Farewell to the 2013 Golf Season

Yesterday, as we strolled the fairways of Deer Ridge GC in Kitchener, Ontario on a crisp autumn day, it hit me like a ton of bricks that the golf season here in Southern Ontario is coming to an end. Every year, I fight that sinking feeling that soon the clubs will go into hibernation, but there was no mistaking the sure signs of another season coming to a close. The smell of damp leaves on the ground, the greens that looked about ready to be put to bed, the notable lack of people on the links...

All of this had me reflecting on the season that was and being thankful that I am privileged to play many great courses around the world. As a full-fledged golf geek, all rounds played are recorded in a spreadsheet and scorecards tucked away in photo albums (which btw are getting harder and harder to find in stores). I pulled the album out last night and it was full of great memories from 2013. Beginning with an incredible tour of Ireland and southwest Scotland in April, it's been a beauty. Here are a few highlights:

Ireland and Scotland - Arriving in Dublin, we booted over to the southwest to begin a 15-rounds-in-10-days saga. The weather was very 'Irish' to put it mildly, but the golf was sublime. Ballybunion, Lahinch, Portrush and Royal County Down are all world class, however many other 'hidden gems' such as Ballyliffin, Portstewart, Carne, and Enniscrone are all well worth the effort to play. 

The incredible 9th hole at Royal County Down

After a relaxing ferry ride from Larne to Troon, we enjoyed rounds at Turnberry, Royal Troon, and Prestwick. All three courses are must-plays in Scotland and are very different despite their close proximity.

Craigowan GC - Back here in Ontario, TJ and I had the pleasure of being hosted at Craigowan GC by Rick Young, long time golf journalist with ScoreGolf. The course, on the outskirts of Woodstock, is beautifully maintained and has a very interesting set of greens. 

Scarboro GC - TJ is lucky to be a member at this excellent club on the east side of Toronto. The only AW Tillinghast design in Canada, Scarboro is a blast to play and has perhaps the best collection of short par 4's anywhere. More than anything, Scarboro is a vibrant club that embraces the game and a few drinks and laughs afterward.

Wildfire GC- Although not in Muskoka, Wildfire is one of the best 'Muskoka-style' courses, full of the epic rock formations and white pines that are the hallmark of the area. I love the low-key feeling of the entire place and the golf course is stellar. 

The par 5 finishing hole at Wildfire (yes, that's a motorboat parked in the water)

Toronto Golf Club - TGC is 5 minutes from my driveway and I am known to take a detour down the club's entranceway on my way to get groceries. It has to be best entrance in Canada as you get a glimpse of at least half the golf course before you arrive in the small parking lot at the foot of the historic clubhouse. Of all the great courses in the Toronto area, TGC offers the most unique experience. It's like stepping back into time on the heathland courses west of London, England.

Stafford CC - As a Walter Travis enthusiast, I try to see as many of his designs as possible. This is made easier by the fact that most of his designs are along a line from Niagara to Albany. I recently made the trek to east of Buffalo with fellow golf architecture enthusiast, Mark Saltzman (he has played 800+ different courses !!!) to check out Stafford CC. We were not disappointed as the course had at least a half dozen vintage Travis greens and his signature mounding is found throughout. I still prefer the two Travis courses here in Ontario (Lookout Point and Cherry Hill) but it was worth the drive and hassle at the border from a guard who found it hard to believe we were driving all that way to play golf in Stafford!

Lakeview GC and Anderson Park - I'll save my sentimental favourites for last. I consider Lakeview my 'home club' even though it is municipal and does not have memberships. It is just a few minutes from the house and embodies what golf should be; accessible, walkable, and engaging to play. From 100 yards into the green, I would put Lakeview up there with any of the private clubs or high end public courses in the GTA. 

Anderson Park is a new cult favourite amongst those that seek out interesting golf architecture. A sleepy little Military 9-holer an hour from Toronto, Anderson Park is a gem. For $20, my 6 year-old son, Calum, and I enjoyed a beautiful early afternoon on a course that fits naturally on the sand-based land and harkens back to a time when golf was a simple game without the need for fancy clubhouses and fine dining. The only downside was the target shooting practice going on adjacent to the course, but at least Calum got a kick out of that.

