Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada CEO
With the new Canadian golf campus announced for construction on the property of TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont., I know that buildings and structures will not advance our great sport. Collaboration will.
A home for Canadian golf. A national point of convergence for players, coaches, facilitators, administrators, donors, and enthusiasts of the game.
Embarking on this exciting multi-phase journey with partners to share facilities and ideas, drive programs, celebrate heritage and work collectively for the betterment of golf in this country. To collaborate in an environment that supports rules education, handicap and course rating, tournament administration, education, and so many other functions of Canadian golf.
Golf Canada’s vision to be a world leader in golf contemplates more than a physical building—culture, collaboration, and innovation are critical elements.
Establishing a campus environment for the golf community to meet, work, play, train, plan, celebrate and collaborate will be a transformative moment for our sport.
The vision that the Humeniuk family and the leadership group at Osprey Valley have invited us to be a part of with this world-class property is progressive and incredibly exciting. Chris Humeniuk and his team have welcomed Golf Canada to align with their vision for this wonderful property—a facility and a family that wants to give back to the game.
Similar to the 54-holes of golf at TPC Toronto, every touchpoint on the new Canadian golf campus will be welcoming and publicly accessible. This aligns with our commitment as the National Sport Federation to create a safe, diverse, and welcoming environment within our organization and across our sport.
In addition to Golf Canada’s new base of operation, a reimagined Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum will celebrate the storied history of the game. With thoughtful consideration, we will highlight the rich history of the game represented through archives, artifact collections, and the country’s foremost golf library and research resource.
To the honoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, the new home for Canadian golf will proudly celebrate your outstanding legacies and stories woven throughout the entire property, celebrating the artifacts and treasures for Canadian golf enthusiasts to engage with.
The vision for phase one of the Canadian golf campus will also include a 30,000 sq. foot community putting green that pays homage to the R&A’s Himalayas putting course at St Andrews in Scotland. A place for youth, families, new enthusiasts, and the community to come out and experience the game at no cost.
Phase two will feature a new national headquarters for First Tee – Canada that will support coaching education and program development for First Tee chapters across Canada. First Tee fosters inclusivity with affordable access and curriculum that empowers young people to build character through the game of golf. First Tee uses golf as the amazing medium in teaching life skills and this national centre will be both a headquarters for the entire program but also a community hub for Caledon and Peel Region.
In 2021, the Humeniuk Family Foundation and TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley made a major chapter-founding gift to Golf Canada Foundation that aligns with the property serving as the national headquarters for First Tee – Canada.
First Tee – Canada headquarters will house an indoor short game complex that will double as a national talent identification centre for the next generation of Canadian players, bolstering Golf Canada’s goal to advance 30 Canadians to the LPGA and PGA Tours by 2032.
Phase two aligns with a multi-million-dollar Drive Campaign launched by the Golf Canada Foundation to fund the First Tee – Canada headquarters, chapters, and programming along with enhancements to Team Canada’s high-performance program. To date, $39.3M of the $70M fundraising goal has been secured through major gift donations. The Golf Canada Foundation, its Board, and their network of donors and trustees has become the most impactful fundraising body in Canadian golf. Visionaries and true champions for the sport.
Before breaking ground on a new home, it is important to recognize where came from. Since 1976, Glen Abbey Golf Club, the town of Oakville, and Golf Canada have shared a special connection—nearly 50 years of partnership that contributed to the success of our respective operations. Glen Abbey and our friends at Clublink will always hold a special place in Golf Canada’s history.
Now we begin a new chapter.
Caledon, Ont. will become a must-visit destination in Canadian golf. The town and the Region of Peel has welcomed this project with fervour, and we invite the community to be a part of our journey.
To Golf Ontario and The Club Managers Association of Canada, thank for joining us in this exciting project. As well, to the PGA of Canada and its members, your expertise will create an environment to learn, develop programs and share ideas.
We will also invite our global friends and affiliates in the game—the R&A, PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, and others – to feel welcomed on campus with their deep-rooted Canadian interests.
I am encouraged by the success experienced by Golf Australia, the USGA, the PGA TOUR, PGA of America and other organizations that have taken similar progressive paths to create collaborative home bases.
While a project of this significance requires adjustment, it will not change Golf Canada’s commitment to support the needs of more than 305,000 members at 1444 member clubs nationwide.
The home for Canadian golf is an enterprise we share with our talented staff and committed volunteers who embrace Golf Canada’s mission to increase participation and excellence in the sport.
This is an exciting time for golf.
Participation, investment, and levels of play have been bolstered by a global pandemic that brought golfers together. Working through the pandemic has challenged every business to be innovative and be open to charting new operational paths.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the power of collaboration—something we can all look forward to with the new home for Canadian golf.