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#1 doesn't look to have a bland tee ball to me...it's all about position for that second shot....who y'all got to know to get on a place like this?
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Hamilton has always looked very appealing to me. Thanks for the pictures!
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Keep it going Matt. It's been a few years since I last played Hamilton and your pictures are a nice reminder.
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The bunkers look more like Alison than Colt bunkers. Did Alison consult at this course later on or did the bunkers simply evolve over time as they were refurbished?
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David and Andrew:
Thanks...more pictures coming later today!
Dan:
Great question - see below for some information taken from the club's written history.
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Thanks much, Matt.
A question - all the photos seem to be taken from the white tees. Did you get a chance to see where the back markers are? I was just trying to imagine what the pros who played the Open there were faced with, i.e. if it was the same 'line' you had on most holes, just longer; or whether the championship tees tended to be angled off to one side or another, adding a demand to work the ball more.
Thanks
Peter
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Thanks much, Matt.
A question - all the photos seem to be taken from the white tees. Did you get a chance to see where the back markers are? I was just trying to imagine what the pros who played the Open there were faced with, i.e. if it was the same 'line' you had on most holes, just longer; or whether the championship tees tended to be angled off to one side or another, adding a demand to work the ball more.
Thanks
Peter
Actually Peter, with the exception of the photo from the first tee, all of the photos of tee shots I'll be presenting in this review were taken from the back tees, where we played.
I used a longer lense for all the photos, giving the impression I was closer than I actually was.
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Matt . . . more photos please!
Thanks for sharing - hope to play Hamilton one of these years.
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Hole #4 - 535 Yards Par 5
One of only two three-shotters on the course, the 4th hole has a very deep depression area left of the fairway past the first bunker that really penalizes wayward tee shots in that direction while right is out of bounds. The hole bends left around some fairway bunkering in the landing area of the second shot then bends back to the right toward a greensite that sits up a bit in the rear, with closely mown turf to the right to allow for different options around the green.
Tee Shot
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA216USA-HI/AAAAAAAADDU/NDxao67jyNA/s800/4a.jpg)
Approach Shot
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA22QjnlsPI/AAAAAAAADDc/6PqN1abwgV8/s800/4b.jpg)
Hole #5 - 318 Yards Par 4
The shortest par four on the course and it's a beauty! The hole plays uphill but the green can be reached by the longer hitters. However, you'll need to challenge the very deep fairway bunkers that protect the entire right side in order to gain access to the green. Layups are no bargain either, as you'll be faced with a semi-blind approach possibly. The smart play is taking driver or 3 wood and going left of the green, which really opens up the second shot. The green is quite large and the view beyond the green is quite spectacular, showing off the wonderful topography at Hamilton.
Tee Shot
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA22RPvpK4I/AAAAAAAADDk/vgZUYKOG2ZQ/s800/5a.jpg)
Approach Shot from Hillside Left of Fairway
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA22RXc5WKI/AAAAAAAADDs/BetSEaAUqxw/s800/5c.jpg)
Approach from 50 Yards Left of Green
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA22R07-6tI/AAAAAAAADD0/Hdw1y4G7yEc/s800/5d.jpg)
Hole #6 - 224 Yards Par 3
The par threes at Hamilton are all extremely tough and the first one-shotter sets you up for what's to come the rest of the day. The green is pretty much level with the tee but a huge valley needs to be crossed and the shot is all carry to the putting surface, as there is a significant drop from the front of the green down towards the beginning of the fairway. Bunkers front both sides of the green and there is one back right for good measure. Oh yeah, right is dead here as well. Super tough par three.
Tee Shot
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA22SoU_cVI/AAAAAAAADD8/g7o0yfS8drc/s800/6a.jpg)
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They were Colt bunkers - I have a few opening year photos - I'll find them and post them.
The bunkers were all redone over the years.
There are a few of the originals hidden in the trees. :)
The grassing lines were much better before the Canadian Open where they narrowed up the fairways.
Great course to play - really tough set of threes.
My favourite is not even a hole by Colt!