My boy, Calum, on the 4th green at Anderson Park

The Benefits of Pro / Member Golf Trips

One of the most common trips we coordinate here at Golf Away Tours is the Pro / Member trip. Typically these occur in the 'shoulder season' for golf professionals in early Spring or late Fall when there is a little more time to enjoy some social golf with members. But there are many further benefits to a golf professional beyond finally getting to play some golf. Here are three good reasons why every golf professional should go on a golf trip with their members.

1. There is no greater way to build relations with members and strengthen their loyalty than by spending a week eating, drinking and playing golf with them. Most members only know their pro through making tee times or taking a lesson. The natural social situation of golfers enjoying golf removes that invisible barrier between pros and members and allows people to really get to know each other in a much deeper sense.

2. Similar to above, a golf trip allows members to get to know each other better and develop relationships that strengthen the fabric of the club. Healthy clubs tend to be ones where the members have strong bonds and everyone feels welcome. A golf trip will be a conversation piece amongst members for years afterwards.

3. Often a pro doesn't hear about issues or opinions at the club until it has passed through multiple filters that skew the original context. A golf trip provides a forum for members to give raw feedback to the professional about things they like about the club, things they don't like, suggestions for improvement, etc. It gives the professional a chance to get out ahead of any potential sore points that could fester into something more serious down the road.

Virtually all of our pro / member trips have been a resounding success and generally the group has already started planning their next trip by the time they land back home. The trips tend to grow in stature and numbers as more members want to join in the fun.

If your club is interested in this type of golf trip, feel free to give us a ring here at Golf Away Tours and we'll help get the ball rolling.

Our Thoughts on Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses

You know what they say about opinions, they're like ***holes...everybody has one. Few things other than politics and religion get people riled up like golf course ranking lists do. Everyone has a style of course they prefer, be it links or parkland or heathland, and everyone has 'pet favourites' that they feel are being overlooked by those 'stupid raters'. Being raters for a few publications ourselves, TJ and I know how difficult it can be to decide which courses belong on a particular list and which courses we'd like to see recede from public consciousness.

The latest biannual World Top 100 Courses from Golf Magazine was recently released and we figured we'd give our 2 cents on the list. Golf Magazine's rankings are generally considered the gold standard, mostly due to the relatively small panel (~100) which is very well travelled and a group that considers the merits of a course very carefully. Here are a few thoughts on the list from Golf Away Tours' point of view.

-How great is Australia and New Zealand as a golf destination? 9 courses in the top 100...and they're all ACCESSIBLE. It's a shame more North American clubs don't open their doors to visitors. Everyone deserves to see great golf architecture. The diversity of courses down under is incredible, from the sandbelt courses near Melbourne, to the links courses at Barnbougle, to the spectacular cliff-top courses at Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs. Just think, with a trip to Melbourne and a quick jaunt to Tasmania you could play 5 of the world's top courses (and many other superb tracks).

-Links golf still rules, and always will. The list is littered from top to bottom with places at the roots of the game. Yes, the usual suspects for links golf are Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales, but it's pretty cool to see links courses from the USA, Australia, and yes, Canada crack the list. I have not been out to see Cabot Links in Cape Breton but by all indications it is well deserving of its place on the list.

-Happy that St. George's in Toronto moved up a few spots on the list. I think it's one of the best parkland courses in the world, with incredible bunkering. I would place it ahead of some of America's parkland courses that are ranked higher, including this week's host of the PGA Championship, Oak Hill.

-Disappointed to see Highlands Links fall off the list. Canadian golf architect, Ian Andrew, has been working to restore the Stanley Thompson features and improve conditions through tree removal, but the fact remains that the course is generally in sub-standard condition. It's too bad Mike Keiser, the developer of Bandon Dunes and Cabot Links (along with Canadian golf entrepreneur and all around good guy, Ben Cowan Dewar), has expressed little interest in taking Highlands Links over. The course deserves better.

-Continuing with the Canadian theme, other courses that could merit recognition include Hamilton, The National, Toronto GC, Capilano, Banff, Jasper, and Shaughnessy.

My final tally is 29 of the top 100 played. Can't wait to add a few notches to the belt!

Our Ideal Canadian Open Rota

With the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey this week it has us thinking about where our national championship should be hosted in the future.

