Islington Golf Club steps up to assist Canadian Open
The 2010 RBC Canadian Open, to be hosted by the St. George’s Golf and Country Club July 19-25, was an event without an on-site practice facility. With rumours of area school grounds and local parks as possible locations for the players to warm up, hit balls and ready themselves for their rounds, the logistics sounded somewhat bizarre and complicated.
And then, up steps the Islington Golf Club. Located about two kilometres south of St. George’s on Islington Avenue, the private, Stanley Thompson designed course has solved, what could have been, a major complication for tournament organizers.
“We are delighted to have Islington Golf Club host the practice facilities,” said Scott Simmons Executive Director and CEO of the RCGA. “Not only does it make sense from logistical perspective but it also affords us an opportunity to welcome one of our member clubs as a proud partner in the 2010 Open.”
Bill Chisholm, President of the Islington Golf Club adds, “On behalf of our membership I am very proud that we are able to host the practice facility. We were honoured when the RCGA presented us with the opportunity and we are please to get involved and show our support for Canadian golf.”
Construction has begun at Islington
Islington will be using hole # 1 and hole #2 and an adjacent putting green as the practice facility. As part of the construction required to convert the two holes, which run parallel to each other, and are convenient to the club house and pro shop, there will be a temporary tee area for the practice facility and, at the same time, a new tee deck on hole #1 with three sets of tees will be constructed for the Islington members as a legacy to their RBC Open effort.
Dave Fox, Islington’s General Manager is tremendously excited about the opportunity and says, “it’s nice to see two established private golf courses within two kilometers of each other working together for the good of the game.”
Fox adds, “construction is already underway and we are hoping to have the preliminary work completed by the end of November and then allow for the necessary ‘grow in’ through the months leading up to The Open.”
Islington will be closing the front nine for a one week period during The Open and members will have reciprocal arrangements with other courses in the area during the down time. Fox says, “there are additional on-course construction projects that we had scheduled for 2009 and early 2010 so the scheduling of the practice facility work is timely.”
Islington Golf Club's Dave Fox, General Manager (L) and Phil Kavanagh, Director of Golf (R) show the changes underway
Fox is also excited about the unique opportunity for Islington to be involved in The Open. “This involvement will give our club considerable local and national exposure leading up to, and during, this great Canadian golf event. The practice facility will be open to spectators attending the 2010 RBC Canadian Open.”
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- Notebook: Canadian Open 2010
