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Editor’s Be aware: I’ve no relationship with the course and paid full value to play. It is a totally clear assessment of my expertise.
There’s an argument to be made that if you happen to had been to maneuver Pebble Seashore one mile inland, it could instantly disappear from high course lists.
The Pacific Ocean is a defining character within the Pebble Seashore story—however what if it wasn’t?
It’s a moot Nineteenth-hole sort of dialogue to deal in such hypotheticals. Pebble Seashore is by the water, so what the hell are we speaking about?
It does, nonetheless, convey up a conundrum I’ve discovered myself noodling over lately:
Is a course outlined by taking part in areas solely? Or is a course outlined by its setting?
In different phrases, can course and surrounds be separated in evaluating a format? Ought to they be?
By no means have I felt such a push and pull with this query as once I performed Stewart Creek Golf and Nation Membership in Canmore, Alberta, Canada.
A real mountain course with chic views, Stewart Creek is Instagram prepared.
However if you happen to took away the mountains, what story does the course inform?
Like taking part in golf in heaven
Two months in the past, my spouse and I took a highway journey from Vancouver to Calgary. Our 12-day journey included whale watching, climbing, glacier excursions, gondola rides and much more.
In case you haven’t been to western Canada, I extremely suggest the journey. The surroundings is breathtaking at each flip. Of the ten greatest hikes we’ve ever executed, not less than 4 of them had been right here.
We ended our trip in Canmore, a small utopia of a city that’s 20 minutes from Banff and a little bit over an hour from Calgary. That is the place Stewart Creek is nestled up towards the Three Sisters—a trio of mountain peaks that loom massive over the course.
The Canadian Rockies are ever-present in almost all instructions. An countless sea of timber, cascading down in a wave, makes each fairway into an island. Miss the green and, with few exceptions, you don’t should trouble on the lookout for your ball.
This is without doubt one of the solely programs I’ve performed the place you might be totally out in nature. Whereas we didn’t see any wildlife throughout our spherical, a fast scan of Stewart Creek’s social media reveals loads of golfer encounters with bears, elk and different animals. Just a few miles from the course, throughout the similar Bow Valley nature hall the place Stewart Creek resides, my spouse and I noticed a bear with two cubs.
It could be not possible to overstate the presence of this backdrop. Golf course great thing about this magnitude is uncommon. And seeing your ball fly (a little bit farther than regular due to the altitude) in the direction of the gargantuan mountains within the distance is such a trippy, exhilarating feeling.
As stunning as the photographs are, being there in particular person is a complete different expertise.
Stewart Creek opened on June 1, 2000, and simply celebrated its twenty fifth anniversary. Of explicit be aware, the course was designed by Gary Browning. Browning is a panorama architect with experience in resort planning, grasp planning and panorama design. His diploma is in environmental design.
That is all to say that Browning shouldn’t be your conventional golf course architect as a result of golf is only one component of his enterprise. Proficient man.
A semi-private membership with members-only play on weekend mornings, Stewart Creek is accommodating to the visiting public. All three of my taking part in companions had been vacationers.
At Stewart Creek, Browning neatly weaves ribbons of completely manicured fairways across the majestic mountains for a par-71 monitor that ideas out at 7,009 yards. There are 5 par-3s, with two of them coming back-to-back to complete your opening 9.
It is a borderline top-30 course in all of Canada, in accordance with The Rating.
The sight of the criss-crossed mowing strains and plush tough contrasted with the rugged grey mountains protruding out of the darkish inexperienced timber … it’s sufficient to make a golfer cry tears of pleasure.
The expertise of taking part in Stewart Creek
With our journey being in the course of vacationer season, I booked my tee time a number of months upfront. That ended up being needed given how packed the tee sheet regarded.
The ultimate tally was $246 Canadian, about $177 USD.
Heading off early within the morning, I checked in on the clubhouse (stunning) and hit a couple of balls on the vary. The observe facility, which contains a concession stand a couple of steps from the vary, is kind of fairly.
There isn’t a strolling right here. Carts solely. An excessive amount of elevation change and there are lengthy distances between holes. Add in the potential for coming throughout wildlife with out the flexibility to zip away in a cart and it is sensible why strolling is strongly discouraged.
After a couple of observe putts, I headed as much as the primary tee the place a pleasant starter gave us directions for the day. “Go away wildlife alone” was a very powerful tip.
The primary gap is a robust style of what you’ll find all through the day. The tee field sits properly above the green for a brief par-4 that was merely a 3-wood and hole wedge for this 9-handicapper. The view is among the many greatest you get the entire day.
A handful of different holes stood out.
No. 6 — Par-5, 553 Yards
After a simple tee shot, you’ve a choice to make in your second. You may both keep to the precise and take the excessive highway or push the ball in the direction of the inexperienced on the decrease fairway.
No. 7 — Par-4, 405 Yards
This may need been the good tee shot of the day. It’s a right-to-left dogleg begging for a draw. All the mountain you’re up towards is screaming at you to hit a draw. In case you can, it’s only a brief flip of a wedge to a inexperienced that’s partially obscured by a boulder.
