I would like to introduce the first issue of ‘I LAMBTON.’ As the Club continues to grow and evolve the focus of this newsletter is to share some of the Club’s rich history and traditions with all members.

It is important to recognize and understand the past as we move forward. Albert William Austin was the youngest son of an Irish immigrant, James Austin who, in 1829, at the age of sixteen, arrived with his parents and settled in what was then the Town of York. That is where our Club history begins and there is so much more.

We have asked Brent Long, an author, journalist, golf writer and storyteller for the past three decades, to comb through the Club’s history and to highlight some of our most interesting personalities and moments in time in upcoming issues of ‘I LAMBTON.’

In this first issue, and with golf being currently played in the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Brent explores Albert Austin’s and Lambton’s ties to Olympic golf. He also sat down with our Club Historian, Mr. Hugh Saunders for a chat about many things. I can’t think of a better place to start to learn about the Club’s history. I have learned much from Mr. Saunders about our past in my short time here. The Club also has some wonderful trophies. In this issue, the Ladies Golf Club Championship Cup is highlighted.

If you have any story ideas or other suggestions, please feel free to contact Brent at – blong@lambtongolf.com. If you have other comments about ‘I LAMBTON’ please contact me – pholt@lambtongolf.com.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Sincerely,

Peter Holt
General Manager/COO
Olympic Glory for George S. Lyon and Lambton G&CC
After five consecutive days of unrelenting golf, an 18-hole qualifier and then two 18-hole matches a day for four days, Lambton’s George S. Lyon was on the verge of making history in the Olympic Games at Glen Echo Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri.
What the 46-year-old thought about as he fell asleep on the night of September 23, 1904, before his final match against 20-year-old Chandler Egan, is anyone’s guess. There’s no doubt he was battle-scared, perhaps physically aching after walking the soggy fairways or mentally exhausted, but like all successful Olympians, there is no doubt that he was looking forward to the challenge with a never-give-up attitude.

George was a natural athlete who played many sports over the years – baseball, football, hockey, lacrosse, cricket, soccer, and curling among them. He didn’t take golf up until 37 years of age. As thoughts ran through his mind as he relaxed in bed that evening in the Glen Echo clubhouse, he might have tried to remember what he was doing at the age of 20. He may have recalled that he won a medal in 1876 at the age of 18 for setting a national record in pole vaulting, another Olympic sport, at 10 feet, six inches.
If you would like to read more about George S. Lyon and the 1904 Olympics click here for an article that was published on July 31, 2021, at www.golfdigest.com.
History in the Making for Hugh Saunders – One Page at a Time!
Hugh Saunders
There is no doubt that Hugh Saunders knows his stuff when it comes to Lambton Golf and Country Club and many other things.

At our first mask-to-mask meeting in the stately clubhouse Heritage Room earlier this year, Mr. Saunders presented me with a huge stack of traditional file folders with hundreds of photos related to the Club’s 119-year history. My first thought, as I caught my breath, was, ‘Where do we start?’ and the answer of course was, ‘At the top of the pile.’ Thankfully, the folders are nicely ordered and identified. I quickly learn that I should expect nothing less from the 83-year-old, who is still practicing law. The photos provide a wonderful glimpse into the past. As we sort through a few, the faces of the past start to come to life, as Mr. Saunders shares some stories and thoughts over our two-hour conversation.

Then there’s the Club history, simply titled, “The Lambton Story”. One might call it one of Hugh’s life’s passions. We will never be able to count or know the thousands of hours that have gone into over the past few decades. I have written club history books for Scarboro G&CC and Mississaugua G&CC, and I know the time it took to research, write, edit, design publish and print those 100th-anniversary editions. Hugh’s work is 641 pages and counting (without photos) as he continues to delve into the past and adds to it on a regular basis. It’s quite remarkable for a private club to have its own recorded history in such depth and once you get into it, it’s a real page-turner.
The Ladies Championship Cup
The Ladies Championship Cup is one of many outstanding trophies that are showcased throughout the clubhouse.

It was presented to the club by Mrs. John D. Hay, who was the first President of the Ladies Executive from 1903 to 1906. Her name does not appear on the cup as a winner.

Lambton’s founding father, Albert Austin, was aware that female golfers represented a significant segment of Toronto’s golfing community. He planned for Lambton’s nine-hole course and made it clear in the circular promoting the new club in 1902, that this short course would be set aside for their exclusive use. By 1908, there were 150 women in the club out of a membership of about 500.

The first woman to have her name etched on the trophy was Miss M. Dick in 1904, followed by Mrs. J Dick in 1905. Members who have won the cup at least five times include Mrs. A. M. Ridout, Jane Kirkpatrick, Louise Robitaille, and Terry McLeod.