Royal Canadian Golf Association
Encyclopedia
Golf Canada, formerly known as the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) is the governing body of golf
in Canada
.
. The Royal prefix was granted to the CGA in June 1896 by Queen Victoria through then Governor General of Canada, Lord Aberdeen
. Aberdeen was a patron of the RCGA.
The first real international boom in golf happened in the 1890s. In response to this, the first golfing associations were formed, the Golfing Union of Ireland
in 1891 and the Ladies’ Golf Union in 1893. The organization of golf in Britain itself was directed to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews as the historic seat of golf. In 1894 two attempts to establish a national championship in the United States were made, neither of which became recognized as the national champion. Later in 1894, representatives from five prominent U.S. clubs gathered to form the United States Golf Association
.
. The secretary of the club, Alex Simpson, was a strong proponent of organizing a national organization to conduct national championships. In 1895 he invited clubs from across Canada to attend “the first national golf championship”, and to discuss the organization of an association with the mandate of conducting such events. It was agreed that such an association should be formed, and would hold its first Annual General Meeting on September 27, at the time of the Interprovincial Matches between Ontario
and Quebec
.
The constitution drawn up for the purpose stated the objectives of the organization as:
"promote interest in the game of golf; the protection of the mutual interests of its members; establish and enforce uniformity in the rules of game by creating a representative authority,; its Executive Committee to be a court of reference as a final authority in matters of controversy; to establish a uniform system of handicapping; to decide on what links the Amateur and Open Championship shall be played."
The constitution was signed by the following ten clubs from across Canada:
Royal Montreal Golf Club
Royal-Quebec Golf Club
Royal Ottawa Golf Club
Kingston Golf Club
Toronto Golf Club
Rosedale Golf Club
Hamilton Golf and Country Club
London Golf Club
Winnipeg Golf Club
Victoria Golf Club
The first officers of the organization were:
The prefix Royal was granted to the RCGA in June 1896 by Queen Victoria. There were two categories of membership in the RCGA when it was formed; Allied which meant it was a regularly constituted golf club in Canada, and Associate which was also to have a golf course, clubhouse and at least 25 members.
Membership in the RCGA was:
was to continue annually as it had operated in 1895, at match play, with the prize the Aberdeen Cup, donated by the Governor-General. In 1898, the RCGA, in conjunction with the USGA, conducted the first International Golf Matches at the Toronto Golf Club
. In 1901, the organization introduced the Canadian Ladies’ Amateur Championship, held at Royal Montreal Golf Club
. Three years later, the need for an Open championship for both amateur and professional golfers was determined, with sufficient professional golfers in Canada, and the first Canadian Open Golf Championship was held over the Royal Montreal Golf Club
in 1904.
In 1919 the first staff person, B.L. Anderson, was hired. He had served as volunteer secretary during World War I
, and was hired for part time work for the association as the Secretary-Treasurer. Anderson stayed with the RCGA as Secretary until retirement in 1945. He became known as the face of the RCGA, along with his own secretary, Marion Doherty.
Funding continued as a fee per club until 1948 when the RCGA instituted the dollar a year plan. The concept was that each golf club would remit $1.00 for each male member (after having collected from the member in their annual dues). $.50 was to go to the RCGA and the same amount would be remitted to the appropriated provincial association. This revolutionized the associations which had suffered for decades from chronic lack of funding.
The first handicapping system sponsored by Canada was done in 1937, believed to be based upon an American system, using the five lowest scores of the current season. The second system was presented in 1949 interim, and 1950 official. It was revised again in 1960, and several times afterwards.
In 1924 the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Union (formed in 1913) took over the operation of the Canadian Ladies’ Amateur Championship from the RCGA.
Matches for the Interprovincial Championship” encouraging each province to send a team of four to the Amateur. The Governor General, Lord Willingdon, provided the cup which is still played for today. The Willingdon Cup matches have likely done more than any other event to raise the standard of amateur golf in Canada.
In 1986 the Canadian Club Champions' Championship was introduced, followed by the Mid-Amateur Championship in 1987.