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They were Colt bunkers - I have a few opening year photos - I'll find them and post them.
The bunkers were all redone over the years.
There are a few of the originals hidden in the trees. :)
The grassing lines were much better before the Canadian Open where they narrowed up the fairways.
Great course to play - really tough set of threes.
My favourite is not even a hole by Colt!
Ian
Has the bunkering scheme been altered from Colt's original plan?
Ciao
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They were Colt bunkers - I have a few opening year photos - I'll find them and post them.
The bunkers were all redone over the years.
There are a few of the originals hidden in the trees. :)
The grassing lines were much better before the Canadian Open where they narrowed up the fairways.
Great course to play - really tough set of threes.
My favourite is not even a hole by Colt!
Thanks Ian - I look forward to seeing those photos!
More to come later tonight.
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Hole #7 - 412 Yards Par 4
The 7th is another great two-shotter. The tee shot is played from an elevated tee to a fairway that bends left around some large trees and back uphill to a green that is only partially visible from the approach area. It's protected by bunkers left and right and there are a couple of tiers to this tricky back-to-front sloping green.
Tee Shot
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23A57R_GI/AAAAAAAADEE/yDFvjMgqoro/s800/7a.jpg)
View of 7th Hole from 4th Tee
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23BKvhKeI/AAAAAAAADEM/yyv4hEtAsI4/s800/7b.jpg)
Approach Shot from Middle of Fairway
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23BkUb6FI/AAAAAAAADEU/vlLdXF3sEuA/s800/7c.jpg)
View from Behind Green Looking Back Down Fairway, With 3rd Green in Background
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23B_4P7pI/AAAAAAAADEc/gqSuPynpOUM/s800/7d.jpg)
Hole #8 - 210 Yards Par 3
Very difficult par three that looks somewhat similar to the 6th hole but plays quite differently. The tee shot must clear a very large valley, as depicted in one of the photos below. There's a bit of visual deception at play here, as the fairway at the top of the hill looks eerily like the putting surface and I can only imagine how many balls end up short of the green. There is plenty of room right but shots left may be lost. Pretty flat putting surface, relatively speaking.
Tee Shot
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23CY8ki_I/AAAAAAAADEk/TaxxHkP7q6Q/s800/8a.jpg)
A Look at What You Face Should Your Tee Shot Come up Short
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23dOKlxFI/AAAAAAAADEs/XaDnlAjzIec/s800/8c.jpg)
Hole #9 - 438 Yards Par 4
Another downhill tee shot on this dogleg left par four. There is a lot of room right off the tee here and again, the approach shot is uphill to an angled green that is protected by bunkers front right and to the left.
Tee Shot
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23dRpDelI/AAAAAAAADE0/fiTzKTdIPfo/s800/9a.jpg)
Approach Shot
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23d46quQI/AAAAAAAADE8/cJOU9MDoVy4/s800/9b.jpg)
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Matt,
Appreciate the photo tour and Hamilton looks to be built on really good land forms with well-conceived holes, but the bunkers in their current state look distracting and frankly pretty awful.
While it can be rightfully argued that bunker placement is more important than bunker form, I think that low hum I'm hearing is Mr. Colt slowly spinning.
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Mike,
It's a pretty timely comment you make, especially considering I've been just given some new information that may shed some light on the bunkering issues at Hamilton.
This excerpt comes from 'The Illustrated History of HGCC' as written by L. King, E. McGhie and A. Thompson -
- From Chapter Four
"Some early changes"
In August 1919, after the club had successfully hosted both an international match between Canada and the United States and the Canadian Open, Morrison wrote to Colt in England, noting that the American captain had praised the course but had suggested that more bunkers were needed. Morrison commented that, "I think it is quite likely some trapping may be required, but we are not going to have any amateur work and probably be let in for one change and another which we should like to undo. The course will stand as it is until you can come out here."
