Need opinions: Greyhawk (CL) or Camelot

[lms]

You think Eagle Creek blows away Camelot? Really? Based on what. Just asking...I havent play EC.

For the record I did not say that.

I would say EC and Camelot are both very nice courses.

I said that LeMaitre, Grandview, Rocky Crest, and Lake Joseph are all much nicer than Camelot - they are also much nicer and always in better shape than Eagle Creek.

The bottom line for me is if you are someone who would go to Tremblant and the Muskokas, and/or find yourself in Toronto very often with time to golf, then Clublink seems far ahead of any alternative. Even if I never left Ottawa having access to 5 of the nicer tracks in the city is a pretty compelling reason to join.

If I wanted to play 98% of my golf at the same course, then I would join the nicest course in Ottawa that was an acceptable distance from my home/work.

[3Jack]

Thanks Thunder.
I was wonder who the heck is Allen McGee and why are we supposed to know him!

He's one of the city's best amateur players. Check the results from any local tournament of note and he's up there.

[3Jack]

You think Eagle Creek blows away Camelot? Really? Based on what. Just asking...I havent play EC.

I'll say this - Eagle Creek is a good a course as you'll find, pretty much anywhere. If I had to flip a coin between playing EC or Camelot for the rest of my life, I'd not mind what side of the coin came up, but since EC is part of CL, it's a no brainer.

[habsfan]

Just to let you know, "Allen McGee" does not do that. I have played a good 55% of my games at HP this year and the rest at Kanata basically. I only played EC 6 times this year and Talon once. Predator once. Last year I played alot more towards the Kanata and EC side, but not this year. All in all, Club Link is the best thing that we decided to do golf wise. In 2 years, I have never once not been able to get a tee time somewhere in Ottawa (CL course) calling the morning of...

Camelot is great though...some of the best greens in the city, but I would stay at CL I were given the option.

Good Luck.

sorry man a couple members told me you play 90% off your rounds at Kanata, and made it regualrly to HP for mens night and that was about it, my bad.

[Thunder]

LOL. Thanks 3Jack, and no worries Habsfan. A point to be made, is that it is true, I played a lot of golf at Kanata early in the year, but then the greens got bad so I went to the Creek or elsewhere....point I am trying to make, is that if Camelot starts off the year in terrible shape, you have to play through it til the greens or fairways are nice!! Where as with Gray Hawk or CL, if your home course is bad, just play one of the others til it comes around. Really, Camelot is nice but 5 local courses for the price of one is incredible!!

[3Jack]

LOL. Thanks 3Jack, and no worries Habsfan. A point to be made, is that it is true, I played a lot of golf at Kanata early in the year, but then the greens got bad so I went to the Creek or elsewhere....point I am trying to make, is that if Camelot starts off the year in terrible shape, you have to play through it til the greens or fairways are nice!! Where as with Gray Hawk or CL, if your home course is bad, just play one of the others til it comes around. Really, Camelot is nice but 5 local courses for the price of one is incredible!!

Great point regarding condition issues - if early in the year one course is struggling a bit more than others due to winter, you can migrate like a wise duck!

[parbreaker04]

Hi,
I just played Camelot this morning, if you make your choice on course alone, it is no contest. Camelot by a 100 miles.
Club link gives you different places to play which is great. But course to course no contest, you could take the best holes from Tallon and Pred put them together and still not have one hole I would switch with Camelot.
Parbreaker04

[Colby]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion

[Fairway Fred]

As a casual, non-Ontario, observer to this thread, it seems clear that those who join Club Link join for the ability to access other Club Link courses. Earlier in this thread it mentioned that many private courses have/are developing reciprocal (no charge) agreements with other courses.
I note, from the Camelot website, that they have a reciprocal with Blainvillier (host of the 2009 Canadian Amateur) along with other local courses such as Whitlock and Cataraqui. Camelot will host the 2012 Canadian Amateur and I know that they are in discussions with Royal Colwood in Victoria (host of the 2013 Canadian Amateur) for a reciprocal agreement.
So my question is: when is a Club Link course hosting the Canadian Amateur?
Like most things in life, do you pay for quality or quantity? That, of course, is an individual decision based on individual circumstances.

[Colby]

Actually Fontainebleau hosted the skins game back a few years ago and both Islesmere and Glen Abbey have hosted the Canadian Open over the years (Glen Abbey more times recently), the Ottawa area Clublink courses are all well used in the local Amateur championship (the Citizen) since it's inception.

