The Marshes

[mpare]

I had the privilege of playing The Marshes on Father's Day. Wow. This is a great golf course for any number of reasons. It is a tough, but fair, track with great strategic value. The greens, both in terms of design and pace, are perfect. So are the fairways and traps. The multiple tees are set up to accommodate almost anyone's game. The staff is friendly, courteous and helpful. The clubhouse made me want to take up residence there. On the negative side ... and I'm straining here to find a negative, there is a cart only policy. But that restriction won't lessen your enjoyment for two reasons. There is a graphic GPS system in each cart and the carts are allowed on the fairways. Now I know how the PGA boys feel when they're being helped with yardages by their caddies. Our groups did not hit any shots when we did not know the actual yardage to the pin, to the hazzard, over a bunker... you get the point. Now if we could only figure out how to get a Ottawa Golf Tour event scheduled there. Steve and Dan, can you work your magic?

[Kilroy]

Hehehe Yup. It is certainly a treat. Not sure the Tour members would ante up for an event there though. But hey, if there is enough interest it could happen.

[NoBack]

I had the privilege of playing The Marshes on Father's Day. Wow. This is a great golf course for any number of reasons. It is a tough, but fair, track with great strategic value. The greens, both in terms of design and pace, are perfect. So are the fairways and traps. The multiple tees are set up to accommodate almost anyone's game. The staff is friendly, courteous and helpful. The clubhouse made me want to take up residence there.

But did you like it?

[EDSGOLF]

I had the privilege of playing The Marshes on Father's Day. Wow. This is a great golf course for any number of reasons. It is a tough, but fair, track with great strategic value. The greens, both in terms of design and pace, are perfect. So are the fairways and traps. The multiple tees are set up to accommodate almost anyone's game. The staff is friendly, courteous and helpful. The clubhouse made me want to take up residence there. On the negative side ... and I'm straining here to find a negative, there is a cart only policy. But that restriction won't lessen your enjoyment for two reasons. There is a graphic GPS system in each cart and the carts are allowed on the fairways. Now I know how the PGA boys feel when they're being helped with yardages by their caddies. Our groups did not hit any shots when we did not know the actual yardage to the pin, to the hazzard, over a bunker... you get the point. Now if we could only figure out how to get a Ottawa Golf Tour event scheduled there. Steve and Dan, can you work your magic?

Thanks for the good golf report, nice to hear positive comments about local courses.

[GarthM]

Hehehe Yup. It is certainly a treat. Not sure the Tour members would ante up for an event there though. But hey, if there is enough interest it could happen.

If you wait until they do their August Twilight specials again this year it's more affordable. I believe it was $75 last year.

GarthM

[Kilroy]

Hmmm... may have to look into that. Thanks Garth

[faldo]

It was $55 last year (1/2 price). We indulged twice....

[GarthM]

It was $55 last year (1/2 price). We indulged twice....

Wasn't it $75 with $20 in Marshes $$$? Regardless it is a great deal. You can't play Eagle Creek with a cart for $75 at prime time (unless you are in the know.....)

[wantobegolfer]

Took my father to "The marshes" for a fathers day treat...What an amazing golf course, wow. I suppose when you pay that kind of price, it's to be expected but was I impressed or what. The fairways and greens were mint, the staff in the pro shop were wonderful and guess what? there's going to be a couple more treats coming up before the end of the season, you can count on that...

wantobegolfer

[freddy]

I'm looking forward to it sometimes in August. I live a little down the road from there and would be a shame to miss out seeing as it is so close.

[guyinottawa]

Marshes is by far the best course in Ottawa even if you have to cart. If you haven't played Marshes yet then put it into your schedule. It's worth it just for the experience. Two tier fairways, beautiful greens and tees, awesome sand. The second hole, par 5 is impossible buy incredible! Enjoy

[jvincent]

Marshes is by far the best course in Ottawa even if you have to cart. If you haven't played Marshes yet then put it into your schedule. It's worth it just for the experience. Two tier fairways, beautiful greens and tees, awesome sand. The second hole, par 5 is impossible buy incredible! Enjoy

I'll take Eagle Creek or Stonebridge over the Marshes any day.

Mostly because of their stupid cart only policy, but it's not an exceptionally better course IMHO either.

[Colby]

I'll take Eagle Creek or Stonebridge over the Marshes any day.

Mostly because of their stupid cart only policy, but it's not an exceptionally better course IMHO either.

The mandatory cart policy is an issue for some people. If you play the course, some of the distances between the holes may be an issue, especially if the group behind you is in a cart. Between 6 and 7, 11-12, 15-16, these all have some good distances as you have to go under the road to get to the next tee. Aslo the use of GPS in the cart for a casual round lets the pro shop monitor pace of play.

Stonebridge is a nice course, but is not in the league of the Marshes. The service at the bag drop, the existence of a clubhouse, sensible greens and some proper length to the course makes it different. A free range with the round doesn't hurt either.

