Greensmere??

[molson09]

I'm thinking of playing Greensmere this weekend but I want to make sure that it's in decent conditions. Like are there any temporary greens or tee boxes still? So if anyone has played it I would appreciate your comments. Thanks!!

[spidey]

Last time I played at Greensmere there were no temporary tees or greens. All the fairways, tees and greens are fully grown in and improving daily.

The rough and sand, and various hazards are a different story. Most of the rough has not fully grown in, so there is a great deal of "ground under repair". But, as a work in progress, it's still a far nicer golf course than MANY of the established ones about town.

Some of the bentgrass is coming in slowly, such as in shaded areas, etc. I'm sure that some of the grass will require you to be careful, and possibly to fix your footmarks on some of the slow-growing grassy areas.

I don't think you need to worry about getting your money's worth. I'm pretty sure the greens fees are below anything else in the Ottawa vicinity, and the golf is superior to much of it.

Enjoy yourself, and come on back and tell us what you think.

spidey

[gbower]

I play Greensmere most days and it's holding up great in this drought. The rough needs rain to get the grass growing again but the fairways and greens are doing really well. There are still some weak tee boxes but most are coming along good. Big problem there is the number of people that do the twist on the tee shot.

You can now book tee times by phoning 839-7772 three days in advance of playing. It will probably take a few weeks to get everyone to start calling in to book times so this weekend may still be a matter of lining up on #1 for teeing off.

Enjoy and let us all know what you think.

Gerry

[HÄnd|cÄp]

I just booked for Saturday, and couldn't believe it was only #20, I have friends flying in from Boston to play so i hope it is decent??

[LongHitta]

I also have a tee-time for Saturday, and the guy i was talking to said that the course is in great condition tee to green, but actually seeing it will be another story i'm sure, and most of us don't stay tee to green. either way, i'm very interested to see what its like!!

[spidey]

Pretty quiet in the response dept. Guess they didn't like the course... or their responses were censored.

[NoBack]

I just played Greensmere this morning and I thought the course was two totally different nines. What I mean by this is ...... we started on the back nine first. The teeblocks were very nice indeed, the layout was very very pleasing to play, lots of mounds and bunkers, very tough if you spray your tee shots. Fairways were playable. If you keep it in the middle, you will enjoy it much more. The greens are big and have lots of great spots to put the flags. Some will even be very very difficult to reach with wind. BUT they are new and dont accept the ball as much as they eventually will. The ball DOES roll true and THAT is was is most important for me on the greens. One can adjust to hitting approach shots short to roll up and stop.

The front nine for some reason is not in the same boat as the back. I thought the fairways on the front were very thin on grass and had lots of rocks under what grass there was. But it IS new and will grow in over time.

Overall............. for $20..........GO!!!!
btw..........VERY walkable.......the elevated tees are ok cause you can leave your bag at the bottom before walking to the tee.

[HÄnd|cÄp]

Greensmere - so not ready to be opened, I enjoyed hitting of clay in the
middle of the fairway on the front nine

[statsfreak]

Had a chance to play Greensmere for the second time this season yesterday morning (great weather also by the way) and that course is coming along wonderfully.

I was last out there in mid-September, and in the past month the fairways have really come in marvelously. It was soggy yesterday because of the rain over night, but aside from that the coverage of the fairways now appears to be complete and I didn't have a bad lie all day. The greens were fantastic even a month ago when I was last out, but they were even better yesterday. Despite the wet, they were firm and fairly quick. They should hold up really well under all conditions I would imagine.

Too bad its so late in the season, since I would love to get out there a couple of more times. Looking forward to next year now I guess.

[Kilroy]

Amazing what some rain will do. I am glad to hear this

[spidey]

....and some awesome greenskeepers....

smile

[mr shank]

All of you people who are raving about Greensmere really need to get out to some better courses. This place is nowhere near being ready, and even when it is, it still won't be a great place to play. The back nine is well designed but too short, even from the tips. The front nine looks like it was designed by someone who has never played golf. For all those who think this is a great deal, take a drive south of the border & you can get golf at municipal courses for the same $$ but most are far superior to Greensmere.

[faldo]

Total agreement. I can only re-post what we put up back in Mid-August...........

FALCONRIDGE & GREENSMERE course reviews

We tackled both the latest additions to OTTAWA golf this week.

FALCONRIDGE is the 1st half of the "Championship" course being introduced at
RACWVIEW (across from Rideau Carleton).

GREENSMERE is on the road towards Almonte.

NO, NO, NO to both. Run from both, even for free!!!!
They are so new that they are hopeless.
G. has no fairways, clubhouse, beer, parking lot, etc....
F. has hopeless greens & not much else...

They might be worth a look late next season??
Save yourselves a lot of frustration (& some cash).

You're welcome........

[Kilroy]

Well, it would be nice if courses could be 5 years mature, and all amenities in place on the first day they open.

I am a bit surprised at what golfers expect for $20. Rates reflect the growing in conditions they offer. Do you remember this summer's drought? I know that there were a lot of courses suffering in the dry weather, and ponds were almost depleted in August. This had to be the worst year imaginable for growing in a brand new course.

