The genius of Robbie Robinson, classic cars and some Ryder Cup trivia

A visit to South Muskoka

The Discovery Tour continued this week thanks to a generous invitation to visit South Muskoka Curling and Golf Club in Bracebridge. I imagine when Robbie Robinson first visited the site back in the early 70s, he was delighted with the rugged terrain and dense forest, the dramatic changes in elevation and the long vistas they accorded.

Course architects of that era didn’t have satellite imagery to help them see possible routings and had to rely on repeated visits to the site, tromping up and down until they had a layout that worked. Even then, they would need multiple revisions before they broke ground. Some architects modestly claim that all they do is reveal what nature has provided. I would ague that it’s artistry that borders on genius. Robinson’s creativity at South Muskoka is evident throughout and his vision has stood the test of time for almost fifty years.

Most courses built prior to the 1990s were not very long, often topping out shy of 6,500 yards. That was more than sufficient for the equipment of the day – for the very longest hitters. South Muskoka is 6,340 from the tips and has several tee decks that offer shorter routes but as with most Muskoka courses, elevation makes the course play longer than advertised. We played a very comfortable Blue/ Green combination around 5,700 yards.

To say the course is tree-lined would be a gross understatement. Apparently, Bracebridge has grown up around South Muskoka and there are houses all around but there’s scant evidence of civilization anywhere on the course. One could imagine themselves deep in a pine forest, miles from anywhere and there’s little to dispel the illusion. The fall colours were just starting to appear and will be in full bloom in a few weeks. Beauty everywhere! Tranquility reigns!

Each hole is carved out of the forest, sometimes flanked by stunning granite, at other times by ponds and wetlands. Gentle doglegs that turn uphill, give way to sudden drops on a par-3 or twist again with a long, loping par-5. No two holes are alike. All challenging enough – all quite memorable.

As most readers know, I’m big on the FUN factor when I play. Walking, pace of play and interesting greens are right at the top of the agenda. A little quirkiness never hurts either. South Muskoka ticks all those boxes and a few more.  This is a course you could play every day and always see something different and never tire of either.

Muskoka has a lot of high-end golf courses that get lots of attention. Perhaps South Muskoka gets lost in the shuffle a bit. Hidden gem would be a fitting description. It’s well worth a visit though and at $70 is great value.

For more information on South Muskoka, click HERE.

Classic cars at Cobble Beach

The cars pictured above are the top winners from the 2023 Cobble Beach Concours. (Left) Outstanding Post-war: 1958 Buick Roadmaster Limited Convertible, Vernon Smith, Swift Current, NL; (Centre) Best of Show: 1929 Cord L-29, Greg Ornazian, Troy, MI; (Right) Outstanding Pre-war: 1935 SS Cars Limited SS One Airline Saloon, Jim and Lisa Hendrix, Chesterfield, MO.

The Concours is an annual fundraising event at Cobble Beach Golf Links, just north of Owen Sound. It showcases elegant and rarely seen automobiles, often viewed as art. Net proceeds support the Sunnybrook Foundation Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences centre and the Owen Sound Regional Hospital Foundation campaigns. Over 9,500 people attended the 2023 event, with over 100 cars for the Sunday finale.

The complete winners list can be found HERE.

Divots

The Americans arrived at Moortown Golf Club in England for the 1929 Ryder Cup with steel-shafted clubs that had already been approved for play by the USGA. But because the R&A hadn’t ruled them legal yet, Europe refused to let the Americans use them. The Americans wound up losing 7-5. The R&A wound up allowing steel shafts the following year.

You might think someone on the US side could have sent a letter, a telegram or arranged a trans-Atlantic phone call to settle the matter beforehand.

Peter Mumford
Peter Mumford is the Editor and Publisher of Fairways Magazine. He's played over 500 different courses in 21 countries and met some fascinating people along the way. He's also a long-suffering Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

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