equinelle golf course in Kemptville

[tmacgolf]

Booked in for 9:30 Fri morning. Yah baby!

Will that be the full 18 or is it still 9 twice? An earlier post eluded to Friday being the date the full 18 opens. Just curious as I may play before the end of the season before comitting to my current club for next year.

[3Jack]

The second nine opens on Friday, the 18th.

[tmacgolf]

The second nine opens on Friday, the 18th.

Excellent! Thanks.

[Grimm]

Looks like it's all booked up this weekend. Got my game booked for Saturday though.

[Kilroy]

[hoolio]

Has anyone under 30 called regarding intermediate membership pricing? If so, could you pm me what you got out of them.

Thanks

[cruxradio]

How is the condition of the new 9?
If you think of it, snap some pictures and post them

[fundonny]

Hoolio, no age differences. I think I'm joining this puppy. Golfing it this week to test it out and if it passes I'm writing a cheque.

[justsomeguy]

Played the full 18 today. Really like the layout, and considering it just opened it was in great shape. Its going to be an excellent course.

It is very playable, but it still needs a little work. The rough has not grown in for most of the back nine and there are a lot of rocks in it. The bunkers are good shape, but there are some rocks in them too (and there are a TON of bunkers on this course). I don't think this is unusual for a new course, so be prepared.

A common theme from today's round was how firm the course was. You're much better off trying to land short and bounce up to the green rather than stick it. Even mile-high wedge shots weren't leaving a ball mark. And its not just fairways and greens, but even the rough and tee boxes are hard. I'm sure the recent dry spell hasn't helped - hopefully it will soften up a little next year.

I'll be back.

[Grimm]

I played the full 18 on Saturday and this course will be fun, lotsa bunkers, a good amount of water on the front nine (only affects a couple holes on the back). This course can be a bomber's paradise, fairly wide open. The back nine greens are a lot slower than the front nine, surprising since they were so firm, but it looks like they top dressed the greens with sand recently.

The front nine's rough is a pleasure to hit out of, since it matches the fairways of a lot of the courses I regularly play, but the back nine's rough is difficult to find your ball as it was pretty tall. It was sparse in some areas, with lots of thick tufts of grass, very patchy and bulletproof. It definitely needs some growing time to thicken uniformly and when it does, this course will be awesome...but probably will be too pricey for me to play regularly. I wonder what fee they will charge next year, anyone know?

[rancherJ]

got in 18 yesterday. for its age the course is in stellar condition. the front is a little more mature than the back. Greens ran true with the possible exception of #10 needing to fill in a bit more. BTW the practice green was WAY slower than the greens on the actual course. general observations by my foursome...fairly open, you need to be able to hit driver to have good scoring opportunities (6600+from the blues), sand was beautiful, visually appealing look to almost every hole, if you don't spin the ball your approaches will NOT stick,
Extremely enjoyable and a bargain at $50.
not sure if next yrs prices are set yet but our group speculated a green fee in the order of $75-$85 would not be out of the question.

[jvincent]

It sounds like the course is nice enough but I have a question.

Does anyone think that the Ottawa market can support another $75-$85 public course? Personally, I don't think so.

If you look at the three courses that are in that range right now, Marshes, Stonebridge, and Loch March, I simply don't see Equinelle being busy.

Marshes is pretty much empty except for when the corporate golf guys are allowed to play.

Stonebridge had much reduced traffice this year with the new pricing. Granted condition might have had something to do with that as well.

Loch March ($70) is, with the exception of tournament, rarely busy, even on weekends and it is much closer than Equinelle will be.

[jeffc]

It sounds like the course is nice enough but I have a question.

Does anyone think that the Ottawa market can support another $75-$85 public course? Personally, I don't think so.

If you look at the three courses that are in that range right now, Marshes, Stonebridge, and Loch March, I simply don't see Equinelle being busy.

Marshes is pretty much empty except for when the corporate golf guys are allowed to play.

Stonebridge had much reduced traffice this year with the new pricing. Granted condition might have had something to do with that as well.

Loch March ($70) is, with the exception of tournament, rarely busy, even on weekends and it is much closer than Equinelle will be.

I don't and the drive to get there is 45 min from my house and I live in the south end. I think it will be tough to attract too many from Kanata with all the quality courses in the west end. I can see people going to play it once in awhile, especially when its new but can imagine too many making it their regular course. It's even worse for the east end. If its priced around $60 for weekends, I would consider it but much more and I will stick to courses that are much closer.

[justsomeguy]

It sounds like the course is nice enough but I have a question.

Does anyone think that the Ottawa market can support another $75-$85 public course? Personally, I don't think so.

If you look at the three courses that are in that range right now, Marshes, Stonebridge, and Loch March, I simply don't see Equinelle being busy.

I don't think the course will be priced in that range. I would expect green fee prices to be between $60-$70. I don't see The Marshes as being in the same market at all, and Loch March is only a marginal competitor as it is strictly a public course. I believe that most of the rounds on Equinelle will actually be from members rather than green-fee players.

