It’s funny, I played both courses at Kananaskis a number of times when I lived in Calgary (all pre-flood closure / rebuild admittedly) and was always so-so on them. Don’t get me wrong, they’re great and fun but I always felt the setting carried them further than the actual golf courses would elsewhere.
Now, that brings in that point that people make about Pebble Beach, for example. That thing of, “Pebble wouldn’t be that highly rated if it weren’t by the ocean.” But, IT IS by the ocean and so it’s that much more highly regarded. Same with this - that terrain and those views go a long way to make that golf experience so cool.
You also make a great point about value with those two. Banff is stunning (and the historical aspect is real too) but it ain’t cheap. For golf in that setting, Kananaskis really is terrific value for money.
Pebble is a great parallel. Banff is a marginally better course than Kidd in my mind, but any of those mountain courses the real experience is playing in the mountains and if you can do that for 36 holes for the same price as 18 I would take the 36.
With Banff, I really wish they had the original routing with the current dramatic tee shot 15th being the opening hole and the awesome current 14th being the closer. I totally understand why it changed from an infrastructure point of view, but it is less good. That said, Banff is a super fun course with incredible views. For better value, go on your birthday week if you can - there is a roughly half price discount.
Kananaskis, especially at the Alberta resident rate really good value. Kidd is definitely the better of the two, but it is also a great place to spend all day playing 36!
Welcome Thrill! I’m newer around here too. This weekend I was at my home course out north of Guelph. Hoping to play more around the GTA soon but hard to spend that cash when all the courses are going to be waterlogged for the next month.
Welcome! Played in Muskoka at Windermere G&CC. A reasonable course that sadly gets a bit over watered but is still fun to play. Slapped it around mostly as a practice trying to figure things out. Eagled the par 4 18th which was nice!!
It’s a MAJOR week!! And for the first time in a while I am lamenting having cut my cable cord. Anyone know of Canadian accessible streams for the event by chance? Even paid one’s I would be open to I just can’t justify giving Rogers any more of my $.
Welcome @ThrillHouse and @1Goodman if we haven’t already said hello. A friendly reminder to sign up for the Canada/Ontario chapters of the RACDGD. Makes it easier for us to connect and organize events.
Heading west to the vancouver kids this week, may have a monday aug 10th free day to golf if any locals are up for it. Busted out on my hope of capilano on the trip as they’re saying no to guests for covid. Will be playing fraserview, ledgeview, mccleary and ? Monday?
Update: played Cobble Beach with @duncmitchell last week. What a treat. First 6 holes were pretty tame, resort-ish, but fine. Then it gets fun. #7 has a killer reveal, and 8 is as close to a true Redan as you’ll see without the back bunker. Just sublime. Coming in and going out are nice, 11 has a great green, and 12 is a wild swinging par 5. Then there is 13 which features a gulch short left and a stunning green complex.
14 is a reverse Redan. 15 is one I’d like a do-over on. Short par 4 that you could possibly drive but there is a dry bed and rocky creek in front that may bounce your ball anywhere. Pot bunker short left that I had fun in. 16 has a tiny green and requires good placement off the tee.
17 is their signature hole where you see the lighthouse. Its pretty basic but great aesthetics.
18 was as great finisher. Reachable par 5 back up towards the clubhouse. Parking lot is in play, or so I believe.
Thanks again @duncmitchell for a super fun round. Lots of NLU lingo used. More of the “you hate to see it” lines dropped than one would like, but plenty of “siiiiiick” to compliment.
