Hardest course in ottawa

[acadian]

From the gold tees(back tees) , Is there any course in ottawa tougher then Kanata Lakes (clublink), i was told that it's at least 3 to 5 shots tougher then ANY course around the ottawa area.
After playing it a couple times now ,, i am convinced.

[Sakuraba]

I haven't played Kanata Lakes, so I can't comment. Of the courses I have played from the back, I would put Rideauview as toughest, followed by Eagle Creek. I should not be playing from those tees, but peer pressure prevailed. My 80 from the back tees at Rideauview was one of my best scores.

[3Jack]

Royal Ottawa.

[Swerve]

I'd say Kanata is a good candidate.

Another, although not as long, would be Stonebridge. The first time played there i hit it in all the right spots and didn't notice it, but the greens are all very well protected and multi-teared - very difficult for scoring if you are not "on" that day.

Loch March is another one that I struggle at.

[jvincent]

Of the courses I've played, I would have to say Loch March is actually the toughest from the back.

Kanata Lakes and Eagle Creek are both pretty tough as well.

[acadian]

well the 3 guys i was playing with on Monday have played rideauview, Royal ottawa and Eagle creek , and they said it didn't even compare ,, quote " it's at least 5 shots harder then the Royal" , i've never played the royal ottawa , but i've played eagle creek many times and i think eagle creek is WAYYYY easier then kanata lakes. At kanata lakes ,there are sooo many tought holes it's ridiculous,, 7 or 8 par 4's over 400 yards ,a couple par 4's over 460 ,and with the wind in the face , greens running around 12 on the stimp and stamp sized greens ,, it's just crazzy ,, 2 par threes over 215 , the 8th played 234 yards on monday, the par 5's are pretty much impossible to be reached in 2 unless you crank one out there 330+++ and hit a 250+ yard second shot, the 7th hole DEMANDS a drive no further right then the center of the fairway ,, anything a little left of center on the fairway and you can't even see the green ,,, i mean hole after hole this course is just killer,,,, plus the kicker ,, it's a par 70

[Big Johnny69]

Hardest course in Ottawa has to be Copperdale, when the ball hits the fwys or greens it just keeps bouncing and bouncing and bouncing....... The bump and run is your friend here.

Oh you mean most "difficult"!!!!!

[acadian]

ha ha ,, oooopsy , i did mean most difficult

[mpare]

I agree with John on this one. From the tips, Loch March plays long and tough, despite its apparent openness. The fairways don't run as much as Royal Ottawa or Eagle Creek and the par threes are much tougher.

Of the courses I've played, I would have to say Loch March is actually the toughest from the back.

Kanata Lakes and Eagle Creek are both pretty tough as well.

[stevek]

I would agree that Loch March would be very difficult from the back tees. Not that I would ever play from them. Half of the problem would be teeing off so close to the patio on several of the holes.

[big mac]

I would agree that Loch March would be very difficult from the back tees. Not that I would ever play from them. Half of the problem would be teeing off so close to the patio on several of the holes.

Well---it's no wonder it's the hardest course---if you have a beer everytime your near that patio

[Tbone]

The Marshes from the Golds is one tough test,the Canadian Pro Senior event won't even go from those tees.Just for sheer length#2 640 yds water all along the right side. #4 604.# 16 607.# 18 par 4 500 yrds. The shortest par 5 is 543.The last 3 holes are 16 at 607,17 par 3 208 uphill and 18 500 yrds par 4.That is tough.

[mjf]

Of the courses I've played, Kanata Lakes is definitely the hardest one I can think of. It's got it all... long holes, thick rough, small/fast/undulating greens. There are a number of holes where you simply MUST hit a good shot.

Next is Loch March. From the back tees, the par 3's are TOUGH.

Eagle Creek / Marshes from the back tees... no problem. I'd probably shoot a lower score on the back tees for either of these courses than from the next to back tees at Loch March... or the ladies tees at Kanata Lakes.

[jvincent]

I would agree that Loch March would be very difficult from the back tees. Not that I would ever play from them. Half of the problem would be teeing off so close to the patio on several of the holes.

Very few people even know where the back tee-box is on #10. It's on the other side of the pathway, pretty much in the patio.

If you hit a bad one there, people will know about it.

[habsfan]

kanata is tough mid summer when everything drys up, hautes plaines is a tough track as well if you cant hit your irons straight, loch march agreed is probably the toughest from the back tees

[BogeyGolf]

How about Talon with 40 Mile an hour winds.... Ha Ha ha

[davevandyk]

in the days before Eagle Creek was a Clublink course, I would put it above any in terms of toughness. The course was watered so thoroughly, that it played every bit of the 7100+ yards, where you were getting barely any roll. I really felt that there wasn't a "let up" hole on the course, every hole forced you to either shape the ball with the hole or risk the trees, which were not easy to escape.

I understand that Clublink does not water to the same extent, so it may not be as tough as it once was... a shame if this is the case. I always knew that I needed the A++ game just to have a chance to shoot my handicap.

[stevek]

Well---it's no wonder it's the hardest course---if you have a beer everytime your near that patio

Part of the game, no?

[stevek]

Very few people even know where the back tee-box is on #10. It's on the other side of the pathway, pretty much in the patio.

If you hit a bad one there, people will know about it.

The first time I saw that tee-box was when some long hitter pounded one from back there just after I walked the path. Scared the bejezzus out of me as you don't expect to here that sound whenall you're thinking about are the beer on the patio.

[habsfan]

How about Talon with 40 Mile an hour winds.... Ha Ha ha

Good point sir, good point.

[jvincent]

I'm pretty sure most courses are hard with 40MPH winds.

