LOOKING BACK
REMEMBERING AN INDUSTRY ICON
Hugh Kirkpatrick (1941 – 2001) in his left hand. He had passed away in the place that had given him so much joy and pleasure since October of 1978.
Written by Mike Banton, Diploma in Turfgrass Management, University of Guelph, Graduating 2024.
It was June 9th, 2001, another regular and beautiful Saturday afternoon at Westmount Golf & Country Club, or so we thought. 20-years old at the time, I was working the 2-close shift as an Assistant CPGA Professional in the proshop. That afternoon changed when the phone rang and on the other end was Rosemary Kirkpatrick, the loving wife of long time Superintendent, Hugh Kirkpatrick. “Hi Mike, it’s Rose calling. Have you seen Hughey? He’s usually home by now and I can’t seem to get ahold of him.” Hugh had played golf that morning and I remember him coming off the 18th hole headed down to his office. It was late afternoon and as I popped out of the proshop and looked down towards the maintenance shop, there was his Jeep parked in it’s regular spot like every other day. What came next was something I have never and will never forget. As I walked through his office door to find him, there he was slumped over in his office chair with a two-way radio clenched
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Hugh’s career started in the early 1960’s working for his father’s construction company building golf courses all over Canada. He had taken on the role of shaping greens and took a lot of pride in his experience and abilities at the finishing touches before they were sowed in. Up until 1966, some of the courses he shaped include Bayview, Brampton Golf Club, Rideauview (Ottawa), The Truro G.C. in Nova Scotia, Calgary’s Earl Grey G.C., John Bloomberg G.C. in Winnipeg among
Hugh’s impact was not only felt on the golf course throughout his career but off the course as well.
others. Wanting to be closer to home with his wife Rosemary and two children, Hugh was hired as Superintendent at Conestoga G.C. and would stay there from 1967 – 1973. A new golf course was built by renowned architect Robbie Robinson north of Port Hope called Dalewood G.C. in 1974 where Hugh was hired as Superintendent until 1978. All of these experiences would eventually lead him to his final destination as
Superintendent at Westmount Golf & C.C. in the fall of 1978. Designed by Stanley Thompson, Westmount Golf & Country Club was looking for change, someone to really spruce the place up ahead of it’s 50th anniversary in 1981. Immediately he would become involved with a major leaf removal program by convincing the Board of Directors to purchase additional equipment. Removing 80 wagons, 40 yards each of leaves annually throughout the property and moving them to compost piles that he would manage throughout his career. Although the trees at Westmount are beautiful and really the make up of the course, they are a menace to Superintendents. Lack of air flow and immense shade are key ingredients for disease and ice damage. Hugh went on to manage this over the course of his career by strategically removing trees and installing fans at specific green locations to improve air flow. This was not received well by the membership according to recently retired CPGA Head Professional Rob Strahan. “I distinctly recall when Hugh cut down a number of trees between the 5th green and 6th tee deck. He struggled for years trying to grow grass on the 5th green and it was simply impossible with the amount of trees and shade he was dealing with. The membership was not happy initially but once they saw the improvement to the putting surface they realized it was necessary.” Rob Strahan made Westmount his home from 1981 – 2021, where he would serve as the Head Professional for 31 years and work along side