Colt never revisited Ancaster but Alison, who by then was handling most of the partnership's work in North America, did visit in 1920 and gave the Club's directors a report on the course. He paid particular attention to the bunkering and concluded that the majority of the bunkers had not "been constructed in such a way as to form real, live hazards, capable of retaining the shots which they are intended to trap."
Some of his proposals were adopted but abandoned years later, for example a new fairway bunker on the left, at 200 yards from the tee on the 2nd hole. Others, for example a new bunker across the face of the bank in front of the 5th green, were never implemented.
Comments?
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Looks like some trees could be removed as well but overall it looks amazing. Sir Bob raves about this course, and it is on the top of my list to play in Canada.
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Hole #10 - 392 Yards Par 4
A stunning hole from the elevated tees and a worthy starter on the tremendous South nine at Hamilton. The tee shot is downhill over the infamous snaking creek to a fairway that cants severely from left to right. The approach shot is uphill to a putting surface that can't really be seen and one that slopes sharply from back to front. A question for the experts in the audience: have the fairways been significantly tightened to the point where the left fairway bunker is a bit too far away from the desired landing area?
A couple friends ponder the tough tee shot on #10 with the gorgeous clubhouse in the background
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23eJVA02I/AAAAAAAADFE/YADSWzX1cuY/s800/10a.jpg)
Tee Shot
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA23ecsahII/AAAAAAAADFM/Jq9y4yuZ0Vw/s800/10b.jpg)
Good look at the hole from below the tee decks, with the infamous snaking creek in front of the fairway
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA2329WNLkI/AAAAAAAADFU/iekTA9OwnuI/s800/10d.jpg)
Approach Shot
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA233XoPm8I/AAAAAAAADFc/vT6_o5wQ81g/s800/10e.jpg)
Yours Truly - Very happy to be playing such a wonderful golf course!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA233rPEeLI/AAAAAAAADFk/AoYpo0oyc_s/s800/10h.jpg)
Hole #11 - 481 Yards Par 4
The longest par four on the course by a landslide and it's a doozy, especially from the tips which are set well back from the rest of the decks. A long carry downhill off the tee on this sweeping dogleg left and the approach calls for a long iron or fairway metal to a green that sits well above fairway grade and is protected by a bunker front right. A true brute!
Tee Shot
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA234MUyWsI/AAAAAAAADFs/mWqBc157PLQ/s800/11a.jpg)
Approach Shot
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA234pJjCOI/AAAAAAAADF0/gSUKdyGI8pg/s800/11b.jpg)
Hole #12 - 386 Yards Par 4
Pretty mid-length par four with a hazard running down the entire left hand side of the fairway. Again, you have an elevated tee shot here to a fairway that slopes sharply from right to left. The approach is uphill slightly to a very tricky two-tiered putting surface with five bunkers sprinkled around the green.
Tee Shot
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24RGryGOI/AAAAAAAADF8/kHFSsqpCXIc/s800/12b.jpg)
Behind Green Looking Back Toward Tee
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24RhwnKOI/AAAAAAAADGE/Wg4_8Ejma5I/s800/12c.jpg)
Since this thread isn't getting as much attention as I thought, I'll likely throw the last six holes in at the same time tomorrow to get it in before the weekend.
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If that's a snack bar benched into the hillside on #10 that's the coolest f-ing thing ever! Just perfect.
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If that's a snack bar benched into the hillside on #10 that's the coolest f-ing thing ever! Just perfect.
Good catch Alex! It indeed is the halfway house! :)
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Matt, thanks for the tour. Hamilton G & CC is a truly great course that would be in the Top 50 on most lists if it was located south of the border. I had the chance to work the 2003 Canadian Open and then play the course on the Monday after the tournament. Your tour is bringing back some great memories!
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Mike,
It's a pretty timely comment you make, especially considering I've been just given some new information that may shed some light on the bunkering issues at Hamilton.
