A couple of days ago in another thread, Robert Thompson posted:

"The most hysterical thing about the Scotsman story is that the writer took the Planet Golf ratings at face value and notes that Scotland's golf total only trailed Canada.
Of course, there are dozens of Golf Digest raters in Canada that vote on best new course in Canada, which may explain why so many  bland Canadian tracks ended up on the list. Of course there's some good ones too.... but only a couple compare with the best in the world."

According to Oxford bland means: "lacking strong features or characteristics and therefore uninteresting".

How can it be said that any of the following are uninteresting!  They each have their merits and short-comings, but bland is hardly one of them.

1. National G.C., Woodbridge, Ontario
2. St. George's G. & C.C., Islington, Ontario
3. Hamilton G. & C.C., Ancaster, Ontario
4. Beacon Hall G.C., Aurora, Ontario
5. Highlands Links, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
6. Redtail G.C., Port Stanley, Ontario
7. Capilano G.C., West Vancouver, British Columbia
8. Royal Montreal G.C. (Blue), Ile Bizard, Quebec
9. Greywolf G.C., Panorama, British Columbia
10. Banff Springs G.C. (Stanley Thompson), Alberta
11. Angus Glen G.C. (South), Markham, Ontario
12. Lynx at Kingswood Park, Fredericton, New Brunswick
13. Fox Harb'r Golf Resort & Spa, Wallace, Nova Scotia

We could certainly argue for other Canadian courses that could be on this list.  And, we could argue the merits of Scottish courses versus Canadian courses, but it is very hard to see how anyone could say that any of these courses lack strong features or characteristics and therefore are uninteresting.

I happen to be a big fan of Scottish links courses because of the  hard and fast ground they are played on, the quirkiness of the bounces and lies, the pot bunkers, the winds and the green complexes.  However, I do appreciate our Canadian courses - the best of which I think are comparable to the world's best that I've seen.  How many, and which ones, and whether they're within some artificial number of points of some other is a fools game.

But to say that many of the best here, even the ones on this list, are bland must be hyperbole.

I'm with you Brian.  Having only played 6 on the list, they are all strong courses.  My guess is that Robert isn't overly keen on some of the newer courses like Kingswood and Fox Harb'r making the list, but it's tough for me to say as I haven't played those.

I haven't played any golf up in Canada, but I saw an article about the Whistler area courses, that didn't seem too appealing, but then there was an ad following the article that showed Predator Ridge (in the Okangan Valley?) that looked intriguing. Anybody been there?

Interested if anyone has played the Lynx at Kingswood Park.  It was named best new Canadian course and GD ranks it #79 for courses outside the United States.  Greens fee during the summer are $75.  I'm not sure of the current exchange rate, but I suspect that puts it at $55-60.  This sounds like one of the great bargains in golf.  

Just my opinion:

Worth a trip north

2. St. George's G. & C.C., great
3. Hamilton G. & C.C., great
5. Highlands Links, spectacular
7. Capilano G.C., quite good
10. Banff Springs G.C. great
    Toronto Golf
    Jaspar Park

Not worth a trip

1. National G.C - average
4. Beacon Hall G.C., very average
6. Redtail G.C., average
8. Royal Montreal G.C. - dull
9. Greywolf G.C., average
11. Angus Glen G.C. average
12. Lynx at Kingswood Park, don't know
13. Fox Harb'r Golf Resort & Spa, average

Ed,
Predator Ridge is target style golf, which I am not a big fan of, so cannot rate it as one of my favs.
There is definitely contour in some of the greens; one that I recall has 2 levels, one about 4 or 5 feet above the other.
Other reviews I have read seem to favour the two older nines more than the one newest nine.

JJ

Ed,

I assume you mean new courses only.

From our firm, go see Eagle's Nest, what Doug and Cam created was excellent. Fun to play.

(That I worked on) Osprey Valley (Heathlands), while a faux links as Jeff Mingay called it, the interest on and around the greens is much superior to any of the work that followed (1993).


Bryan,

"However, I do appreciate our Canadian courses - the best of which I think are comparable to the world's best that I've seen."

I hate to say this but very few Canadian courses compare to the greats of the world. St. George's and Highlands deserve there rightful status, but Hamilton, Jaspar and Banff are borderline at best (for the Golf world top 100). The National, Toronto and others do not compare to the great courses of the world, and should not make a 100 list of courses not in the US. I've played 10 courses in Scotland and England which I would immediately take over the National or Toronto. The world is a big place when you look at Ireland, Australia, England, Scotland, Belgium, and others. The only advantage we have is conditioning, which has nothing to do with great architecture or a great golf course.

This is not am inferiority complex, there is simply better architecture elsewhere than Canada.

Ian,

I've never seen Osprey Valley in person, and don't think I've ever commented on it (perhaps it was all of that beer you fed me at your place during my last visit that makes me forget!)... but I look forward to a visit in the near future...

Sorry to cut, Matt... but I'll do a match-play.

Capilano vs. Hamilton

1. Square
2. Cap 1up
3. Square
4. Cap 1up
5. Square
6. Hamilton 1up
7. Square
8. Square
9. Cap 1up

10. Square
11. Square
12. Square
13. Square
14. Cap 1up
15. Cap 2up
16. Cap 3up
17. Cap 4up
18. Cap 4up

Hmmmm. admittedly, I did this kinda quick, Ian. But...  

Capilano vs. Hamilton

1. Square
2. Hamilton 1 up
3. Hamilton 2 up
4. Capilano 1 down
5. Hamilton 2 up
6. Hamilton 3 up
7. Capilano 2 down
8. Square 2 up
9. Capilano - 1 down

10. Hamilton 2 up
11. Hamilton 3 up
12. Hamilton 4 up
13. Hamilton 5 up
14. Capilano 4 down
15. Capilano 3 down
16. Capilano 2 down
17. Capilano 1 down
18. Capilano - match square

Facinating result.

Ian,

You prove what I, and others have long thought of Capilano: the finish is so, so strong. There might not be a better finishing stretch of holes in Canada.

Other than Blackhawk! Right, Robert  

Capilano vs. Blackhawk - 10 thru 18

10. Square
11. Square
12. Square
13. Sqaure
14. Square
15. BH 1up
16. Square
17. Square
18 (close, but...) Cap 1up

That's painful  

My experience is surely limited, but I have to agree with the general opinion here.

There are plenty of expensive, big-budget extravaganzas up here (mostly in Ontario and BC) but beneath all of the well-groomed polish and hospitality lie some pretty forgettable designs.

Canada seems to utilize mostly Canadian Designers - and lets face it, the pool seems fairly shallow.

From what I can tell, there's never been anyone even close to the caliber of Thompson, to come out of the Great White North. I hope someone does come along...

Haha! Ever the promoter, Jeff. You're a good man to have on one's team as you never stop working! You never sleep!

I knew you'd pipe up about Rod Whitman, and I will admit here on the forum that I have yet to experience his (or your) work, but do very much look forward to it.

I must say, I do wonder why we don't see more work from you guys. Is it that Rod spends a lot of time elsewhere? I would think more people would be looking for him by now...

One of two things has to happen:

I need to get finished school and get a job so I can get out there to play, or YOU need to come out here and build a golf course or two! Christ, would someone PLEASE give us a good seaside links-style course out here? It's "NEW SCOTLAND", for God's sake!!!!

People still speak GAELIC and wear kilts whenever they get the chance. If you yell out "Hey, MACDONALD!"on the street, half the people in earshot will turn to answer you! - and if you try "CAMPBELL!" instead, you'll get the other half!