Lives
Edmonton, Alberta
Handicap
5-9
Gender
Male
Skill
Advanced
Plays
A few times a week

Review Statistics

Average Rating

5.0
5.0
Total 10 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

10 Reviews
5 Stars
10
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Recommended Courses
10
Not Recommended Courses
0
Helpful Votes Count
2
Not Helpful Votes Count
1
First Review
09/26/2014
Last Review
10/05/2014

Reviews Map

Reviews

5.0
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Recommended
Review has

Bandon Dunes

Played On 10/03/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Walked

Enjoy the Eccentricities

For a couple of years we watched this course take shape from the neighbouring Pacific Dunes. It looked flat and on an inferior piece of land and we wondered how it could match up with the other Bandon courses. But when it opened; what a wonderful surprise! Old Mac from beginning to end makes you think and experiment with all kinds of interesting shots.

The first tee sits in the middle of what feels like a wide open field and you look across the flat expanse at a wide open(albeit a bit elevated) green not too far away. You can literally hit almost any club off the tee in almost any direction . BUT....how far you hit it and where you hit it will determine how you must hit your approach to what you now see is a HUGE and very undulating green with infinite pin placements.

Every hole is a bit like that. But it really isn't that flat and boring. There are some gorgeous holes which rise up into the dunes. There are a few blind holes which I know many people hate but which our group always enjoys.

This course may have some of the toughest par 4s on the Bandon property but you get a lot of roll and it doesn't play that long overall.

I've played all of the Bandon courses many times now and currently this might be my favourite; though that keeps changing. They are ALL great.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Pacific Dunes

Played On 10/02/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Walked

Authentic Irish Links Golf

A magnificent course with one memorable hole after another. It doesn't play long because of firm fairways but it can be very challenging if you aren't controlling your ball. Like Irish/Scottish courses there is perhaps a bit more luck involved than on a standard US course. A bad or good bounce here and there can make a difference between a par and a double in the blink of an eye. I have scored in the upper 70s and in the mid 90s without a huge difference in my ball striking. Much depends on the weather conditions too of course.

The greens are usually the slowest and bumpiest on the property and might need to be redone sometime soon. They are small and relatively flat and don't really represent the major challenge of the course.

I have played a lot in Ireland and Scotland and I would certainly compare this course favourably in scenic appeal, overall quality of holes and "fun factor" with any course I have played there. It isn't as punishingly difficult as County Down (which I might rate a bit higher) but that is a good thing for most people.

This will be most golfer's favourite course at Bandon and if your game is on you might have a very memorable round.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Bandon Trails

Played On 10/02/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Walked

Toughest of the Bandon Rota

This course has really grown on me over the years. When it opened I thought it a cut below Dunes and Pacific. This was possibly because I'd come to expect the spectacular ocean views and classic links play. Trails in many ways reminded me of some of our classic Canadian mountain courses with the forests, ponds and elevation change.

But when you start to realize that there are NO weak or boring holes and that there are a bunch of unique and really fun holes one concludes that this is a great golf course in its own right. It includes ( for a medium hitter) a drivable par 4 followed soon after by a par 3 where you might hit driver depending on the wind. Then there is the notorious 14th; a par 4 with a table top green just about impossible to hit. With our group there is always a bet of some kind for anyone who can hit the green or make a par....and we are all single digit players.

The conditioning is always great. The greens are usually a little faster than the others at Bandon and quite sloped. The walk is a bit tougher than the other 3 courses and the pace a bit slower . We always prefer to play it in the morning when the legs are fresher when playing 36.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Whistler Golf Club

Played On 09/07/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

A Subtly Challenging Course

This course has really grown on my over the years. It was the first Whistler course and was built on a relatively small slice of land. Some of the holes make one feel claustrophobic and certainly make one reach for a hybrid or 3 wood even though there isn't much roll on the lush fairways.

There is a nice variety of holes with ponds, brooks and huge trees all coming into play in a cleverly designed course. If one is striking the ball well though it isn't too hard to hit lots of greens. Hitting and staying ON the green however can be two different things. These greens are usually stamping at about 10 which is fast for a resort course and they are VERY undulating. These are also small undulations.....a 20 foot putt might give you 2 or even 3 breaks. Chipping onto these greens and putting them is a real challenge. But they are smooth and roll perfectly so when you walk off with a few 3 putts on your card you can blame only yourself!

This is a very friendly place with enthusiastic, helpful staff. The food was served in generous portions and by exceptionally attractive and pleasant servers. We spent a very happy day there playing 36 holes and eating lunch and dinner.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Survive the Opening Stretch

My friends and I have played here many times, usually 36 holes to end our annual Whistler trip. Of the 4 top notch Whistler area courses it is the most dramatic with some astounding holes. The first is a relatively simple par 5 but the next 3 par 4s can easily result in 3 doubles or worse on your card; even if you are a very good player. The key is not to get discouraged as I have many times seen players go 50-36 and end up with a decent round.

There are many very fun holes with long downhill carries. If you are hitting your driver ( or even your 3 wood) well and relatively straight you will have a blast. Putting here can be an adventure. The greens are huge and feature large but usually visible breaks. Very important to be on the proper side of the hole.

Almost every time I've played there I have seen a bear and fortunately at a safe distance. You really do feel that you are off in the wilderness. No houses or any other buildings in sight....just glorious mountain views, rushing streams and the odd cursing golfer (sound really carries).