If you would rather play a mature course, go ahead. To say that these courses are not worth playing, "even for free", is uncalled for.

[statsfreak]

Originally posted by mr shank
For all those who think this is a great deal, take a drive south of the border & you can get golf at municipal courses for the same $$ but most are far superior to Greensmere. [/B]

mr shank, you're probably right there are superior courses for the same price south of the border, but who wants to jump in the car for a quick 18 during an afternoon off work and drive to Myrtle Beach. It might make getting home for supper a little tough, eh? And I'll bet the gas, meal, and motel costs will soon make the cost of the 18 south of the border a little more expensive. Oh, and don't forget the exchange rate on the $US is now $1.62 Canadian.

[JimmyW]

Originally posted by faldo


FALCONRIDGE is the 1st half of the "Championship" course being introduced at
RACWVIEW (across from Rideau Carleton).

NO, NO, NO to both. Run from both, even for free!!!!
They are so new that they are hopeless.

F. has hopeless greens & not much else...

They might be worth a look late next season??
Save yourselves a lot of frustration (& some cash).

You're welcome........

I noticed that you graced us with your humble opinion about a course that hadn't even been open for the public yet. I was there that day too. The Fri. before the public opening was solely for friends of the owners and their guests. I know for a fact that you didn't pay for the round, the cart, or probably even the first beer.

The fairways are wide, the rough is rough, the greens are big (if you hit them) and the holes are long. The greens weren't bare, (young yes, bare no) and the fairways probably had more green in them than you had in your wallet that day. :crying

Where else can you play a 7600 yd course for $25.00?

Your Welcome..........

JW

[faldo]

Whoa, whoa, whoa everyone. It's nice to find something we can all discuss so agreeably.

All I said was that my group felt they opened the course way too soon. I didn't say we didn't like the course.
My group will be back to the "GREEN" next summer. We'll probably just wait for a favorable review at "OttwawGolf" next year.

PS. we went the first week (Monday) & paid our $20 to the guy sitting at the card table in the parking lot. Not on the all-for-free-day....

[mr shank]

Hey statsfreak, i wasn't suggetsing driving to Myrtle Beach for an afternoon, but your attempt at humour(?)was not lost on me. How about C driving to Canton,NY area, it's less than an hour away, they have great courses, and take canadian $$ at par. Beats the hell outta Greensmere.

[Christian]

Well, I have been reading with great interest this thread as it relates to Greenmere (and I am biased being a LIFER).

I take some exception to the comments of Mr shank and Faldo regarding their criticisms of the condition of the course as well as its design.

The conditions:
1) The course opened in July of THIS YEAR and we went through a prolonged dry spell (remember??). Growth of rough and fairways was negatively impacted. Generally, the greens were in quite good condition throughout considering their age.
2) Conditions will only improve as time passes.
3) Bunkering will soon follow as will the strategic planting of trees on the front nine.

I played last Sunday and the rough is now becoming penal in many places. Next year, the course will require you to put it in the fairway or you will have no hope of getting on the green in regulation. I also challenge anyone to play the front nine in strong wind (true links style golf)!!

The design:
1) I am a low handicapper and find the design challenging enough from the gold tees. I enjoy the mix of links style and US style in the same 18. Both nines have holes that favour either a draw or a fade (#8 fade - #9 draw), (#13 draw - #15 fade, #16 draw - #18 fade)...... I think everyone gets the picture.
2) The greens are large which puts a premium on putting. You can have a three club difference depending on pin placement. It also allows for several nifty pin placements (play #12 when the pin is tucked well right!?).
3) The course is PLAYABLE for any level of golfer and a challenge for any golfer (as opposed to a course like Stonebridge where even a good shot can be trouble).

All the golfing friends who have joined me for rounds at Greensmere have been delighted with the course and don't care about the clubhouse, parking lot etc... For $25 on weekends, good luck finding a better value for your dollar in Ottawa!

Looking forward to a long stay at Greensmere!!!!

[mr shank]

Regardless of the many reasons listed, Greensmere is NOT ready for play. No one cares that it was one of the worst growing season ever, that's not the point. The point is, this course is a far cry from being "playable". Christian says he is a low handicap & finds it challenging from the tips. I find that hard to believe, I am an 8 handicap & don't find it challenging from any of the blocks. Bring a scratch golfer there and he'll laugh. In a few years though, the grass will grow in & being so close to the city it will be worth playing,but to say the course is ready this year is a joke.

[Christian]

I agree that the course is not anywhere near its potential. But to say that it is not playable, not worth playing or not challenging is an opinion shared by very few.

By the way, I am a 2 handicap and the best round that I have managed at Greensmere is a 69 (and my handicap has not significantly changed from when I was a member at Kanata Lakes). I regularly play with two others who are a 2 and 3 handicaps respectively. Surprisingly enough, neither of them have complained about conditions and have returned to Greenmere on almost every weekend (even though they have memberships elsewhere - including one at Rivermead). They have enjoyed the layout and have "vision" for what Greensmere might ultimately look like.