This excerpt comes from 'The Illustrated History of HGCC' as written by L. King, E. McGhie and A. Thompson -
- From Chapter Four
"Some early changes"
In August 1919, after the club had successfully hosted both an international match between Canada and the United States and the Canadian Open, Morrison wrote to Colt in England, noting that the American captain had praised the course but had suggested that more bunkers were needed. Morrison commented that, "I think it is quite likely some trapping may be required, but we are not going to have any amateur work and probably be let in for one change and another which we should like to undo. The course will stand as it is until you can come out here."
Colt never revisited Ancaster but Alison, who by then was handling most of the partnership's work in North America, did visit in 1920 and gave the Club's directors a report on the course. He paid particular attention to the bunkering and concluded that the majority of the bunkers had not "been constructed in such a way as to form real, live hazards, capable of retaining the shots which they are intended to trap."
Some of his proposals were adopted but abandoned years later, for example a new fairway bunker on the left, at 200 yards from the tee on the 2nd hole. Others, for example a new bunker across the face of the bank in front of the 5th green, were never implemented.
Comments?
Matt
So do you know if Alison created a lot more bunkers than originally. I ask because the bunkering scheme is nothing like I have ever seen on a Colt course. It is far more demanding rather than the usual teasing.
I thought Prestbury and Camberley Heath were hilly courses, but Hamilton is much hillier. Thanks for the pix.
Ciao
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Thanks for the great shots and wonderful memories. "Ancaster" was always my favourite Pro Am of the year while living in Ontario. Aside from the great course and fine clubhouse, the club has always had a superb team running it (Borthwick, Mickle, Maue, etc.)
#12 was always my toughest hole, even the picture made me shiver!
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Hi Matt
Glad to see you got to play the course and the pictures are great. Looking forward to seeing your pictures of 13,15 and 18.
Also curious to know what you thought of the East course. I like the original 18 but the East is always a pleasure to play. It has some incredible holes.
If they could have the Canadian Open as part of a rotation then more higher ranking pros would make the trip after the British. It was very highly thought of when they held the 03 & 06 opens.
Looking forward to seeing the rest of the pictures.
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Hi Matt
Glad to see you got to play the course and the pictures are great. Looking forward to seeing your pictures of 13,15 and 18.
Also curious to know what you thought of the East course. I like the original 18 but the East is always a pleasure to play. It has some incredible holes.
If they could have the Canadian Open as part of a rotation then more higher ranking pros would make the trip after the British. It was very highly thought of when they held the 03 & 06 opens.
Looking forward to seeing the rest of the pictures.
Hi Tim!
I really enjoyed the nine holes on the East - it's a very sporty layout. My favourites are the 4th and the 6th, both of which are truly wonderful. I also loved the green complex on the 9th.
I just wrote about the East course on my blog last night so feel free to check that out - I may throw a few pictures of those nine holes at the end of this tour here as well.
Hope we can get out to play sometime this year,
Matt
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Matt,
Thanks for the additional information about the bunkering. The additional pics look terriific, as well.
My bet is that if Colt and/or Alison came back from the dead, they'd recommend bolder sand hazards, and probably much fewer of them.
I hope to visit someday...the utilization of the natural features looks terrific.
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Hole #13 - 237 Yards Par 3
The longest par three on the golf course and a whale of a hole. The green features a significant false front and any shots that come up short will likely tumble all the way down the slope about 40-50 feet from the green. Putts hit back toward the tee can also meet that fate if you're not careful. The day we played, this hole was playing into a stiff breeze and necessitated drivers.
Tee Shot
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24R_HCaUI/AAAAAAAADGM/Rbypn6qizF0/s800/13a.jpg)
Looking at Green from Left Side
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24SjYYK_I/AAAAAAAADGU/xlJEWJyeZ4w/s800/13b.jpg)
Hole #14 - 443 Yards Par 4
A long par four that features the most intimidating tee shot of the day, especially for those with right to left ball flights! You can barely make out the fairway, which bends right around a tree-lined hillside. The fairway certainly does open up but the second shot must still navigate a greenside bunker right in front of the small putting surface. Pretty tough golf hole.