The only negative to me is the somewhat arrogant attitude of the staff. This has curiously developed over the years and is in marked contrast to the very friendly reception at the other Whistler courses. The Fairmont is a high end hotel chain but that should mean better service rather than the sense that you are an annoyance for being there. An example; my partners cart died on the second fairway and after phoning the shop the woman who brought a new one out seemed quite put out by the inconvenience. When we finished the attendant gave my irons a cursory wipe.....still lots of green grass in the grooves. No tip.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Big Sky Golf and Country Club

Played On 09/06/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Best Course at Whistler

I have played this course at least once annually for the past 20 years or so....in fact played it originally within a week of it's opening. I love this course and look forward to it every time. Pemberton has weather that is always a little warmer and less windy than Whistler Village and for me it always seems to be almost perfect.

The course is unusually flat and routed over what must have been marshy ground. Bob Cupp did a phenomenal job of designing a course which has a great variety of holes and which is both playable but resistant to scoring. There are many holes which require thought as well as good ball striking. Landing areas off the tee look generous but many times you need to be in the right spot to have a reasonable shot to the green.

The par 5 fourth hole is diabolical! My usual group of single digit players is generally fortunate to emerge with one par among us....and very often several triples or worse. It isn't long but has a creek meandering back and forth across the fairway no less than 3 times.

This last trip the course was unfortunately burnt out after a stretch of 40 degree weather which killed the poa. They warned us beforehand and charged a very low rate and replay rate (always play 36 there). The greens were actually better than they'd said.

The staff are always very courteous and the food there is exceptional. This is a course I could play every day. I would suggest playing different tees if you play more than one round. The course is equally good from any distance but it provides interesting differences in club selection and strategy.

Very worth the 30 minute drive from Whistler.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Nicklaus North Golf Course

Played On 09/04/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

A Beautiful Design

This is a course where you can score well if you are striking the ball as the greens are relatively flat and easy to read. But there is a LOT of trouble if you go astray or have poor club selection on the par 3s. I suspect that a lot of players go through more than a couple of sleeves of balls.

Every Jack course I've played always has challenging par 3s and this is no exception. He gets you right away with #2 which is about a 6 iron over a pond and a bunch of bunkers. The signature hole is the magnificent #17 which is 200 yards of carry to a smallish green bordering a beautiful mountain lake. One of the best par 3s you will play.

We actually played 54 holes this last time.....started at 7:30 AM and finished in the dusk at 8PM. The course was actually quite busy too which speaks well of the pace of play.

I've been playing here for years and it's always been in great shape. We had one bizarre episode with a hostile marshall a couple of years ago (which the management did NOT handle well) but generally the service is adequate.

Certainly a must play if you are in the Whistler area.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Windermere Golf and Country Club

Played On 08/07/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Walked

Edmonton's Best Layout

Always a pleasure to play this lovely course which is nestled in the North Saskatchewan valley southwest of Edmonton. It features nines with very different characters, the front with elevation changes demanding accuracy and the back demanding length off the tee.

The holes are varied and challenging and the setting is beautiful with river views and the peacefulness of the country. The greens are not overly difficult so your score will be mostly about your ball striking. Conditioning is what you would expect at a private club though the day I was there the greens were a little slower than the current norm (though I actually like that).

The new clubhouse is very impressive and the food and service were excellent.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Streamsong Resort - Blue Course

Played On 06/12/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Walked

Less Dramatic But Just as Strong

Recently played this one and the companion Red a bunch of times over a few days. We all started off thinking the Red was the best course.....but I don't know. Certainly Crenshaw and Coore seemed to get the more dramatic land. Doak did an amazing job with what he had though. A lot of very interesting holes where you have lots of choices.

The greens are tricky because of the grain.....thank God for the caddie. Downhill putts can screech to a halt like they hit valcro.

We played 36 each day and tried to be done by 4:30 when daily the big thunderstorms would roll in . This apparently is near the place in the US which gets the most lightning strikes per year! They blow a horn when the lightning is 10 miles away but our caddie kept us on the course .....foolish or not we always finished.

I could happily play the Blue and the Red every day for a LONG time. Different, interesting and conveniently side by side. Looking forward to returning.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Streamsong Resort - Red Course

Played On 06/12/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Walked

Bandoneque

The first tee shot of the day is freaking intimidating!! The first hole is really a par 5 disguised as a par 4 just as strangely the 18th hole is a long par 4 listed as a 5. Quirky. The second hole (in the morning) involves a heroic carry straight into the sun over an alligator ridden pond. You get the picture.

Really one beautiful hole after another. It is visually a lot more frightening than it turns out to be. If you take a conservative line off the tee and keep it in play you can score.

I've played a lot at Bandon and this course is a little different in the look of the terrain and the amount of water hazards but also similar in the pure golf experience. No houses or condos. Incredible wildlife albeit slightly scary animals.....we saw lots of gators and snakes and an amazing variety of birds.

I love to walk and the course was pretty good for that though it was about 95 degrees and humid. Our caddie Greg was fabulous. Encyclopedic knowledge of all aspects of golf, good humoured, and very hard working.

I would have to rank this among my favourite golf courses. Scenically gorgeous, a lot of fun to play and the bonus of seeing a lot of nature. A long way from home but I can't wait to go back.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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