5 hardest public courses in ottawa?

[nokids]

i was going to ask if someone could rank the public courses in ottawa starting with the hardest. but just do the top 5. is rating and slope supposed to answer that question for me?

thanks.

[Tbone]

I would say'from the ones I have played.
Loch March,Marshes,Calabogie,Renfrew,Mississippi.

[jvincent]

Rating and slope will definitely not answer that.

Assuming we are talking back tees.

1. Loch March
2. Marshes
3. Stonebridge

[tmacgolf]

Rating and slope will definitely not answer that.

Assuming we are talking back tees.

1. Loch March
2. Marshes
3. Stonebridge

Exactly the three I was going to throw into the discussion (which I guess does nothing for prompting discussion and debate on a forum).

[jeffc]

I'd add Emerald Links to that list. From the back tees, on a windy day, it's tough. We played an NCGT event there on a hot windy day last year with long rough and had about 10 guys quit after 9. It was brutal.

[Andy4Par]

Rating and slope will definitely not answer that.

Assuming we are talking back tees.

1. Loch March
2. Marshes
3. Stonebridge

So I see three courses. Are the rest too easy!

[Andy4Par]

Hardest;

1. Irish Hills
2. Poplar Grove
3. Pineview
4. Nationview
5. Les Vieux Moulins

When we have an exceptionally dry summer, these 5 are by far the hardest.

[jvincent]

So I see three courses. Are the rest too easy!

Yep.

Actually it's more that I don't really have any strong opinions about the rest.

[Leejanzen]

I play mostly lower end courses but I'd say:

1. Calabogie: Played unfairly both times I've played it with greens you simply couldn't hold (3 or 4 of them). It's like they hadn't watered them all year. On one of the par-5s, I hit a PW onto the green and it rolled back to the front fringe. I then stepped up and hit a near perfect putt that lipped out, went 6" by the hole and rolled all the way back down to the fringe. After doing that (or something similar) 5 times. I picked up my ball and walked off. It ruined my entire round. I don't know if it always plays this way but, if it does, it's easily the hardest course I've played. If it weren't for this factor, I don't know if I'd even have it on my list.

2. Le Sorcier: Changes in elevation can make yardages a little tricky but few have affected me more than this course. Lots of tight shots made me lose a lot of balls.

3. Pakenham Highlands (Canyon): I played the Lake 9 to start my round there and found it to be pretty forgiving for a high handicap player like I am. I managed to shoot a 43 when I'm usually a 96-100 strokes/18 holes kind of player. Then I stepped onto the Canyon-9 and every shot I missed slightly, I paid for with extra strokes. I ended up with a 58. It's probably one of the nicest nines I've ever played in the Ottawa region too.

4. Les Vieux Moulins: I don't know if it eats up everybody as much as it does me but I cannot for the life of me, figure this course out. I look at it and see nothing that should really intimidate me (other than their signature hole) but I can't keep the ball in play there. Even worse is that I have no read on those greens when putting is usually the strength of my game.

5. Champlain: I know this course isn't that tough but, I'm not a particularly long hitter and it plays longer than most courses from the whites (at least it feels like it does). I've also only played the course either very early in the season or very late.

Side note: Some of the easiest courses for me are: Pineview, Hammond, Cloverdale Links, Meadows, Anderson Links.

[LobWedge]

Rating and slope will definitely not answer that.

Assuming we are talking back tees.

1. Loch March
2. Marshes
3. Stonebridge

100% agree. LM forces you to play a lot of different shots, puts a premium on tee shots, and has 4 really tough par-3s. Marshes is all about length. The greens are large and receptive, it just takes a while to get to them. Lots of long irons/woods. SB is all about keeping it in play, and finding the right part of the green on your approach, or at least missing in the right spots if you don't.

[Nimm]

1. Loch March:
2. Marshes
3 Upper Canada
4. Renfrew
5. Stonebridge

[nokids]

Thank you for the replies. My friend and I play Meadows and Greensmere exclusively and this week we wanted to try something different. He suggested Loch March. Looks like we're in for a real treat!

