Montreal is a vibrant city set to host the 2014 RBC Canadian Open

MONTREAL -- The RBC Canadian Open will return to Royal Montreal Golf Club for the 10th time on July 21-27, 2014. Royal Montreal, the oldest golf club in North America, was last in the spotlight for the 2007 Presidents Cup.

Montreal is the perfect host city for a golf tournament attracting players from around the world. It's arguably the most unique city in North America, a melting pot of European influence and dominated by French culture, from the cuisine and the arts to the language of its people. Montreal is actually an island at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers.

The downtown feels vibrant and alive with festivals all summer long and a grand collection of outdoor parks where people gather. The popularity of city cycling is evident on every street where bikes are available for rent.

Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth sits in the middle of it all as the only hotel directly connected to Montreal's underground city, a collection of restaurants, department stores, boutique shops and markets. John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their famous bed-in in Room 1742 between May 26 and June 2, 1969, when the song "Give Peace a Chance" was recorded.

Within walking distance are the incredible Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal and charming Old Montreal, home to cobblestone streets and 17th-century buildings. The best public courses for visiting golfers are the two Pat Ruddy designs at Club de Golf de l'ile de Montreal (called CGIM for short) and Golf Saint-Raphael, a 36-hole semiprivate facility on Ile Bizard across the street from the ultra-private Royal Montreal.

"In general, golfers in Montreal are spoiled," city resident Harm Duzink said. "We have something like 65 courses to choose from.