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.

The event was the Mark Eaton (form NBA Utah Jazz basketball player who until this video was known to me only for getting dunked on by Michael Jordan ) Celebrity Golf Classic, at Red Ledges (Jack Nicklaus designed course).

Jason Hargett of Provost Utah was the lucky winner who apparently (my source is the Ellen TV show) borrowed  a 9 iron from his friend to take the shot. According to the video below he’s a bartender (in Utah? But I thought drinking in Utah was a big no no?) so I doubt he’ll be heading to work for a little while. Other than the shot my favourite part of this video is how quickly Mark Eaton seized the moment as a marketing opportunity and posted a well edited video with voiceover and all promoting 7foot4.com his after the NBA business website.

Anyways… In case you haven’t seen the video yet here it is:

Kanata Lakes Golf and Country Club

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

This week I was looking for the best golf commercials, but I was soon overtaken by the sheer number of Tiger Woods commercials out there… Nike, Buick, Gatorade, Electronic Arts, you name the sponsor and they all take advantage of their shoot time with Tiger. Without further adieu I present to you the 10 Best Tiger Woods commercials brought to you by thegolfmap.com

1. Tiger Wood ‘Trick Shots’ – Nike – ‘Nike Golf’ // I would argue the single most impactful commercial in the history of golf. Period. This commercial launched Nike into the world of golf (which changed the entire marketing of the game; encouraging millions of kids who had wanted to ‘Be like Mike‘ to now wanting to believe that ‘I am Tiger Woods‘). This commercial created a new industry for Nike, and a new icon for the sport of golf. Tiger Woods became a household name following this commercial series (obviously his golfing has a lot to do with his ability to remain popular too!). PS. I’ve tried this on golf courses many times and still can’t come up with a sequence quite like what he does in this commercial.

2. Young Tiger Woods Wins British Open – Nike – ‘Just Do it’ // I’ve seen concepts like this before (namely by adidas when they inserted Muhammad Ali running alongside modern athletes including NBA star TMAC however seeing lil Tiger, Mom, and Dad all seamlessly integrated into this commercial made me wonder if he had actually won the British Open when he was twelve (he didn’t btw). Add the soundtrack (used flawlessly in the movie Rushmore too) and this commercial almost took top spot.

3. Tiger Woods ‘Swing Portrait’ – Nike – ‘nikegolf.com’ // Definitely the second most aired commercial (aired on TV anyways) in this line-up, I think it’s incredibly well shot, lit, scored and edited. It’s filmic and interesting. I’ve never seen it in HD but Nike should have a site dedicated to this Tiger Woods golf swing sequence footage. The same way discovery channel has HD videos or the way NASA has galleries of galaxies, those examples and this tiger footage are all worth watching a few times over.

4. Tiger Woods ‘Never’ – Nike – ‘Just do it’ // Sometimes commercial give you chills this is one of those commercials. With Tiger’s father Earl doing the voiceover talking about encouraging tiger to become the focused champion that he now is. This is like a great, mini, nike commercial version of an Errol Morris documentary. Keeps me glued to it the same was I was glued to The Fog of War. On a lighter side I have a feeling that Tiger would dominate staring contests in a similar fashion to his domination on the golf course.

5. TIger Woods ‘Walk on Water or Jesus Shot’ – Electronic Arts // I didn’t see the original Jesus Shot viral video before I saw this commercial. So, I didn’t realize that this EA commercial was actually a response to this original Tiger Jesus shot video. Good on EA for recognizing the popularity of the original video… the result is EA’s video having been watched over 4 million times (the original is still shy of 1 million views).

6. Tiger Woods ‘Moonshot’ – Gatorade // This commercial makes the list probably because the latest comment on youtube (as of this post date) was and I quote ‘Wouldn’t he be dead when he raised his visor?’. The commercial was ok, the comment was hilarious so for that we have number 6.

7. Tiger Woods ‘Trick Shot Bloopers’ – Nike – ‘Nike Golf’ // I’m pretty happy that Nike decided to release this footage as a follow up to the original ‘Trick Shot’ ad. I like seeing Tiger miss, it makes him seem a little more… well… mortal I guess. Good enough for number 7 on the list anyway.

8 (the real one). Tiger ‘Caddyshack’ Woods – American Express – ‘Make Life Rewarding’ // Caddyshack has to go in history as one of the funniest movies ever, and since it’s a golf movie it gets a much more respect around our bloggers. Tiger pales in comparison to Bill Murray but his ‘Au Revoir Gophere’ and crazy banshee eyes as he plays with those toy rats are worth a giggle or two. Certainly worthy of number 8.

8. Tiger Woods ‘Fusion Power’ – Gillette – ‘Gillette Fusion Power’ // Now before you jump down my throat for including this commercial on my list here me out: A) I’m kidding. B) I hate almost every Gillette commercial I have ever seen and yet I am crazy loyal to their line of razors C) How is it possible for them to have so many top sports stars in their ads and they always put out garbage.

