 |
 |
|
|
| Golf travels with Tom and Jan: Prince Edward Island by Janice Martin
Our first impression of the Island was this is Cape Cod back in the fifties. There is such a neatness about this land with its greener than green hills, red clay cliffs leading down to champagne-colored sandy beaches, precise symmetry of the potato fields, and the lupins in full bloom everywhere. Just as the rest of Canada, PEI has attractive arrow lettered signs for every place. With route numbers and these signs it is impossible to get lost!
And now to the golf courses – we were fortunate to play three very different, but outstanding, tracks. At Rustico Resort Golf Course prides itself with its many flower beds and gardens done by Karen Gawland and staff. Almost every front tee is surrounded with bright hues of flowering plants. You start off on this 73 par course with a par five where the whole right side has two Finishing the front, we proceeded to the back nine where the trees really come into play! On the par four thirteenth we were told to “grip it and rip it” for your approach shot has tall pines across the fairway. On sixteen be aware of deep-staired bunkers around the green. And you complete your round at the par five eighteen with a dog leg left over the trees to an island green.
The par four first hole is a dog left. You need to keep your ball right of center to have an open view of the large tiered green. There are high grassy mounds behind this green that will deceive on the distance. Number two has a deep lake to the left of your landing The dog leg right tenth shows off the use of grasses and many wild flowers that are just beautiful. On the eleventh hole we realized that the turf conditions of this new course are as excellent as those courses ten to twenty years old. This mid-length par three needs enough club to clear the guard bunker, but watch out for subtle rolls on the green. Hole number fourteen is very scenic with a right turn that hugs the high hillside from tee to green. The split fairway of the par five fifteenth offers you a choice from the tee. However, keep in mind that your ideal long drive down the right side will bound right on landing so you do not want a left to right flight pattern. After the turning point, the fairway rushes downhill to meet a spacious raised green. On the par three seventeen water and sand must be negotiated. Again there are high tees, this time to a small rolling green. The finishing hole has a deep lake that follows you all the way to the green with a high fairway that is wide and inviting. At this green it is a must to take advantage of the scenic views that make Prince Edward Island so special. It also helps to walk off the course as Tom did with a two under par 70!
You are facing undulating fairways, nine water holes, pot bunkers, and very challenging greens. Hole one definitely had us using an extra half club on approach to the elevated green. The number one handicap par five fifth has many right side bunkers so it demands a drive left of center. To reach the shallow green fronted by water you will need to produce a well positioned lay-up shot. Hole six, called Cattails, is a difficult par three. Since the ocean winds were blowing I needed two extra clubs. Keep the tee ball right! Continuing on the back nine the par five eleventh is best played with a lay-up second shot due to the large water hazard and a very narrow green. Number twelve’s challenge is the green that slopes from back to front. Putts from beyond the pin are most difficult. Now to the most picturesque thirteenth. As you stand on the tee you feel you are at the end of the universe for the sight is so magnificent. You have a semi-blind tee shot but the hydro pole behind the green is a good target line. At Heron Lookout, number sixteen, there is once more water intimidation for three of the tee boxes. Then you have a small contoured green surrounded by bunkers and grassy hollows. Again on the eighteenth the green can really add to your score because front and rear pinning areas are bisected by a swale. Our scores were not great, but this course is a must for its views and design. After golf take some time to cruise along the scenic costal drives and indulge in the wonderful seafood. I made a point of having PEI mussels with every evening meal! There are many church groups and large supper halls that specialize in superb lobster dinners. Our second night we happened to dine at New Glasgow Lobster Suppers where all meals include unlimited rolls, seafood chowder, cultivated mussels, salad, homemade desserts, and beverages. What a feast! For the other two nights Tom and I discovered a cute restaurant on the North Rustico Wharf called The Blue Mussel Café. We ate very relaxed meals on the deck over looking the harbor and walked off the mussels along the wooden path parallel to the water admiring the garden art work. For lunch one day we stopped at the Prince Edward Island Preserve Co. which has a great water view of kayaking and stunning gardens. I also found time for a quick trip to the Sandscript Store for some unique handcrafted sand treasures as bring home presents. Thank you Prince Edward Island for your great hospitality, charm, and beauty. We shall be back. To further explore golf vacations in Prince Edward Island: Merit Golf Vacations Tourism Prince Edward Island Rustico Resort Phone: 902.963.2357 Eagles Glen Golf Resort |
|
GolfCapeCod.com assumes no responsibility for any errors, omissions or changes in rates or information residing on these pages. To update any information or a golf course, email us at info@teeballgolf.com - include course name if neccessay.