Tee Shot
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24SzWb-hI/AAAAAAAADGc/nY-l0disF2o/s800/14a.jpg)
Approach Shot
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24odjxxJI/AAAAAAAADGk/nrOSLjVuvhU/s800/14b.jpg)
Hole #15 - 410 Yards Par 4
A pretty well defined tee shot, with bunkers dotting the right side of a fairway that bends in the same direction, giving the player the option of cutting off as much of the dogleg as they wish. The green slopes sharply from back to front and right to left but is receptive to a running approach.
Tee Shot
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24ohYI9rI/AAAAAAAADGs/GnKyyMI18qM/s800/15a.jpg)
Approach Shot
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24pGDHpgI/AAAAAAAADG0/vf94s4193zY/s800/15b.jpg)
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Hole #16 - 185 Yards Par 3
A beautiful par 3 that climbs way uphill, with a bunker set about ten yards or so in the front right, offering a bit of visual deception as well. The green is much longer than you'd think from the tee box and picking the right club must be a challenge on a day to day basis.
Tee Shot
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24pknPf6I/AAAAAAAADG8/KAPWvqb6-8o/s800/16b.jpg)
Hole #17 - 548 Yards Par 5
Gorgeous downhill vista on this mid-length par five. You need to carry the stream on your tee shot and it definitely comes into play on days when the hole plays into the wind. Bunkering dots the landing area on the second shot, including some of the centerline variety to challenge your accuracy even more. The green is open in front and two well-struck shots could be rewarded with a manageable eagle putt for the longest of hitters.
Tee Shot
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA24qNufbFI/AAAAAAAADHE/-ZjEnpPQs3w/s800/17b.jpg)
Approach Shot
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA25G0ZPEmI/AAAAAAAADHM/byvT5zVtn0k/s800/17c.jpg)
Hole #18 - 442 Yards Par 4
This certainly must qualify as one of the finest closing holes in Canadian golf, a long par four that tumbles downhill off the tee but features the winding stream that must be avoided at all costs. Pros likely hit 3-woods on this hole and still leave themselves a mid-iron approach at best to a green that sits elevated from the fairway and in a lovely amphitheatre, with bunkers and long grass in the hillside left of the green. A supremely challenging finisher and a worthy finish to a tremendous golf course.
Tee Shot
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA25HWqyDnI/AAAAAAAADHU/BDPbSCUzRj0/s800/18b.jpg)
Hitting my Approach into 18
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA25INoQ6rI/AAAAAAAADHs/w2yDI4qz7Ow/s800/18h.jpg)
18th Green as Seen from First Hole on East Course, with 10th Fairway in Background
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/TA25h-IHQGI/AAAAAAAADH8/-Ikw357EcGI/s800/18t.jpg)
I truly loved my day at Hamilton and while I haven't had the pleasure of playing the #1 rated course in the country (National GC of Canada), I can only assume that this course is in pretty fine company, along with the likes of St. George's, Cape Breton Highlands, Jasper Park and Capilano as one of the top courses in Canada.
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Matt,
Thanks for posting this.
I grew up in Ontario, but never played any courses in the Toronto/London/Hamilton/Windsor etc area. The pictures really show the terrain, which is much better than we had in eastern Ontario, where it was dead flat.
Hamilton looks worthy of its reputation. The fairways look quite narrow - does the course play tight?
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Hey Matt,
Great pictures. Great Tour.
I played out there over 10 years ago, before I was able to recognize I was playing a top notch course. But I do remember the course being very hilly with a lot of tough shots. Although, it could have seemed that way as my skills weren't great at the time.
From the pictures, the greens don't look that difficult. What's your take on them? Are they as flat as they look in the pictures?
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Does anyone think this great course had much influence on Stanley Thompson?
I used to love playing Ancaster (Hamilton) and St Georges (Toronto) and often felt similarities in the two.
Matt, Thanks for the brilliant photo tour!!!!!!
Harris: I never found the greens to be boring!
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Will:
First of all, I had no idea you grew up in Ontario - I assume you were close to Ottawa?