Eagle Creek is pretty much on a par with The Marshes. It's still ranked in the Top 100 courses in Canada, but I think in the next round of voting, you will see The Marshes enter the list. The clubhouse at Eagle Creek is nice, but the one at The Marshes is better. Nicer colour also. Last time I was at Eagle Creek, a couple of Saturdays ago, the place was a ghost town. Saturday AM, we teed off just around 8am. The conditions were great, and a good pace of play, finished in just over 4 hours, and grabbed a bite on the patio. We ordered some food and drinks, and were the only group out there. During the course of eating, only two groups came in off of 18. It's a shame to see so few people out there. The weather was spectacular, so it wasn't that.

[jvincent]

Stonebridge is a nice course, but is not in the league of the Marshes. The service at the bag drop, the existence of a clubhouse, sensible greens and some proper length to the course makes it different. A free range with the round doesn't hurt either.

I agree that the Marshes out "services" Stonebridge.

I won't comment on the greens since that's a hot button for a lot of people.

In terms of length though the Marshes is one of those artificially long courses. From the Gold tees, which nobody plays I'm sure, most of the length is in the par 5s. Compared to the Blacks at SB, which I usually play, the Marshes is only 500 yards longer.

If you take the par 5s at the Marshes and compare them to the par 5s and two of the par 4s at SB, that accounts for 607 yards. SB plays a LOT harder than the Marshes, which is set up for the "executive traveller" type.

[mr shank]

I won't comment on the greens since that's a hot button for a lot of people.

IMO all the more reason to comment on the greens! I'm playing there for the first time next week & wouldn't mind your opinion on them.

Compared to the Blacks at SB, which I usually play, the Marshes is only 500 yards longer.

500 yards is fairly substantial for the average golfer, even if it is on the par 5's.

SB plays a LOT harder than the Marshes, which is set up for the "executive traveller"

I have played SB several times. All things being equal, I can expect to score better at Marshes?

[jvincent]

IMO all the more reason to comment on the greens! I'm playing there for the first time next week & wouldn't mind your opinion on them.

500 yards is fairly substantial for the average golfer, even if it is on the par 5's.

I have played SB several times. All things being equal, I can expect to score better at Marshes?

I was referring to the SB greens. There's nothing tremendously hard about the greens at the Marshes.

Don't forget that those 500 yards are added over the course of 18 strokes (6 holes X 3 per hole) which is about 27 per stroke. Plus the fact that the Marshes has 6 par 5s to SBs 4. In short, the par 4s and 3s are harder at SB. Most people can manage par 5s, even if they are long.

Hard to say if you'll score better. I'll have a bad day at an "easy" course every now and then because I won't concentrate as hard as I should.

[Colby]

I agree that the Marshes out "services" Stonebridge.

I won't comment on the greens since that's a hot button for a lot of people.

In terms of length though the Marshes is one of those artificially long courses. From the Gold tees, which nobody plays I'm sure, most of the length is in the par 5s. Compared to the Blacks at SB, which I usually play, the Marshes is only 500 yards longer.

If you take the par 5s at the Marshes and compare them to the par 5s and two of the par 4s at SB, that accounts for 607 yards. SB plays a LOT harder than the Marshes, which is set up for the "executive traveller" type.

What do you mean "artificially" long? Do they use transport machines to get it to 7000 yards? Does this mean that any course at 7000+ yards is "artificially" long? Is Eagle Creek "artificially" long at almost 7100 yards? Stonebridge was built to raise the price of houses that Monarch was selling, an "artificial" golf course community, as was Kanata. The length of the course is important because it had to fit into the housing plan! And housing is important to Monarch. One of the last rounds I played at Stonebridge the Marshall on the West side mentioned that the plans were to tear down the driving range for housing. I just couldn't believe that.

But let's compare apples to apples. Back tees at Stonebridge, which is the only way to make the course a decent length, and the blue tees at The Marshes, lengths which are fairly comparable.

Stonebridge plays 6517 from the back tees, The Marshes plays 6488, so Stonebridge is longer by 30 yards. The course rating, which is what a scratch golfer is expected to shoot, is also very close. Stonebridge is 71.1, while The Marshes is 71.5. So the RCGA course rater felt that the Marshes was a tiny bit tougher with a scratch golfer shooting on average, 0.5 strokes higher at The Marshes. For the bogey golfer, Stonebridge is much tougher with a slope rating of 132 vs. 128 at The Marshes, and I would lay money on it being the greens and a couple of long par 3's, W2 and E2.

And you have to talk about the greens. Do you like hitting into W5 green when it's pin placement #2? Or the silliness that is E1? You should be rewarded for a good shot into a green, not be prepared to 3-4-5 putt. I don't mind greens that are big, have some break, are fast/slow, whatever. But if I can't stick a chip close to the hole except by luck, or hope your ball finds the cup instead of breaking hard and you end up further than you started. I feel like Phil Mickelson on 17 at the US Open!

I'll still play the course, more often than I will play the Marshes at $115 taxes in. But if I want a special day, I will go to the Marshes, Stonebridge I will play twilight, or more often when Clublink takes it over , but never at full price.

[jvincent]

By artificially long, I mean that they have these super long par 5s where most of the course's length comes from. I would have preferred to have a bunch of tough par 4s.

