Best Club to be a member at.

[Sakuraba]

a lot of clubs allow you to join in the fall, and play the end of the year for free.

[GarthM]

Interesting....31 posts and nobody said Clublink ....wonder why

[jonf]

After winning a one year membership at the Canadian i can only say good things about it.Very nice club house and the staff are second to none, lots of marshalls not too pricey. The only down side is that its 50 min. away from my place.

Agree 100%. Always great service there...definitely one of my favourite courses. The one obvious downside to it is that they do hold a lot of tournaments, so it may not be the course for you if you only have 2 or 3 days in the week when you can play). They do also have the 9 hole, which helps out when they do have a tournament and you're itching to play.

[LBH]

Interesting....31 posts and nobody said Clublink ....wonder why

Simply because the initiation fee of Greyhawk at $12,500 and Hautes Plaines at $6,500 are simply not worth it in my opinion... It was a deal back when I joined (initiation at $4,500 at Greyhawk with 10-year no interest), not a financial commitment.

And don't get me started on Kanata Lakes... Way too expensive for what you get in my opinion.

[big easy]

Simply because the initiation fee of Greyhawk at $12,500 and Hautes Plaines at $6,500 are simply not worth it in my opinion... It was a deal back when I joined (initiation at $4,500 at Greyhawk with 10-year no interest), not a financial commitment.

And don't get me started on Kanata Lakes... Way too expensive for what you get in my opinion.

Couldn't agree more! I would definitely join other courses (like Rivermead) before joining any other Clublink courses. Now, most of the private courses have reciprocal agreements with various courses in TO and Montreal.

[Txxxxxxx]

I think ClubLink is a waste of money. Any of the good ClubLink courses on their list comes with a hefty price tag.

Just join a private course or a really nice public one like Eagle Creek so you can depend on the greenskeeper to keep the course in tip top shape.

[dasnutz]

Interesting....31 posts and nobody said Clublink ....wonder why

Cause it ain't all that!

[pvs1313]

well, actguallty clublinkis all that, and moree, IF, and big if, You travel to toronto oftenm.
As i am down there at least once a month if not more, i play top notch, (glencairn, diamond back, even the abbey at least 2 times) courses and for a fractio of th costs asspociatred with them. Now clublink is expensive, so if looking for a bargain not the choice, but if you travel then yes by all means. as well i hit le maitre every other weekend, and montreal a few times as well. and if you are under 40 they break down the initiation over 6-10 years interest free.

well worth it for hautes plaines then move up to one of the other once the initiation increases.

[Colby]

Clublink gives you a lot of opportunities and their intermediate membership is very good. 15 years to pay interest free and reduced yearly dues from age 25 to 30.

[joelouispepsi]

The critics here are simply sour of clublink. IT is the only choice. Imagine what it will be like after they acquire Stonebridge and Eagle Creek. Its only a matter of time.

[pvs1313]

LOl

might be jumping ahead there a bit, but something will happen in a few years yes

[joelouispepsi]

Personally, I think that Greyhawk offers two of the top courses in the Ottawa region. Predator is in amazing shape.

What are the better courses?

Marshes (play 50 rounds though and you are paying over $5K)
Stonebridge (you can get a good deal if you buy packages of green fees)
Eagle Creek (at $75 a round, you are looking at similar fees to Greyhawk if you play alot)

That's about it. Most of the other courses are private and with huge initiations. How much to play the royal? Give me a break, you would be crazy to pay that kind of cash. Plus the course isn't that great. The list could go on and on and on....

[dasnutz]

How wide are the fairways again at Greyhawk?

[joelouispepsi]

How wide are the fairways again at Greyhawk?

Predator has some pretty open fairways. Talon not as much.

The width of the fairways dictate a good or bad course?

HAHAHA

Have you ever played links at crowbush? Is that not an awesome course? Fairways are just as wide.

Have you played at PRed? What is your best score there? Its a tough track, wind, slopes, big greens. You really have to be in control of your game to score. Very easy to score bogies, doubles, etc.

[joelouispepsi]

How wide are the fairways again at Greyhawk?