I have to imagine that the fairways have narrowed considerably over time - I think it's imperative for the better player to hit the driver straight in order to score out here but the beauty of the course lies in the fact that the bogey golfer can stray a bit and still get it around.
Harris:
Hard question for me to answer, as the greens were heavily top-dressed the day before we played so we didn't have optimal playing conditions. The greens don't feature a lot of heavy internal undulation but there certainly are a lot of subtle breaks. Combine that with a few multi-tiered putting surfaces and some relatively severe back to front slopes and you have a lot of interest around the greens.
Gary:
I hesitate to talk about things that I'm not an expert on but I think I can say that Thompson's fingerprints are all over Ancaster even today.
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Does anyone think this great course had much influence on Stanley Thompson?
Gary,
As I'm sure you know, Nicol Thompson - Stanley's oldest brother - was professional at Hamilton when Colt laid-out Ancaster, while the course was originally under construction, and long after. There's no doubt in my mind the Thompson bros. were "paying attention"... and, not only at Ancaster but Toronto as well, when Colt was doing his work there too.
Best,
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Note on the routing:
The 13th - which is outstanding - is not an original
It’s a new hole built by William Diddle
The 15th used to play straight out and finish at the 1st green on the East Nine
The 16th was played from well to the right near that green
Note on the fairway lines:
The course was narrowed for the Canadian Open.
The bunkers are a long way from the fairway in places
Sorry, I have not had any spare time lately to go and find the images and scan them.
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Matt,
Great stuff - Hamilton reminds me of a lot of the TO courses I played or saw growing up (but it looks better).
Love the elevated tee shots and sharp dog legs - especially 8 where it looks like the fairway falls away - reminds me of the 11th at Summit (although the tee shot there is not elevated).
Amazing how the trees dictate strategy off the tee on many holes, not my favorite element of a course but definitely a challenge - and those one shotters must be as tough as any set I have ever seen - damn.
A fine course indeed.
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I had the very great privilege of playing Hamilton (Ancaster) for the first time today and despite some awful weather, there is no question the golf course is among the very best in Canada.
A few questions that perhaps some on this board can answer:
1) I saw what look to be remnants of bunkers on several holes that were well short of the fairway (on this hill on the left side of 2 and short of the fairway on 5 were the most obvious). Looking at the Colt drawings of the holes in the clubhouse, these bunkers were part of the original design. At what point were they taken out? Why?
2) What is with the bunkering on 4? With flanking bunkers the hole is very out of character with the rest of the golf course and they also take away from the possibility of finding the interesting swale on the left.
3) Unfortunately it appears that the club has still not returned to its earlier mowing lines. Nowhere is that more obvious than the 'floating'' bunker left of the 10th fairway.
4) There are new bunkers on the left side of the 7th fairway that seem not to have been there as of last year. Who did this work? Are there other planned changes?
5) The club recently completed a 'Colt replica' short course. I will post pictures of the new holes as well as the new tee shot on the 7th.
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First, a look at the new bunkering at the 7th:
Old
Tee shot view
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/Hamilton/7a.jpg)
From Over 3rd Green
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/Hamilton/7b.jpg)
New
Tee shot view
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/Hamilton/Hamilton-7tee.jpg)
From over 3rd green
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/Hamilton/Hamilton-7from3.jpg)
Approaching bunkers from left
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/Hamilton/Hamilton-7leftbunker.jpg)
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Second, the only thing Matt missed in his great tour was a picture of the 12th green, which was one of my favorite approaches on the course:
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/Hamilton/Hamilton-12green.jpg)
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Mark:
Although I don't personally like the look of them....I do like the effect they created with the bunkers they added on 7.
BTW
When do I get an invite to come out with ya? :P
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I think others asked this question, but I didn't see an answer: how much do the trees impact play (looks like pretty much)... and would the course play better if some or a lot were taken out?
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Frank,
Let's try to set something up in the next couple of weeks.
I think others asked this question, but I didn't see an answer: how much do the trees impact play (looks like pretty much)... and would the course play better if some or a lot were taken out?
