Golf Historical Society of Canada

Lakeview GC – 125th Anniversary (2021)

Above: Lakeview's 125th Anniversary bag tag

GHSC News Item: September 18, 2021 – Lakeview GC Anniversary

Location: Lakeview Golf Course, Mississauga ON

Reported by: George Supol, GHSC Board Member 

On Saturday, September 18, 2021, four Hickory Ambassadors from GHSC (Lorne Emery, Allan Lew, Rick Murray and George Supol) actively participated in Lakeview Golf Course’s 125th anniversary celebration.

Here are a few extracts from Lakeview’s storied past (care of “Toronto’s Lost Golf Courses, Volume 1, 1869~1919” by Scott Burke and Joanne Doucette, and also Kathleen A. Hick’s “Lakeview: Journey from Yesterday“).

The course started out in 1896 as High Park Golf Course in Toronto and later relocated in 1907 to its present location (in nearby Mississauga). In 1910, the course changed its name to Lakeview Golf and Country Club. On July 8, 1911, the club opened its new clubhouse. (That clubhouse later burned down in 1939 and was rebuilt in 1940.)

Above: Lakeview’s first clubhouse

Lakeview was redesigned in 1921 by Herbert Strong as a traditional, parkland style layout of 6,340 yards. Construction management was awarded to Thompson, Cumming and Thompson but in the spring of 1921, TCT was dissolved and projects were taken over by Lewis and Thompson. It is most likely that Stanley Thompson did his Lakeview field work in 1921-22. 

In 1957, Lakeview began to operate as a municipal golf course when it was leased to Toronto Township. In 1965, the Township purchased the course outright at which time, women were once again given full privileges to enjoy playing the course. In 1968, the municipality was renamed the Town of Mississauga and in 1974 after further amalgamation, it became the City of Mississauga.

Lakeview Golf Course is a two-time host to the Canadian Open (1923 and 1934) and is designated as an Ontario Heritage site. Between 1922 and 1934, Lakeview was classed as one of the most popular courses in the country and hosted ten or so important Canadian tournaments. 

Although Lakeview GC maintains that its club started golf operations in 1896, Golf Canada lists the Lakeview course as having officially started in 1907 when the Club opened its doors at its present location. Depending on one’s viewpoint, Lakeview is in a tied position for either the 18th (for 1896) or 53rd (for 1907) oldest golf club/course in Canada.

For the two-hour celebration, GHSC provided a nice display of pre- and post-1900 clubs, and Lakeview patrons were able to try some putts with hickory putters and ask questions about the clubs, balls and other items we had on display. Players coming off the 9th green generally paused to ask a few questions about hickory clubs and play and to interact with our ambassadors, before continuing with their rounds.

GHSC’s Hickory Ambassadors also met with the City of Mississauga’s Parks and Recreation Director, Kristina Zeitsma, and Councillor Stephen Dasko (Ward 1 – Mississauga). Lorne Emery presented the Councillor with a replica golf ball. We also enjoyed meeting and working with Lakeview’s own course management who originally supported GHSC’s request to participate in the celebration. A photographer from the City was on hand to take some pictures. Dan Trout, Lakeview’s own Golf Historian was also on hand with his many historic pictures and Lakeview trophies.
 
After the celebration, our four Hickory Ambassadors played a fun and exciting team match play competition at Lakeview dressed in period appropriate attire, and our collective sense is that we were well noticed during our round by other Lakeview players. Some certainly stopped to watch and also take pictures with their phones.
 
 
GHSC is hoping to be actively involved with a re-enactment of the 1923 Canadian Open at Lakeview, as a future fun/competitive hickory golf event.
(Interestingly, during a 1923 Canadian Open practice round at Lakeview, Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen, two famous hickory golfers, played together. The 1923 Canadian Open was won by Clarence Hackney, a Scottish player from Atlantic City, New Jersey with a score of +7. The winner’s share was $350 out of a total purse of $580.)
 
Ten pictures from the Lakeview Celebration are presented in the Gallery below: 
  • George Supol and Allan Lew from GHSC
  • George Supol practicing putting using a hickory club
  • Rick Murray with an old grass cutter
  • Club displays by GHSC from the collections of Lorne Emery and George Supol (2 pics)
  • Original featheries
  • Bag, clubs and grass cutter
  • Trophy from High Park Golf Club (later renamed Lakeview Golf Course), care of Stan Lapidus, GHSC Board Member
  • Two pics from GHSC Hickory Ambassador play at Lakeview.
 

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