I knew I wouldn't hear back from you nutz. Have a great day!

[jmr73]

Simply because the initiation fee of Greyhawk at $12,500 and Hautes Plaines at $6,500 are simply not worth it in my opinion... It was a deal back when I joined (initiation at $4,500 at Greyhawk with 10-year no interest), not a financial commitment.

You still get the 10 years interest free. HP at 6500 still gives you lots of access. Join HP, wait until it's value increases and then upgrade to a different course. Or wait until the next course is picked up with a low initiation.

[jmr73]

I think ClubLink is a waste of money. Any of the good ClubLink courses on their list comes with a hefty price tag.

So what. Join the lower end courses and you can play the good courses for free.

Just join a private course or a really nice public one like Eagle Creek so you can depend on the greenskeeper to keep the course in tip top shape.

Sure, if you want to play one nice course over and over.... I get to play about 25 great courses for free .

TO - Glencairn, Blue Springs, Heron Point, Emerald Hills, etc... too many to mention
Muskokas - Rocky Crest, Grandview, Lake Joseph
Montreal - Fontainebleau and Le Maitre at Tremblant

[dasnutz]

Sorry I was at lunch, my best @ Pred is 76, Talon 78. Mind you I have only played each course twice. All I am saying is that in Ottawa Clublink doesn't really have a great course like those in TO. Tremblant is awesome.

[John]

So if you get into HP what are the fees at the other clublink courses in the area are there any restrictions on tee times at them? Do you play Greyhawk for free??

[jmr73]

Now, most of the private courses have reciprocal agreements with various courses in TO and Montreal.

Really??? which courses would that be? I really doubt there are many.

If what you meant was that as a member of a private course you can usually get on to private courses in other cities, than that is true. Unfortunately, you will be paying huge guest fees.

I can play around 30 courses with no extra fees.

[jmr73]

So if you get into HP what are the fees at the other clublink courses in the area are there any restrictions on tee times at them? Do you play Greyhawk for free??

HP is silver level. You can play courses one level higher than yours for no fee. In the case of HP you can play any silver or gold level for no extra fee. This means you can play GH anytime you want for free. Now they don't want you playing 100% of your rounds at GH but they don't really track it too closely. There are some tee-times limited to the members at GH (maybe a 1 hour slot on weekends... nothing you would notice)

To play Kanata ( level #3 ... Platinum), you would pay $55 unless your course has a tournament that day or if you bring 3 paying guests.

Gold level (#2) is the best bargain since it gives you access to all but 3 courses (at level #4... Prestige) with no fee. These are Rattlesnake Point, Greystone, King Valley. For example, my course had a tournament a few weeks ago, so I played one of these courses for free.

Here is a list of courses and the levels
http://www.clublink.com/mem_guestfees_2002.html

Note that the resort courses are all level 3 (Platinum)

[jmr73]

Sorry I was at lunch, my best @ Pred is 76, Talon 78. Mind you I have only played each course twice. All I am saying is that in Ottawa Clublink doesn't really have a great course like those in TO. Tremblant is awesome.

I would agree with you there. Having played a bunch in TO and the Muskokas the other week, those courses are definitely a step above ours. They do however pay a lot more in TO than we do (both initiation and annuals). GH has two courses that will get much better with time. Kanata and HP are also nice courses. The conditions are pretty good compared to most public courses in Ottawa and the service is great.

[big easy]

Hautes Plaines is a nice choice (I'm a member there) but find it a little expensive these days ($6500 initiation). No longer the deal that it used to be. If I could afford the $4000/year, I would switch to Rivermead in a hurry. They now have reciprocal agreements with Rosemère and Vallée du Richelieu (Montreal Area) and I heard that they have a couple in TO. Also, you don't loose as much balls as you could at Hautes Plaines...well maybe the annual dues at Rivermead aren't as high considering the # balls that I loose at Hautes Plaines...

[albatrossman]

I joined Rivermead last fall and can't say enough good things about the place. Great layout in fabulous shape, super-friendly members and staff, lots of competitive golfers, probably the best professional golf staff in the city, and definitely the best food around.

