Rosedale Golf Club

Rosedale Golf Club is a private golf club in Toronto, founded in 1893 in Moore Park. The course hosted the Canadian Open in 1912 and 1928.

History

Founded in 1893 in Moore Park as a 9-hole course and moved to Rosedale, Toronto in 1895–1896 on what is now Rosedale Field. It was an eighteen hole course on 15 acres/^[1] This location was short-lived as the land was owned by The Scottish Ontario and Manitoba Land Company (founded by William Bain Scarth in 1879) and the area was being acquired to become a residential development called North Rosedale.^[2] In 1909, the course moved north along the Don River to its current site between the neighbourhoods of Teddington Park to the west, Lawrence Park to the south, The Bridle Path to the east and Hoggs Hollow to the north.^{[citation needed]}

Controversy

Members of the Toronto Jewish community bought land and established the Oakdale Golf & Country Club in 1926 in response to antisemitism in Canada that strictly excluded Jews from private golf clubs, including the Rosedale Golf Club.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

In 2004, the club was sued by McDonald's Canada chairman and CEO George Cohon, who alleged that the club rejected his membership application due to his Jewish heritage.^[8]^[9]^[10] In response, the club eventually officially discontinued its policy of not admitting Jewish members, and admitted Cohon to the club.^[11] Cohon became the club's first Jewish member in its 111 year history.^[12]^[13] In 2004, a former general manager of the golf club was awarded $370,000 by an Ontario judge as compensation for being fired in 1997 after he tried to change the club's no-Jews policy.^[14]

Tournaments

The club has hosted several tournaments including the Canadian Open in 1912 and 1928. In more recent years, the club has elected to only host tournaments that cause little disruption to the membership.^{[citation needed]}

Current course

The course plays to par 71 (73 for ladies) and is 6,525 yards in length.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ "Rosedale Archival Records prepared by OAC / TAC Volunteers" (PDF). October 2013. p. 44. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
^ "North Rosedale Heritage Conservation District Plan" (PDF). North Rosedale Ratepayers Association. June 17, 2004. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 21, 2015.
^ Peter Cheney (March 13, 2004). "Shouts and whispers". The Globe and Mail.
^ "An inconspicuous Jewish country club just became the site of Canadian sports history". Bharat Times. June 17, 2023.
^ "Former underdog turned Maccabiah gold winner swings home to golf in Canadian Open". Bharat Times. June 21, 2023.
^ "Oakdale Golf & Country Club to host 2023 & 2026 RBC Canadian Open". Golf Canada. May 19, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
^ "How Oakdale G&CC joined the venue rotation for the RBC Canadian Open". RBC Canadian Open. June 5, 2023.
^ "Shouts and whispers". The Globe and Mail.
^ "Veteran Toronto judge asks Federal Court to suspend discipline proceedings". The Star. March 24, 2017.
^ "Golf club discriminated, dismissal trial hears". The Globe and Mail. March 10, 2004.
^ "How restrictive contracts and bigotry lingered in Toronto real estate". The Star. December 28, 2017.
^ "UpFront". NOW Magazine. March 11, 2004.
^ "TORONTO VOTES: Mayoral candidates clash over transit, accusations of racism at Centennial College debate". Toronto.com. October 7, 2014.
^ "Newsdesk". The Forward. July 2, 2004.