By Gord Montgomery, Senior Writer, Inside Golf If you’re teeing it up at the Strathmore Golf Club, you best have your game face on right away. After all, according to the professional staff there, the toughest tests here come early on. Brian Bassen, the Executive Pro, and Brad Gagne, the Club’s Head Professional, agreed the stretch from the second hole through the sixth are what can simply make, or break, your round. And when you come right down to it, it’s the fifth hole in particular that is the one that can easily tax players the most. Asked to characterize…
The Track GC their philosophy is simple: “Have fun. Enjoy.”
By Gord Montgomery, Senior Writer, Inside Golf If there was one word to sum up the philosophy of The Track Golf Club in Langdon, it would be ‘Fun.’ You see, that’s what this rural golf course wants to bring back to the game. Laughter. Joy. And no strict dress restrictions. Speaking to their desire for people to come to this layout, enjoy the day, and leave with a smile on their face, Gregg Schubert, the Head Professional at The Track, noted: “We wanted a place where people could be comfortable …. to be more relaxed, unpretentious. Just go out and…
Apple Creek GC a good test of target golf …. and the whole family is welcome
By Gord Montgomery, Senior Writer, Inside Golf If the rest of your family isn’t into golf in the same way you are, and you hate to leave them behind when you go out for a round, we have a solution to that problem: The Apple Creek Golf Course just outside Airdrie. You see, there’s a brand new arcade now open that gives those not smitten by the game of golf something to do while you chase pars. But since you’re here to golf, and there’s lots for the rest of the family to do with around 60 video games onsite…
Dhaliwal & Gillis Claim 2023 Play Golf Alberta – Royal Mayfair Junior Masters Titles
Royal Mayfair The 2023 edition of the Play Golf Alberta – Royal Mayfair Junior Masters presented by Sundog Eyewear & Blue Tees is officially in the books. Today’s second round saw a continuation of the perfect conditions and our competitors battled all day to try and win their respective divisions and overall title.Winning her first Junior Masters title in the Overall Girls’ Division was Sophie Dhaliwal (Wingfield GC) who prevailed on the second playoff hole (#18 X2) after making a clutch approx. 5 foot putt for par. Sophie played outstanding golf over both rounds…
An old design doesn’t mean an easy round at Inglewood
By Gord Montgomery, Senior Writer, Inside Golf If you’re a fan of old-style golf courses where precision matters more than power, and a short game trumps long bombs, than the Inglewood Golf & Curling Club in Calgary fits the bill perfectly. Put into play in the 1930s, this scenic 18-hole layout in the heart of the city features a style more common to days gone by than today’s designs. Speaking to that fact, Head Professional Sam Kirkness led off by stating the location of Inglewood, and the superb playing condition, are keys to having the public access his green grass….
Valley Ridge GC offers easy access and a somewhat quiet round
By Gord Montgomery – Senior Writer, Inside Golf Sometimes the most noise you hear on a golf course is what’s going on inside your own head. And at the Valley Ridge Golf Club in Calgary, that’s more than likely the case. Although it’s located only a short drive from downtown Calgary, this golf course is a haven for peace, and quiet, in a busy world. That is, if you can keep the voice in your head under control in telling you what not to do! Speaking to the main characteristic of his course, the club’s Director of Golf, Curtis Robertson,…
Sirocco Golf Club has an ever-changing feel
By Gord Montgomery Senior Writer, Inside Golf At the Sirocco Golf Club in Calary, what you see isn’t always what you’re going to get. You see, a phenomena known locally as the Sirocco Swirl means you could well be playing a different course today than when you teed it up here yesterday. Founded in 2005, Sirocco is a links-style course that plays to over 7,100 yard from the back tees. Those yardages do shorten up dropping down to 6,722; then to just over 6,000 yards and finally 5,269 yards off the front tees. There are also several sets of combo…
Mill Woods GC an unexpected pleasure to play
By Gord Montgomery – Senior Writer, Inside Golf Golf is full of unexpected but happy surprises. You know: Your off-line drive hits a tree and bounds back into the middle of the fairway. Or your approach shot is hit fat but lands on a sprinkler head and ends up on the green, leaving you a makable birdie putt. Or, you tee it up on a course you don’t know much about and find it to be one of those pleasant surprises. That last descriptor fits the Mill Woods Golf Course, located in south Edmonton, too a tee. The first nine…
The Devon Golf & C.C. proves a course doesn’t need to be long to be challenging
By Gord Montgomery – Senior Writer, Inside Golf If there was ever a golf course where yardages means next to nothing, it’s most definitely the Devon Golf & Conference Centre. You see, the top distance on this river valley beauty is a whopping 5,559 yards. And yes, that is the correct yardage and not a typo. But where this 18-hole layout makes up for its shortness is in its challenges. Sure, some of the fairways are wide and beckoning, but at the same time there are those where the tree line pinches in to make accuracy far more important than…
Westlock Golf Club
Two distinctly different nines in Westlock, and a welcoming committee By Gord Montgomery – Western Canada Senior Writer, Inside Golf The Westlock Golf Club is one of thousands of golf courses across the country located in rural areas where small town doesn’t mean small layout. No, at Westlock you get a lot for your money including a taste of an old layout combined with a new design. Sitting just a wedge shot outside of this agricultural community of 5,000 people, and less than an hour from Edmonton, this is one of those places where old and new meld nicely together to…
Whitecourt G&CC a wonderful rural golf experience
By Gord Montgomery – Western Canada Senior Writer, Inside Golf A word of advice from a golf guy — if you haven’t been to the Whitecourt Golf & Country Club for a while get there as quickly as you can. Or, if you have teed it up at this wonderful layout recently, get back as quickly as you can. Andy Neilsen, the CPGA Head Professional/General Manager, at this rural layout noted that while people have the perception the course is too far away to bother with, nothing could be further from the truth. A day trip here is just the thing…
Dinosaur Trail G&CC
Some of the most enjoyable golf one can experience is often in unexpected places. And many of those places across Alberta lie in rural areas, where small towns don’t mean small layouts. Rather, these courses provide some of the most relaxed, fun, scenic, and challenging rounds of golf. And in most cases, they are only a short drive away. Dinosaur Trail G&CC a unique mix of nines By Gord Montgomery – Western Canada Senior Writer, Inside Golf DRUMHELLER — Until you experience what the Dinosaur Trail Golf & Country Club has to offer, you can only imagine what is in store…