[jvincent]

I double-dog dare you to play from the Gold tees.

[Nimm]

I double-dog dare you to play from the Gold tees.

We play Loch March every Sat morning, yes we go back to the golds from time to time, I find it narrows the driving area as who are usually driving out of a chute..

I almost forgot, Montebello is an honorable mention for the list

[jvincent]

That and the par 3's generally all play over 200 yards.

The first time I played the golds it took me a while to find the tee box for #10.

[LobWedge]

The first time I played the golds it took me a while to find the tee box for #10.

Pretty tough tee shot, especially if the patio's busy.

[nokids]

I double-dog dare you to play from the Gold tees.

this friday i'll have to do whites because my partner (who is 100-105 from whites on easy courses) wont go farther back than whites, and wont let me tee off from gold because it somehow makes him look bad. maybe saturday or sunday i'll tee off from gold since i'll go with a different partner or go solo.

i teed off from blue once and the extra distance made me tired, but my score wasn't any more negative than usual. i think it's a good idea to tee off farther away if you want to challenge yourself and get better.

[Kilroy]

i think it's a good idea to tee off farther away if you want to challenge yourself and get better.

That depends on your ability. A 12 hcp who averages over 220 yards can challenge himself by moving back to a course longer that 6400 yards, but I would not recommend it for a 20 hcp who either sprays it or does not hit an average drive over 200 yards.

[jvincent]

this friday i'll have to do whites because my partner (who is 100-105 from whites on easy courses) wont go farther back than whites, and wont let me tee off from gold because it somehow makes him look bad. maybe saturday or sunday i'll tee off from gold since i'll go with a different partner or go solo.

i teed off from blue once and the extra distance made me tired, but my score wasn't any more negative than usual. i think it's a good idea to tee off farther away if you want to challenge yourself and get better.

Definitely play the whites with your friend on Friday. He would not stand a chance from the golds.

[Nimm]

Pretty tough tee shot, especially if the patio's busy.

Or a lot of traffic coming from the cart pen or # 18

[Eldred]

Not exactly in Ottawa, but if you can drive 90 minutes to it..Played Cornwall on the weekend. They musta prepped the course for a Saturday tournament which was postponed due to rain (which was barely a drizzle). We got to play an immaculate track. Greens were the fastest we've even played on. Fairly approachable green but hard to keep your putts on!! I've three putts countless time. Overall very similar to Outaouais and Cedarhill.

[skylee64]

1. Marshes
2. Loch March
3. Dragonfly
4. Greensmere
5. Stonebridge

[stevek]

1- Marshes
2- Loch March
3- Calabogie
4- Glen Mar (Tiny Greens, Viscious Rough)
5- Mississippi

[nokids]

has anyone ever played Royal Laurentien in Mont Tremblant? i took the 2 hour drive last year to play there and it was just beauuutiful. http://www.royallaurentien.com/index2.htm
shot in the 100's though.

[fundonny]

I played that one almost 15 years ago. Just remember it being nice, and lots of uphill shots.

[LongHitta]

1. Loch March
2. Renfrew
3. Outauoais
4. Marshes
5. Upper Canada & Stonebridge (tie)

[golfgod]

1) Glen Lawrence

2) Marshes

3) Poplar Grove (red&White)

4) BearBrook... (all the Mud)

5) Nation (long walk)

6) HawkesBury Golf and Country Club (best around)

[nokids]

i'm taking a tour of Loch March course with google earth, pretty cool. lots of water.

[stevek]

i'm taking a tour of Loch March course with google earth, pretty cool. lots of water.

Google may not show the elevations. I believe this course has the most elevation of any course in the area. The club house overlooks many of the holes from a great height. (#1, #10, #14, and #17 are all with-in view of the club-house)

Other than the no-see-em bugs this is my favorite course.

[nokids]

Google may not show the elevations. I believe this course has the most elevation of any course in the area. The club house overlooks many of the holes from a great height. (#1, #10, #14, and #17 are all with-in view of the club-house)

Other than the no-see-em bugs this is my favorite course.

you're right, google doesn't show any elevations.