And I wouldn't call Cataraqui local to Ottawa and Whitlock did not get a good rating here - http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses...course=1833656, although i wouldn't put much faith into that.

And looking at the reciprocal play policy of Camelot, i see a few interesting points:

• Limit of 2 groups per week.
• Reciprocal arrangements are to be one year in length and renegotiated yearly.
• No tee time requests: Tuesdays PM, Wednesdays PM, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays before 1 PM

So how does that affect reciprocal play if I cannot book at a reciprocal course in the afternoon Tuesdays and Wednesdays and before 1PM on weekends and holidays. And if I am the third group that WEEK requesting reciprocal play, I am turned down.

Not much of a policy...

[hoolio]

Don't forget that Eagle Creek used to be a Canadian Tour stop... Not while it was ClubLink, but still shows the quality of the course (not that anyone seemed to be contesting it).

[Colby]

Absolutely. It was the home of the Canadian Tour championship is I remember correctly.

[cobra]

Just solely for Golf....Camelot by a long shot. It's right up there with the nicest courses in the area. It would be just too far for me to join since I live in the west end.

Play the 2 and see for yourself

[lms]

Just solely for Golf....Camelot by a long shot. It's right up there with the nicest courses in the area. It would be just too far for me to join since I live in the west end.

Play the 2 and see for yourself

Camelot is certainly a nicer course than Greyhawk, if you want to play ONE course ....

Camelot does not in any way measure up to many of the courses Clublink offers, nor does its almost non-existent reciprocal play offering compare to the fact one can play any Clublink course as often as one wants.

As for you quality guys, perhaps a check of the top 100 list will make you realize that Camelot is no where to be found, but many Clublink courses are in the list.

[fundonny]

Oops, wrong thread.

[goochy]

As a casual, non-Ontario, observer to this thread, it seems clear that those who join Club Link join for the ability to access other Club Link courses. Earlier in this thread it mentioned that many private courses have/are developing reciprocal (no charge) agreements with other courses.
I note, from the Camelot website, that they have a reciprocal with Blainvillier (host of the 2009 Canadian Amateur) along with other local courses such as Whitlock and Cataraqui. Camelot will host the 2012 Canadian Amateur and I know that they are in discussions with Royal Colwood in Victoria (host of the 2013 Canadian Amateur) for a reciprocal agreement.
So my question is: when is a Club Link course hosting the Canadian Amateur?
Like most things in life, do you pay for quality or quantity? That, of course, is an individual decision based on individual circumstances.

oops...isn't Glen Abbey host of the PGA's Canadian Open a CL course? I think this trumps a Canadian Amateur.
Bottom line here is that they are both great options. CL if you want a bit of variety in courses and Camelot for that slightly more exclusive feel and an undoubtedly excellent course.
Personally, I would choose Greyhawk (I am considering it myself) simply because the opportunity to play a variety of courses and the financing options are not too bad

[DewDuster]

Glen Abbey is the most over-rated golf course in Canada. It's a nice course, valley holes are great, but with all the history and pomp and it's ludicrous high rating, it's such a disappointing experience and does not meet expectations.

The PGA pros hate the course, but it is one of the few courses able to satisfy the demands of a Canadian Open as it is well set up to host a big event. With St. George's, Shaughnessy and Royal Montreal coming up in the next few years, hopefully that contributes a bit to attracting a better field. Hard to overcome the date right after the Open, but having it at Glen Abbey doesn't help.

[goochy]

Glen Abbey is the most over-rated golf course in Canada. It's a nice course, valley holes are great, but with all the history and pomp and it's ludicrous high rating, it's such a disappointing experience and does not meet expectations.

The PGA pros hate the course, but it is one of the few courses able to satisfy the demands of a Canadian Open as it is well set up to host a big event. With St. George's, Shaughnessy and Royal Montreal coming up in the next few years, hopefully that contributes a bit to attracting a better field. Hard to overcome the date right after the Open, but having it at Glen Abbey doesn't help.

Never played it and most likely never will...and those pros are such a fickle lot aren't they...some even struggle with links golf!

I was just saying that to host a PGA Tour event it must have something about it

[DewDuster]

Glen Abbey isn't a terrible course but just very, very over-rated. It's just that with everything you've heard about it, all the Canadian Opens, Nicklaus' first design, ranked in top 20, you expect something special and for the most part it is not. Especially with the price they charge there ($235 prime time). Even Clublink members have to pay a fee to play there.

