Golf Course Review : Baxter Creek Golf Course ‘The 17th keeps me coming back’

I was invited to make up a foursome at Baxter Creek this year by Meg with her hubby Woody and his golf buddy John.  Do golf balls have dimples?  Of course I jumped at the chance.  What a wise decision that was.

This links style 19 hole (No that’s not a typo there really are 19 holes.) championship course opened last year and they are off to a great start.  It is a quick hour drive from Whitby across the 401, up the 115 to county road 28 just 2 kilometers from Kawartha Downs.  The club house is complete with nice banquet facilities, pro shop and dining area.

The course is well manicured and boasts 9 ponds, over 50 sand traps and the meandering Baxter Creek.  Did somebody mention hazards?  I love hazards.  Makes the round so much more interesting and believe me this course is very interesting.  In fact it is so interesting I went back a second and third time and can hardly wait for the fourth.

The first time there the course beat me up pretty badly.  Luckily Meg and the boys brought their A game.  At least I had great shots to watch even though they weren’t mine. Like most red tee golfers my game comes and it goes.  That day it was MIA.

The 17th hole par 5 is what keeps me coming back.  It’s a nasty little cart path only narrow fairway with lots of water, left, right and centre to avoid and/or cross before you reach the green which thankfully has sand traps to save you rolling off into more water.  I love it.  The right hand side of the fairway is a long hill perfect for my 3 wood which performs best when my feet are lower than the ball.  Still, one good shot out of many and 3 lost balls was a long way from par on that hole.  As soon as we putted out I said to Meg “Boy I would love to play that hole over again.”

My golf credibility finally returned on the 19th hole par 3 island green. Only 75 yards from the reds would have been a pitching wedge two years ago.  Since I tore my rotator cuff last year things have changed.  Now when I thought wedge but took into account lack of strength from that injury, carry, and wind direction I decided to up it two clubs.  Yahoo!  I hit a perfect 8 iron to stick on the green.  It was small comfort in my day of poor performance.

There was a wee glitch when Meg and I returned as a twosome.  It took 5 1/4 hours to play 18.  (We didn’t play the 19th)  Nothing we hate more than sitting in a cart waiting your turn while you watch the hair on your legs grow.

We had 4 gals in front of us from the Lambton Golf and Country Club who were playing a Stableford match from the whites.  They were good players held up on every shot as were we.  The marshal told us 6 groups ahead was a very slow men’s foursome.  I would call that bad marshalling.  But did it stop me from coming back to introduce the course to my hubby Brian?  No way.

We enjoyed perfect weather, perfect course and perfect marshalling for 4 ½ hours!  After we played the 17th hole Brian said “I would love to play that hole over again.  And we will and so should you.

Oct 13, 2009 | Categories: Featured, Golf Reviews | 2 Comments »

Golf Course Review: Kanata Golf and Country Club ‘2.5 Stars out of 5′

Alright, Kanata Golf and Country Club (KGC).  I need to preface this review by saying that it is a bit long and overly detailed.  The reason for this is that I’ve played KGC more times than the politicians have played the public.  I’ve played it in competition, with friends, in the rain, during a hail storm, while it’s snowing and have seen a canoe paddle up the first fairway after a giant rainfall.  I know its best and worst features down to the smallest detail.

One thing I want to point out for the sake of this blog and future blogs is the difference between “for-profit” and “not-for-profit” golf courses.  KGC is owned by Clublink Corporation and as such is a private, for-profit golf course.  This has many implications for the course itself.  Some good, some bad.  A friend of mine who was once a member of Rideau View GC (another review to be done at a later date) told me this about his golf course:

“…at the end of the year, after all the membership dues are taken and the expenses are paid for, the club takes everything it has and dumps it back into the golf course.  The clubhouse is a piece of a garbage, but the owners don’t care because they would rather put money into maintaining nicer greens than they would upgrading the locker room for yuppies.  After all is said and done, they break even on a good year…”

It is no surprise then, that Rideau View consistently dresses the strongest Men’s Intersectional team in the Ottawa area (English speaking that is…the top French speaking golf course is Rivermead and has one its fair share of Intersectional trophies as well).