9. Tiger Woods ‘Welcome Back – Nike – “just do it.’ // I don’t think I’ve ever dreamed about being a professional golfer. I’ve just never had enough talent or drive to delusion myself into thinking I could be one of the world’s best golfers. I will tell you one thing though… IF I was a professional golfer, I gaurantee I would dream about not having to play against Tiger Woods. This commercial sums up that sentiment for everyone.

10. You tell me. // I never agree completely with lists that try to be definitive on the internet so I figure I better at least leave one spot up for grabs on the top ten list. I’ll revisit this post later and based on any comments we receive we’ll stick a number 10 in here. (This might be somewhat of a lazy move on my part but I’ve been watching a non-stop stream of Tiger commercials for hours now and I’m ready for bed).

Newcastle Golf & Country Club - Ontario - Canada

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.

This week: Tiger Wood Impersonates Charles Barkley’s golf swing.

Now I’m a huge basketball fan, and the ’round mound of rebound’ is a great personality for the NBA (his gambling addictions aside). I’ve seen him dominate NBA games and would have expected him to have somewhat of a John Daly swing in terms of power at least. I never expected this.

And if you want to learn more about Charles and his now famous swing check out this video.

This Hole Cart Path Only Golf Course Sign

On the leading edge of baby boomers, I am restricted to playing golf from a motorized cart because of arthritic knees.  As our numbers grow I wonder if it will change the way some golf courses are managed.

The bane of my golfing existence is those dreaded words from the starters “Cart path only today!”

Many courses strictly adhere to the no power cart or cart path only rules especially following, or on rainy days.  Without a power cart I am cut off from playing the course.  If it is cart path only I have to cancel my booking unless I am playing with my husband who is fit enough for the two of us.

Here is our plan.  I try to hit all my fairway shots close to the cart path.  Is it only my perception that most courses have their cart paths along the left side of the fairways?  For us right handed golfers who are in the majority, this is a challenge.  If we err in our shot making it is usually a slice to the right putting us far away from the path.  This is where hubby comes in.  If my shot ends up on the opposite side of the fairway to the cart path he hops out to retrieve my ball closer to the path.

There is no competition in this type of golf as I am not playing from where the ball came to rest.  Still it allows me to see the course and practice my shot making.

When hubby and I travelled to Mt. Tremblant to stay and play two great courses, Le Geant and Le Diable the weather Gods were not on our side and it was cart path only.  Because they were booked solid rescheduling our tee time to another day was not an option.  I told the marshal I wouldn’t be able to play because of bad knees and he said “Nonsense.  We will flag your cart.”  How very civilized was that?  Other courses take note.  When your cart is flagged you are allowed access anywhere on the fairways as long as you enter and exit at right angles to your ball placement.

In Ontario when it is cart path only I ask if the marshal will flag my cart and so far the answer is always a resounding “NO!”  I guess those courses don’t need my green fees………….. yet.  Since there are legions of boomers coming up behind me with their own mobility problems courses may want to rethink flagging carts.
Here is a little heads up along the same line.  I have had the good fortune to play Wooden Sticks in Uxbridge a few times.  It is a great experience as it features holes inspired by courses such as St.Andrew’s, Augusta, Oakmont, Troon and Sawgrass. When you arrive at the club house there is a valet service. Two delicious meals and power carts are included with your green fees.  And if you are lucky enough that their pro Karin Mundinger is on the practice tee she will give you a tip on how to improve your shots. The course is well manicured and well marshalled.  However, six of the first nine holes are cart path only!  Don’t say I didn’t warn you.  And no you can’t borrow my hubby.

Curtis Blakely - Photo by Roon-bop Photography

Golf is a game of inches that is played on a field of acres. As such, in order to provide an enjoyable competitive golf experience several things must be taken into consideration.

The Grounds Crew has to be meticulous. The Course Designer and the Superintendent must have a deep understanding of the Rules of Golf and their implications for each competitor. The Club Captain must be more than just an “unpaid volunteer”.

This is because for any competitive sport, the goal of the event organizers is to create an environment that has as few uncontrollable variables as possible. For instance, if you were watching an NBA game you would not expect the rim at one end of the court to be loose and the rim at the other end of the court to be tight (like my old high school gym). You would expect the rim to be tight at both ends, the same way a PGA golfer would expect all 18 greens to putt at the same speed.

This is one of the cornerstones of great sport. To provide an environment where the only variable(s) that determine a player’s success is his or her own physical and mental competence within a specific skill set (in this case, the golf swing).

