History

Over a century of excellence

Among the oldest golf clubs in Canada, Oshawa’s heritage extends for more than a century, having initially been laid out by Robert and Thomas Henderson in 1906. Since that point, several of the best designers in Canadian history—including George Cumming, Stanley Thompson, and more recently the likes of Robbie Robinson and Doug Carrick—have worked on the course

It is currently undergoing restoration planning by Tom Mackenzie of the firm Mackenzie & Ebert, one of the United Kingdom’s most noted design firms.

Designers

George Cumming

George Cumming

One of the founders of golf in Canada, George Cumming, the long-time head professional at Toronto Golf Club, was a golf architect who found great properties and turned them into equally terrific golf courses. Cumming’s work at Oshawa showcases his ingenuity in using the property in imaginative ways, creating a walkable golf experience that’s unforgettable and never plays the same way twice

Stanley Thompson

Stanley Thompson

A protégé of George Cumming, Thompson started working in golf design following World War I. The most famed of Canadian golf architects, Thompson renovated Oshawa, tweaking the original design throughout his career.

Tom Mackenzie

Tom Mackenzie

One of the principals of Mackenzie & Ebert, a noted firm in the U.K. with an extensive history of working on some of the best courses in the world, Tom Mackenzie has created a long range plan for Oshawa to restore many important features lost over time. In addition to their impressive record of work, Mackenzie & Ebert operate within certain design philosophies that align with Oshawa’s own initiatives. The firm is dedicated to environmental sustainability and seeks to limit their environmental impact as much as possible.

Key Historical Bits

The Hendersons: Robert and his brother, Thomas, from Musselburg, Scotland, established the course, and Thomas would go on to become the club’s long-time secretary.

George Cumming: After the course was established, it was Cumming, a Scottish golf professional and noted Head Pro at Toronto Golf Club, who reworked Oshawa.

 
In the early 1920s, the course was extended to a full 18 holes, with 23 bunkers.

Stanley Thompson: A protégé of Cumming, research shows Thompson, the most famed golf designer Canada has produced, did work on the course around 1930.

Clubhouse: The 1930 clubhouse was a single storey building with covered verandas and a balcony overlooking the putting green.

Early course: An elm tree protects the green in this early photo, an example of how the course has evolved.

After Thompson: This photo of #15, from 1932, shows the course after Thompson’s work. Notice the lack of trees, as well as little development around the club

Bunkers: Thompson’s work on the course showcases a more elaborate bunker style, with grassy bays and high sandy faces

1934: The 17th green, pictured in the early 1930s.