matt.heitto

I played in the Annual fall scramble at Cardinal Golf Club 2 weekends ago.  Some friends from work and I started last year and actually won it… so we decided to try it again.  This year, we weren’t so lucky, but we had a great time.  I actually played the most consistent round of the year.  I’m curious as to what my real score would have been.

Unfortunately, that was the last time I was out and despite the unusually warm weather of late, I’ve been stuck at work.  Golfless.

This season was a good one for me.  I got out and played some new tracks, met some new people and enjoyed regular company.  I resisted the overwhelming urge to join ClubLink yet again.  Played some solid and not so solid golf.  It was a good year.

With the wedding coming up next year, I doubt I’ll be able to enjoy it as much as I did this year, but I’m still optimistic.  With any luck, I’ll keep up with the golf industry throughout the winter and maybe write another blog or two, but I highly doubt it.

Until next season!

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting the National Pines course, which is another ClubLink owned property. For the 2nd year in a row, I was able to play it the weekend before the Canadian Tour Championships. Having this luxury, I was able to experience some of the conditions the pros go through. This includes excessively long rough, harder and faster greens and overall just good conditions.

As much as I want to forget my front nine, which was one of the worst starts in a number of years. I certainly couldn’t forget the condition the course was in. Freshly off another evening/night of rain, underneath a cloudless sky with temperatures in the mid-20’s… I couldn’t ask for anything more.

One of the most difficult things I found about the course is your tee shot. What I’ve found is that most courses will impose a dogleg that starts around half way through a hole or further out. At National Pines, the dogleg often started at around the 1/4 mark of the hole. This means, not only you have to deal with imposing trees, you also have to take into consideration the far side of the fairway if you can’t shape your shot towards the dogleg.

Secondly, as I mentioned before, the rough was incredibly long and thick. This was especially the case around the green. Coupled with harder greens, the ball would often roll through the green and end up in the nasty stuff. Even though it would normally be a standard little chip, you had to use a higher lofted wedge to punch it out and try to land it softly. Not something that’s easily accomplished for the typical handicapper, and grew a little tiresome towards the end of the round.

Hopefully, I can get invited out next year around the same time… I can honestly say I would look forward to tackling this pristine course every year. Of course, the other way would be to join ClubLink, but that’s a different post all together.

I’ve been spoiling myself on the golf scene lately, especially with the ClubLink courses. This past Saturday I visited Caledon Woods, just north of Bolton.

Just across the street from another course, Glen Eagle, both courses seem to look fairly different. Of course, as most ClubLink courses are, the course is maintained very well. As for the course itself, once you step out of the pro shop, you’re able to see some (17 & 18) of the types of holes you’re going to be battling throughout the round. However, some of the elevations changes you see on those holes is about as exciting as it gets from a variety perspective. Outside of the elevations, it’s primarily setup with a number of above-average length par 4’s, with many of them pretty straight forward. Also, with only 3 par 5’s, the course amounts to a par 71.

I can’t say the simplicity of the course translates into the same type of challenge when it comes to your game. The course can definitely hold it’s own if you can’t hit the ball too straight, specifically around the greens. The fairway bunkers seemed well placed, even for the longer hitters. All in all, it’s a solid track that would provide any golfer a good test.

To top off the season, I’m hoping to play National Pines later this month. I played this course last year and it was in great condition… it doesn’t help that the Canadian Tour’s Championship is held the week after though!