The RBC Canadian Open is being held this week at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ontario, Canada. Since the PGA TOUR last visited the course in 2019, substantial upgrades have been made.
Widely considered one of the top golf clubs in Canada, Hamilton commissioned renowned architect Martin Ebert to restore the course and return it closer to its original design by Harry Colt from the early 1900s.
The gallery walks from the No. 11 tee during the 1919 Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club. J. Douglas Edgar won the event by 16 strokes, which remains a PGA Tour record for victory margin.
The $8.5 million restoration project was no small undertaking. Ebert and his team had to oversee much of the work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing new technologies like drones, 3D imaging and virtual reality to inspect progress and make design decisions.
While honoring Colt's original routing and strategic elements, Ebert also lengthened and strengthened several holes. The course now plays 112 yards longer and features new tees, greens, bunkers and other enhancements.
Holes like the par-3 6th and par-4 7th were stretched over 25 and 35 yards respectively.The par-5 17th saw its green site pushed further back and to the left, adding an additional 30 yards.
According to Ebert, the renovation has elevated Hamilton's natural rolling terrain and strategic challenges. Meanwhile, the membership and PGA Tour are thrilled with how the restored layout will test the world's best golfers.
One standout hole remains the par-3 14th, dubbed "The Rink". Hockey boards and an energetic atmosphere will once again surround the tee box, making it one of the unique risk-reward challenges on tour.
With Hamilton Golf Club debuting its new look on the biggest stage, golf fans and players are in for a treat this week at the RBC Canadian Open on the storied Canadian layout. The restoration is a testament to Ebert's skill and Hamilton's storied golfing tradition.
The 14th hole at Hamilton Golf and Country Club
This week during the Canadian Open, players and spectators are in for a treat thanks to the renovations at Hamilton Golf Club. The course has been refined while honoring its well-known foundations, with new elements and a purposeful extension. Leading golfers will surely face difficulties as they traverse the rutted fairways and come across smaller targets on the freshly contoured greens. It will be interesting to watch how this updated layout by golden age designer Harry Colt is handled in the current game. Hamilton's provenance and new skill test further solidify its status as one of North America's real golfing jewels.
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