Fairway Adventures

When you live in Canada, you need to pounce on golf season as early as possible and stretch it out as late as you can. A round in April is an early gift; a round in October, a late one. So when I and my friends Kuz, Rob and Ross woke up to a dazzling October morning the day we were scheduled to play Copper Creek, we knew one or more of us must have done a very good deed in the very recent past.

One of the first lessons I teach new writers is to avoid hyperbole and use understatement – but damned if this day wasn’t as perfect as they come. The week before was cold; the week after, rainy. We lucked into the best gift the golfing gods can give. Okay, I suppose the best gift would be a decent golf game, but even gods have their limitations.

 

The entire round was picturesque despite our woeful golf swings and an oddly ubiquitous swarm of ladybugs, which seemed to surprise the staff at Copper Creek as much as they amused us. Also, I forgot my golf shoes and had to play instead in my ancient hole-in-one-toe sneakers, but it mattered little – the trees were ablaze with fall colors, the air was warm and lush, the company was tremendous, and I even managed to hit one or two decent shots that will get me back out the next time. Don’t miss Copper Creek.

  

Posing with cart girl Heather. Her smile translates to “Take the damn picture. These guys are creeping out.”

 

STARTING AND FINISHING HOLES

Copper Creek starts you off with a par-5 that requires two bombs just to get near the green and then a par-4 whose left-side bunkers lay in wait to snag your ball if you’re even slightly off the mark. The three-hole finish is challenging and impressive, including the longest par 4 on the course, seventeen, and a truly magnificent hole to take you home.

 

Rob’s par putt at the par-5 18th after Kuz bet him a beer he wouldn’t par the hole. Also, the average distance by which I missed three-foot putts during the round.

 

OVERALL AESTHETICS

Set amid the undulating hills and splendid foliage of the Humber River Valley, Copper Creek takes full advantage of its location. Different features are given prominence at various points, so that your overall visual experience of the course never feels predictable. Sriking tableaus are the rule here, not the exception.

The tee shot at seven. I’m actually wetting my pants while taking this picture.

 

REAR VIEWS

Copper Creek’s front and rear views complement each other to a tee (pun intended), providing diverse but equally pleasing perspectives. Speaking of views, check out the gorgeous terrace overlooking the valley. When the October colors are blazing the way they were for us that day, you feel lucky to be alive.

TRACK

Esteemed Canadian course architect Doug Carrick made all the right decisions in laying out Copper Creek. Pay attention to the seamless way you’re guided through the course and the manner in which you emerge pleasantly onto every hole. Its track is one of the main reasons Copper Creek has emerged at or near the top of so many course rankings in the Greater Toronto Area. The course also offers a unique “4½ Guarantee”: Excepting bad weather, play in four hours or less and you get $30 off your next round. On the other side of the coin, if the round takes you more than four and a half hours, you receive a voucher from $15-$80 depending on how many extra minutes were required.

Kuz executing his pre-shot routine. We’re about three minutes in.

 

“NICE HOLE” FACTOR

Big, sweeping holes are nice, but the best courses charm me with their par-3’s. Copper Creek’s short ones were delightful and diverse: six, eight, eleven – whose green is three club lengths from front to back, never mind the gorge you have to carry just to get there – and fourteen, which plays almost completely over water and plays slightly downwind. I also appreciated the spectacular elevation changes on the par-4 seventh and signature tenth.

 

 

 

 

 

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY

Copper Creek is the kind of test you feel good just passing. Lots of clever collection areas, plenty of sneaky hole layouts, and a number of tempting but potentially treacherous shotmaking moments make the course a pleasurable mental roller coaster. By the way, if you happen to run into Rob, Kuz or Ross and you ask them what they shot, add at least 10 strokes to the number they give you. I believe it’s still illegal to take a mulligan every four holes.

  

 

“Where is it?” (In the same spot.)

“Screw it, I’ll take a drop.” (Good call.)

 

COURSE MARSHALS

The foursomes I play in usually get asked at least a couple of times per round to speed things up – usually a combined result of my erratic play and need to get my practice clip just right before addressing the ball. The marshals at Copper Creek were gracious, encouraging and kind. From the starter onward, the vibes at Copper Creek are happy and positive. That’s what I want out of a golf round. Because it ain’t my game that’s going to put a smile on my face.

When your score reaches a certain point, there’s only one option left.

 

PRO SHOP AND AMENITIES

Copper Creek boasts a large but elegant clubhouse, an outstanding, sufficiently spread-out practice area, and everything else you need for a day of golf. Before, during and after the round, you’re taken care of at this facility. Just be careful when you wander into the 3,000-square-foot pro shop; you might forget to show up on the first tee.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Copper Creek will run you $170 at peak times and $120 after noon on weekends and holidays. People are going to be very selective about where they choose to spend $170 on golf, but if you’re going to spend it anywhere, I recommend spending it at Copper Creek. Going for the $120 after-12 deal is a great idea, too – you save fifty bucks and don’t have to sacrifice an iota of the overall experience.