, to play in the British Amateur Championship, and in a number of relatively informal team matches. In 1954 the first official RCGA team event took place with the introduction of the America’s Cup Matches. Played between 1954 and 1967, these matches were played between Mexico, the USA and Canada. The Canadians brought home the honours in 1965. Other International events the RCGA has been much involved in are the World Amateur Team Matches for the Eisenhower Trophy
, since 1958: winning in 1986, placing second in 1962, 1964, 1978, and 2006, and hosting these “Olympics” of golf in 1992; the Commonwealth
Matches, won by Canada in 1971 and 1975, discontinued in 1975; and the Simon Bolivar Biennial Tournament, won in 1981 by Doug Roxburgh and Gary Cowan
representing Canada.
Robbie Robinson served the RCGA in a number of positions, including as general manager. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the RCGA operated a consulting program which was operated through part time consultants. In 1991 the Association hired a permanent staff person for the Green Section, and has been involved in developing environmental guidelines, among other key materials, for golf courses today.
In the 1950s, the RCGA first began collecting “relics” of the game, to preserve the history of Canadian golf. In 1975, with the move to Glen Abbey Golf Course
, the RCGA established a golf museum and a location to showcase the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, established in 1971. With the donation of $800,000 from the Shore Foundation, a building was erected at Glen Abbey as a home for the museum, the Hall of Fame and a library/archive on the game.
in Oakville, Ontario
, along with headquarters of the association. The RCGA purchased the golf course in the early 1980s, and held the national open championship over the course from 1977 -– 2000, with the exceptions of 1980 and 1997, when it was moved to Royal Montreal Golf Club
. In 1999 the RCGA completed the sale of the property to ClubLink Corp. The Canadian Open returned to Glen Abbey in 2004, and was played there again in 2008 and 2009. The tournament once more moves around the country to top courses.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Beginnings
The RCGA was founded on June 6, 1895 as the Canadian Golf Association at the Royal Ottawa Golf ClubRoyal Ottawa Golf Club
The Royal Ottawa Golf Club is a premier private golf club located in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1891, and has made major contributions to the development of Canadian golf right from its early years, hosting many important championships and meetings, and continues to do so. Several...
. The Royal prefix was granted to the CGA in June 1896 by Queen Victoria through then Governor General of Canada, Lord Aberdeen
John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair
John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC , known as The Earl of Aberdeen from 1870 to 1916, was a Scottish politician...
. Aberdeen was a patron of the RCGA.
The first real international boom in golf happened in the 1890s. In response to this, the first golfing associations were formed, the Golfing Union of Ireland
Golfing Union of Ireland
The Golfing Union of Ireland is the governing body for men's and boy's amateur golf in Ireland. It represents over 430 golf clubs with over 180,000 members and is affiliated to The R&A, which is the global governing body of golf outside the United States and Mexico.The GUI was established in 1891...
in 1891 and the Ladies’ Golf Union in 1893. The organization of golf in Britain itself was directed to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews as the historic seat of golf. In 1894 two attempts to establish a national championship in the United States were made, neither of which became recognized as the national champion. Later in 1894, representatives from five prominent U.S. clubs gathered to form the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
.
Founding, stages Canadian Amateur
The first meeting to discuss the formation of a Canadian Golf Association was held on June 6, 1895 at the Royal Ottawa Golf ClubRoyal Ottawa Golf Club
The Royal Ottawa Golf Club is a premier private golf club located in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1891, and has made major contributions to the development of Canadian golf right from its early years, hosting many important championships and meetings, and continues to do so. Several...
. The secretary of the club, Alex Simpson, was a strong proponent of organizing a national organization to conduct national championships. In 1895 he invited clubs from across Canada to attend “the first national golf championship”, and to discuss the organization of an association with the mandate of conducting such events. It was agreed that such an association should be formed, and would hold its first Annual General Meeting on September 27, at the time of the Interprovincial Matches between Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
The constitution drawn up for the purpose stated the objectives of the organization as:
"promote interest in the game of golf; the protection of the mutual interests of its members; establish and enforce uniformity in the rules of game by creating a representative authority,; its Executive Committee to be a court of reference as a final authority in matters of controversy; to establish a uniform system of handicapping; to decide on what links the Amateur and Open Championship shall be played."
