Unlike prestigious tournaments that have a permanent address, like The Masters at Augusta National, the RBC Canadian Open proudly travels across Canada. This nomadic nature is part of its identity, making the answer to What golf course is the Canadian Open? one that changes every few years. This article will explain this championship rotation, highlight the recent host courses that have challenged the world's best, and break down what it truly takes for a course to earn the honor of hosting our national open.
The RBC Canadian Open is not just another stop on the PGA TOUR, it's a piece of golf history. As the third-oldest continuously running tournament on the TOUR, behind only The Open Championship and the U.S. Open, its legacy is deep-rooted. A significant part of that legacy is its commitment to showcasing the rich diversity of golf in Canada. Instead of settling in one place, Golf Canada, the national governing body, selects different top-tier courses to host the event.
This rotation serves two main purposes. First, it brings the highest level of professional golf to different communities, allowing fans across the country to witness their heroes in person. Second, it celebrates the incredible quality of Canadian golf course architecture. From the classic parkland designs of Harry S. Colt and Stanley Thompson to modern masterpieces, the Open provides a stage for Canada's finest layouts to test the best players in the world.
In recent years, the championship has called some truly spectacular clubs home. Each one brings its own unique character and set of challenges, forcing players to adapt their strategy year after year. Let's look at the recent and upcoming hosts.
Located in Ancaster, Ontario, Hamilton is a classic parkland course originally designed by the famed English architect Harry S. Colt in 1914. It has hosted the Open multiple times, most recently in 2019 when Rory McIlroy lapped the field for a dominant victory. After that event, the course underwent a significant restoration to bring back some of Colt's original design features, toughening it up for its 2024 hosting duties.
A Coach’s Take: A classic design like Hamilton isn't about bomb-and-gouge. It's a strategic test. The tree-lined fairways demand accuracy off the tee, and the undulating green complexes require masterful iron play. As a golfer, playing a course like this teaches you the importance of position. You're not always hitting driver, you're thinking about the best angle for your approach shot. The goal isn't just distance, but setting up the next shot - afundamental shift that lowers scores for any player.
In 2023, Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto made its debut as the host, with a plan to host again in 2026. To create a worthy 18-hole test, the club used a composite routing of its 27 holes, originally designed by the legendary Canadian architect Stanley Thompson. Nick Taylor's historic victory, ending a 69-year drought for a Canadian-born winner, instantly made the venue iconic.
A Coach’s Take: Playing a tight, treelined Thompson course like Oakdale teaches you about commitment. The fairways are corridors. When you stand on the tee, you have to pick a precise target and trust your swing. This is where setup is so important. By establishing good posture - leaning from the hips, letting your arms hang naturally - you create the foundation for a repeatable, rotational swing that finds fairways. A narrow course punishes indecision, but it rewards a well-executed plan.
Considered by many to be one of Canada's absolute best, St. George's (another Stanley Thompson design) in Etobicoke, Ontario, was a brilliant host in 2022. It’s known for its dramatic elevation changes, flowing fairways, and challenging green sites that seem to melt into their surroundings. The course demands every type of shot, rewarding creativity and feel.
A Coach’s Take: St. George's is a masterclass in handling uneven lies. You will rarely have a flat stance. This is where the core principles of the golf swing come into play. Your setup must adapt - tilting your shoulders to match the slope of the land - but the fundamental idea of rotating around a stable base doesn't change. Amateurs often make the mistake of trying to "scoop" the ball off an upslope or chop down on a downslope. The key is to trust the loft of the club and adjust your body to the hill, turning through the shot to make solid contact.
While the Open is a touring championship, if it had a "spiritual home," it would be Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario. It has hosted the event more than 30 times, far more than any other course. What makes it so special? It was the first course solo-designed by the great Jack Nicklaus, and it was engineered specifically to host the Canadian Open. The "stadium" design, with spectator mounding and excellent viewing areas, was revolutionary at the time.
Its most famous stretch is the "Valley Holes," an unforgettable five-hole journey starting at the 11th. This brilliant sequence uses the dramatic landscape of Sixteen Mile Creek to create risk-reward scenarios that have produced both championship-winning heroics and round-destroying disasters.
The 11th hole is a perfect example of what makes Glen Abbey special. It’s a 452-yard par 4 that doglegs hard to the right, played from a tee towering 100 feet above the fairway.
Being a great golf course is not enough to host a national open. The facility needs to be able to handle the immense pressure and logistics of a modern PGA TOUR event. Here's what organizers look for:
The RBC Canadian Open travels across Canada not just to find a great venue but to celebrate the deep heritage of a golf in our country. Whether it’s at a classic parkland course like Hamilton or a modern stadium-style layout like Glen Abbey, the championship provides a platform for showcasing the beautiful and diverse courses Canada has to offer.
Understanding the strategy pros use to navigate these championship courses is a big step toward playing smarter golf yourself. Our mission with Caddie AI is to give you that same tour-level strategic insight right on your home course. When you’re stuck between clubs or facing a tricky shot, we provide instant, personalized advice to take the guesswork out of the game, letting you commit to every swing and play with more confidence.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
