2023 course conditions

[Marcos]

Like i stated a few days ago, Buckingham greens have been crosscut making them a bit hard to put but, they will be okey within a week. The rest of the course is in good shape.

[Marcos]

Played La Cité in Hawksberry yesterday. Greens in good condition, rolling well, fairways where nice and dry and pretty good. Good bargain at 50.00 including cart. Fun little course and some nice holes.

[Grabster]

Stittsville. Fast, smooth great greens. Dry fairways so lots of roll. Tee box a bit beat up. Bunkers in rough in consistent shape.

Loch. Slow greens, hard bunkers.

[big mac]

What's the word on Stonebridge---they apparently opened on Friday ??

[eez]

What's the word on Stonebridge---they apparently opened on Friday ??

Expensive. $97 plus tax = $110 to cart and play before 4 PM.

[scrollerpete]

Anybody played SandPoint this year, last year it was in real bad shape, no grass in fairway.

[KOKO72]

Perth, Smiths Falls and Upper Canada are all in very good shape. Greens at all 3 courses are rolling very well and quick. Well worth the drive to any of these courses

[Leftymoose]

Anybody played SandPoint this year, last year it was in real bad shape, no grass in fairway.

Played it twice...greens are in good shape, but a bit slow. Tee boxes are the biggest issue, several temporary tee boxes

[eez]

Played it twice...greens are in good shape, but a bit slow. Tee boxes are the biggest issue, several temporary tee boxes

Played Sand Point today and agree with the above comments. However, they were seeding the tee boxes and had a sign up saying to use the Forward tees, but my partner and I seemed to be the only ones heeding the signage. The front desk person didn't mention it, so likely most folks did not see the sign.

When I think of Sand Point over the years, the Greens and apron are usually ok, but the rest of it I play with winter rules ... move the ball to a grassy spot, no penalty

[Johnyc]

Expensive. $97 plus tax = $110 to cart and play before 4 PM.

Holy smokes!

[KOKO72]

What's the word on Stonebridge---they apparently opened on Friday ??

aside from the elevated green fees, how were the course conditions and the new layout?

[Marcos]

Played Kingsway this am. Greens where very nice, rolling well. Fairways nice and dry.

[justsomeguy]

We have a new greenskeeper at Metcalfe this year, and I have to say that he is doing an excellent job and the conditions are very good.

Out of 27 greens there is only one that has a small amount of winter kill (#5 on the 9-hole course). Many of the greens have been very thinly "sliced" recently for aeration, which has little to no effect on putting. Lots of areas in the fairways/rough that have traditionally been in poor condition have been re-seeded, and many of the fairways that have always been soaked after a good rain seem to be draining much better this year. A few trees have been taken out to allow for more sunshine on the greens (#7 on the 9-hole course, #3 and #12 on the 18-hole course), which have reduced the number and duration of frost delays this spring.

If you're a fan of the course (or have never played it), this would be a good time to check it out.

[jeffc]

Played Smugglers Glen today, absolutely mint

[cleek]

aside from the elevated green fees, how were the course conditions and the new layout?

The new layout is ok , conditions are very good but they missed the mark on the greens IMO. The tricky greens Stonebridge was known for are now lacking undulation. Holes 5,6,7 are kinda pedestrian, 5 has a temp green right now. 15th hole par 5 is the new signature hole, great hole. They also changed the green on 10 , it is no longer an elevated green, still a good challenge. I will go back but I can see long hitters playing elsewhere, it’s a tad bit pricey.

[KOKO72]

The new layout is ok , conditions are very good but they missed the mark on the greens IMO. The tricky greens Stonebridge was known for are now lacking undulation. Holes 5,6,7 are kinda pedestrian, 5 has a temp green right now. 15th hole par 5 is the new signature hole, great hole. They also changed the green on 10 , it is no longer an elevated green, still a good challenge. I will go back but I can see long hitters playing elsewhere, it’s a tad bit pricey.

Thanks Cleek.....pricey, especially with a temp green

[KOKO72]

any course condition info on Renfrew and Hawkesbury conditions? booked for both this weekend.

[Marcos]

any course condition info on Renfrew and Hawkesbury conditions? booked for both this weekend.

Playing Hawkberry tomorow morning so let you know but suspect very good conditions as always

[Marcos]

any course condition info on Renfrew and Hawkesbury conditions? booked for both this weekend.

Hawksbery was in fantastic shape tee to green period.

[The Enigma]

Stonebridge...
I played the new back nine last year...lowering the green on Ten was needed as were the changes on 18, lowering and affording more than one angle to the pin(s)...
Overall the new back nine is an improvement, I like it!

I expect to checkout the new front sometime soon-ish...

I always thought Stonebridge was one of the courses that thought of themselves as better than they are/were...

I like what they did on the back...I'll let you know about the front, a few weeks after I've played it, and thought about it.

As always price and quality aren't equitable...

After a round I ask were there any stupid holes...goes to layout
then turf conditions and green speeds...goes to maintenance
next the staff...goes to customer service
and then ask would I have to hold my nose to pay that price again

[KOKO72]

Hawksbery was in fantastic shape tee to green period

Thanks for the update Marcos....looking forward to it....always a fun course to play, especially when it is great shape.

[Marcos]

Thanks for the update Marcos....looking forward to it....always a fun course to play, especially when it is great shape.

Its in the top 3 for me also. Love the layout and the greens and bunkers!!!

[KOKO72]

Renfrew GC is in pretty good shape. They had sanded the greens so they were a tad on the slow side, but overall they are very nice. rough is thick and punishing. Worth the drive.

[KOKO72]

Hawksbery was in fantastic shape tee to green period

Hawkesbury conditions were amazing. Greens were very fast and conditioning was excellent. They took out the middle tier of the 14th green. 2 tier green now which makes it more playable and rewards a good shot to the proper level. Well worth the drive

[MarcArt]

Loyalist Golf & Country Club near Bath, Ontario is in great shape. I played it on Saturday and the greens were true and fairways as good as any in the Ottawa region. I had never played Loyalist before, and found it to compare to its course architect's Ottawa course design, that of Stonebridge (Baker was Stonebridge's original course designer). In reading a little about Ted Baker, there are criticisms about his exclusive work with a developer, and the uniqueness of his designs perhaps lacking as a result of his singular association with the developer.

Here is a critical article that touches on Baker's work.

https://canadiangolfer.com/2008/11/2.../#comment-9780

[leftylucas]

Thanks MarcArt, I have a coupon to play there so this is great news.

[big mac]

What happened at Sorcier ?? Fairways as hard as rock---t-boxes terrible---high rough--greens uncut ???? Not worth 80.00 plus the ferry--JMHO

[MarcArt]

Thanks MarcArt, I have a coupon to play there so this is great news.

You're most welcome, if you 'liked' Stonebridge (I haven't played it under its new configuration), or Equinelle or parkland/links combination courses, you'll be pleased with Loyalist...

[cleek]

Anyone been out to Dragonfly lately? Looking for an update on conditions / thx

[cleek]

Played Canadian west on Friday , very nice shape overall. I like what they did with #12, they removed several trees from the dog leg left.