The constitution was signed by the following ten clubs from across Canada:
Royal Montreal Golf Club
Royal Montreal Golf Club
The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the Americas, having been founded in 1873. In that year, a small group of eight gentlemen sat in a dockside office and formed the Montreal Golf Club...
Royal-Quebec Golf Club
Royal-Quebec Golf Club
The Royal-Quebec Golf Club is a golf course founded in 1874 in Boischatel by members of the local business community, notably Scots-Quebecers bankers and businessmen who played a major role in its creation and development...
Royal Ottawa Golf Club
Royal Ottawa Golf Club
The Royal Ottawa Golf Club is a premier private golf club located in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1891, and has made major contributions to the development of Canadian golf right from its early years, hosting many important championships and meetings, and continues to do so. Several...
Kingston Golf Club
Toronto Golf Club
Toronto Golf Club
The Toronto Golf Club originated in 1876, and is the third oldest golf club in North America after Royal Montreal Golf Club , and the Royal-Quebec Golf Club . It originated on a parcel of land known as the Fernhill property, which was included within the City of Toronto in the 1900s...
Rosedale Golf Club
Hamilton Golf and Country Club
London Golf Club
Winnipeg Golf Club
Victoria Golf Club
The first officers of the organization were:
| President: | Hon. George A. Drummond, Royal Montreal Golf Club Royal Montreal Golf Club The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the Americas, having been founded in 1873. In that year, a small group of eight gentlemen sat in a dockside office and formed the Montreal Golf Club... | |
| Vice Presidents: | Lt-Col. D.T. Irwin, Royal Ottawa John Hamilton, Royal Quebec Golf Club | |
| Hon. Secretary: | W.C.J. Hall, Royal Quebec Golf Club | |
| Members: | Charles Hunter, Toronto Golf and Niagara-on-the-Lake Lt.-Col. Cotton, Kingston Golf Club J.F. Kirk, Rosedale Golf Club J.L. Morris, Royal Montreal F.P. Betts, London |
The prefix Royal was granted to the RCGA in June 1896 by Queen Victoria. There were two categories of membership in the RCGA when it was formed; Allied which meant it was a regularly constituted golf club in Canada, and Associate which was also to have a golf course, clubhouse and at least 25 members.
Membership in the RCGA was:
| 1895 | 10 clubs | |
| 1898 | Associates: Allied: | 11 3 |
| 1902 | 20 | |
| 1905 | 33 | |
| 1961 | 512 | |
| 1990 | 1500 |
Canadian Open
The Canadian Amateur ChampionshipCanadian Amateur Championship
The Canadian Amateur Championship, begun in 1895, is the men's amateur golf championship of Canada. It is staged annually by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. It was played at match play until 1968, went to stroke play beginning in 1969, and reverted to match play in 1995...
was to continue annually as it had operated in 1895, at match play, with the prize the Aberdeen Cup, donated by the Governor-General. In 1898, the RCGA, in conjunction with the USGA, conducted the first International Golf Matches at the Toronto Golf Club
Toronto Golf Club
The Toronto Golf Club originated in 1876, and is the third oldest golf club in North America after Royal Montreal Golf Club , and the Royal-Quebec Golf Club . It originated on a parcel of land known as the Fernhill property, which was included within the City of Toronto in the 1900s...
. In 1901, the organization introduced the Canadian Ladies’ Amateur Championship, held at Royal Montreal Golf Club
Royal Montreal Golf Club
The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the Americas, having been founded in 1873. In that year, a small group of eight gentlemen sat in a dockside office and formed the Montreal Golf Club...
. Three years later, the need for an Open championship for both amateur and professional golfers was determined, with sufficient professional golfers in Canada, and the first Canadian Open Golf Championship was held over the Royal Montreal Golf Club
Royal Montreal Golf Club
The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the Americas, having been founded in 1873. In that year, a small group of eight gentlemen sat in a dockside office and formed the Montreal Golf Club...
in 1904.