Comparing those two tees you have to remember that SB is rated OVER par while the Marshes is rated UNDER par. I personally think SB should be a par 70 with E9 being a par 4.

Nothing wrong with the W5 green #2. That's actually the easy pin placement if I'm remembering correctly (that's the front one right?). E1 is an easy par 5 if you want to hit the green in 3. You hit your layup down near the 100 yard marker so you can throw a nice soft wedge at the green. Two putts for par. If you want to make eagle, you better be able to hit a really high long iron or plan on chipping it in. It's designed to hold wedges/short irons as third shots, nothing wrong with that.

[Colby]

By artificially long, I mean that they have these super long par 5s where most of the course's length comes from. I would have preferred to have a bunch of tough par 4s.

Comparing those two tees you have to remember that SB is rated OVER par while the Marshes is rated UNDER par. I personally think SB should be a par 70 with E9 being a par 4.

What? Where do these ratings come from? I've never seen an OVER par or UNDER par rating on the RCGA website.

Nothing wrong with the W5 green #2. That's actually the easy pin placement if I'm remembering correctly (that's the front one right?). E1 is an easy par 5 if you want to hit the green in 3. You hit your layup down near the 100 yard marker so you can throw a nice soft wedge at the green. Two putts for par. If you want to make eagle, you better be able to hit a really high long iron or plan on chipping it in. It's designed to hold wedges/short irons as third shots, nothing wrong with that.

Everytime I've played the #2 position on W5, it's tucked far right, behind the traps and on a little inverted bowl. Reasonable shots filter down into the back collection area all day long. And that's the way I play E1, a shot down into the hollow beside the water, pitch up to the green and then start paraying that you actually hit the hole on your second putt. I've seen putts break three feet on E1, and you are only putting four feet! I would be ecstatic with a 2 putt on that green.

[jvincent]

What? Where do these ratings come from? I've never seen an OVER par or UNDER par rating on the RCGA website.

SB = Par 71, so a 71.1 rating is over par. The Marshes is a par 72, so it is rated under par. Yes, I know, the ratings are not with respect to par. I was just pointing out that if a course has a par of 80, but is rated as only a 71 that shooting par isn't such a great feat.

Everytime I've played the #2 position on W5, it's tucked far right, behind the traps and on a little inverted bowl. Reasonable shots filter down into the back collection area all day long. And that's the way I play E1, a shot down into the hollow beside the water, pitch up to the green and then start paraying that you actually hit the hole on your second putt. I've seen putts break three feet on E1, and you are only putting four feet! I would be ecstatic with a 2 putt on that green.

I messed up which position was #2 on W5. Since they moved to 3 positions from 4 I haven't fully reprogrammed the brain. Yes, that isn't a particulary friendly one, but c'est la vie.

I've had my share of 3 putts on E1, but I've parred it many more times than I've made bogey and I've carded a few birdies as well.

Like I originally said, I didn't want to bring up the greens, since they are a bone of contention. I think that forcing you to hit a specific part of a green is a good thing. And if you're going to miss, make sure you miss in the right spot.

Don't get me wrong, before they moved to thee pin positions you always had at least one or two wacky hole locations at SB per round. I haven't seen one since they moved. Does that mean I never three putt there? I wish. But at least now they are usually my fault. Usually when I put the ball on the wrong level. They still have plenty of tough pin positions, but they are all puttable IMHO.

[Colby]

SB = Par 71, so a 71.1 rating is over par. The Marshes is a par 72, so it is rated under par. Yes, I know, the ratings are not with respect to par. I was just pointing out that if a course has a par of 80, but is rated as only a 71 that shooting par isn't such a great feat.



I messed up which position was #2 on W5. Since they moved to 3 positions from 4 I haven't fully reprogrammed the brain. Yes, that isn't a particulary friendly one, but c'est la vie.

I've had my share of 3 putts on E1, but I've parred it many more times than I've made bogey and I've carded a few birdies as well.

Like I originally said, I didn't want to bring up the greens, since they are a bone of contention. I think that forcing you to hit a specific part of a green is a good thing. And if you're going to miss, make sure you miss in the right spot.

Don't get me wrong, before they moved to thee pin positions you always had at least one or two wacky hole locations at SB per round. I haven't seen one since they moved. Does that mean I never three putt there? I wish. But at least now they are usually my fault. Usually when I put the ball on the wrong level. They still have plenty of tough pin positions, but they are all puttable IMHO.

I haven't played since they moved to 3 positions, so I will have to see what that is like.

And I don't dislike the course, I enjoy playing there, and I've scored well, and I've scored bad. It's not a place that I would frequent all of the time. I enjoy the West 9 better now, especially since the housing exploded on the East course, but that is coming on the West side too :cryin Playing at the Marshes last Friday, I had a chance to see deer on two separate occasions, it's quiet and peaceful, and is a relaxing round. Yeah it's got some buildings, and the Marshes Village is there now, but nowhere near what SB is going through. The conditions at both courses are always good, so it's just preference and where you can afford to play more frequently. Two rounds at SB, or one at the Marshes