In this sense, golf has so many things riding against it in providing a ‘fair’ sporting experience. The morning tee times on any given day could have rain, wind, fog, while the afternoon tee times could provide sunshine with no wind. There are so many uncontrollable variables on any given day that it becomes paramount to have competent people running the golf course to ensure that anything that can be controlled, is being controlled.

I understand that there is a difference between ‘Sport’ and ‘Entertainment’. I also understand, that in most cases, they are treated as one in the same. Here is an example of the difference, given the above description of variables in sport:

F1 racing has very strict guidelines as to how a driver can modify his or her own vehicle. By comparison, Nascar essentially lets the driver modify the vehicle in whatever manner he or she feels is appropriate. The former is a controlled playing field that aims to reward the best driver, the latter is a group of grown men turning left. Personally, I don’t care for any form of car racing. I also see the irony in using car racing as an example of variables in ’sport’. I do, however feel it illustrates my greater point:

Great golf courses for the purposes of competitive golf all have one thing in common: They are difficult but fair for each player that tees it up.

I accept that most people play golf recreationally, however I am going to be blogging about golf in terms of competitive sport. As such, the opinion(s) given in this blog will reflect that viewpoint.

As a former Competitive Golfer (University of Ottawa Men’s Team), Greenskeeper, Back-Shop Manager and Summertime Golf Bum, I’ve seen and played some of the best and worst golf courses in Canada.

I’ve played well from the gold tees while nursing a cold in the pouring rain and I’ve played poorly from the old men’s/pseudo women’s tees (usually white tees) on a goodnight’s sleep with the sun shining.

I think golf is one of the most mentally challenging games on the planet.

When I was 15 years old, I was drawn to the game because of the individual component of the sport. No teammates to bail you out or hold you back, no referees to spoil a big play. NO EXCUSES. It’s just you and the golf course.

Having said all this, I have very little tolerance for golf courses that do not at the very least, seek to create an experience that will yield consistent results. In my experience, I have found that too many people in the business have forgotten why the Rules of Golf were created: to provide equity and fairness to all those competing.

I will be reviewing several golf courses throughout Canada but mostly throughout Ontario and Quebec as that is where I’ve spent the majority of my time playing.

If you are a competitive golfer, a serious golfer or just a golf enthusiast who has an appreciation for the game, check back for my perspective on some of golf’s best and worst courses.

The first course I will be reviewing is the Kanata Golf and Country Club, located in the West End of Ottawa, Ontario.

Enjoy!

Curtis

Kedron Dells Golf Club

Tuesday my friend Meg and I set off to a 3:00 pm. tee time at Kedron Dells. It is a course we enjoyed a couple of years ago and we wanted to reacquaint ourselves with it…… not to mention the timing afforded us a reduced rate. So how did we end up playing at Columbus instead? Let me tell you.

Best ball tournaments are loads of fun for the participants but not much fun for any seasoned golfer (and boy am I seasoned!) who is golfing behind them. If you play behind that tournament you better bring your lunch and possibly your supper as you are just asking for long waits on most shots.

When Meg booked she had been told that there was a “group” of 16 in front of us but they weren’t a tournament.  Turned out it was actually a group of 21 which was a “family” best ball tournament.  The marshal had allowed a group of 5 at the tail end of their tourney and then he left for the day. (He knew what he was doing.)  To make things worse there was another tournament in front of that one!

We were at the first tee when we discovered what lay ahead. In front of us stretched 3 sets of golfers. One on the green, and two on the fairway. The group of 5 which were directly ahead of us were giving a newbie instructions sooooooooo we retreated to the pro shop. Since  there was no problem to fill our spot they happily gave us a refund.

Disappointed that we couldn’t enjoy their course but vowing to return on a day when there were no tournaments we hopped in the car  and headed to Columbus.  Last year it struck me as a mini Bond Head as it has the same feel but only 18 holes, no lush club house and no huge green fees.   Since they too had an afternoon green fees special we were in business.  Best of all there wasn’t much traffic on the links.

The strong wind had the fescue blowing like wheat on the prairies.  The course was just as I had remembered. Terrific. The rolling fairways banked with fescue and bunkers weren’t hard to navigate.  We were hitting them long and straight and not too often.   (We had to wait on many shots as the men’s foursome in front was having trouble over and over and over. Which begs the question why would they not invite us to play through????? It’s a man thing!)

But oh those greens!  They  were in great shape and fast as lightening!  When was the last time you 4 putted and were thankful it wasn’t a 6 putt?  I couldn’t read the greens to save my soul and it was reflected in my shocking score which ended up slightly on the wrong side of 100. OY!

There are a few very memorable holes on this course. Hole #3 is a little par 3 with an island green.  With the wind a factor it was hard to hit and stick but oh so much fun. There is another par 3 on 17 which plays from an aerie across a deep, well treed ravine to a valley green. Although the yardage told me to use a 7 wood I learned my lesson from last year, and actually remembered it, so my driver landed the ball safely just over the back of the green and before the moat. Great. On in two and 4 putts!!!!!

