About Cherry Hill

Cherry Hill – The Modern Era

Following the success of the 1972 Canadian Open, Cherry Hill was chosen to host another national event ten years later, this being the Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association Tournament, or CPGA, which was sponsored by Labatt’s Brewery. The membership rose to the occasion again, forming the many committees, and seeing to the myriad details required for such an event. The field consisted of 140 Canadian professionals, and six invited guests, including American Professionals, Ray Floyd, Jim Thorpe, Ben Crenshaw, Bob Charles, and Denis Watson.

As in 1972, the course played as a par 71, and after the last players had finished 72 holes, the two leaders were tied at one under par. Again, Cherry Hill had stood up respectably to some of the best players of the day. The two leaders who faced each other in a sudden-death playoff were Canadian, Dave Barr, and then Buffalo resident, Jim Thorpe, both of whom shared equally in the position of “hometown favorite”. Thorpe prevailed on the third hole of sudden-death by making birdie on number 17, in a most dramatic playoff. His earnings totaled $20,000.

Following the event, the Captain of the CPGA wrote a glowing letter of thanks to the Club, which included the following remarks:

“As in 1972, the Cherry Hill Club has demonstrated that it can rise to the occasion and host a National/International Tournament of the first order and do so efficiently, effectively and graciously.

To all of you…, the sincere and heartfelt thanks of the members of the Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association for a job well and truly done.”

During the balance of the century, the Club thrived. At certain times in the 1990’s there was a four- or more year waiting list for membership in the Club. In 1997 the Club celebrated its seventy-fifth anniversary with a lavish party for the membership and a hard cover history book.

In recent years, many improvements to the course and facilities have been completed.

     ∙ New pro shop and halfway house constructed
     ∙ New cart and club storage facility constructed
     ∙ New short game practice facility built
     ∙ Two line irrigation system installed
     ∙ Sub-surface drainage systems installed on many greens
     ∙ Course perimeter drainage systems installed
     ∙ Several new blue tees added or renovated
     ∙ New, zoned HVAC system installed throughout the Clubhouse
     ∙ Water reservoir expanded to 19 million gallon capacity

Today Cherry Hill maintains a pleasant balance between the great traditions of the Club and the requirements of a modern-day golf course and facility for social events. Many have characterized Cherry Hill as a family club, and indeed it caters to the wishes of all aspects of the membership. The men’s golf experience at Cherry Hill includes the usual camaraderie, the popular Cherry Picker’s guest days, as well as Invitational tournaments that offer a unique Southern Ontario experience that is envied throughout the region. Ladies golf at Cherry Hill is well subscribed, and the women players have long been respected as dominant players in interclub and district events. The Cherry Hill Junior golf program thrives, and has turned out many accomplished golfers, including a mini-tour professional player and a two-time New York State Amateur Championship winner.

The golfing membership is capped at 400 members, and other categories of members, such as senior, social and successor members round out the membership. The golf season lasts as long as nature will allow, and the Clubhouse is vibrant with casual social activities from spring until late fall.

As Cherry Hill approaches its first century mark, the facility and the membership continue to live up to the stated purpose that the forward-thinking founding members established – a place to play golf and have fun, among friends.