No doubt, Glen Abbey has its critics and some feel that this year should be the last Open played there. I am not the biggest fan of the golf course but I can appreciate the history that has been made at 'The Abbey' and it still holds up well to today's game, provided they can get the course playing fast and firm (not easy at this time of year). It's also worth noting that the course was Jack Nicklaus' first solo design and he did it while still in the prime of his career. From a fan point of view, there are few better courses to watch golf with the numerous amphitheatre green settings. Glen Abbey should be on the rota to host the Canadian Open.

St. George's is far from ideal from a logistics standpoint...middle of the city, tight property, etc, but the golf course is outstanding and deserves to be on the rota. Rain left the golf course defenceless a few years ago but if the greens are firm and fast it could be a fantastic test of golf.

Same deal for Hamilton...great classic course that the pros love.

Other Ontario courses deserving of consideration for the rota include Westmount (Kitchener/Waterloo), Eagles Nest (Vaughn), Coppinwood (Uxbridge) and Beacon Hall (Aurora).

Out west, Shaughnessy has proven to be a player favourite and stern test with its small, sloping greens. I do think they went a little overboard with the rough last time out.

In Quebec, Royal Montreal - Blue is a no-brainer. One can argue the merits of the recent Rees Jones renovation but it has certainly made the golf course difficult and, for better or worse, the type of course many PGA pros enjoy playing. The history of the club (oldest in North America) plays an important role in its prominence in Canadian golf.

It's been heavily rumoured that Laval sur le Lac - Blue will host the Open in 2017. The course was rebuilt by Mike Weir and Ian Andrew and by all indications is a wonderful course suitable for both members and championship golf. We'll have to reserve judgement as to whether it deserves to be a permanent fixture on the rota.

In the 'We Can Dream' catagory there are a few courses that are world class but perhaps don't have the length to properly test the pros, or are located in remote areas of the country.

Toronto Golf Club - A timeless Harry Colt classic that is reminiscent of the heathland courses west of London, England. For good amateurs it is a stern test at par 70, but would it hold up to the modern game? I say firm the greens up, grow the rough a bit and let them have at it. If the USGA can do it at Merion then Golf Canada should be able to do it at TGC.

Highlands Links - Stanley Thompson's masterpiece in beautiful Cape Breton. There are few better walks in the game and it is a 10/10 on the fun scale. How great would it be to see Bubba Watson carving a big hook off the 2nd tee trying to run the ball down to the green. Maybe they can play the Canadian Open as Match Play that year.

Cabot Links - Canada's only true links course, the pros could go right from the links at the 'British' Open to the links of Canada.

We're lucky to have so many great courses in Canada, it's too bad our national championship can't find its way to all of them. Let's hope Golf Canada finds a way to 'spread the love' around a bit.

Is East Lothian the True Home of Golf?

With all the attention being heaped on Muirfield this week, it has us thinking about the incredible golfing area where this year's Open Championship venue is located. Sure, St. Andrews has its reputation gained through centuries of championships and the manner in which golf is intertwined with the town. However, a strong argument could be made that East Lothian, that amazing stretch of links land east of Edinburgh, is the true Home of Golf.

Let's examine some of the reasons why East Lothian has such an important and lofty place in the game:

1. History - The first links course you stumble upon heading east out of Edinburgh just happens to be the oldest golf course in the world, and a 6-time host venue for the Open Championship. The Musselburgh Links - Old is a course where you can sense the ghosts of golfing's past as you navigate the 9-hole layout that lies within a horse racing track. The course is tons of fun to play and a great way to stretch the legs and get introduced to links golf after an overnight flight. For those that want to feel what it would have been like to play the course in the late 1800's, the club has hickory shafted clubs on hand.

The 4th green at Musselburgh. Golfers have been known to pop into Mrs. Forman's pub mid-round. 

Championship Pedigree - Anyone watching the best golfers in the world fight tooth-and-nail to make pars can easily make the determination that Muirfield is one of the world's best championship tests. The course is renowned for being a 'pure' test of golf that will reward the best players. The list of winners at Muirfield...Nicklaus, Watson, Player, Faldo, Els, etc, lends credit to the notion that great golf courses produce great champions.

For those of us with less talent, Muirfield remains a must-do experience. One of the best days you can have as a golfer is the traditional schedule that has visitors playing a Fourball in the morning, followed by a leisurely (and delicious) lunch in the historic clubhouse, followed by a round using a Foursomes (alternate shot) format. After a big lunch and a few pints, the format is a perfect way to have some laughs and settle bets from the morning round.

