Special Places - Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club

Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, British Columbia this week stages one of the five oldest national Open Championships as the PGA Tour comes to town for the 100th playing of the RBC Canadian Open that was first contested in 1904. This is the fourth time that the club will host the championship, the last occasion being in 2005. With names of all-time greats such as Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods engraved on the trophy, this is truly the one that got away for Jack Nicklaus who was runner-up seven times.

Vancouver appears perennially in the top ten of lists of the best places in the world to live, and Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club perched overlooking the mouth of the Fraser River and the Strait of Georgia is a beautiful example of what the city has to offer. Shaughnessy celebrates its centenary this year and moved from its downtown location in late 1960 due to the demands of real estate development and seamlessly took over its stunning new 70ha site leased from the Musqueam Indians. The course architect was Scotsman A.V. Macan who also laid out the original design in 1911. This parkland style layout boasts more than 150 species of tree on the property with some of the larger firs and cedars exceeding 200 years of age. This part of the Pacific Northwest can experience severe winter weather but Shaughnessy claims to be playable throughout the year, with temporary greens in use when there is frost.

Extending over 6400m and playing to a par of 70 with the easily driveable par 4 14th and no par 3’s over 190m, Shaughnessy would appear to be at the mercy of a field headed by world number 1 Luke Donald and 14 major champions. However, the course record is 64 by Canadian Stephen Ames, set when Mark Calcavecchia won the last Open played at Shaughnessy in 2005 with a total score of five under par after making just one birdie on the weekend. Course superintendent Rob Barr is determined to present an even tougher test this time round with narrowed fairways, punitive rough and the tiny greens as hard and fast as the weather will allow. If everything goes his way, this beauty of a golf course will become a real beast, worthy of marking two important centenaries.

Golfweather Editorial