[jonf]

I'm pretty sure the hardest course is whichever one I happen to be playing on a given day.

[habsfan]

I'm pretty sure most courses are hard with 40MPH winds.

yeah but the length and having absolutely no obstructions for the wind makes it pretty special, but your right almost any course will be tough to play in those conditions

[LobWedge]

Very few people even know where the back tee-box is on #10. It's on the other side of the pathway, pretty much in the patio.

If you hit a bad one there, people will know about it.

I love that little tee deck! In addition to 1 & 10, the tips of 14 & 17 start right by the clubhouse too. Lot's of spectators on a busy day.

Pound for pound, LM get's my vote as one of the toughest around. All your tee shots have to be placed well in order to have any chance to score from the back tees. Lots of angles and sloping fairways. There's pressure on every tee shot.

1. Water all the way down the right. 'Nuff said.
2. 200-210 over a pot bunker right in front.
3. Hybrid or long iron off the tee, but the landing area is crowned. Long left and short right are both trouble.
4. Trees and hazard to the right force you to play towards bunker and trees left.
5. OB all the way down the right, and the new bunker on the right forces you to carry, or play to the long bunker on the left.
6. DL left, but the fairway slopes towards the trees and OB right.
7. Nasty par-3. Nowhere to miss. Probably the most used drop area in town.
8. Sneaky long. Blind approach uphill.
9. Short risk/reward par-4, but the 2-tiered green is nasty.
10. Need to shape something left-to-right, but too far right disaapears from view, and too far left is wet. Oh yeah, and too long is wet too.
11. Need to squeeze a draw around the corner. Straight and long is dead on the right.
12. IMO even tougher than #1. If you can bomb it over the trees on the right you have a much shorter approach, but that's no picnic either.\
13. 190-ish all over water to a semi-island green. A beast if the wind's up.
14. Only bail out is long right in the rough. Easy to roll long in to the creek, and left is dead.
15. Right up against the lateral hazard and boundary fence on the left. Narrow fairway. Green tucked way back in the corner of the property. 3-shot hole for sure.
16. 210-ish uphill par-3 guarded by 3 big traps. Small 3-tier green.
17. Short par-4 with a tight landing area, and a green designed by Satan himself. Severely sloped from back right to front left.
18. DL left split fairway uphill slopes off to the right, with a huge tree in the middle of the split. Uphill approach to a 2-tier green that slopes hard from back to front.

I think that about covers it. Even more fun when the greens get dry in the summer.

[jeffc]

Very few people even know where the back tee-box is on #10. It's on the other side of the pathway, pretty much in the patio.

If you hit a bad one there, people will know about it.

but at least you can grab a beer and drown your sorrows!

[spackler]

Kanata Lakes can't be that tough, last time I played there I (me!) took some (multiple!) skins from Big Easy and Ginker.

[Big Johnny69]

Kanata Lakes can't be that tough, last time I played there I (me!) took some (multiple!) skins from Big Easy and Ginker.

Isn't there a thread on the forum about squirrels. Was that thread about you?

[Bouche]

Camelot from the backs are very challenging....plays long as well....lots of trouble of the te3e and there greens dont make it any easier

[mberube]

well the 3 guys i was playing with on Monday have played rideauview, Royal ottawa and Eagle creek , and they said it didn't even compare ,, quote " it's at least 5 shots harder then the Royal" , i've never played the royal ottawa , but i've played eagle creek many times and i think eagle creek is WAYYYY easier then kanata lakes. At kanata lakes ,there are sooo many tought holes it's ridiculous,, 7 or 8 par 4's over 400 yards ,a couple par 4's over 460 ,and with the wind in the face , greens running around 12 on the stimp and stamp sized greens ,, it's just crazzy ,, 2 par threes over 215 , the 8th played 234 yards on monday, the par 5's are pretty much impossible to be reached in 2 unless you crank one out there 330+++ and hit a 250+ yard second shot, the 7th hole DEMANDS a drive no further right then the center of the fairway ,, anything a little left of center on the fairway and you can't even see the green ,,, i mean hole after hole this course is just killer,,,, plus the kicker ,, it's a par 70

Cam, you finally climbed out of your fishing boat???

I agree Kanata is one tough course from the tips. The toughest I have ever played. It’s long. Only 2 par 5 that are reachable in two unless you pound the ball 330+ yards or you are crazy enough to attempt to reach the ridiculously small and well guarded par 5 on the back (#12 I think). Most greens are soooooo small and elevated. Any small miss is amplified when it hit’s the sides of the greens. Poa greens!!! That course makes me go nuts. But I love the challenge.

Eagle creek does not compare in my book. I have never played LockMarch.

Mike

[big easy]

Kanata Lakes can't be that tough, last time I played there I (me!) took some (multiple!) skins from Big Easy and Ginker.

After his round, Ginker liked the course so much that he ran into the Clubhouse seeking for a registration form...

I agree Kanata Lakes is the most difficult course in the region. I played The Marshes from the tips and the faiways have so much roll that it doesn't play that long, at least by my standards. #18 is quite something but there isn't too much obstacles. From the tips, you cannot reach the pond off the tee and the second shot is to an unprotected green. Even if you miss the green, you can get an up-and-down from pretty much anywhere.

I'd rank Loch Marsh as the second toughest. However, like Kanata Lakes, these courses probably have the most boring finishing holes (#16-#17-#18) of the higher end course in the region.

I also agree that Eagle Creek probably plays a bit easier from the tips. I played in an event there and we had to play from the white tees. Although it was a scramble, so I was taking more risks off the tee, I've never looked for so many balls. From the tips, the fairways tend to be more generous around 260-300 yards off the tee.