This past week I had the opportunity to play Essex G&CC, located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The club was founded in 1902, but moved to its current Matchette Road location in 1927 and hired Mr. Donald Ross as the course architect.
From the people I have spoken to, the Club has remained committed to maintaining the orignal Ross design and have made few changes to the original golf course. I believe around 2000 the Club hired Renaissance Golf Design to restore the greens and bunkering. I in no way profess to be an expert, but in my opinion based on looking at before and after pictures, the bunker work that was completed has added substantial interest to the golf course. Mr. Jeff Mingay authored the Club’s history in honor of its centennial in 2002 and I apologize in advance if any of my facts are incorrect (and feel free to contact me so I can change them).
I hope you enjoy the photos and if ever given the chance to play Essex, I recommend you take it.
All yardages are from the Black tees.
Hole 1: Par 4, 381 yards.
A gentle opener, with a fairly scary bunker down the right side of the fairway. The player has the option of laying up short of the bunker off the tee, leaving 160ish yards, or playing to the more narrow part of the fairway and taking on the fairway bunker.
Approach to a green with a small false front. Bunkers left and right are a good 15 yards short of the green making the approach appear more difficult than it plays (this feature felt very common at Essex).
Hole 2: Par 4, 326 yards
2 continues to allow the player to ease into the round. A short slight dogleg right par 4 with the player is tempted to take on the group of bunkers on the right to leave a shorter approach.
Approach from lay-up tee shot short of fairway bunkers
Approach from more aggressive tee shot left of fairway bunkers
Also of note is the green which has a severe back to front slope. Even in early season condition, the greens were quick enough for yours truly to putt from the back of the green off the front.
More to come.