Organizational details
The RCGA formed its first standing committee for the rules of golf in 1916, although it had printed its first edition of the rules in 1914.In 1919 the first staff person, B.L. Anderson, was hired. He had served as volunteer secretary during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and was hired for part time work for the association as the Secretary-Treasurer. Anderson stayed with the RCGA as Secretary until retirement in 1945. He became known as the face of the RCGA, along with his own secretary, Marion Doherty.
Funding continued as a fee per club until 1948 when the RCGA instituted the dollar a year plan. The concept was that each golf club would remit $1.00 for each male member (after having collected from the member in their annual dues). $.50 was to go to the RCGA and the same amount would be remitted to the appropriated provincial association. This revolutionized the associations which had suffered for decades from chronic lack of funding.
The first handicapping system sponsored by Canada was done in 1937, believed to be based upon an American system, using the five lowest scores of the current season. The second system was presented in 1949 interim, and 1950 official. It was revised again in 1960, and several times afterwards.
In 1924 the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Union (formed in 1913) took over the operation of the Canadian Ladies’ Amateur Championship from the RCGA.
Willingdon Cup
1927 saw the resurrection of the Interprovincial Team Matches. These matches had been played since 1882, primarily between Quebec and Ontario. Discontinued in 1921, the need to improve the national scope of the Association, and in particular its championships, coincided with the concept of team expenses provided being allowed. To ensure the “cream” of the amateur players in each province were available to participate in the Amateur (notwithstanding long distance travel), the Interprovincial Matches were reintroduced as the “Willingdon CupWillingdon Cup
The Willingdon Cup is an annual amateur golf team competition among Canada's provinces.-History:The Governor General of Canada, Lord Willingdon, donated the cup to Golf Canada in 1927, for annual rivalry among men's amateur teams from the provinces of Canada...
Matches for the Interprovincial Championship” encouraging each province to send a team of four to the Amateur. The Governor General, Lord Willingdon, provided the cup which is still played for today. The Willingdon Cup matches have likely done more than any other event to raise the standard of amateur golf in Canada.
Junior Championship
In the 1930s the national body was approached about beginning a national junior championship. In 1938 a new element was added to the Amateur Championship –- that of Junior Title holder. A junior from each province could accompany the Willingdon Cup team as an alternate, and participate in the Amateur. The low scorer would become the Junior Champion. In 1959 the tournament was separated from the Canadian Amateur Championship, and became a full fledged match play tournament in its own right. A juvenile component was added in 1970, and interprovincial team matches had been added to the tournament in 1959. Both tournaments are run at stroke play today.Senior Championship and others
In 1962 the RCGA introduced its first Senior Championship of Canada. The Canadian Senior Golf Association had been formed in 1918 and conducted its own championship. However, by 1962 it became clear that there was a need for another tournament. The Senior Championship of Canada was established as an RCGA event, open to any member of any RCGA member club. The CSGA was/is a membership based organization and fulfills a largely social element of the game.In 1986 the Canadian Club Champions' Championship was introduced, followed by the Mid-Amateur Championship in 1987.
Canada in international golf
The RCGA also has a long history of sending teams to international competitions. The first overseas team was formed in 1935 to go to the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, to play in the British Amateur Championship, and in a number of relatively informal team matches. In 1954 the first official RCGA team event took place with the introduction of the America’s Cup Matches. Played between 1954 and 1967, these matches were played between Mexico, the USA and Canada. The Canadians brought home the honours in 1965. Other International events the RCGA has been much involved in are the World Amateur Team Matches for the Eisenhower Trophy
Eisenhower Trophy
The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
, since 1958: winning in 1986, placing second in 1962, 1964, 1978, and 2006, and hosting these “Olympics” of golf in 1992; the Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
Matches, won by Canada in 1971 and 1975, discontinued in 1975; and the Simon Bolivar Biennial Tournament, won in 1981 by Doug Roxburgh and Gary Cowan
Gary Cowan
Gary Cowan is a Canadian golfer who has achieved outstanding results at the highest class in amateur competition.-Biography:...
representing Canada.
