Jasper Park

[Jeff_Mingay]

I played Jasper Park Lodge GC this past Monday. What a great setting! And the golf course isn't too shabby either.

The one thing I continually notice about Stanley Thompson's architecture is how consistently superb his one-shot holes are, and also how bland his par 5s are today; with exception to the one 600 yarder he seems to have always tried to incorporate in his designs.

Jasper's 600 yard 13th has stood the test of time. But, sadly, the 2nd, 5th and 10th -- all of which measure less than 500 yards and play as par 5s -- have been negatively effected by technology.

The 10th, in particular, possesses some very strategic angles. The problem is that those angles are nowadays at the incorrect distances to be as effective and thought-provoking as I'm sure they were back in 1925. And there's no room to move the tee back on that hole.

This is not to say the 10th, and others, are still not fun to play. They are. It's just that I could see how fantastic these holes must have been seventy-five years ago!

As the GCA write-up on Jasper indicates, there are some really good "1/2 par" holes on this course; such as the par 5s at #2, #5 and #10, par 3s at #4 and #9 (the famous Cleopatra hole), and the 460 yard closer, which was a favourite of Dr. MacKenzie's.  

For the record, the 135 yard par 3 15th is classic. It's similar to a mini-Redan, with its tiny, tiny green perched high atop a diagonal ridge on the banks of Lac Beauvert, with steep drop-offs on all sides.  

Superintendent Perry Cooper has recently done much restorative work at Jasper; principally rebuilding bunkers. But there's still great opportunity to improve the course further by expanding more than a few green surfaces back out to their original parametres. A few are noticably missing some really good potential flagstick positions that surely once existed.  

Otherwise, Jasper is a special place. And the recent efforts of Cooper and his staff have revitalized Thompson's landmark design.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Deep down inside, I still think Highlands Links is the better course. But the result of my "GCA Match Play Comparison" is interesting...

#1: Halved
#2: Highlands Links 1up
#3: Highlands Links 1up
#4: Highlands Links 1up
#5: Highlands Links 1up
#6: Highlands Links 2up
#7: Highlands Links 3up
#8: Highlands Links 4up
#9: Highlands Links 3up

#10: Highlands Links 2up
#11: Highlands Links 1up
#12: All Square
#13: Jasper Park 1up
#14: Jasper Park 2up
#15: Jasper Park 2up
#16: Jasper Park 1up
#17: All Square
#18: Jasper Park 1up

[Ben C. Dewar]

Jeff,
I am looking forward to it, only a month until I am there.  Looking forward to seeeing you too.
Regards

[John_D._Bernhardt]

Jasper park is a great course which will always be near and dear to my heart

[Ran Morrissett]

Jeff,

I'm not surprised by your match play. Jasper is the kind of course that can win any hole (save for its mongrel 17th). Plus, I understand CBH has a few more indifferent holes while at the same time, I would wager that Jasper's best (3,4,10,11,14,15, and 18) rival the best from CBH.

When are you off to see Banff?

Cheers,

PS I am surprised that the 2nd didn't appeal to you more - it is a very satisfying hole to do in four strokes.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Ran,

I like the 17th at Jasper, the way it plays on a steep right-to-left side slope from tee-to-green. The green is bunkered front left, and thus seems to prefer an approach from the right side of the fairway. But it's tough to keep the ball up their on that side of the fairway considering the severity of the predominate slope. And there's a big bunker up there on the right that must be flirted with as well.

Good strategy    

The 16th, on the other hand, is kinda dull. [Perhaps it's the "mongrel" you're thinking about?]

The 16th has some great fairway contour, but I find the green and its setting to be rather dull and boring. The tiny little bay of Lac Beauvert that juts in front of the green appears "out of proportion" to me; if you know what I mean. It looks awkward.

You misunderstood, I love those short par 5s. Indeed, it's fun to go after 4s on those holes today. But, again, I feel they must have been better holes when guys were driving the ball 230 yards instead of 280 yards. It seems to me the angles would have set-up more interestingly 70 years ago, that's all.

