2007 Ottawa Citizen - Rivermead

[bNeill]

I am a 15-year old junior member with a five handicap at Rivermead. I am looking for an opportunity to caddie at the Ottawa Citizen Tournament on Monday for one of the contending players. My knowledge of the course may be beneficial to someone who doesn't know Rivermead very well.

[jvincent]

I just got back from playing my practice round at Rivermead, thanks to a member I know, and for those of you who don't already have a caddy, take Brian up on his offer, especially if you haven't played there before.

Local knowledge is worth at least four strokes.

Oh and BTW, the course is playing SUUUUUUPER long right now thanks to all the rain.

[BC MIST]

I just got back from playing my practice round at Rivermead, thanks to a member I know,

You mean that they did not open the course up for a practice round for all the Citizen participants?

Nice course, eh? Make a few putts next week.

[jvincent]

Yes, very nice course. Classic "old course" design which I really like.

We saw some interesting putts today. As an example, I had my ball pin high on 16 and aimed my putt a good 4 feet above the hole. It ended up a couple of inches below the hole.

I'm predicting nobody breaks par the way the course is playing right now.

[Indio]

Are spectators allowed for the Citizen?

[jvincent]

Not sure. Certainly you could watch people come in on the 18th and they'd never know the difference but I'm not sure about people walking the course.

I'd like to see the "balls in the water count" for 18 on Monday.

[Indio]

were there any allowed at Stonebridge?

[jvincent]

I don't remember seeing any at SB but I wasn't really paying attention.

[funk-like]

Normally spectators are allowed. There have been no issues in the past. I have played in groups where some of the participants had a couple people following them all day.

[Indio]

Thanks Funk-Like

[sensfan63]

I just got back from playing my practice round at Rivermead, thanks to a member I know, and for those of you who don't already have a caddy, take Brian up on his offer, especially if you haven't played there before.

Local knowledge is worth at least four strokes.

Oh and BTW, the course is playing SUUUUUUPER long right now thanks to all the rain.

Not sure if a 6600/6700 yard course can play "SUUUUUUUPER" long....not in the days of 7200 and 7300 yard courses anyway...

#18 has my vote as best closing hole in the Ottawa Valley...you make par, you're gaining almost a shot on the field. Make birdie, well, look up to the heavens and say thanks !!

[jvincent]

Not sure if a 6600/6700 yard course can play "SUUUUUUUPER" long....not in the days of 7200 and 7300 yard courses anyway...

True, but we don't get a lot of those courses around here and they don't usually keep them soft.

When the longest "roll" I get is 6 feet everyone else is in trouble since I play a low, draw with the driver an normally get 20 yards or so of roll.

Agree with you on 18. It was playing like a nice par 5 today (dead into the wind).

[PEI Golfing]

You mean that they did not open the course up for a practice round for all the Citizen participants?

I detect a sense of sarcasm.............

Surely you must have found memories of RM........

[mjf]

Not sure if a 6600/6700 yard course can play "SUUUUUUUPER" long....not in the days of 7200 and 7300 yard courses anyway...

I played with jvincent today and I'd say it's about as long as a 6600/6700 yard course can play. I wouldn't classify myself as a "bomber" by any means... but I can get the ball out there. At Stonebridge, where I normally play and where the fairways are firm, a solid drive for me will go 270-ish. Today at Rivermead, due to a combination of wind, rain, heavy air and wet fairways... I'd estimate my average drives were probably in the 230-yard neighbourhood. I pounded one on a nice high (for me) trajectory and it went about 250.

[bNeill]

I hit the ball about 280 at Rivermead, which gives me a big advantage playing other courses. The last two weeks I've had almost all my drives spin back where at other courses I get about 20 yards roll. My point was that the course is really soft right now.

[BC MIST]

I detect a sense of sarcasm.............

Surely you must have found memories of RM........

Yup. I remember being 6 under par and having a 6 stroke lead with one round to play, in the club championship in 1980, and LOSING by 1!!! It hurt very deeply but from this most choking experience, I learned how to be a PREDATOR instead of being the PREY.