|
Another Fourth of July found us on the road again, this time to experience the golf on Prince Edward Island. With the help of MapOuest and the early hour we easily sailed through Boston and New Hampshire ($2.00 toll) and were able to enjoy our packed lunch at one of the many rest areas along Maine’s Route 95 ( another $2.50 in tolls). We realized how far north we were when we spotted deer running through a meadow and a huge male moose stopped for a water break at a passing lake. Crossing over the border at Houlton to New Brunswick we found security to be tight, but the guards were efficient and polite. We were impressed by the many golf symbol signage along Trans Canada 2. Two hundred forty-two point seven miles later we were at the magnificent Confederation Bridge. From our Chevrolet Advanche we had panorama views of the water and enormous sky of puffed clouds for the 12.5 kilometres. There is no toll on the way over, but $39.95 is charged leaving.
We stayed three nights at the Rustico Golf Resort and Country Club. The staff at Tourism PEI couldn’t have pick a better place for us. Our hosts, John and Martha Langdale, have owned and operated the resort since 1980, and they were the first to offer golf packages on the island. They have a wonderful deserved reputation for offering outstanding value. There are cottages, motel rooms, and full kitchen suites, all on the bay. Each cottage has a fireplace, and all lodging has colour satellite television including The Golf Channel. Besides the eighteen hole Par 73 golf course there is a full golf practice facility, four grass tennis courts, a heated swimming pool, and a central gas BBQ area. There is even a coin-operated laundromat on the premises for those enjoyng a longer stay. A continental breakfast is served from 7a.m. to 9:30 a.m. daily, and light meals and luncheon specials are offered throughout the day in the clubhouse or the delightful screened patio overlooking Rustico Bay. Each evening of our stay we saw incredible sunsets from our deck, watched blue herons feed, and joined fellow golfers round the beach campfire to discuss the day’s play.
large red clay bunkers. The greens on this course are true soil greens, reminiscent of the 1940’s, testing your skill of getting the ball up and down. On the fairways you see a beautiful mixture of young and old trees. John Langdale told us he has planted over 60,000 trees. On the next hole, number 2 handicapper, it is a very narrow landing for your tee shot. This narrowness continues on hole 3 where you have stairs to an elevated tee surrounded by charming gardens. There is water on the right with your approach shot for this par four. The view on the fourth hole is outstanding with the water, mussel farms and the red clay cliffs. On the seventh we joined up with another couple, John and Nancy, who described themselves as a hacker
That afternoon we drove to Cavendish to the new Eagles Glenn Golf Resort. Designed by renowned golf course architect, Graham Cooke, it has inspiring views and the holes have their own unique personalities with undulating, very receptive greens running about a nine on the stemp meter. Plus there are four tee boxes to satisfy every golfer, and pins are color coded for front, back and middle. There is excellent marked yardage.
The next morning we were off to The Links at Crowbush Cove, that overlook the north shore dunes at PEI. It was so easy to find thanks to the written directions the Rustico Resort gave us and the highway map proved by Tourism PEI. After a bucket of balls at the practice range, we got a wonderful welcome by the starter, given our card, pin sheets, and tees and were off to play this challenging course designed by Thomas McBroom. This female member knew right from the very beginning of play that I was not going to set any course records, but just the combination of nature and the designer’s imagination makes this course a must play. However, if the wind is not blowing make sure you have bug spray!
As we proceeded to the seventh our surroundings just became more and more spectacular. To avoid the rough and marsh hug the left side of this par four. It is a two-tiered green with a “no access” environmental zone immediately behind it. Hole eight is well named Pinnacle Dune. Tom had a very long carry across the water to the deep green. I was much more fortunate with the red tee placement.