[Txxxxxxx]

So what. Join the lower end courses and you can play the good courses for free.



Sure, if you want to play one nice course over and over.... I get to play about 25 great courses for free .

TO - Glencairn, Blue Springs, Heron Point, Emerald Hills, etc... too many to mention
Muskokas - Rocky Crest, Grandview, Lake Joseph
Montreal - Fontainebleau and Le Maitre at Tremblant

Umm, as far as I've heard, correct me if I'm wrong, but there are time restrictions and extra fees to play a bunch of the better ClubLink courses. You can't just buy a membership at a crappy one and then play ALL of the others for free. If that were the case, everyone would join a cheap course so they could play Glen Abbey or others in the same category.

[Txxxxxxx]

Really??? which courses would that be? I really doubt there are many.

If what you meant was that as a member of a private course you can usually get on to private courses in other cities, than that is true. Unfortunately, you will be paying huge guest fees.

I can play around 30 courses with no extra fees.

Ummm...The majority of people don't travel across the Province to play at the other courses like you do. What does Ottawa have to offer in the ways of ClubLink that's better than having a membership at Eagle Creek or a private course?

[pvs1313]

wsell I can say that as a greyhawk mewmber, i pay $950 a year initiation (spread over 10 years interest free) now that would be $1250. as well $3000 a year in dues and $540 in F&*B. so thatis a total of just ovr $5500. for that i play 4 courses in Ottawa, plus an easy 1.5 hour driove to play le maitre, plus another easy 1.5 hr drive to play Fontainblueau and val des lacs. as well, anytime ( if you do) go to tornnto you have about 26 courses to play for free ( well free as in no more fees)

so , although i woudl agree that eagle creek is a better course than the 4 we have here in Ottawa, i would say that clublink here in ottawa is a much better way to go than an eagle creek membership. and our courses are not far behiund. the talon is in bad shpae this year, buyt they are working on it and their areplans to correct it. pred is very close this year. kanata is a nice course with just a layout problem, and hautes plaines is very good, a nice challange and fun to play.

for a golfer who likes to play more than one course, it is really a great optin and for me, the best available in ottawa easily!

[big mac]

In reply to GarthM---Maybe its because we all dont earn 100,000$ plus????

[Txxxxxxx]

wsell I can say that as a greyhawk mewmber, i pay $950 a year initiation (spread over 10 years interest free) now that would be $1250. as well $3000 a year in dues and $540 in F&*B. so thatis a total of just ovr $5500. for that i play 4 courses in Ottawa, plus an easy 1.5 hour driove to play le maitre, plus another easy 1.5 hr drive to play Fontainblueau and val des lacs. as well, anytime ( if you do) go to tornnto you have about 26 courses to play for free ( well free as in no more fees)

so , although i woudl agree that eagle creek is a better course than the 4 we have here in Ottawa, i would say that clublink here in ottawa is a much better way to go than an eagle creek membership. and our courses are not far behiund. the talon is in bad shpae this year, buyt they are working on it and their areplans to correct it. pred is very close this year. kanata is a nice course with just a layout problem, and hautes plaines is very good, a nice challange and fun to play.

for a golfer who likes to play more than one course, it is really a great optin and for me, the best available in ottawa easily!

$5500/year!!?? HOLY!!! You can get a membership at Rivermead for less than that a year and play every other private course in the region with signing priviledges. Yes you do pay a green fee that goes onto your home club bill, but we're talking top end private course here.

I dunno...$5500 seems a lot even if you can play a few different courses. If you want to factor in gas to drive the 1.5 hours we can do that too at 1.115/litre. I just don't think it's worth it.

[pvs1313]

yes exsactly, onyl the on3es with siging privaleges, and pay a grteen fe, so not really for less now is it? and yes i can play over 30 courses all very high end and just as good as anythi gelse. and as for gas, well that is not really an argument, go to casselview, takes gas, go whever takes gfas, anyway, that had been my 2 cents, i think clublink is for sure worth it, and for me it is perfect. it is all about what you like, and where yo play and what you acan afford