I don't know if I'd agree that Highlands Links has more "indifferent" holes than Jasper? But the more I think about it, the more I'm beginning to believe that, perhaps, Jasper is the better course (?).

Banff is next. It's a matter of me convincing Whitman it's a necessity to see Banff; and that it's OK to leave Blackhawk alone for a weekend.

He's itching to get back at me after my 79 defeated his 83 at Jasper   So, maybe I'll try to sell him on the fact that Banff is the ideal site for a rematch!  

[My Jasper highlight: holing a 3-iron from 205 yards out on the 455 yard par 4 third, for an eagle 2!]

[Dick_Sayer]

Number 11 at Jasper Park becomes a real challenge when the Elk decide to graze right in the middle of the fairway about 200 yards from the tee.  Folks, these are not the little white tail deer we see here in Pennsylvania - these suckers are as big as cows, and what they leave behind can present some interesting rule questions. I guess you get a free drop, however, you may not want to pick up the ball after it lands in a pile of Elk dung, unless it's a POV-1 that cost you $6.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Dick,

In recent years, they've fenced the golf course to discourage the Elk from destroying the place, as they nearly had on many occasions in the past. The maintenance crew at Jasper has one person strictly responsible for fixing hoof marks on the greens, and another strictly responsible for picking up dung! (Well, at least they did prior to the fence. It still might be this way, but I'm not positive.)

I was excited to possibly see an Elk, or a Moose, or a Bear on the golf course during our recent round. But we didn't see anything. It seems the fence is doing an admirable job with protecting the course, as intended.

On our way out of the national park, however, we did see a "seven point" Elk on the side of the road. It was an amazing site. And you're absolutely correct in that the Elk are much, much larger than little white-tailed deer you'd find in Pennsylvania. This particular "seven pointer" was as big as two cows!

[Mike McG]

I played both Banff and Jasper a couple of weeks ago and definately enjoyed Jasper more.  As much as I loved Banff (and its "unmodern" conditioning! - "wild" rough, long fescue around the bunkers, etc.), I think Jasper had a better collection of fun, interesting holes. And into the wind I played, the 10th could not be accused of being a pushover.

On a side note, I did not a get a good answer while I was there as to which original holes were altered and how. Does anyone know? Jeff, Ran?

[McG]

I obviously refer to the alterations to Banff.

[ian]

As I have stated previously, Jaspar is my favourite, and it's the par 3's that really stand out. Big Baby in particular may be the best short 3 in the country.

McG: Every hole has been altered in some way at Banff. Bill Robinson was the first to do damage, time has altered many bunkers, and the recent re-building of all the greens was not very well tied in to the bunkers according to one of my friends out west.

[Jeff_Mingay]

I agree, Ian. The par 3s are the stand-outs at Jasper; 15 in particular. Perhaps it is the best short par 3 in Canada. Off the top of my head, I can't think of another more interesting one. I don't think anyone could get away with building such a small green these days; especially on a course, such as Jasper, affiliated with a resort.  

One of the most interesting things, to me, about Thompson's architecture was his consistent use of long par 3s, in the 240 yard range. 240 yards was a long way in 1925, when Jasper opened. And it still is... well, for some of us anyway!

#16 at Capilano, #4 and #9 at Jasper, #8 at St. George's and #12 at Highlands Links come to mind. They are all Thompson-designed par 3 holes that exceed 230 yards. The 9th at Jasper and 12th at Highlands Links extend 240 yards!

Today, the only "weak link" in Thompson's reportoire are his short par 5s. Too many guys are hitting the ball way to far for Thompson's "1920s angles" to effect them nowadays. Sad thing is, those short par 5s, such as the 10th at Jasper, present some really, really cool strategic options. I guess the strategies are still somewhat relevant to those of us who still hit the ball 230 yards off the tee. But, again, they don't effect the the 120mph swingers using  PING drivers and a Titleist Pro-Vs.

