Celebrating 95 Years at the Renfrew Golf Club
The Renfrew Golf Club is 95 years young. It has a long history of excellence that show in every aspect of the golf course. Driving up to the club house I was awed by picturesque scenery. The moment I stepped onto the grounds I was impressed by the golf course. As I played each hole, I became more impressed by the condition of the course, the design and the architecture of each hole. I have to say that I am thrilled to be invited to the 95 year hickory stick celebration. Charlie and I thoroughly enjoyed the low key even with our friend Lorne Emery, President of the Golf Historical Society of Canada. We want to thank Bob West for inviting us an sharing is this momentous occasion.
If you are wondering, I think the Renfrew Golf Club is a must play in you are in the Ottawa Valley. It was an amazing course that offered every challenge one could imagine. Blind shots, false fronts, strategic bunkers, short holes, long holes and a manicured persona that is enviable. From the putting green at the beginning of the course through the rest of the course, everything was amazing.
The following was the scene from the 18th tee box. With the clubhouse in the background, it had a very majestic feel when finishing the round. It was a beautiful view and well worth the visit to check it out for yourself.
One of most interesting aspects of the course was the location of the sand traps around the greens. They are very strategic and definitely added to the complexity of playing the course. Every hole had something that force Charlie, Lorne and myself to think about our approach shots. It really was fun to play a course that challenged our course management skills.
The second hole was our first impression of the beauty of Renfrew Golf Club. This par three was fantastic to view and play. Through the entire round, Lorne, Charlie, and I continually commented on how wonderful the course played.
Another noteworthy hole was the par 3, 17th. It was about 145 yards that was all carry. What was interesting was the 100 foot gorge directly off the tee box and the three grass bunkers guarding the slope and prevent our ball from falling to the bottom of the gorge. Standing on the edge was fun and a bit scary.
Before I continue with the rest of my review of the golf course from the hickory perspective was these beauties. They were many located on the course. You have to appreciate the ingenuity of the gnome villages!
I was very happy to see that the 95 anniversary celebration included a hickory stick component. The course was set up perfectly by playing the 5100 yard red tees. This distance is perfect for hickory sticks because it offers an opportunity to hit scoring irons into the green. Any longer and it is a challenge of hickory players to score well. On a side note, I shot a smooth 79 with a triple and a double. Overall, I played very well from the proper length for hickory sticks..
The course was in fantastic shape. The fairways were very well manicured and the rough offered challenges for missing the short grass. The greens were the real gem of the Renfrew course. They were large enough to allow for wayward shots to stay on and small enough to force a well thought out approach shots. They rolled true and ensured that if you were on the wrong side of the hole you were punished. Since it is difficult to spin the ball with my clubs, landing short and bouncing on the green was the proper way to play most holes. Overall, layout of the Renfrew Golf Club was well worth the visit.
The benefit of being invited to play our hickory clubs at Renfrew was a boon. Bob West set up perfect event for celebrate this diamond in the rough. If you are in the area, this golf course is a must play!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