I think the main competitors for Equinelle will be Stonebridge and Emerald Links (semi-private clubs with similar prices in the south of Ottawa) and to a lesser extent Smiths Falls and Manderley (a source of members and green-fee players in the area who are willing to pay more for a nicer course). They will also compete against Carleton G&YC and Rideauview for membership prospects based on their cheaper price (no initiation fees, no F&B minimums, lower membership costs). Ottawa will be a source of players for them, but I don't believe this is really their target market.

[tmacgolf]

I think that they are going to have a hard time attracting a large amount of members. Generally, people purchase memberships at a course that is located close to them, and agreeing with jvincent's previous comment, there are just too many similar options closer to the city core. I think they may have to really cut their prices in order to stay competitive.

[jvincent]

I don't think the course will be priced in that range. I would expect green fee prices to be between $60-$70. I don't see The Marshes as being in the same market at all, and Loch March is only a marginal competitor as it is strictly a public course.

I guess it really comes down to what the final pricing ends up being.

The majority of golfers are not willing to pay a premium for good conditions but only to a point. Add the extra commute on top of that and it becomes a hard sell.

At $60 I can see myself going there several times a season. At $70 or higher it will be a once or twice deal at most and I tend to spend more per round than most.

[justsomeguy]

I think that they are going to have a hard time attracting a large amount of members. Generally, people purchase memberships at a course that is located close to them, and agreeing with jvincent's previous comment, there are just too many similar options closer to the city core. I think they may have to really cut their prices in order to stay competitive.

I think a lot of people are coming from the perspective that most of their customers are coming from the City of Ottawa. I don't think that's necessarily true.

There is really nothing like it within 45 minutes of the course, except maybe Carleton and Rideauview. If you live in Kemptville, Merrickville, Smiths Falls, Perth, Winchester, North Gower or Prescott you really don't have a lot of options for a high-end course of this calibre. I'm sure they'll draw a few members from Morrisburg, Brockville and Manotick too.

As Barrhaven and Richmond keep expanding the course will become an attractive option for some, but I don't really think this will be their primary market - or they would have built the course a lot closer to the city.

[Ruskie]

I think you guys are forgetting that it's a course that's there to attract real estate buyers. It might not become a cash cow, but even if it barely breaks even, it'd have served its purpose.

[cobra]

Played yesterday and become more and more impressed with this course. It needs to mature of course, but the layout is fantastic. The only issue I had was the pace of play due to a frost delay and it being such a nice day, everyone was out. It will be interesting to see how the course plays when the rough starts growing in and the greens hopefully become softer. The bunkers are well placed and the quality of the sand is top notch.

The putting green is open and the driving range will open next year. I doubt the rates will stay at $50, probably will creep up to $65-$70 and who knows how much when the clubhouse opens. Lots of really nice looking holes, all of them having their own feel. A true gem.

[em69]

We asked the pro shop...they are anticipating the weekend rate to be $70 next year.
The layout, in my opinion, is far better than SB or LM.
I think SB will need to lower their price in order to compete.

[Quagmire]

I played yesterday morning. Front 9 is fantastic of course, but I'm confused as to why they even decided to open the back 9. The rough isn't even grown in yet, the fairways weren't anywhere near in as good of shape as the front, the green we're in relatively good shape though, but hard as a rock. With all that said, it is a fantastic golf course and I will certianly enjoy it next year too.

[fundonny]

Love it love it love it love it love it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Played 18 today, in this miserable weather. Course is fantastic, needs to grow in a little though. Only thing I don't like is the ugly houses on the course.

I will most likely be a member by spring of next year. Oh, shot a 46-43, pretty happy with that considerin zerol local course knowledge and no yardage book/GPS.

[big mac]

I just noticed the membership prices---esp the silver. If the courses is as good as it sounds to be----3000.00 for a couple is cheap ??????? That's less than we payed this year for approx 120 rounds (25.00 per round) Sure it's an hours drive but hell it takes an hour to play up the valley Might work real well for us retired folks

[jvincent]

Where did you see membership prices?

[big mac]

Post 65----19 back

[jvincent]

Doh! I went to the website and didn't see it there.

[sumkindofguy]

Played yesterday and I was very impressed with the course. It is exactly what the Ottawa Market needs, a reasonably priced higher end course. The course holds its own and will likely be a nicer track than SB when it matures. The holes flowed, you could tell they took their time to design it, no hoky fill in holes. The backdrop to pretty much every hole was beautiful, especially at this time of year with the leaves changing colour. Greens were fast, and will probably roll true next season. I will definately play again. Bonus, its is less than 30 minutes from the south end.

[Kilroy]

I too finally got out to play it yesterday and everything posted here is bang on. Definately will be returning to this gem in the future!

[fundonny]

I too finally got out to play it yesterday and everything posted here is bang on. Definately will be returning to this gem in the future!

How did you shoot Dan? Did they still have those killer pin positions? There were two that I remember that we couldn't come close to attacking.

[Kilroy]

I've played better Yes there were a few difficult pins, especially on the par 3's. Chipping close was not nearly as easy as it is at "home" LOL. The greens are undulated, but large. Not as severe as Stonebridge, more like Emerals Links. Some local knowlege will be required to score well here, and that will take several rounds to have played a decent variety of pin positions to be able to play them as intended. For now, my main goal at eQ will be to just STAY BELOW THE HOLE!