I’ve written for Ontario Golf — or OG as it is known — since 2001 when Ted McIntyre took the position of editor and launched the publication. Today OG announced its fifth biennial Top 50 ranking, which apparently includes a Top 100 online.
The website is pretty thorough, including a Top 50 throughout the five times OG has done the rating.
Here’s the Top 10:
1. St. Georges G&CC, Etobicoke, Ont. (43.64)*
2. The National GC, Woodbridge, Ont. (43.40)
3. Hamilton G&CC, Ancaster, Ont. (42.00)
4. Westmount G&CC, Kitchener, Ont. (34.66)
5. Beacon Hall GC, Aurora, Ont. (29.94)
6. Bigwin Island GC, Lake of Bays, Ont. (28.49)
7. Devils Paintbrush, Caledon, Ont. (28.42)
8. Muskoka Bay GC, Gravenhurst, Ont. (28.40)
9. Coppinwood GC, Uxbridge, Ont. (28.22)
10. Oviinbyrd GC, Muskoka, Ont. (28.00)
Here’s my Top 5:
ROBERT THOMPSON
GOLF COLUMNIST, NATIONAL POST
1. St. Georges G&CC
2. Hamilton G&CC
3. Devils Paintbrush
4. Eagles Nest GC
5. Westmount G&CC
So what caught my eye?
- The split between the National and St. George’s — essentially both courses are practically tied for first place.
- Oviinbyrd moving into the Top 10. A pretty quiet club that hasn’t made most lists simply because raters aren’t exactly welcomed with wide open arms. Note there are three Muskoka courses in the Top 10 and five in the Top 20. Are 25% of the best courses actually located in Muskoka? Really?
- Is Mississaugua, even with new greens, the 15th best course in the province? To my mind I don’t think it is better than Scarboro, which is more than 10 spots lower.
- Essex at 20? I really liked the course, but it would slot 20 spots lower on my list. I think you’d be hard pressed to argue it is better than Rosedale, which is WAY too low at 37. Essex was ranked #1 in the province by a judge — again (same judge as last time.)
- Nice to see Tarandowah at 30. A lot of love for the place, but I wonder if that will slip in time.
- Cutten Club makes the Top 50. Couldn’t happen to a nicer club.
- Angus Glen South at 50. Remember when this was considered Top 10 material. What happened?
- Grand Niagara at 52, ahead of really good golf courses like Kawartha (should be in the Top 50), Maple Downs (ditto).
- Firerock in London behind the Oaks? Come on. Not even close here.
- Glencairn at 97? Behind The Rock? Tom McBroom must be rolling his eyes.
- Osprey Valley’s wasteland course, which I played today, is Top 25 material in Canada, without a doubt.
- Someone rated Cobble Beach as the top course in the province. Good certainly — but that great. Nope.
A bestselling author and award-winning columnist, Robert Thompson has been writing about business and sports, and particularly golf, for almost two decades. His reporting and commentary on golf has appeared in 
i look forward to everyone getting over coppinwood.
RT,
Is nothing in the Ottawa area worthy of a mention?
Sequin Valley #59 – You gots to be kidding me, are they even open this year?
Nothing from Northern Ontario…although biased…what about Timberwolf or even Idywylde (Ont Amatuer host 2010) in Sudbury…what about Crimson Ridge in the Soo…North Bay G.C.C. would rate also, there is an Ian Andrew bunker restoration going on right now with rework on almost all tee boxes…
Sorry…missed that Crimson was on the list at #42….
Last 25 or 30, most were NR also as of 2007…..so they had to move a ton out…those seem like throwaway spots…
Ouch, Grand Niagara over Burlington?? How can I get on this panel Rob?
Cataraqui at 48! wow. you’d have a hard time convincing me there are 47 better courses in the country, let alone ontario.
must be the new pond…
my bad. cat @ 49.
2009 is the first time OG magazine has done a top-100, previously is was top-50 . . . so for most courses NR only means it was not ranked in the top-50 back in 2007.
That said a course like Tarandowah or Cobble Beach have a NR because they are new to the list and weren’t eligible two years ago.
Oviinbyrd didn’t have enough rankers having played it in 2007 to be ranked, but now does.
Phil
are you kiddin me!! Cat is the most over rated track east ot the GTA – conditioning is average at best, and the re work of the Ross course is horrible
cat ahead of Ottawa hunt? Black Bear Ridge?Kawartha?
makes no sense,you kinda start to wonder?
Taradowah – absolutley! played it – loved it! it is “pure golf” may a few private big name clubs could take a lesson …..
my apologies in disbelief I errored not Ross – Thompson
King
I’m just wondering what you think qualifies as “the reworking”? at Cataraqui. If you’re referring to the pond that was added on 17, I’d agree that it’s not great, but that hardly makes the course horrible. I’m also wondering how many times you’ve played Cat to say it’s the most over-rated course east of the GTA. I grew up playing the course and while it’s not close to top 15 material in Ontario, I think it’s top 30-40 easily. Cataraqui has one of the best sets of par 3’s anywhere. Kawartha is another great golf course that I would rank top 30-40 and I’ve heard good things about Black Bear Ridge but have yet to play it.