TPC Toronto’s North Course Set for Ian Andrew Renovation
Located about 45 minutes northwest of Toronto International Airport (YYZ), TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s facility will receive an upgrade from Canadian architect Ian Andrew.
Originally designed by Doug Carrick, the North course will begin construction in August of this year under the watchful eye of Ian Andrew, who worked alongside Carrick during the North’s construction around the turn of the century. Osprey Valley’s collaboration with Ian began in 2022, focussing on enhancing the venue for high-level competition through additional shot-making options, while simultaneously improving playability and strategy for daily visitors. In particular, green complexes will see a fresh look, with closely-mowed collection areas surrounding the actual green surfaces, as well as a revised bunker scheme to improve strategy.
This property, and the North course in particular, is a special place for me, having worked with Doug [Carrick] on the original design of this bold and truly fun golf course. With TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley at the forefront of so much excitement in Canadian golf, I’m thrilled to play a part in this project and look forward to continued collaboration with Chris [Humeniuk] and the Osprey Valley team.
Ian Andrew
While the renderings do show a very minor renovation and a not-so-different look for the current 9th and 10th, architect Ian Andrew is excited about “interesting” changes in the project, including a renovation to the celebrated par 5, 13th. “When the 13th hole was initially planned, the green was tucked behind a roll on the front left of the green. The original plan was to increase the size of the feature and emphasize the importance of playing up the right side of the hole” said Ian Andrew, “The hill was removed during construction and replaced with bunkers.” The plan is to restore the large mound in front of the green, featuring similar elements of a Leven template, and force golfers to play up the right in order to go for the green in two, or to gain a better view coming home.
“I always felt the hole would have been better if the landforms were allowed to remain, and I presented the idea on our first walk. Chris [Humeniuk] liked the idea, and saw the relevance in the concept. He was committed to returning this feature to the hole design,” says Ian Andrew. The diagram on the left shows the hole conceptually. Play up the right and have a view to the green; up the left, and the mound obstructs the view.
Fans of Ian Andrew’s work will notice similarities in the provided images, courtesy of TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley and Ian Andrew Golf Design, to his previous work, which includes Laval-Sur-Le-Lac’s Blue course alongside Mike Weir, Maple Downs, a renovation at Kawartha, and restorations at St. George’s and Cherry Hill, among others. For more details on Ian’s work, click here. When it opens, the new North course will measure a shocking 7,500 yards (up 400 yards) from the Championship tees, making it one of the longest courses in the country (and even longer in the shadows of the announced rollback by the USGA and R&A). Currently, the North ranks 78th in Canada on Beyond The Contour‘s 2022/2023 Top 100, and 26th on the public ranking.
For those looking to sneak in a round or two prior to the renovation, the last week for play will be August Long Weekend, with operations on the North shutting down on August 8. The project’s goal is to open in 2024 alongside the two new clubhouses, on-site accommodations for visitors, and an enhanced practice facility, also closing in August and being upgraded alongside the North.
The property enhancements come on the heels of a TPC Toronto and Golf Canada partnership, announced in July 2022 and labelled as ‘The Home of Canadian Golf.’ As part of the facility upgrades, Golf Canada’s headquarters will be located at the Caledon, Ontario facility, as well as the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, Golf Ontario’s headquarters, Club Management Association of Canada’s headquarters, and The First Tee’s Canadian headquarters.
Given the partnership and the pending renovation, one has to wonder: is the RBC Canadian Open coming to TPC Toronto? At 7,500 yards, the North seems poised to see the world’s best players come to its fairways, with 2027 being the first-available year to host. The North has hosted numerous events in recent years, including last year’s RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier, US Open Local Qualifiers, and one of two courses on property to host the PGA TOUR Canada’s Osprey Valley Open.
