TAM O’SHANTER GOLF COURSE – Canadian Classics Season 3: Episode 4
*** Buy your kid a City of Toronto Junior membership for $360.85 here – https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/recreation/golf/junior-golf/.
Sometimes life feels like an uphill battle. It’s about the small wins, and the consistent little steps that add up along the way. Tam O’Shanter is representative of the journey so many PGA of Canada pros and Golf Canada amateurs, with many passing through these fairways. It’s a stepping stone, but return visits nowadays bring equal smiles that we enjoyed when we were kids.
Who better to experience Tam O’Shanter with than one of Canada’s leading figures in golf? Join the TPL crew and PGA of Canada CEO, Kevin Thistle, who passed through Dentonia and Tam O’Shanter before rising the ranks to Scarboro, St. George’s and ultimately acting as the head of our governing body of professional golf. Tam is where Kevin’s affinity for the game grew, where his eyes shined bright for the first time.
The golf course itself finds that fine balance between straight up ‘awkward for today’s modern game’ (hole #4), combined with natural brilliance (think 9, 13, 14 & 18). Regardless of where you stand on the architecture spectrum, you can’t argue with Tam’s charm – from its megaphone announcements, to on-course chain linked fences and Tam’s target pole on the 10th hole.
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Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
3:25 – Front 9
6:13 – 8 Handicap Golf Shot?
7:05 – What Gap??
11:22 – Back 9
15:33 – Birdie Run
16:59 – Final Approach
17:37 – Concluding Thoughts on Tam
18:40 – Junior Membership Costs What?
19:10 – Kevin on St. George’s – Ep. 5
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10 Comments
I took advantage of the junior membership for City of Toronto courses as a junior. Glad to hear it's still a similar price. Great way to get out and play for a good price in the summer and gave me the opportunity to fall in love with the 5 city courses.
I even played in the short lived Toronto Junior Golf Tour that toured the 4 courses other than Don Valley throughout the summer and then held a championship round at Don Valley.
Lots of good memories at Tam, a city championship, plenty of junior events and rounds with my dad. I also love the mounding and breaks on the putting green, a lot of fun to mess around before or after the round.
Crazy seeing the drone shots after not having played the course in ages and remembering 13 as a beast of a Par 5 with water tucked up close to the green, but the green is much farther away from the water than what my mind had pictured, funny how our past memories can change our perception of golf holes. 15 was always a beast of a hole as a junior, that one is a ton of fun.
Thanks again for showcasing all the Toronto munis, gives me inspiration and motivation to go on a tour of them next summer!
Tam has really matured very nicely. Played some of my first golf thre in 1984 and played through the 80s and only got back there around 2010 and now play it at least 5 times a year. Also helped that you could book as a single during COVID, while a lot of courses only allowed 2;s or 4 somes. Also great to play the back 9 in the morning tee times. The nines were flipped in the 80s and you would tee off over the water in front of a crowd….no pressure due to the first come first served tee offs.
Have you played Brae Ben (Mississauga) or Hidden Lake (Burlington)? Should check out those.
Really wanna play golf, and this is right by where I live , just need clubs
I don't know who's in charge of the greens at Tam O'Shanter but they knocked it out of the park. They are fantastic and it keeps me coming back
I started playing golf there in the late 90s, it looks so different and honestly more difficult than back then. Those trees have really matured and created some tight driving spaces. If yiou were a golfer from Toronto growing up in the east end, this place was probably where you got good at the game
It's great to see Kevin Thistle's team now managing all Toronto munis. We the muni players will be in good hands.
playing here tomorrow!
Horrible course… Don Valley much better
Hi Guys love to see Tam on the map i been playing golf at Tam for the past 40 years i won many Club champions at Tam , it's my home course and i love it great job keep. I remember when Moe Norman give us lessons on Saturday mornings can't forget great time. My grand son is into golf he love the game.👍👍