Jim,
I didn't notice an issue with the trees. They are in play on some holes (notably 3,9,11) but they do not intrude at all into the playing corridors. Their placement on 3 and 9 make those holes feel narrow, but any second shot that is blocked out by a tree deserves go be blocked out. Trees block the inside corner of the dogleg on 11 and work well there too.
Perhaps, though not really, they intrude a bit on the par 3 6th.
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Second, the only thing Matt missed in his great tour was a picture of the 12th green, which was one of my favorite approaches on the course:
Ha - yeah, it's a great greensite and wish I had a photo but I must have been preoccupied with hitting my ball out of the hazard left of the fairway after a bit too much hooky-hooky on my tee shot ;)
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PS: Let me know if you still plan on making it down to St. Catharines before the year ends. I promise to only ask for two a-side :)
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When there is a severe rain, it looks like the 18th green is destined to become a river. Is this so?
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Matt,
Belated thanks for this great photo tour. I had the privilege to play Hamilton's Colt 18 yesterday and your pictures and notes do a great job of capturing this truly great course. As good as yours are, it is usually hard to really get a feel of topography from pictures, and I was still surprised at the extent of the elevation changes. And really impressed at how deftly Colt's routing uses the elevation to create great holes and at the same time never feeling like one is faced with ridiculous uphill or downhill golf.
Some thoughts after re reading the thread:
- Although some additional tree removal couldn't hurt (it appears as some limited removal has been done since your photos), the trees define the holes but really do not impact play significantly. Obviously, on holes such as the 11th, trees guard the dogleg and can come into play. But I never felt the trees overly intruded into play.
- While many of the greens are more subtle, others are far from flat. Several (the 3rd and the long par 3 13th) have significant elevation change...and as Matt noted, hitting above the hole and putting downhill can be pretty daunting. On 13, the pin was cut about 2 or 3 paces from the front of the green making this a very difficult 3 indeed. Others are tiered, especially the short 12th. My approach from the left rough ran past the center pin about 15 feet, before rolling back down to within about 5 feet
- One nit I had is the uniformly pretty long Par 3s. Individually some good holes and as a group a stern a test as I have seen. But 3 are 200+ and the 16th (185 yds) plays nearly 200 from the tips with the uphill shot. I missed the lack of variety here….but just a nit
- Finally, I think maybe the most impressive facet of HG&CC is that although it is getting ready to host the pro’s, it is also a really fun course for the average golfer.
Thanks again for the tour, Matt, a lot of fun to run through your photo’s today after Wednesday’s round.
And I certainly recommend playing HG&CC if you get the chance!
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I thought I would bring this thread back to life since the Can Open starts today.
For those of you that have played Hamilton - the bunkering on the 15th hole seems particularly inconsistent with the rest of the bunkering on the course. Do you agree?
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c60/NoSkillzMB/HamiltonGCC/15a.jpg)
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I thought I would bring this thread back to life since the Can Open starts today.
For those of you that have played Hamilton - the bunkering on the 15th hole seems particularly inconsistent with the rest of the bunkering on the course. Do you agree?
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c60/NoSkillzMB/HamiltonGCC/15a.jpg)
The bunkering on 15 (and a few other spots) is out of character and out of scale. If there is any course I've seen in Canada that is in need of a restoration, Hamilton is it.
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The bunkering on the 15th is awful, and the grassing lines are pretty bad. Too bad -- it is a magnificent routing with some stunning holes. If the bunkers were redone it would be a big improvement.
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I agree... Hamilton properly restored would really be something; especially if the original #15 green site (which is now the 1st green on the Robinson nine) and #16 tee were put back, too. The 15th hole played more straight away originally (without the obnoxious bunkers down the right), and the angle of the tee shot at the 16th was quite different, improved by comparison with today's angle.
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Perhaps realism should prevail here.
How would you return the 15th hole to play to the original green?
Would it be prudent to remove the east nine perhaps?
The 16th hole is a better hole now than it was originally.
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Dick,
We talked about this out on the course there, didn't we?
