About Us - Beyond The Contour

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This is not meant to be your conventional golf website. Beyond The Contour exists to provide a unique perspective, constantly reevaluating the norm, and questioning the status quo. The golf world is stale, with groupthink perspectives, set-in-stone opinions, and old talking points. Our goal? To make you stop and consider, “I never thought about it like that.” At Beyond The Contour, we strive to bring you up-to-date news on golf in Canada and elsewhere, enhance the dialogue on golf and golf architecture in Canada, provide travel tips, explore equipment and instruction, and more. We want to be the breath of fresh air in an old industry; we hope you join us on the journey.

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Like the front nine on Oakdale Golf & Country Club’s Composite routing, the back nine begins with a short par 4, playing downhill off the tee, then back up to the green. The “composite” aspect of the routing is over, from here on out, the routing follows the Knudson nine. Also, Stanley Thompson’s presence at this year’s RBC Canadian Open is over, we’re now onto the Robbie Robinson portion of the golf course.

For the @rbccanadianopen composite routing at Oakdale, the first of just three par 3’s comes at the 9th. An uphill one-shot hole to a small green over the creek, this is a fairly standard par 3, but a beautiful one.

We’re so close to @rbccanadianopen week! The 8th hole is the shortest par 4 on the composite routing, playing around Black Creek to a green tucked into a small shelf, making shots around this green difficult. Will Golf Canada move this tee shot up slightly to make this a true drivable par 4, or will the long hitters go for it regardless? Time will tell.

Yesterday was 11 days until the Thursday of the Canadian Open! The first non-par 4 comes at the 7th, and it’s a longer par 5 tumbling back down into the valley. At 590 yards, players will have longer clubs in, but this will likely be the most enjoyable tee shot to watch players smash the golf ball down the hillside and go for the green in two.

12 days until Thursday at the @rbccanadianopen!

13 days until the @rbccanadianopen Thursday! We transition from the Thompson course to the Homenuik with another long par 4, and this time, on Oakdale’s most interesting fairway. Golfers will get a true taste of Stanley Thompson with the usual bunkering flavour.

@agolfhunter is back with another “500 or Less,” and this time, at the Muskoka favourite Port Carling Golf & Country Club. Link in bio to dive into one of the areas more sought after private clubs.

We are just two weeks away from the @rbccanadianopen Thursday! The 4th on the composite routing continues a very good, strong stretch of golf, and is also the final hole used on the “Thompson” course at Oakdale Golf & Country Club. Players will drive down into the valley before climbing up to a well-bunkered green. This is one of the standout moments at Oakdale, and will be a fun hole to watch the world’s best on.

16 days until the @rbccanadianopen at Oakdale! The first of three converted par 5’s-to-4’s comes at the 3rd after a graceful opening two holes. The fairway tilts right to left off the tee and left to right near the green, with a beautiful bunker complex to the left shared with the not-in-use 2nd hole on the Thompson course. This is the beginning of the meat of the golf course… buckle up.

Meet The Team

Our editorial team’s history in golf is varied and unique to each of them, setting up the ability to deliver different opinions, perspectives, and more. While the majority of us are based in Ontario, our travels do not stop at either side of the border; instead, we venture to the furthest points in Canada and beyond to find the places you want to play, meet the people who have something to say, and more. Meet our team below.

Andrew Harvie, Founder & CEO

Originally from Lethbridge, Alberta, Andrew has lived in 3 provinces and 3 states, letting him travel and see new areas as much as possible. Growing up, golf was always a hobby, but became a passion before high school, eventually leading to an opportunity to go to school in Texas. On the side, Andrew has written for companies such as P6R Golf & Toronto Golf Nuts. Currently, Andrew resides in Toronto, Ontario, making a case to travel around as much as possible. To date, Andrew has seen 400+ golf courses.