The 18th hole is another unforgettable one. Again you are shooting over a ravine to the fairway where your next shot will be at right angles to the last one. So far my Callaway driver hasn’t failed me there but the dreaded second shot always makes me nervous. My ball lay on the side of the hill on the right of the fairway. And of course my stance ended up in the only dip in the fairway where the grass was struggling with the weeds and the weeds were winning. I thought oh what the heck my score is in the toilet so lets take that nasty 3 wood out of the bag where it has been jailed  for non performance. Well that club connected with the ball as if it impaled it with a homing device to the green! I have finally figured out the secret to hitting that 3 wood. My feet have to be much lower than the ball which should ideally rest on the side of a hill!

All in all it was a most enjoyable round.  It is a diamond in the rough and well worth the pleasant drive to play it. I sure hope you make it out there and let me know what you think. I love it, four putt and all.

Since Columbus has no dining room here is a little tip for a great meal afterward if you are heading back to Whitby. Go to Chatterpaul’s on Brock St. below Rossland.  The menu and ambiance are super. Great food, great staff and close to home. It was the perfect end to the round.

Hmmm maybe it’s time to try out one of the 4 new putters sitting around here or go back to my trusty STX. Nah, I’m sticking with my Bettinardi. It is by far the prettiest one and has a snazzy green grip!

Karon

Here is a list of the top 20 professional golfers you should be following on twitter. Now, I always thought Twitter was a pretty useless app but after reading this article about How to Use Twitter to get a better understanding of how to make it work for me not against me I was quickly hooked. Now it battles my Facebook homepage as my morning first visit. Check out the list, I was a little disappointed overall that we don’t have Tiger or Phil on the list (not that they would post anything as funny as @THE_REAL_SHAQ would) so I’ll leave the list open to edit recommendations and make changes over time. Feel free to add others in the comments section.

1. John Daly – www.twitter.com/PGA_JOHNDALY // Long John is currently a feel good comeback story posting about writing songs with Hank Williams daughter… However I remember long John when he was in the news for drugs, alcohol, and gambling additions. That’s a triple threat and the reason he is the top professional golfer on Twitter. I am following him for sure!
2. Ian Poulter – www.twitter.com/ianjamespoulter // He tweets from the course. Sometimes posting pictures from the tee. Very cool, very interesting if it weren’t for Daly, Ian Poulter would be the top professional golfer on Twitter.
3. Stewart Cink – www.twitter.com/StewartCink // His latest post ”Today I have been a good boy who does as he is told. Guess why I’m a good boy today, and you win two dozen Nike One Tour D’s..” Need I say more?
4. Stuart Appleby – www.twitter.com/StuartAppleby // Stuart makes the list simply because he has (at the time of posting) over 5,000 followers and he’s only following 5 people. Making him the most conceded professional golfer on twitter since he cares about himself over others at a ratio of 1000 to 1. Good for you Stuart!
5. Susan Choi, Kate Miller & Amber Pranger – www.twitter.com/GolfProGirls // Their background pictures are ridiculous. 1 part sexy golf girl 1 part old non-flattering high-school pics. Plus, 3 for 1 deal with this follow so I’m in.
6. Davis Love III – www.twitter.com/Love3D // On the list because he has the best @ name @Love3D oh yeah.
7. Anika Sorenstam – www.twitter.com/Annika59 // 10 Major LPGA wins, 72 LPGA wins overall and over 22 million in career earnings. She’s gotta be considered the first lady of golf. This is why I follow Anika Sorenstam on Twitter.
8. Michelle Wie – www.twitter.com/TheMichelleWie // In 2006 she was named by TIME Magazine as ‘one of 100 people who shape our world’. Hmmm… I can’t say she’s shaped my world other than by making this list because I remember a while back that she was being hyped as much as Lebron James coming out of high school.
9. Natalie Gulbis – www.twitter.com/natalie_gulbis // She was on The Apprentice, I remember Trump liked her a lot for reasons other than her project management. She seemed nice, she’s a professional golfer on Twitter, so, she makes the list.
10. Kristy McPherson – www.twitter.com/Kristy2208 // She says ‘Holla’ an awful lot, she was on the big break IV, and she has a terribly bad website complete with creapy music. I think Twitter was invented so I would even think twice about ‘following’ someone like LPGA pro Kristy McPherson.

I was originally going to make this the top 20 professional golfers on Twitter but frankly  got bored at 10. I credit that to the lack of pro golfing personalities on Twitter and not my addiction to Tiger Woods golf on Wii. As I mentioned above feel free to add more to the comments.

UPDATE // I completely forgot Go Daddy Girl Anna Rawson on Twitter – www.twitter.com/TheAnnaRawson // Shame on me. You can get even more by visiting annarawson.com