So I’m planning to wait until the end to give full-length reviews, but synopsis of Tarandowah:
It’s brutal!!! I drove the ball fairly well all day, but hardly played off of any fairways. I needed a mallet to get my tees into the ground, I watched balls bounce of greens like bouncy balls, took bad bounce after bad bounce into bunkers, and lipped at LEAST 5 putts. One of the biggest bogey fests of my life as I brought it home with 2 pars, 12 bogeys, 3 doubles, and 1 triple (17).
Loved every second!!! What a blast of a course, each hole is so fun. 11 is great as a tough par 4, but in my head that baby is a par 5 when there’s only 2 others on the course. I wish the par 3’s had some more variety in regard to distance, but wow what a fun course to play. Drives roll foreverrrrrr.
Teed off at 7:30, walked and was done by 11. Even has to wait on a couple tees for the threesome ahead of me.
Was talking to @Sarah and a few other Tussle participants who also saw this place for the first time recently - fresh eyes on the course maybe made me re-frame how tough it can play…
As someone who was introduced to it right at spring time a few years ago, I’ve played a stack of rounds there early and late in the season when the fescue is down and you can find your ball (and make reasonable contact) from almost anywhere.
Chatting to so many folks seeing it for the first time in the last few weeks really made me realise how damned hard it is when the ball runs forever and the fescue is thicccc in June / July / August. It really isn’t forgiving at all, combined with bunkers that are proper hazards and greens that are wild(ly fun!) and it really can be a kick in the pants.
It definitely cuts you some slack second time around, with a few blind-ish landing areas and approaches making more sense on another look. But I’m stoked you had fun. Rosie and Tarandowah - what a banger of a start to a trip. Properly stellar public golf!
You are not kidding when you say this. I truly had a blast hitting out of the bunkers today, but wow are they tough. Some really nice drives that I didn’t think would reach… always found a way to reach. They really do roll forever, it’s crazy, but authentic.
As I left I kept thinking how I wished I had a second round there. I admittedly didn’t strike my irons well today, but even the ones I did just went long. I’m a “club up cuz you’ll hit it like shit” guy, but realized the secret to Tarandowah is to leave it short too late. Part of me wishes I would’ve just grabbed a 5 or 7 iron from within 125 yards and just started hitting punches lol.
I sense a sick day in your future on your drive home…
Yeah, the bunkering is wild. Nevermind the placement (fiendish), or the fringes (brutal) but the fact no two of them play the same in terms of texture makes them an absolute bastard. But, that’s half the fun. Probably?
It’s like you’ve played there before or something lol, you’re nailing all my thoughts.
I splatted one out of a deep bunker for a good chance to save par (missed of course) & on the very next hole tried to do the same thing out of a shallower bunker and it was rock hard & shot over the green lol.
Im heading back after a Saturday morning round & if I didn’t have to be back for a prior commitment that night, I would totally be playing it one more time.
I said this at the time and it sounds crazy since I have played Carnoustie (NBD) but I really feel like Tarandowah was the toughest course I’ve played. Something about every shot visually feeling like 6 bunkers were in play made every shot feel super uncomfy. But absolutely loved it!
Exactly! But like you said, still loved it. Every shot is so visually appealing and you have to think so much, it’s a real treat. Makes me want to go to Scotland even more!
I was ready to rally the pitchforks until I read this paragraph. So glad you enjoyed Tarandowah, it’s an unbelievable place. It’s always great to look back to the tee when you’re (eventually) on the green and see the fairway. It’s always such a different look and can help a lot on your next playthrough.
And she STILL shot a back nine 42 on her third round of the weekend after carrying her partner through a scramble on the front nine. Sarah might be too good.
This sentiment cannot be overemphasized enough. Even with the truly excellent yardage books that the wonderful organizers supplied for the Tussle, there were some holes where my rational brain could not override what my eyes were seeing. This led to multiple times where I would either slightly alter my alignment or swing path when addressing the ball, which in turn lead to the course punching me square in the junk.
Thing I really loved about the bunkers was that there was almost always an easy out if you were willing to go backwards or sideways. If you wanted to advance the ball, then you were taking on risk. In retrospect, there were a few times where I wish I had taken the “punch out backwards” option.
I absolutely adore this course, and can’t wait to come back for the Tussle next year.
As a first time Tussler (and Tarandowah-er (?) I loved the course
There were definitely very punishing features and I was actually surprised at how well I handled it.
-for reference I am a 10 cap rising faster than a 747 this season and shot a reasonable 85 day 1
I also thrive when driver is taken out of your hand and often rely on my chipping and putting which helps with wild and firm green complexes. But regardless of the difficulty and how I handled it, it was by far the most unique and thought provoking course i’ve played in Ontario. '23 Sign me up
@Freedom35 I have to go to a wedding on the 21st of July in Minnesota (a great excuse to golf road trip there and back) so as long as it’s not that weekend I’ll probably be good!
@Sarah I’ve heard Wine Valley is awesome… the Pacific Northwest is high on my bucket list, but I feel like I might not see that one for quite some time sadly. Noted though!
I wanted to play a Stanley Thompson on this trip, but didn’t see one. I missed Rockway until @alhunter pointed it out yesterday.
This Friday I’m set for 4:10 at Copetown Woods and 8:00AM at Savannah. Do I book 10:36 at Rockway (soonest available) and hope I’ll be done in time for the 40 minute drive to Copetown, or do you guys think the pace at Rockway will be too slow? It’s a booked up muni so I expected 5 hours…
