Heritage
The Toronto Golf Club offers a snapshot of its history through six photos and text, akin to teeing off on the first hole. Consider this just the beginning of an intriguing journey through our story.
In the early 1870s, a few friends began hitting the ball around on leased lands in east Toronto. In 1876, the group, led by James Lamond Smith (pictured), formed a club and, over time, established a course and clubhouse near the village of Norway. So began The Toronto Golf Club, aka TGC.
In 1894, women were admitted and formed The Toronto Ladies Golf Club - a club within a club. TGC was one of the first golf clubs in Canada to welcome women members. (Pictured, Miss Georgina Crombie on the first tee).
Recruited from Scotland, George Cumming became TGC's second professional in 1900. Over a 50 - year career, George cultivated golf at TGC - at first in East Toronto then in Long Branch. One singular accomplishment was coaching a cadre of TGC women to multiple national and provincial championships (Miss Cecil Smith pictured, five - time Ontario Amateur Champion). Cumming was a respected builder of the amateur and professional game. So says the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.
After Toronto annexed the village of Norway in 1909, TGC decided it must move. By early 1911, TGC had purchased property near Long Branch and hired Harry Colt to lay out a course. Colt obliged and the Colt Course opened in fall of 1912 to high praise. A fine Georgian clubhouse followed in 1913 - the hub of social interaction at TGC ever since.
TGC has prospered in Long Branch, celebrating its 50th, 100th and 125th birthdays - with the sesquicentennial in 2026. The stewardship of Colt's course (1911 layout pictured) saw refinements by Colt partner, Charles Alison, in 1920 and 1927. In the 60s, Howard Watson created four new Colt Course greens and his namesake short nine. In 2009/10, Martin Hawtree revived Colt's design palette – revealing a great course hiding under a good one. Harry is pleased.
TGC's greatest assets are its members and its historic property. A core value of the club is "respect". Respect for the game: respect for the traditions passed down over generations: and respect for the obligation to pay it forward. Respect is active in daily club life, informing all interactions - member to member and member to staff. TGC is proud of its legacy while being acutely aware that it is but a trustee.