By Gord Montgomery, Senior Writer, Inside Golf
Sometimes you’ve got to get away from the crowds to enjoy a day of golf. And that’s exactly the case when you head to the Strathmore Golf Club.
Speaking about his course, somewhere around a half hour or so east of Calgary, General Manager Dru Bolen noted first of all that it’s an easily reachable facility for locals and those who live in the larger centre as well. With tee times often at a premium at Calgary courses, he suggests that the short haul to Strathmore is well worth the time.
“It’s a great golf course. People assume being in a smaller town, they wouldn’t expect this nice of a course. With our changes we’re hoping to draw some more of that Calgary traffic. Being 25 to 30 minutes away from there, and with the traffic on Calgary courses, if people don’t mind driving, this isn’t that big of a deal as it was 10 or 15 years ago.”
As would be expected, a golf course that is over 100 years old has gone through a few changes. And that’s exactly the case with the Strathmore Golf Club where some interesting renovations have taken place.
The original nine here was built in 1921 by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The second nine were built not all that long ago, turning this into a true test of golf. The opening nine offer wide fairways but starting at the second hole through the sixth it’s a string of challenges that can simply make, or break, your round. Where the layout truly pushes your patience is on its greens, which are full of tricky undulations.
“It’s a tale of two nines, like a lot of hundred year old golf courses,” explained Bolen. “The front still has original greens. The first nine is so spread out; the holes aren’t on top of each other. The back nine has more bunkering. You can let the ball fly, hit more drivers. You’re not going to get in trouble in the rough. The front has tall trees, much more old school. It’s kind of a running joke here that if you can make the turn at 40, you can do some damage because the back has reachable par fives, drivable par fours. There’s no real danger, per se. Sure there’s some water but if you’re going well you’re going to have some chances on the back,” to post a memorable score at day’s end.
One of the interesting twists here is the fifth hole, a par-4 with an island green. The thing is though, this is such a taxing target to hit, and stay on, that this particular green is only used every other day.
‘It’s very difficult,” Bolen understated. “The wind is usually blowing and you don’t have 10-fee of rough to save you, where it rolls off, sort of like 15 at Augusta. It’s not kind. A lot of members actually play it as a three shot hole.”
There is a caveat here, however, especially for this who have length off the tee. The hole plays out at around 270 yards if you want to take the shortcut (it runs to around 330-yards if you play it down the fairway.) “It’s a cool hole. In theory, you can take dead aim at it, but you’d never hold it,” said Bolen. But those of us who play the game always know someone who is willing to take on that risk/reward blast to perhaps set up an eagle putt or better yet, can that tee blast for the ever-elusive albatross.
When that particular green structure isn’t in play there is a another green to the right of it, which acts as its alternative. “If you were coming down the fairway there’s a green right in front of you,” when the secondary hole is in play meaning on some days, you’re taking on shooting at the island while others present a much less stressful approach into a landlocked putting surface.
One of the big changes here, speaking of renovations to older properties, is the new tee box on No. 10 which also sees the old 18th hole take up residence in the history books.
“What happens is 10 through 17 all move back a hole – 10 becomes 11, 11 becomes 12, and the new number 10 starts the back nine now. Ten goes from a (par) five to a three and 18 goes from a three to a four.”
As for amenities, the Strathmore GC offers a large grass tee driving range as well as two warm-up putting surfaces. As well, there is also space for a 40- to 50-yard short-game chipping area. The pro shop here is “packed full,” and to top your round off, there is a newly designed bar area in the clubhouse which also fosters a full-service restaurant.
About coming here to test an old-school-new century layout, Bolen noted, “People are starting to look outside of (Calgary) because everyone’s so busy,” and his suggestion of hitting the highway for a short drive to the Strathmore Golf Club is a solution to that problem.