Glen Abbey: Cultural Heritage Landscape

Design value

Designed in 1976 by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, Glen Abbey is one of Canada’s most famous golf courses. Glen Abbey was Canada’s first and one of the first courses in the world built for spectators, thanks to its combined stadium design with a hub-and-spoke layout. Both design features have influenced golf course design around the globe.

Other design highlights:

• Glen Abbey is a very good representative of the emphasis on finesse rather than pure strength, in the ‘strategic’ tradition of golf course design
• The spectator mounds not only provide for intimate and unobstructed viewing, but also frame the fairways and greens
• Situated alongside Oakville’s picturesque Sixteen Mile Creek, the course’s unique valley holes are considered among the most beautiful and challenging in the sport.
• The 17th and 18th holes have been recognized as among the most successful finishing holes in international championship play
• The clubhouse, designed by Crang and Boake Ltd (one of Canada’s largest architectural firms in the late 20th Century), was purposely built into the landscape of the 18th hole to heighten the drama of finishing play for spectators
• The RayDor Estate house, a relatively rare French eclectic style of architecture, with its carved stone exterior, red clay tile roof, leaded casement windows, ornamental main entrance with ornamental surround and solid oak door, hipped dormers and stone chimneys with clay pots, was one of Oakville’s first estate homes.
• The outbuildings associated with the RayDor Estate, including the stable buildings, designed by architects Marani, Lawson & Morris, are a rare example of estate outbuildings from that era.

Historical value

Ask Oakville residents what comes to mind when they think of Glen Abbey and they’ll likely tell you about its long tenure as host of the Canadian Open. From 1977 through 2017, Glen Abbey has hosted the Open a record 29 times. The course has become directly associated with Hall of Fame winners of the tournament, including Tiger Woods' and his dramatic shot on the 18th hole during the 2000 Canadian Open. Other highlights include:

• The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus, one of the greatest golfers in golf history
• The historic and ongoing ability of the property to be used for championship, tournament and recreational golf including the potential to continue hosting the Canadian Open
• The long association with Golf Canada that has connected the property to the larger amateur and professional golfing community across the country and around the world
• The RayDor estate house and its associated outbuildings, especially the unique stables, are remnants from the property’s estate era and André Dorfman, a nationally significant figure in the development of the mining industry in Canada
• The dramatic valley area sustains many of the natural features that connect this property to its long occupation by, and association with, various First Nations communities, including Haudenosaunee and Mississauga

Contextual value

Glen Abbey is a landmark within Oakville - and across Canada.  The quality of the course and its connection to the Canadian Open, have defined the character of the Oakville community and given it a distinct place in Toronto and beyond.  Over the years, the property has preserved its authenticity and integrity, continuing to host championship and recreational golf and retaining the features that reflect Nicklaus’ original vision. In addition, the area seamlessly connects the sporting culture of the golf course, the open space of the parklands and surrounding residential neighbourhoods.

Visually, the biggest features of this beautiful designed landscape are its memorable views and vistas including the:

• 11th hole with a long shot into the valleylands
• spectator’s view of the green of the 18th hole
• golfer’s view of the green of the 18th hole from the bunkers (the Tiger Woods shot)
• long view up the valleylands from the 14th hole;
• water vistas and picturesque landscape of the 9th hole;
• visual overview from the Smith Triller Viaduct overlooking the 18th hole