The club, founded in 1902 under the name of Oak Ridge Golf Club, has been situated on its present site since 1929. The golf course, designed by legendary golf course architect Donald Ross, has played host to the Ontario Open in 1922, 1949 and 1951, the 1934 Ontario Amateur and the Canadian Ladies Amateur in 1964. However, the event that established Essex as one of the outstanding courses in Canada was the 1976 Canadian Open won by Jerry Pate in his rookie year on the PGA Tour. In 1998 Essex hosted the world's finest female golfers by staging one of the four "Majors" on the LPGA tour, the du Maurier Classic, won by Brandie Burton.

In 2002, the Club marked it's 100th anniversary by hosting the PGA Senior Tour's $1.6 million AT&T Canada Open, making it only the 3rd club in Canada to host a PGA, Seniors PGA, and LPGA event. Tom Jenkins won the event by three strokes over runners-up Bruce Lietzke, Morris Hatalsky and Walter Morgan.

"The history of Essex Golf and Country Club goes back to the early years of the present century.  The club's founding and subsequent growth is not unrelated to the development of the City of Windsor. 

The story of Essex is one beginning with an ideal conceived initially by an intrepid group of Windsor businessmen, to be joined, in the mid 1900's, by a number of Detroit residents, an idea which nurtured by the enthusiasm of its founding members, became a reality soon after the turn of the present century (1902).  In the years that have elapsed since, the club has been sustained by the tenacity and resolve of later members who, even when times were most difficult, were determined that their club would not only survive, but prosper."

With these words, L.K. Chandler, M.A. began a record of the history of Essex which has preserved many of the events and personalities that have established the rich traditions of this club today.  The club is updating and republishing its history in recognition of their centennial anniversary.  When it is completed,  excerpts from the chronicle will appear on these pages,
*From "A History of Essex Golf and Country Club 1902 - 1983"