History of Glen Abbey
The land on which Glen Abbey Golf Club stands was originally acquired as a private estate in the 1930s by Andre Dorfman, a wealthy mining engineer. On his 350 acres, lying just west of the Town of Oakville, Dorfman built the handsome stone mansion that became known as Golf House. This building is currently attached to the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Golf Association, and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Golf House stands on the upper part of the present
course, looking down into the deep, wooded ravine cut over the centuries by Sixteen Mile Creek making its way toward Lake Ontario.
In 1953 Dorfman sold his property and home to the Jesuit Fathers, who used it as a retreat for the men of the Toronto and Hamilton Dioceses until the early 1960s, when the Order sold the estate to business interests, leaving, as a memorial of their tenure, the word 'Abbey' permanently associated with the site. A golf course was constructed on the eastern section of the property and, along with tennis courts, a pool and a ski run, operated under the name Upper Canada Country Club, and Clearstream developments, until the early 1970s. In 1974 Great Northern Capital bought the land as part of a parcel they were putting together for residential
development.
The principal – Rod McIsaac – approached the RCGA about redesigning the golf course to be suitable as the home for the Canadian Open. Together they hired Jack Nicklaus to design a spectator-friendly, championship quality golf course to become the permanent host of the Canadian Open. Glen Abbey Golf Club opened on June 1 1976, and hosted its first open in June of 1977.
Glen Abbey was sold to the RCGA in 1981 and in 1999 it was purchased by ClubLink Corporation. Since that time, ClubLink has continued to operate the Abbey as a daily fee course with a limited membership.
course, looking down into the deep, wooded ravine cut over the centuries by Sixteen Mile Creek making its way toward Lake Ontario.
In 1953 Dorfman sold his property and home to the Jesuit Fathers, who used it as a retreat for the men of the Toronto and Hamilton Dioceses until the early 1960s, when the Order sold the estate to business interests, leaving, as a memorial of their tenure, the word 'Abbey' permanently associated with the site. A golf course was constructed on the eastern section of the property and, along with tennis courts, a pool and a ski run, operated under the name Upper Canada Country Club, and Clearstream developments, until the early 1970s. In 1974 Great Northern Capital bought the land as part of a parcel they were putting together for residential
development.
The principal – Rod McIsaac – approached the RCGA about redesigning the golf course to be suitable as the home for the Canadian Open. Together they hired Jack Nicklaus to design a spectator-friendly, championship quality golf course to become the permanent host of the Canadian Open. Glen Abbey Golf Club opened on June 1 1976, and hosted its first open in June of 1977.
Glen Abbey was sold to the RCGA in 1981 and in 1999 it was purchased by ClubLink Corporation. Since that time, ClubLink has continued to operate the Abbey as a daily fee course with a limited membership.
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