With that being said, KGC will never cultivate as strong a team as Rideau View because at its core, their ownership does not share the same values.  They are not aiming to break even, they are aiming to raise their stock values.  As such, the course suffers.

KGC is booked consistently on the Monday and Tuesday of every week throughout the summer with Corporate events.  Drunken employees are treated by their employer to a round of golf and a day off work.  Some have never swung a club before, so you can’t expect them to replace their divots or repair their ball marks.  A serious golf course will shut down or maintain a low level of traffic on Monday and Tuesday as to allow the grass some recovery.  Unfortunately, Clublink’s aim is to jam as many people as possible onto their golf course(s) at all times.  As a result, the conditions will never be 5 star for the purposes of serious play.  There are other reasons for this as well but I won’t get into them now.  There will be more to say about Clublink in the future as they have some other courses on my list to review.

Now, on to the course…

Hole #1: The golf course starts out on a relatively short Par 4. There is a bunker just off the right side of the fairway that is basically obsolete due to technology. A good tee shot will clear the bunker with relative ease. It is worth noting that the back tees (Gold) play no longer than the blue and white tees due to the fact that they are elevated and the hole almost always plays downwind.

The only potential trouble off the first tee is one that should NOT exist. The grounds crew have let the grass on the left mounds grow long in order to stop balls from rolling Out of Bounds (O.B.). Initially this seems like an advantage to the player, as it prevents errant tee shots from rolling O.B. However in practice, all it really does is cause a mediocre drive to end up a lost ball, as the grass is waist high. Instead of letting a poor drive continue Out of Bounds, they’ve created an uncontrollable variable that does nothing more than penalize a drive that should be playable while bailing out the player who should be hitting 3 off the tee. The analogy is somewhat akin to a common complaint on the PGA Tour.  Fans trample down grass and as a result poor drives are rewarded with a nice lie where as a drive that just misses the fairway ends up in ankle high cabbage.

This is the problem with building a golf course around houses: too many legal issues that take away from the actual game. The golf course will not put a net behind the driving range to protect the houses that sit only 215 yards away from the tee decks, yet they will put a big ugly net on the second hole that does nothing more than take away from what would otherwise be a pretty looking tee shot. More on that when I get to the second hole.

The approach to the first hole is deceivingly challenging (in a good way). The green is elevated and doesn’t hold well. An experienced player would play short of the flag and let the ball roll forward naturally when it lands.

Hole #2: A challenging tee shot. The large net that I have already mentioned is left of the fairway and is only in play if you hit a really low tee shot. Otherwise you can clear it to cut the hole shorter, though it is unnecessary to do so. The fairway is deceivingly hard to hit. Too far left or right and you’ll bounce O.B…especially when the course is dry.

A good tee shot will leave a relatively simple approach with a green sloped back to front. Overall this is a fair golf hole. The only unfair punishment a player may encounter is missing the green right and taking a nasty bounce off the cart path O.B. The green is completely unguarded except for a few small pine trees should your approach sail long.

Hole #3: A short hole but can play tough because the wind usually plays left to right…and there is O.B. right and left (again, the joys of playing on a course surrounded by houses). The player has the option of taking a gamble by hitting driver off the tee. If hit straight (VERY straight), the ball will end up rolling down a hill, leaving a short chip to the green. I’m sure there are a few Tour Players who could drive this green, but it would take monster power and accuracy and isn’t really worth the risk.  The right side of the green is surrounded by trees that are unkept (more uncontrolled variables). There are bunkers on the left. The green has a hill in the middle of it which can make for some fun pin placements. I’ve never seen the greens so fast that the putting surface becomes unfair. You would literally have to place the pin at the apex of the hill for it to be unplayable.

