Don't Let The Name Fool You....
Stanley packed every trick into this gem in the Thornhill Valley. While not necessarily long at 5718 yards from the blues, this course demands a lot of course management. Dog-legs are tight. Elevated greens make the holes longer than they read on the card. Sloped greens make putts above the hole very tricky. Elevated par three's really make you re-think your club selection. Well manicured. This course is a real treat.
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The Inside Scoop On The Ladies
The Toronto Ladies Club is a great deal for guys. There is the annual membership fee and then a pay as you play policy. While men are restricted from morning tee off times between 8:30 and 11:30 for most of us enthusiasts we either want to get an early round in --- or a quick one after work! Either way the Ladies worked for us. |
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A Traditional Stanley
Stanley believed strongly in the first hole more as a warm up than a test of your golfing abilities. This par 4 is no exception with its expansive fairways, well sized green and little contour in the putting surface. |
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A Signature Hole?
It's hard to do the 4th hole justice. Elevated. 185 yards of trouble. Was this the signature hole for the Ladies? Maybe. With more holes to go we decided to hold back on making an official declaration until all 18 holes had been tested. Mark, Barney Colvey (our host) and Craig Backman (our official photographer for the day) pose for a shot. |
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Just What You Would Expect From The Ladies
This is the best kept out-house we have ever seen on a golf course. As could be expected the reading material was definitely skewed towards the laides - Chatalaine and Style just to mention a few. I would suggest they have a green flag that could be raised (to let the next foursome move on) if one got too comfortable contemplating their golf game. |
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A Post Card By Any Standard
Craig captured the beauty of a Stanley design with this shot of the 15th hole around 6:15 at night. The hole looks deceptively simple until your approach shot lands about in this vicinity.
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What A Finish!
While I'm not really fond of par 3 finishing holes this one is a beaut. Surrounded by as much sand as you can possibly get without being on a beach this 180 yarder gives you everything its got. Tough downhill slope. Curves. Speed. This hole is a real test of nerves (especially when tied and beers are on the line). |
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The Stanley Tradition Lives On!
As is the custom of the Stanley Tour...if any member is good enough to spend 5 hours with Mark and I (and then graciously buy a round to boot) then the least we can do is present a special memento of the day - a set of Stanley Screwdrivers. The last time Barney saw a screwdriver was at a bar but he did promise to let us know when he may use one of the highly crafted tools. On a serious note Mark and I would like to thank Barney and Craig for a wonderful round of golf and a day full of laughs and good times. |
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