Highland Country Club

Highland Country Club occupies rolling terrain in London, Ontario, where Stanley Thompson routed the course in 1922. Thompson, who would become Canada's most celebrated golf architect, was still in the early phase of his career when he designed Highland, and the layout reflects his emerging skill at working with natural landforms. The property features moderate elevation changes and mature tree cover, typical of southwestern Ontario's glacially shaped landscape. Thompson's routing takes advantage of the site's contours to create variety in hole character and strategic interest. The course measures around 6,400 yards from the back tees and presents a traditional parkland test with tree-lined fairways and greens that incorporate Thompson's characteristic contouring and bunkering style. Several holes play across or along elevation changes, requiring thoughtful club selection and course management. The design emphasizes positioning off the tee and approach accuracy rather than overwhelming length, consistent with Thompson's philosophy during this period. Highland Country Club has served as a private member club for over a century, hosting regional amateur competitions and maintaining its role in London's golf community. The course has undergone periodic updates to address modern maintenance practices and playing standards, though the essential Thompson routing and green complexes remain intact. The club's longevity and Thompson's authorship give Highland historical significance within Ontario golf, representing an example of early Canadian course architecture before Thompson's later celebrated works at Jasper Park, Banff Springs, and Capilano.