Hole #4: A par 4 that is guarded only by its length. The green also has a narrow front making it deceptively hard to hit. However there are no bunkers and a huge bailout area to the left. This hole could use either some bunkers or some water to make it more interesting.

Hole #5: A solid Par 4 that is fairly open. Overall, a nice fair golf hole. One thing worth noting: this hole plays MUCH longer from the back tees. Depending on the wind, it can mean for a long iron in on your approach.

Hole #6: This is the beginning of the 3 prettiest holes on this course. This dog leg left gives the player a risk/reward scenario off the tee. The player can cut the dogleg left by taking his or her driver over the trees/O.B. This will leave an approach of about 125-150 yards. The only issue I have with this hole is the lack of care taken behind the green. The grounds crew have let the trees/brush grow thick and as a result, a good portion of this green does not get any morning sunlight. With no sunlight the green stays wet (especially back right) causing 2 things to happen: 1) Algae growth 2) Bent grass dies. This problem could be fixed with some pruning. Instead of getting to the root of the problem, band-aids are applied that don’t really solve anything.

Hole #7: The trees on the left are clean and kept up nicely. The trees on the right are not….go figure. Whenever a player hits his or her ball in the trees, the penalty is and should always be forcing the player to punch-out or take a LARGE gamble by attempting to hit a miracle shot like the one I watched Phil Mickelson pull off at the President’s Cup in Montreal a few years back. It should never be “punch-out half the time” and “lost ball half the time”. It’s far to random.

This green has always had drainage issues which have never really been fixed. As a result there is always a lot of winter kill giving this green a rough start to the season. The back right hill is always nice…and the front valley is always full of algae and unhealthy. Another unnecessary and avoidable inconsistency.

Hole #8: What a beautiful and challenging tee shot. There is nothing much to say about this hole. A nice long Par 3 over water. Tough (especially with a back left pin placement) and fair. This marks the end of the nicest stretch on the course, starting at the 6th.  But the hardest hole is yet to come:)

Hole #9: I’ve never seen anyone hit this Par 5 in 2 from the back tees. I’ve seen it done a few times from the white tees and maybe once from the blues. It plays almost 600 yards, is usually upwind and has water all along the right hand side with the green tucked behind the end of the lake. This is another hole that is tough but fair. Par is usually a good score here.  Overall, a great hole.

Hole #10:  A blind tee shot over a bunker will leave a short approach to this green.  The only challenge on this hole is hitting the green, as it is not very deep and is guarded by bunkers.  Even still, a good drive will leave nothing more than a sandwedge for an approach.
Hole #11:  This is a great hole that is ruined by an unfair approach.  A good drive will leave the player 150 yards out, hitting his or her approach uphill to a narrow green.  If the player misses the green (even slightly) to the right, the ball will kick hard into some more unkept brush.  If these areas were consistently cleared out by the grounds crew, there wouldn’t be an issue.  However, depending on the time of year, a missed approach right can mean an easy chip or a lost ball.  It is worth noting that this green (especially the back) is almost always in great shape.

Hole #12:  A fun Par 5.  If the player hits a big tee shot, the ball will roll down a hill up to the 150-170 area.  The green is really narrow and a miss left will find a hazard.  Miss right and you could be facing a punch out or a lost ball.  I’ve made everything from a 3 to a 10 on this hole.

Hole #13:  A tough Par 3 from the back tees.  The green is protected by grass and sand bunkers which can be nasty.  There are 4 bunkers right in front of the ladies tees.  I’m not sure what they are for.  Perhaps the people playing in the Corporate events?:)  Don’t miss this green right, or you could be forced to hit 3 off the tee.  You guessed it, more unkept brush.

Hole #14:  The hardest hole on the course.  A long, dogleg right Par 4 with a tee shot that is uphill.  If you hit a good tee shot you will be left with a downhill approach between 150-200 yards.

Hole #15:  A relatively simple tee shot with a challenging approach.  The green has two tiers and is small.  When the weather is dry this can make for some nasty putting coming back down the hill should the player’s approach end up above the hole.  Don’t miss long, or you’ll kick into some rocks, unkept grass, weeds and trees.  Good luck.