No. 9 — Par-3, 212 Yards
Actually one of the attractive views I’ve ever had on a golf course. It could be in competition for high 5 undoubtedly. You’re hitting a brief iron severely downhill because the mountains watch.
No. 14 — Par-4, 294 Yards
This drivable par-4 is a simple layup if you need it. The hole to get the ball up close to the inexperienced is slender however, hey, you’re (in all probability) on trip. Identical to energy don’t depend, misplaced golf balls don’t depend.
No. 18 — Par-5, 530 Yards
Your spherical ends with an ultra-reachable par-5 that seemingly requires not more than a 6-iron down the hill on your second shot. It’s a frightening shot with a small lake sitting simply left of the inexperienced.
The optimistic elements of my expertise
Enjoying golf on the aspect of a mountain is a superb vibe. The views, together with the best way the course is located subsequent to the mountains, lived as much as the hype.
We had been fortunate to have good climate, which provides to all the sweetness that surrounds.
The course was in superb however not excellent form. Tee packing containers, fairways and bunkers had been fairly stable, if not wonderful. The greens (photograph above) had been a little bit beat up in areas however typically easy—they weren’t quick in any respect, however I wouldn’t say they had been sluggish.
There are such a lot of spots on this course the place you need to take an image due to how good-looking a gap appears to be like.
Customer support will get an A+. Everybody I encountered was smiling and useful.
Lodging and comfort additionally obtain a robust grade. The course is about 10 minutes from the center of Canmore the place our Airbnb was. For these flying into Calgary—which has direct flights to my hometown of Nashville and plenty of different U.S. cities—the drive is straightforward.
The damaging elements of my expertise
I alluded to this in my intro, however Stewart Creek’s greatest attribute is its geography.
Take that away and you’re looking at a well-manicured however pretty benign course that feels aggressively utilitarian in spots.
With out the dramatic elevation modifications—which actually solely come into play on a couple of holes—there may be not a lot character to the course. The setting is the character.
The greens are useless flat with nothing fascinating occurring round them. A lot of the holes are interchangeable.
On high of that, it will get exhausting if you hit a tee shot offline and know your ball is toast. It’s mainly like if each gap had OB on either side of a 40-yard window. I like treelined programs, however I want when you possibly can not less than punch out again to the green.
After all, the architect didn’t actually have an choice right here. This course needed to be carved out of dense woods. Vast-open fairways and utilizing enjoyable angles to create strategically fascinating golf holes wasn’t the purpose of the mission.
Regardless, this isn’t a design masterpiece by the purist’s customary. Not by a mile.
There’s nothing deeper to uncover right here. No tantalizing pictures that have you ever determined to race again to the primary tee so you possibly can strive once more.
We’ve all performed these sorts of programs. This isn’t that. You pay your $180, you’ve a very good time, you’re taking your footage and also you seemingly by no means play it once more.
The mountains make the course memorable—but in addition maintain the course again due to house constraints.
Now could be the time if you is likely to be yelling at your display screen: “However it’s a mountain course! You may’t take the mountains away!”
Therein lies the dilemma I’ve been wrestling with as I sat down to write down this assessment.
The vacationer in me loves Stewart Creek and thinks it’s an superior place. The golfer in me is aware of that it’s a one-off, like how cooking a complete turkey is nice for Thanksgiving dinner … however it doesn’t hit the identical if you do it on a Tuesday in Could.
The ultimate verdict
If you’re a golfer on trip within the Canadian Rockies, Stewart Creek is a stunning place to play.
I’m advised there are different good, presumably higher, choices within the space. That features a few Stanley Thompson designs like Banff Springs and Jasper Park.
Irrespective of, I’ve zero regrets about taking part in right here. Quite the opposite, I’m glad with my expertise.
Mountain golf is superior simply primarily based on the views you’ve and the distinctive alternative to hit golf pictures with insane elevation modifications.
For $177 USD, Stewart Creek is certainly value taking part in as soon as as a customer.
You’re right here to play golf subsequent to a mountain and get some superior footage. That may be a affordable worth. I had a good time.
Nonetheless, I’d not play right here a second time.
For that purpose, my general grade is two-pronged: Stewart Creek will get an A- for the primary/solely play and a C+ for day-in, day-out play.
There are only a few programs that match so squarely into this class, however I feel Stewart Creek does.
A few of you studying it will play right here and provides it a a lot greater grade. I perceive that. It’s a good looking course in a good looking place.
I haven’t performed a lot golf in Canada however I’m going to imagine there are 30 higher programs. Canadians, am I proper? I’ll get to a few of these quickly (anybody up for a visit to Cabot? Drinks are on me).
As for the last word query of whether or not you possibly can separate a course from its surrounds, possibly the reply is like my grade—a little bit difficult.
Superficially, you possibly can’t separate them. The mountains make Stewart Creek just like the ocean makes Pebble.
However the deeper you need to dig, the extra the true bones of a course are uncovered. If you’re like me, you need to be stimulated by the pictures you might be hitting extra than simply the intoxicating views.
Have you ever performed Stewart Creek? Would you need to primarily based on these pictures and my assessment? Is mountain golf overrated?
Let me know under within the feedback.
The publish MGS Experiences: Stewart Creek appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
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