The prevailing opinion that I have received from green fee players is that the course is in surprisingly good condition for its age, has lots of potential and is a fair test of golf.

I guess I will see you in a couple of years then. In the meantime, I will enjoy watching the course mature around me!!!

[mr shank]

Christian if your buddy has a membership at Rivermead & he's paying green fees to play Greensmere he needs to give his head a shake. Incidentally, last time I was at Greensmere an older gentleman, who I believe was the owner told my buddies & I a great story about Stan Kolar & Moe Norman. That was worth the $20 green fees in itself.

[faldo]

"The prevailing opinion that I have received from green fee players is that the course is in surprisingly good condition for its age."....

Well, time to hop on the bandwagon again. Can't let Shanky sink by himself.

Mr. Christain, please re-read above what you wrote.
I think that totally supports our position about the "GREEN". For it's age it shouldn't have opened............
I'm sure we both hope it will end up a real treat BUT it sure wasn't this golf season.

Enjoy the off-season. God, I hate to say that!!

[spidey]

Remind me not to hire you two for advertising when I open my next golf course. For crying out loud, if it weren't for the fact that this is Dan's site and I know he doesn't want his advertisers maligned, I'd list off a whack of places that I would sooner skip in favour of Greensmere, even in the shape it was when it opened.

shank and faldo, you guys must be members of some ritzy place, if you can't stand the conditions at Greensmere. And considering that there were many weekends when they had to turn people away because it was booked solid, only tells me that your opinions are not in the majority.

keep your chin up, Chris

spidey

[mr shank]

No one was implying that Greensmere is not a decent track. It is. However, it would have been better had the course had a chance to mature a little. On the other hand, they need $$ to pay for the course so they had to open.
As for myself, I play at courses all over the Ottawa region, that have excellent conditioning and are not considered "ritzy"
The fact that Greensmere was booked solid all summer only means we have too many rabid golfers in the region. Every course, good or bad is booked every weekend all summer. I will be giving Greensmere another shot next summer in hopes that we have a better growing season & they get some grass growing in.

[spidey]

mr shank says...
No one was implying that Greensmere is not a decent track. It is.

and yet, mr shank said...
Regardless of the many reasons listed, Greensmere is NOT ready for play. No one cares that it was one of the worst growing season ever, that's not the point. The point is, this course is a far cry from being "playable".

Hmmm, feel free to backtrack any time you like, sir.

spidey

[mr shank]

Okay Spidey, let me try & explain this in the simplest of terms for you. Greensmere was not ready for play this summer, and shouldn't have been open.
This does not mean grass will NEVER grow at Greensmere, & although it is a bit short, it will be a decent track if the conditioning is good.
Get it?? :crying

[NoBack]

Ok ........ so here the results. 1 of us with a Very good review
3 with a Good review
3 with Bad reviews
and 2 of us with bad reviews but would change to Good review with age.
.:freak5


Spidey (aug 8)...............Last time I played at Greensmere there were no temporary tees or greens. All the fairways, tees and greens are fully grown in and improving daily.

gbower(aug 9)..............I play Greensmere most days and it's holding up great in this drought.

nine1(sept 12)...............I thought the fairways on the front were very thin on grass and had lots of rocks under what grass there was. But it IS new and will grow in over time.

Handicap(oct 1).........Greensmere - so not ready to be opened, I enjoyed hitting of clay in the middle of the fairway on the front nine.

stastfreak(oct 21)......course is coming along wonderfully.
I was last out there in mid-September, and in the past month the fairways have really come in marvelously.

mr shank(nov 2)..........This place is nowhere near being ready, and even when it is, it still won't be a great place to play. The back nine is well designed but too short, even from the tips. The front nine looks like it was designed by someone who has never played golf.

faldo(nov 2)...............They are so new that they are hopeless.
G. has no fairways, clubhouse, beer, parking lot, etc....
F. has hopeless greens & not much else...
They might be worth a look late next season??

JimmyW(nov 3)............The fairways are wide, the rough is rough, the greens are big (if you hit them) and the holes are long. The greens weren't bare, (young yes, bare no) and the fairways probably had more green in them than you had in your wallet that day.

Christian(nov 8)..............I agree that the course is not anywhere near its potential



P.S. I would think ALL of us will play there again next year and will have this discussion one more time.

[Kilroy]

Sounds pretty good for a first year to me.

"For it's age it shouldn't have opened"
"better had the course had a chance to mature a little"


Man oh man, just how long would you expect them to sit by watching the course "mature" and not generate any revenue? We all know that a course is not really mauture for at least 5 years. I would love to see how long you would wait if you were the owner of a new course. Some people just refuse to see the other side.

You could stand in a corn field and wave your $10 bill above your head. The farmer will take it, and let you play, I am sure.

Just kidding, but really...
For $20 it is a great first look at a course that will ultimately rank, and be priced with the better bent grass courses in the area. If they opened and charged $45 on day one I'd agree with you, but that is not the case, is it?

[spidey]

...could be worse... could be that nobody was even talking about it.

spidey