Hole #16:  This is the worst hole on the course.  A 120 yard Par 3.  The hole is so short that in order to compensate for its lack of difficulty, the designer made a green that is incredibly narrow.  There is bunker in the front and a steep hill over the back (that will lead to a lost ball).  It’s the 2nd closest I’ve ever felt to playing mini-golf on a real golf course.  The #1 circus hole I’ve played is the second hole at Brockville GC.

Hole #17:  A great, fair hole when the brush is cleaned out (are you seeing a trend yet?).

Hole #18:  A drive-able Par 4 for a really bit hitter.  There is a hazard just past the first bunker on the left.  The problem is that it is not visable from the tee, and under the rules of golf “if you don’t see your ball go into the hazard, it is deemed a lost ball” meaning 3 off the tee instead of dropping by the hazard.  I’ve been burned by that before.

So that’s KGC.  My biggest issue is the course’s lack of attention to detail (tree areas unkept).  If Clublink is not willing do the work necessary to create a fair playing field, an alternative solution would be to place red steaks (hazard markers) where the bush is unkept.  This would create a fair scenario for a player who hits his or her tee shot just inside the treeline.  If the ball is found, it can be played and if not, the player can drop and take a one-stroke penalty instead of having to perform that dreaded walk of shame back to the tee.

I could go on but this blog is pushing 2000 words which is ridiculous.

So stay tuned, more reviews and musings to come.

Cheers,

Curtis

Sep 17, 2009 | Categories: Featured, Golf Reviews | 7 Comments »

Golf Course Review: Newcastle Golf & Country Club. ‘Did I mention the hills?’

Newcastle Golf & Country Club. Did I mention the hills?

Want to golf at the private North Shore Golf Club in New Zealand but don’t have the time, airfare, or member to invite you? Well then Newcastle Golf Club is the place to golf. Semi private, it is a quick 40 minute drive down the 401 from Whitby. And unlike the North Shore you can even leave your jacket and tie at home if you want to use the club house which is small, unassuming but adequate.

But very much like the North Shore get ready for a challenging game on side hill, down hill, and up hill lies. You are in for a treat. Did I mention the hills???? The first hole is deceptively level although like the rest of the course the fairway is lush and tree lined. No danger here of an errant ball from another fairway giving you a rude awakening. The greens are fast but not all equal in speed so putting can involve a bit more luck than you might like. Personally it levels my playing field. “HAH” to all you great putters out there. Now nobody is sure where our putts will end up.

Except for a creek bisecting the 11th and 16th holes there is not much to impede you from the ladies tees so you have a great shot at par or your own handicap. However if you are a blue or white tee kind of player you have a bit more excitement in store. The par 5 eleventh hole reminds me of the signature hole at Glen Abbey. You are hitting from the treetops and the view is fantastic. The sixteenth par 4 is another elevated tee but since the ladies tee was way down the fairway we bypassed the view.

My nemesis hole, and there is always one on each course which brings me back, is that 11th par 5. This time I cut 4 strokes off that hole from the last time I played it! My score there was still triple bogey but I’m working on that. (Don’t share that with anyone.) I wonder about the bell on that hole? It is high up on a pole on the side of the fairway before the green. No ladder is there so if it’s to alert the group following to hit up or to call for help it’s not going to work.

The course is beautiful. From the tree lined road that leads you in to the ponds, fountains, and forest cart paths, to the rolling fairways (and did I mention hills?) you will have a great experience playing this course. Who knows I might even see you out there with Meg, Kathy, Mary & Gloria. Yes we are five when all are available. You will be sure to recognize us. Gloria is the one who can outdrive us all. Mary is the one who likes quiet on all her shots. Kathy is the one who can chip in. Meg is the one who can use her 3 wood like no other. And then there is me. I like to talk about it.

Sep 10, 2009 | Categories: Featured, Golf Reviews | 2 Comments »