Best golf course you’ve played: Shinnecock Hills
Favourite golf course you’ve played: Jasper Park Lodge
Golf ball: Titleist ProV1X Left Dash
Handicap index: +1.3
Hometown: Lethbridge, Alberta
Current Town: Toronto, Ontario
One golf course in 2023 you want to play in Canada & Internationally: Victoria (BC) and Royal Melbourne
Favourite city: San Francisco, California

In The Media

Contact

Email: AHarvie@beyondthecontour.com

Twitter: @drewharvie

Instagram: @drewharvie

Zachary Car, Editor

Born and raised near Ottawa, Ontario, Zachary played on University of Ottawa’s golf team while studying English. Like Andrew, Zachary competed in junior golf and continues to stay sharp in the Mid-Am circuit. Additionally, Zachary’s passion for golf architecture brings him to new and exciting golf courses across Canada and the United States.

Best golf course you’ve played: Old Town Club
Favourite golf course you’ve played: St. George’s, Canada
Golf ball: Titleist ProV1X
Handicap index: +2.0
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario
Current Town: Ottawa, Ontario
One golf course in 2023 you want to play in Canada & Internationally: Capilano and National Golf Links of America
Favourite city: San Francisco, California

Ben Malach, Author

Born and raised in the heart of Calgary, Alberta, Ben’s golfing journey began during his family’s annual 2-month road trips around the western half of North America. During these travels, Ben would play golf with his mom at many little hidden gems. This love for travel and golf lead him to take a gap year to the Links of St. Andrews, where he became a starter on the links, as well as a caddie. It was these expenses, along with his travels around the UK and Europe studying golf that led him to pursue a career in golf design and construction. His first chance to pursue this career was working on the construction team at Cabot Cape Breton’s Cliffs course (#1 in Beyond The Contour‘s Top 100). Currently, Ben’s work has him engaging in his own projects as well as the work of others shaping and building golf around North America.

Best golf course you’ve played: The Old Course
Favourite golf course you’ve played: Cabot Cape Breton (Links)
Golf ball: Srixon XV, or whatever I find
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Current Town: The Road, I travel over 150 days a year
One golf course in 2022 you want to play in Canada & Internationally: Rosetown Golf Club and ShoreAcres
Favourite city: Edinburgh, Scotland

Alex Hunter, Author

Connect

Instagram: @agolfhunter

Located in Ontario, Canada, Alex Hunter’s love for golf began at a young age playing golf with his family. This translated into a passion for almost everything in golf: whether that be attending professional events like the RBC Canadian Open, an interest in new equipment, or playing lots of golf. In recent years, the discovery of golf course architecture has led to a passion to travel and see as many golf courses as possible, which also led Alex to connect with as many new people as possible.

Best golf course you’ve played: Cabot Cliffs or Cabot Links
Favourite golf course you’ve played: Cape Breton Highlands Links
Golf ball: Srixon Z-Star
Handicap index: 6.3
Hometown: Ontario
One golf course in 2023 you want to play in Canada & Internationally: Jasper Park Lodge & Cape Arudenl
Favourite city: Saint Andrews by-the-sea, New Brunswick

Johnny Prescott, Author

Born and raised in Courtice, Ontario, Johnny Prescott is a graduate of the Georgian College Professional Golf Management Program (PGM) pursing a career in the golf industry. With a background involving many sports in his childhood, Johnny’s passion for the game of golf shifted to golf following a placement on his varsity golf team in high school. Among his specific interests in the industry, professional golf, equipment, and a newfound interest in golf architecture are among the things Johnny enjoys.

Best golf course you’ve played: St. George’s Golf & Country Club
Favourite golf course you’ve played: Country Club of Buffalo
Golf ball: Titleist ProV1X
Hometown: Courtice, Ontario
One golf course in 2023 you want to play in Canada and Internationally: Cape Breton Highlands Links and Tobacco Road Golf Club
Favourite city: Buffalo, New York

Interested in connecting? Feel free to reach out to us using the links below! At Beyond The Contour, we are always keen to open a dialogue. Interested in writing an article? Feel free to use the form below also. Our goal is to be an open avenue for those who want to innovate.