Muirfield - maybe the best of the Open rota courses?

Fun - That's why we play this game, right? No course does fun better than North Berwick - West Links. Just a few miles down the coast from Muirfield, North Berwick has gone from being a cult favourite of golf course architecture aficionados to being recognized as one of the top 100 courses in the world. What makes it so good is the pure, almost childlike joy it elicits from those that play the course. There are so many unique holes that require a combination of skill and creativity, including a hole where the green is guarded on it's right side by an ancient rock wall and another green that has a 4 foot swale in the middle. We GUARANTEE that you would want to go immediately back to the 1st tee to have another go.

Bite off however much you want to chew on the 2nd hole at North Berwick.

We can understand why the first time visitor to Scotland would want to make St. Andrews their home base. But for those looking for a perfect blend of history, championship courses, and pure links fun, no need to look any further than East Lothian. You can check out a sample trip itinerary to East Lothian here:  

http://www.golfawaytours.com/index.php/sample-trips/scotland/east-lothian

How to book a time on the Old Course

The question we probably get asked the most by golfers wanting to plan their next tour is "Can you guarantee me a time on the Old Course?"  The simple answer is yes, but it's not necessarily a simple process, and depending on how much notice is given, it could get quite pricey!  Let us explain.

Where better to play a round of golf with your dad!

There are essentially four ways to get on to the Old Course, each varying in reliability and cost.

1) The best way to book a time is to plan your trip well in advance and reserve a time, for the following year, at 2:00 p.m. UK time (9:00 EDT) on the first Wednesday of September (September 4th this year).  As long as you are not a single, you can book a time by filling out an application at www.standrews.org.uk.  If you want to book as a single, you can try for a time between April and July, but spots are few and far between.  There are very strict guidelines for this reservation system, however it is still the best option for securing a time on the Old Course for the posted green fee rate (£155 or $243 CDN for 2013 peak season).  During the peak season, you can book a group of between 2 and 8 players.  The application process is first come, first served, so be sure to get your application in as close to 2:00 p.m. UK time on September 4th as possible.

Your odds of securing a time are much better in the shoulder or off-seasons, but if you want to play in the high season, you will have to choose a second course in the St. Andrews Links Trust rotation to book at the same time.  You can choose any of the other courses, including the New Course, Jubilee or Castle, and if your application is successful, you will be required to pay green fees for both rounds.  If your second course is not available, you will be assigned one of the remaining courses for your second round.

2) The only other way to secure an advance tee time is more expensive, as you have to go through the Old Course Experience, the Links Trust's exclusive travel partner, who have secured several tee times that are wholesaled out to golf travel agents such as Golf Away Tours for resale to golfers.

The Old Course Experience also offers 3, 4 and 5-day packages, which start at £1,995 ($3,134 CDN) and include multiple rounds, including one guaranteed on the Old Course.

3) If you don't have an advance tee time reservation there are two other options for getting onto the Old Course, the first one being through a daily ballot.  The "Old Course Ballot" is conducted every day at 2:00 for tee times two days later.  You can register for the ballot every day if you wish, by either phoning, visiting the clubhouse, or online.  You must enter the ballot as a group of at least two golfers, singles cannot enter the ballot.  Depending on the time of year, this is a great way to get on to the Old Course, although in the peak season, it can be difficult.

4) The final way to access the Old Course is as a walk on.  You can check in with the starter as early as 6:00 a.m., and you may be paired with twosomes or threesomes that have tee times.  Again, in the peak season, there are more people wanting to play, so you may have to line up very early.  We have heard of lineups starting as early as 3:00 a.m.!!  It is difficult, or nearly impossible in peak season, to get a foursome on together by walking on, but as a single or twosome, your odds are relatively good.

Also of note is that the Old Course is closed every Sunday when it transforms into a public park which would allow you to walk the course and shoot an imaginary 59!

Road Hole Bunker - ok, it took me a couple of whacks to escape!

So, the moral of the story is that it's best to plan your St. Andrews golf vacation well in advance to ensure you get to experience the oldest and most iconic golf course in the world.  Don't be disappointed, start planning your 2014 trip today!