[Richard Hetzel]

In early summer I plan on driving from the Detroit area to Ottawa in Canada. Since I will most likely be traveling alone (no wife or kids on this trip) I will have free reign to get in as much golf (imagine that) as I can on the way there and on the way back to Detroit.

Does anyone have any insight to anything of special interest that is in close proximity to Route 401 and also in and around Ottawa? I am starting my research, but help me speed up the process! Off the path, GCA relevant hidden gems are highly sought after....

Thanks!

Rich

[Jeff_Mingay]

There are a lot of interesting options along the 401 corridor, Richard.

Many of the best options are private clubs, including Essex (Windsor), Redtail (near St. Thomas), and all of those fine courses in the Toronto area (starting with St. George's and Toronto Golf Club). There's also Cataraqui, in Kingston. Cataraqui is fun, with quite a bit of original Stanley Thompson stuff intact. And, Robert Thompson continues to speak very highly of Tarandowah, an affordable daily-fee course near London, designed by Martin Hawtree and co. (I haven't seen Tarandowah.)

Again, there's lots. Are you looking to try to access private clubs possibly? Or daily-fee courses? This'll help break the question down.

Royal Ottawa (which is actually on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River) is a really cool place, too. As we've discussed here before, RO has potential to be one of the neatest, old school courses in Canada. Needs a bit of thoughtful work though.   

[Ian Andrew]

Jeff's list is quite good.
This is the List of What I Would Consider...

City - distance from your route) - Doak scale

Ottawa - Royal Ottawa - 5
Kingston (15 min.) - Catarqui - 6
Toronto (15 mi) - Scarboro - 6
Toronto (15 min.) - St. George's - 8
Toronto (15 min) - Toronto - 7
Hamilton - (5 minutes from 403) Hamilton - 8
Union (30 min.) St. Thomas - St. Thomas - 6
(not as big a fan of Red Tail as others)
Windsor - Essex - 5

All listed are worth playing and in the best 50 in the country (IMHO)

[Richard Hetzel]

Public or private make no difference, assuming they would be open to me playing (maybe with a phone call from my pro?). Enjoyable walking courses go right to the top of the list.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Ian,

We're on the same page with regard to Redtail... the course. But it's still one of the coolest places in golf. For that reason, it's well worth a visit, if you can get access!

[Robert Thompson]

You can check out: http://canadiangolfer.com/golf-course-reviews/

I've got quite a number of comments on the courses in question.

[Richard Hetzel]

You can check out: http://canadiangolfer.com/golf-course-reviews/

I've got quite a number of comments on the courses in question.

Perfect! Thanks!

[Matt Bosela]

Richard,

You'll likely need some help with most or all of the courses Ian listed, as they are all private.  You said early summer - do you have a particular week nailed down yet?  If you're willing to make a 30-minute detour off the 401, I'd be happy to host you at my club down in the Niagara Falls area (St. Catharines GCC) and I could likely set up a game at Lookout Point (W. Travis), definitely a worthy course from a GCA perspective.

[Tyler Kearns]

Public or private make no difference, assuming they would be open to me playing (maybe with a phone call from my pro?). Enjoyable walking courses go right to the top of the list.

Richard,

If you are a member somewhere, a call from your head professional goes a long way in Canada.

TK

[Ryan Admussen]

Do yourself a favor and check out Kawartha in Peterborough, you won't be disappointed
It was the highlight of my Ontario trip last year.

Here's my thread from last year

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,44472.0.html

[Bryan Izatt]

Richard,

If you are unable to arrange access to the top drawer privates that Ian suggested there are public access courses of merit that you could try.  Forest City National in London.  Or, Tarandowah, near London.  Around Toronto, there's Osprey Valley (3 courses). Eagles Nest or Angus Glen South.  Halfway to Kingston from Toronto there's Timber Ridge.  If you divert to St Catherines with Matt, you could also try Whirlpool in Niagara Falls.

You could look up Clublink, and if there are any of their courses that interest you, I could host you if I'm around when you come.

[Peter Pallotta]

The experts have already spoken, Richard.  If you feel up to a 5 hour round on a city-owned course in Toronto, try Herbert Strong's Lakeview; a nice walk if you catch it during a relatively quiet day mid week.  On the private side, has anyone mentioned Westmount (Stanley Thompson) in Kitchener-Waterloo...along the 401. I have never played it but it looks good.  And take up Bryan on his kind offer of hosting you at a club-link course -- Ive only played a couple and the quality varies (architecturally, or so it seems to me from reading) but there are some very good ones.


Peter

[Jeff_Mingay]

Good call on Westmount, Peter. It's not far off the 401. And it's a very good Stanley Thompson course. Though, again, a private club.

[Bill_McBride]

Public or private make no difference, assuming they would be open to me playing (maybe with a phone call from my pro?). Enjoyable walking courses go right to the top of the list.

Richard,

If you are a member somewhere, a call from your head professional goes a long way in Canada.

TK

Agreed, it got me on Capilano. When the pro told them I was a board member, it even got me a greatly reduced rate.

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