About Cherry Hill

Cherry Hill – Coming of Age

During the decades that followed the founding of the Club, Cherry Hill saw its share of financial challenges, but it remained a coveted retreat for both American members who summered on the Canadian lakeshore and prominent citizens from Southern Ontario. Efforts to build and maintain a proposed polo facility never materialized. Indeed, over time, Cherry Hill earned the reputation as a golf club and a social venue moreso than what might commonly be termed as a “country club.” The inherent value of the Walter Travis design remained a valuable Club asset throughout the years. Despite the ravages of the Great Depression and later the hardships of World War II, the Club persevered.

Because of its strong ties to the Buffalo area, the club has enjoyed a unique position as a Canadian club that is included among the Buffalo District Golf Association. Through the years the Club has been affiliated with the Ontario Golf Association, The Royal Canadian Golf Association , and the United States Golf Association . Recognition of the Club as an outstanding golf course was first evidenced by the selection of Cherry Hill as the site of the 1960 Ontario Open, by the Ontario Golf Association.

The Cherry Hill of 1960 bears little resemblance to today’s course, but as stated earlier, the inherent Travis design remains the unifying force that qualified the course as the site of the Ontario Open back in 1960, as well as making it the great course that it is today. Since that time, trees have matured, traps have been added, and holes have been lengthened. Aerial photographs from then and now show a dramatic difference in greenery as well as water holes and the benefits of modern irrigation methods.

The purse for the Ontario Open totaled $5000 and the winning score of 275, or 13 under par was posted by Canadian professional, George Knudson. His final round of 66 would stand as the official tournament course record until the 1972 Canadian Open. It was his first professional win, and Knudson went on to a brilliant professional career. Gary Cowan, an amateur, came in second at 286, or two under par. Not only would Cowan go on to win two U.S. Amateur Championships, he also maintained a special relationship with Cherry Hill, playing in a number of the Club’s Invitational tournaments as a guest in subsequent years.

During the 1960’s a program of modernization was begun on the course. This endeavor included the elimination of “chocolate drops”, which were Travis specified mounds that populated certain fairways, as well as renovation of some tees, lengthening of some holes and planting of trees. Dutch elm disease was also beginning to take its toll on the course. Noted Canadian golf course architect, Clinton E. “Robbie” Robinson contributed his ideas, and presented the club with a long term program for course improvement. Many of his suggestions are manifested in the course today.

At a Board meeting in August of 1970, what was mentioned as a “feeler” from the Royal Canadian Golf Association, culminated in the selection of Cherry Hill as the site of the 1972 Canadian Open Championship. The contract between the Club and the RCGA was signed in May of 1971. For the next 14 months, Club volunteers worked closely with Dick Grimm, the RCGA Tournament Director, and Jack Tuthill, the PGA Tournament Director, preparing the course for the national championship. This happened at a time before Glen Abbey had been chosen as the “permanent” site for the Canadian Open , and many highly qualified clubs from all over Canada sought to be chosen to host the event.

The RCGA and the PGA came to the course in the fall of 1971 and staked the fairways on the par 4 and par 5 holes, indicating not to cut the grass outside the stakes. Although the Club had been required to do nothing to prepare for the tournament, except to let the grass grow where indicated, it was decided to accelerate the long-range plan, which involved the relocation and renovation of bunkers. The pond on number 5 was dug at this time. Architect Robbie Robinson assisted in this program, carried out in the fall and subsequent spring.

The Championship coincided with the Club’s fiftieth anniversary. The tournament sponsor was the Peter Jackson Company, a division of the Imperial Tobacco Company which put up the total prize money of $150,000. Week-long passes with Clubhouse privileges cost $27.50 each. The field included golf legends such as Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Sam Snead, Lee Trevino as well as budding players such as Johnny Miller , Tom Watson , Lanny Watkins, and many, many more famous and memorable players.

In the end Gay Brewer prevailed at 9 under par, and the membership sighed a collective sigh of relief that Cherry Hill had held its own against a field of the best players in the world. Let it be known that Brewer’s 9-under 275, reflects the fact that the professionals played the par 5 seventh as a par 4, for a total par of 71. His first-place prize money was $30,000.

The July, 1972 issue of Golf World Magazine carried the following quote:

"Cherry Hill …drew more genuine and unstinting praise from the pros than any course in recent memory, even Augusta.”

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