This is not a bulldozer’s golf course; this is nature’s golf course. There are no architectural windmills – no wooden pilings, no concrete water hazards, no holes that shout “Look at me, I’m tricky!”
The same friendly glacier that gave us the spectacular Escarpment provided the raw material for OslerBrook. It treated the rolling plain far more gently than the cliff above it, but it gave designer Graham Cooke the opportunity to build something wonderful. And he did.
OslerBrook offers pleasure and challenge, whether the player’s handicap is three or thirty-three. For one thing, each hole has six different tee boxes, so relatively short
hitters can face the first-shot carry with little need for prayer. And Cooke has clearly given great thought to the landing areas that the driver faces from the tee. While
“forgiving” is not the word that comes quickly to mind, the player who lacks a 90-degree slice will usually find an acceptable second shot. Better yet, the second-shot angle toward the green will vary intriguingly depending on whether the ball lies here or ………………… over here.
Despite the nearby grandeur of an 800-foot rock monolith, OslerBrook is not strictly a mountain course. No golfer is likely to be injured falling off his lie. But there are plenty of uphill stances, downhill stances, sidehill stances – and extraordinary vistas not provided by any flatland layout. Similarly, this in not a water-dominated golf course, such as one might find in Florida or the Carolinas. But never, ever relax: as you approach the ninth green a large splash is likely to be heard whereas, as you near the eighteenth, expect a small plop as you hit into a protected marsh area.
The greens are interesting, which is as they should be on a rolling course. You will rarely face a six-foot break on an eight-foot putt – but it’s equally unusual to plumb-bob (if you must) and see it as perfectly straight. Sand bunkers are well placed, and not excessively numerous: the honest golfer is less likely to say “What a dumb place for a trap” than “I shouldn’t have hit it there, should I?”
One thing more: there is a third element of colourful beauty to OslerBrook beyond the deep green of the Escarpment and the rich blue of Georgian Bay. There is a dominant streak of gold, or beige, or sunlit tan, brought to you by the long and waving grasses that beckon your wayward ball. The green/blue/gold counterpoint is quite unique – and very lovely.
This is a well-situated, well-designed, and well-executed golf course. And it is young in years. It can only get better.
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