It's held so many Canadian Opens there because it is designed to host PGA tournaments. Lots of room for spectators, corporate tents (very important) and access to parking. Plus the RCGA used to own it so it was there all the time for a number of years.

Yes the pros are fickle and spoiled but on the other hand they raved about Hamilton and Shaughnessy.

[Colby]

Yes, even Clublink members pay to play. I believe it is $55 plus cart...

[goochy]

point taken

Glen Abbey isn't a terrible course but just very, very over-rated. It's just that with everything you've heard about it, all the Canadian Opens, Nicklaus' first design, ranked in top 20, you expect something special and for the most part it is not. Especially with the price they charge there ($235 prime time). Even Clublink members have to pay a fee to play there.

It's held so many Canadian Opens there because it is designed to host PGA tournaments. Lots of room for spectators, corporate tents (very important) and access to parking. Plus the RCGA used to own it so it was there all the time for a number of years.

Yes the pros are fickle and spoiled but on the other hand they raved about Hamilton and Shaughnessy.

[btasse]

Some pretty good courses from CL have been mentioned in the previous posts. But there are some other unbeleivable course in the TO area outside the Muskokas that you can play.

A few....

Wyndance ..... best CL course and way above Glen Abbey
National Pines
Bond Head
Greystone
Glen Cairn
Heron Point
Blue Spring
Rattlesnake Point


Also would like to point out that many of the CL courses have made the top 100 best courses in Canada year after year. Camelot was never there; Eagle Creek made it a few times if i'm not mistaken.

Camelot was in trouble a couple of years ago and the membership was not pleased with being assessed a bunch of bucks to get the course/clubhouse back in shape.

As with most people who have joined CL it's more with the ability to access all the other courses in the CL network that makes it so attractive.

And if you need to extend the golf season there is also one CL course located in Virginia called Lake Chesdin that is unbeleivable and is open year round (weather permitting).

Haaaaa......

[AJP007]

Thanks for the input.
I made my decision today and joined Camelot.

[Michael]

Some pretty good courses from CL have been mentioned in the previous posts. But there are some other unbeleivable course in the TO area outside the Muskokas that you can play.

A few....

Wyndance ..... best CL course and way above Glen Abbey
National Pines
Bond Head
Greystone
Glen Cairn
Heron Point
Blue Spring
Rattlesnake Point


Also would like to point out that many of the CL courses have made the top 100 best courses in Canada year after year. Camelot was never there; Eagle Creek made it a few times if i'm not mistaken.

Camelot was in trouble a couple of years ago and the membership was not pleased with being assessed a bunch of bucks to get the course/clubhouse back in shape.

As with most people who have joined CL it's more with the ability to access all the other courses in the CL network that makes it so attractive.

And if you need to extend the golf season there is also one CL course located in Virginia called Lake Chesdin that is unbeleivable and is open year round (weather permitting).

Haaaaa......

Can't comment on the CL courses you mentioned, I am sure they are nice. But one thing you should know is that there was no assessment at Camelot a couple of years ago, I am in my fifth year now and I would have remembered such a thing for sure.

[Fairway Fred]

Thanks for the input.
I made my decision today and joined Camelot.

Enjoy!

[wylihof]

Played both a few times over the years....I would rather play Greyhawk everyday.

I'm not a fan of Holes 11-18 at Camelot.

[AJP007]

They are not easy holes that for sure.
Both courses are good and each serves the different needs and tastes for different people.

[habsfan]

Glen Abbey isn't a terrible course but just very, very over-rated. It's just that with everything you've heard about it, all the Canadian Opens, Nicklaus' first design, ranked in top 20, you expect something special and for the most part it is not. Especially with the price they charge there ($235 prime time). Even Clublink members have to pay a fee to play there.

It's held so many Canadian Opens there because it is designed to host PGA tournaments. Lots of room for spectators, corporate tents (very important) and access to parking. Plus the RCGA used to own it so it was there all the time for a number of years.

Yes the pros are fickle and spoiled but on the other hand they raved about Hamilton and Shaughnessy.

at $55 i laugh to anyone who calls that course overated, even my guess at $115 we're more then pleased with there experience, perfect fairways, perfect tee boxes, and the best rolling greens ive ever seen, go with that the history of the course adds to the experience.

[fundonny]

Thanks for the input.
I made my decision today and joined Camelot.

I think you made a great choice, and your game will get better with that practice facility! I'm jealous!

[Colby]

They are not easy holes that for sure.
Both courses are good and each serves the different needs and tastes for different people.

Absolutely! Enjoy your membership!