Theoretically, you could change the 1st on the East nine to restore the original 15th green site. And, whether the 16th is a better hole now is subjective, I guess... I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on that one ;D
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I don't want to thread jack, but who here knows (or knows of) this amateur Albin Choi?
He's staying with me for the Western Amateur next week at Exmoor - and I'd never heard of him, but he just made the cut at a Tour event, so I'm rooting like crazy for him now!
M
He also just win the Ontario Men's Amateur at Summit with a four score of 8 under. Really good player who plays out of Beacon Hall.
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I recently played Hamilton and I have the view expressed earlier in this thread that the course is wonderfully routed but could be vastly improved by a bunker restoration. The club hired Mackenzie and Elbert in 2014 to come up with a renovation/restoration plan (there is a news release on the M&E web site). The plan is posted in the clubhouse but I didn’t have time to look at it too closely - I don’t think the work has started yet.
It was recently announced that the Canadian Open will return to the course in 2019 and 2023. It isn’t clear if the changes will be done before next year’s event.
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Wayne,
The plan was turned down by the membership. Likely it was a financial decision, since the clubhouse renovation turned out to be very expensive. A beautiful building worthy of a major investment.
Even with major work, I don't agree with my former assessment that it could be the best course ...
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Are you sure about that Ian? My host, who has been a long time member, said that they are going ahead with the renovations. And the plan is posted just inside the entrance of the clubhouse.
Presumably they will be getting more cash from Golf Canada for hosting the Canadian Open again in the future.
Why don’t you agree with your former assessment? Has your view of the course deteriorated, or have other courses passed it by? Obviously Cabot Cliffs has got a lot of publicity and is now the superstar in Canada, at least in the rankings. But Hamilton is great ground for golf and I think the course is well layed out over the ground, at least in my opinion.
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Sorry for the dead photo links - I'll have to try to find a different provider and get them fixed.
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All dead photo links have been brought back to life. That said, keep in mind that the photos were taken eight years ago so some may be out of date due to work undertaken at the club since that time.
I did play the course again last year (2017) with David Davis from GCA and took a few photos on the back nine:
10th Tee -
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQGtIcyqlL4/W04TuqcDudI/AAAAAAAAKOE/JpL9Z_EJcbAahk2dV49iBgpxAhZv129PwCLcBGAs/s800/IMG_4342.JPG)
10th Green -
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zty54zUiIL0/W04Tt3Y_7fI/AAAAAAAAKOA/-85OPMK1eQIhfoEcy7radC4EhFUySL1FwCLcBGAs/s800/IMG_4343.JPG)
12th Tee -
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qPzE_OrbyEI/W04TuoZDIrI/AAAAAAAAKOI/bN5PzTiNXc0hJyNw3Jqe6g5QBxufL5alACLcBGAs/s800/IMG_4344.JPG)
14th Green -
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F70nlyW72qQ/W04UFKO-PCI/AAAAAAAAKOY/Kt61nAJG2hI7q1NxXieGoTcg1YKqrcDIQCLcBGAs/s800/IMG_4345.JPG)
17th Tee -
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EG7LBJeFLzg/W04UMKkoCAI/AAAAAAAAKOc/Dg0RE8KvwkUmM_tMcVrHqOU5z4qETVzxACLcBGAs/s800/IMG_4346.JPG)
18th Fairway -
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFHGGcyRpDY/W04UPRJFQXI/AAAAAAAAKOg/jkzdz2Apoh0wt1DVoYQTuXafzyjhHH5bACLcBGAs/s800/IMG_4347.JPG)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmEno7ZsGs0/W04UY67M0cI/AAAAAAAAKOk/diOCaCHajzk8hbD6vVAZ0Ow1N9zuIXrdQCLcBGAs/s800/IMG_4348.JPG)
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Thanks for the photos Matt - those photos on 10 show the fairway bunkers on the left that make no sense to me. I wonder if they are original, and if they were in the fairway at one time.
These new photos show one other thing - Hamilton may be the last private club in Canada to have a traditional caddie program with young kids servings as caddies.