Agronomy, history
The RCGA also recognized the needs of the game outside of tournament play and first began a Green Section in the 1920s. Although this faded in and out throughout the next several decades, it continued until ending in 2007. In the 1950s well-known golf architect and admirable agronomistAgronomist
An agronomist is a scientist who specializes in agronomy, which is the science of utilizing plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber. An agronomist is an expert in agricultural and allied sciences, with the exception veterinary sciences.Agronomists deal with interactions between plants, soils, and...
Robbie Robinson served the RCGA in a number of positions, including as general manager. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the RCGA operated a consulting program which was operated through part time consultants. In 1991 the Association hired a permanent staff person for the Green Section, and has been involved in developing environmental guidelines, among other key materials, for golf courses today.
In the 1950s, the RCGA first began collecting “relics” of the game, to preserve the history of Canadian golf. In 1975, with the move to Glen Abbey Golf Course
Glen Abbey Golf Course
Glen Abbey Golf Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1976, is one of Canada's most famous golf courses and is home to the Royal Canadian Golf Association and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. It has hosted 25 Canadian Open Championships, more than any other course, with the first having...
, the RCGA established a golf museum and a location to showcase the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, established in 1971. With the donation of $800,000 from the Shore Foundation, a building was erected at Glen Abbey as a home for the museum, the Hall of Fame and a library/archive on the game.
Permanent site for Canadian Open
In the 1970s, the RCGA made the decision to move the Canadian Open to a permanent site at Glen Abbey Golf CourseGlen Abbey Golf Course
Glen Abbey Golf Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1976, is one of Canada's most famous golf courses and is home to the Royal Canadian Golf Association and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. It has hosted 25 Canadian Open Championships, more than any other course, with the first having...
in Oakville, Ontario
Oakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
, along with headquarters of the association. The RCGA purchased the golf course in the early 1980s, and held the national open championship over the course from 1977 -– 2000, with the exceptions of 1980 and 1997, when it was moved to Royal Montreal Golf Club
Royal Montreal Golf Club
The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the Americas, having been founded in 1873. In that year, a small group of eight gentlemen sat in a dockside office and formed the Montreal Golf Club...
. In 1999 the RCGA completed the sale of the property to ClubLink Corp. The Canadian Open returned to Glen Abbey in 2004, and was played there again in 2008 and 2009. The tournament once more moves around the country to top courses.
Amalgamation with Ladies' Association
The Royal Canadian Golf Association amalgamated with the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association in January 2005, and now administers the game for both men and women. The tournaments conducted by the association include:- Canadian Open
- Canadian Women's OpenCanadian Women's OpenThe CN Canadian Women's Open is a women's professional golf tournament managed by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. It has been Canada's national championship tournament since 1973, and is an official event on the LPGA Tour.-History:...
- Canadian Amateur ChampionshipCanadian Amateur ChampionshipThe Canadian Amateur Championship, begun in 1895, is the men's amateur golf championship of Canada. It is staged annually by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. It was played at match play until 1968, went to stroke play beginning in 1969, and reverted to match play in 1995...
- Canadian Women's Amateur Championship
- Canadian Junior Championship
- Canadian Junior Girl's Championship
- Canadian Senior Championship
- Canadian Senior Women's Championship
- Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship
- Canadian Senior Match Play Championship
- Future Links Series
- CN Canadian Women’s Tour
Services
Other programs of the RCGA include a Canada-wide Agronomy Program, a Player Development division dedicated to providing opportunities for top golfers to reach their potential in competitive golf, the RCGA Foundation which raises funds for Golf Programs at Canadian Universities, and the Golf Programs and Services Division which operates the CN Future Links program, Handicapping and Course Rating, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum and maintaining the Rules of Golf.Name change
On April 22, 2010, the Royal Canadian Golf Association announced its name change to Golf Canada. Golf Canada will retain its predecessor's role in maintaining and growing the sport in Canada, along with launching a new membership program to help fund its amateur and junior programs while providing travel and insurance benefits to golfers who sign up.External links
- Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum
- List of Civilian organizations with prefix "Royal" - Heritage Canada
- List of civilian organizations with the prefix "Royal" prepared by the Department of Canadian Heritage