12 Golf Preview april 2013
No.
1
Par 5,
450-535
yards
Wintergreen
Without a doubt, this is the most intimidating
opening shot in the Calgary area. The first fairway
at Wintergreen is squeezed between a pond on
the left and tall stacks of trees on the right. If you
want to get off to a good start, you’ll need nerves
of steel to go with your graphite-shafted driver.
Inglewood
2
No.
Alright, you
survived No. 1 ... It’s
time to take a deep
breath and enjoy the
Par 3,
scenery. The second
131-151
hole at Inglewood
yards
turns toward the Bow
River and offers up
a view of Calgary’s
downtown skyline. Despite a dull
roar, it’s easy to forget you’re only
a couple of wedge-shots away
from Deerfoot Trail.
3
No.
Par 4,
302-420
yards
The course website touts the third
assignment as “possibly the toughest hole at
Lynx Ridge.” I’d go even further. With trouble
on both sides of the fairway, a forced carry
on your approach and a putting surface that
can give you fits, this is possibly the toughest
hole anywhere in city limits.
Par 3,
79-192
yards
Fairmont
Banff Springs
You could argue this is
the signature hole for all
[email protected]
of Canada.
Affectionately
referred
to as the Devil’s
@SUNGilbertson
Cauldron, the fourth hole
at Banff Springs sends
thousands of tourists
home with lock-jaw every
year. No matter how long
you’ve lived near the
mountains, you’ll be blown
away by this view.
The fourth hole at Banff Springs (seen here) isn’t just a must-golf
for Calgarians. It might just be the finest-looking hole in the country.
Par 5,
405-518
yards
Heritage Pointe
(Pointe Nine)
Hey, nobody promised our course would be easy. Nicknamed ‘The
Natural,’ Heritage Pointe’s most challenging hole requires five — FIVE!
— crossings of Pine Creek. After all that, the toughest part is actually
the approach, an uphill shot into a tiny green with no room for error.
MUST-PLAY
GILBERTSON
WES
Lynx Ridge
4
No.
18
5
No.
6
No.
Par 4,
250-429
yards
Springbank Links
For years, I’ve hated this hole. Apparently,
I wasn’t alone. Kudos to the staff at
Springbank Links for recognizing the problem
and recruiting Calgary-based PGA Tour player
Stephen Ames to help fix it. The wooden
retaining wall is finally gone, so maybe it’s
time to give No. 6 a second chance.
HOLES
Water Valley
7
No.
No offence to
the design of the
hole, but what you’ll
Par 5,
remember most is the
opportunity to ring
405-480
the bell. The seventh
yards
hole at Water Valley
requires a blind shot
from an elevated teebox. You’ll know it’s safe to bomb
away when you hear the clanging
of the bell from the fairway below.
In Calgary & area
8
No.
Par 3,
99-159
yards
Redwood Meadows
Redwood Meadows boasts a great set of
shorties, and this is the best of the bunch.
The distance won’t scare anybody, but you’ll
need to get some air under your tee-shot
or you’ll be playing ‘Go Fish.’ The pond that
protects the green is crystal-clear, and you’ll
spot countless balls below the surface.
McCall Lake
9
No.
This municipal
course will close after
the 2014 season, so
you’re running out of
Par 4,
time to try this heroic
375-406
shot across the water.
yards
This assignment
is shaped like a
horseshoe, tempting
heavy-hitters to aim for the
green. Hey, if it doesn’t work out,
you can always buy more balls at
the turn.