Page 38 - GBC Magazine Winter ENG 2023

destination, renowned for its well- preserved 19th-century buildings and historical sites. The golf club’s connection to this historic town adds to its charm and appeal.
The man who brought golf to Niagara-on-the-Lake in the 1870’s was John Geale Dickson, who at the time of his death in 1931, was considered Canada’s oldest golfer. He was the founder of the Niagara Golf Club and came from a prosperous old Upper Canada family. He and his family have had title to many of the stately homes in Niagara.
There are few records from this time; however, we do have an account of a match played in 1878, by Dickson and some friends from
Toronto. This appears to have been a congenial gathering of sportsmen engaged in a leisurely round on an otherwise empty course, for we are told that... “a pony cart followed them from hole to hole, laden with every possible beverage which the human tongue could desire.” After the morning round they lunched all afternoon, dallied over cigars, “by which time it was too late to renew the contests of the morning”.
The course was apparently in good shape by 1882, when a Toronto newspaper reported: “This golf course at Niagara is perhaps unsurpassed, and bids fair to become the St. Andrews of Canada. Its central position, and ease of access by rail or steamer, and large
area combine to make it one of the best that could be selected for matches between other clubs on neutral grounds.“
In 1901, the future King George V of England was made an honorary member of the Niagara- on-the-Lake Golf Club during a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake, where he stayed at Queens Royal Hotel with his future Queen. In the following year the club was incorporated – a sure sign of its permanence – the signatories included many well-known names. Today the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Course is going strong with the distinction of being the oldest surviving golf course in North America.
38 Golf Business Canada