Even those long par 3s, mentioned above, are much different today, with guys hitting irons instead of woods; even drivers at Jasper and Highlands Links. 240 yards could have been driver for even some of the best players in the 1920s and '30s; which is really neat.

On that note, it's impossible for today's golf architects to present a par 3 hole that requires a driver.

We've built a 240 yarder this year at Blackhawk GC. Discussing it a few weeks ago, we came to realize that without any wind, professionals are still going to hit an iron. How do you get a (metal) wood in the hands of the best players on a par 3 in this modern age? We need 300 yards plus!  

If the USGA isn't going to do anything about the ball, they're eventually going to have to change the par standards currently in place. The maximum distance of par 3 holes will have to elevate to 300 yards or more (!), and par 4s to 550 (!)...

Scary.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Not sure if anyone was going up to the Canadian Rockies this summer but the town of Jasper is being consumed by wildfires tonight.  It doesn't look good at all. First responders have evacuated tonight.  https://globalnews.ca/news/10640343/jasper-alberta-wildfire-evacuees-travel/

[Matt Schoolfield]

It looks like the fire has reached Jasper Park Lodge. This is turning out to be a really devastating day for the area 

[Carl Johnson]

Stayed at the Lodge and played the course, maybe 15 years ago.  Tragic.

[Ted Sturges]

I was just there 3 weeks ago.  Stayed in the Jasper Park Lodge.  This is such a tragic story.  My heart breaks for the local residents and the wildlife. 


TS

[Sandy Smith]

I just spoke to a friend who knows someone that works at the Jasper Lodge. He was told that the clubhouse was lost in the fire and that the course was hit very hard, with a huge loss of trees. The main Lodge was saved but most of the employee housing is gone.
Just horrible.

[Ian Andrew]

I feel for the community and the staff that live in the town. Whether they lost their houses, or their friends did, its going to be hard to go back either way. I know a number of them and I'm crushed. My wife and I went hiking there last fall as a three-day break in my crazy schedule. We love Jasper (go often as we can) and it was where we spent our very first day married.

Like others here, I played on a few weeks ago. It's where I always say I would play my last round if I had one left. It's my favourite Thompson course "to play." I expect the golf course might be down for this year, they lost the Maintenance Building. They will have so much to deal with including a lot of logistics.

Jasper Park is a national treasure. Once this is over and they get back on their feet, try to visit if you can. It will help them through this. They will need people to go and support the area. I plan to go and stay next Spring.

Here is an image from the 16th

[Sean_A]

I feel for the community and the staff that live in the town. Whether they lost their houses, or their friends did, its going to be hard to go back either way. I know a number of them and I'm crushed. My wife and I went hiking there last fall as a three-day break in my crazy schedule. We love Jasper (go often as we can) and it was where we spent our very first day married.

Like others here, I played on a few weeks ago. It's where I always say I would play my last round if I had one left. It's my favourite Thompson course "to play." I expect the golf course might be down for this year, they lost the Maintenance Building. They will have so much to deal with including a lot of logistics.

Jasper Park is a national treasure. Once this is over and they get back on their feet, try to visit if you can. It will help them through this. They will need people to go and support the area. I plan to go and stay next Spring.

Here is an image from the 16th

Ian

The damage to to Canadian forests and property is staggering.

So no damage to the hole corridor? I ask because there was a serious fire at Burnham a few years ago. The corridors remained unharmed despite total destruction of the rough areas.

Ciao

[Paul Jones]

I am so sad to read this.... The Stanley Thompson Society has already booked an event for September 2025 to celebrate the 100 year anniversary!!! I am glad I signed up for the outing as I am sure this will help the people of Jasper.

[Wayne_Kozun]

This was posted by the resort on social media today:

[Wayne_Kozun]

Article about Jasper by Jason Logan in SCOREGolf magazine:  https://scoregolf.com/opinion/jason-logan/an-ode-to-fairmont-jasper-park-lodge-down-but-not-out-and-sure-to-be-back/