The time has come!! It’s time for #OurOpen.

This week marks the playing of the RBC Canadian Open which once again will be contested at the course that “Jack Built”. Glen Abbey Golf Club.The course located in Oakville, Ontario (not far from Ontario’s Capital Toronto) was the first solo design of Mr. Nicklaus. Unfortunately, the course (as historic as it is) has been mired in uncertainty.

All too often that we see golf courses give way to housing and real estate developments. The reality is that real estate is worth way more  than a golf course is… especially when we’re talking about the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The GTA is literally enveloping the surrounding periphery of its greater metropolitan area and there is a premium on multi-million dollar condominiums. It remains to be seen if this will be the last Canadian Open held at the storied golf course but if it were to be a star-studded field will be the pre-cursor to the final curtain. Personally, I don’t think that this will be the final Open for “The Abbey”. I base that conclusion on nothing more than a hunch.

I always love to attend practice rounds when I get a chance. Personally speaking, I’d rather attend a practice round (day) then the actual events. There’s just so much to do and see. So I took advantage of Tuesday which has free admission to attend. even though I was miffed at my “Open Snub” for media credentials I was still excited to make a day of it. So I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and after walking the dog (who chased two raccoons as we walked out the door) and showering it was time to make the roughly 55 minute drive. If you’ve never attended the Canadian Open at Glen Abbey the organizers do a fantastic job at arranging shuttle buses leaving from various locations around the city.

 

 

 

The air was sort of heavy with the smell of dew and freshly cut grass. Really, it was more sweet than anything. But as I walked deeper into the venue and walked through security there was a sort of buzz. I watched the first fairway as there was one lone golfer (Tyrone Van Aswegen) and his caddie walking towards the first green getting in some early work. Oh to be in that position. But, I made my way to the green complex of the Par 3 7th hole which is home to “The Rink”. Adorned with a hockey net that entices the field to take a “shot” at “our game”, boards that make it look like a hockey rink and lastly a real Zamboni it really adds a dimension that makes the event feel uniquely Canadian.

I made my way to the range where there was a bevy of activity. However, if I do have one “beef” about Glen Abbey as a host site for the RBC Canadian Open it’s that the practice grounds are not fan friendly. While there is a spot to view from overlooking the short game area what there isn’t is a good vantage point for watching the players on the range. The way that they set it up makes you feel like you’re miles away from the action. But you can see the players warm up. Sabbatini, Hahn, Schneiderjans, Jimmy Walker, Tringale, Abraham Ancer, Joaquin Niemann and Sergio to name a few. Some of the events really big names like DJ, Kooch, Bubba, Sneds were elsewhere off-site. One of these days I’ll catch Sneds and Kooch.

 

 

While there I took the time to walk the course. Spots that I’ve never seen like “The Valley”. A section of the course that consists of holes 11 through 15. I walked halfway down it when I realized that I had to climb back up. I survived unscathed much to my delight. For a while I stuck around a group that consisted of Wesley Bryan, Domenic Bozzelli and Harold Varner III. With hopes of catching Sergio Garcia I headed back towards the practice area and holes 6 and 7. Sure enough, there was a throng of golfers and looking much like the “Pied Piper” there was Sergio Garcia and his playing partners. So I sat in one of the “Muskoka Chairs” that sat by the 6th green. Waiting patiently. his group appeared on the sixth tee. His tee shot was pulled left and came to rest nestled in the rough amongst the trees. Sergio got to his second shot and went through his pre-shot routine a thought emerged. “He’s pulling this left” I nonchalantly said to another spectator. He made his swing and then it happened. I heard a ball whizz by my head and land about 2 feet away from me. Indeed he yanked his shot left. He sort of chunked his pitch and left it a tad short. After studying the green with his caddie and group off to 7 Sergio went signing a few autographs along the way

I planned to stay the entire day but an early wake-up, poor sleep, hot weather and hunger pains later I decided to head home. Rain threatened all day and there is  more rain on the way. The Superintendent and his crew have The Abbey looking great. The greens were receptive and will be even more so with more expected rain. I have no doubt that the players will go deep and I predict a score of -26 to win come Sunday afternoon. Nearly anybody there can shoot that type of score but I like Varner III to win this week. He’s been playing some “lights out” golf and a win seems imminent. I saw him stretching out his back on 14 and he assured me his back was fine right after the picture below was taken.

 

 

 

With that prediction it means that a Canadian will not win our Open. So who will the Top Canadian be this week? Corey Conners!

Until The Next Tee!!