The Rock

[figo]

Playing the ROCK on Friday. Just looking for some tips or info about the course.

Thanks

[iyell4]

Playing the ROCK on Friday. Just looking for some tips or info about the course.

Thanksbring extra balls. target golf. sets up well for Faldo's game ... you need to be accurate off the tee (length is not mandatory) and you must be able to work the ball well high or low, fade or draw to survive this course.

I played it last weekend. The course is easier than it was last year since they removed a couple of trees.
Also this year .... you gotta pay for the course guide book and they don't give you the free pewter "The Rock" divot repair fork.

Still one of the nicest courses around. :)

[247golfing]

You can leave the big stick in your car.

[pudubny]

Playing the ROCK on Friday. Just looking for some tips or info about the course.

Thanks
Figo,
Pay green fee.
Read pocket pro.
Ask head pro if "Nick was serious?".
Receive answer, "you bet".
Play course, feel stupid for paying money to get beat up. "Only a masochist could enjoy this!"
Decide next time you would be better to see a Dominatrix. You'll still have to pay and it may hurt once in a while, but at least you will get a see a girl in skin tight leather.

Seriously, I have well documented my dislike overall for the course.
Robert Thompson, an excellent and under-read writer for the National Post has a blog where he discusses some of the Rock's start-up problems, which evidently are reflected in the finished product.
See:
http://goingforthegreen.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_goingforthegreen_archive.html

Robert's blog is an excellent source of info in general, and he is straightforward.
I think he may post here once in a while as well.
Good luck.
Pud.

[mikejb]

I am with Pud, and if you do a search of the board I am pretty sure there are a few reviews and opinions out there to be had.

[under4hrs]

Bang on - have to be able to work the ball to be sure. Invest in the yardage book - well worth the extra couple dollars.

#3 - go more left than you think if you are a big hitter
#4 - green was a temp green when I was there
#5 - take one less club
#6 - not as much room right as it looks
#9 - play for position off the tee - this is a 3 shot hole no matter what
#12 - from the tips, take no more than your 225 club - but you want to get as close to end of fairway as possible
#14 -drivable par 4 - go for it! 3 wood even if you are not on the tips
#16 - need length, but position is most important off the tee - lots of room right of the green for layup shots
#18 - can get home in two with 3 wood/3 wood - driver off the tee is likely not an option

Make sure you know where the pins are, and judge your distance accordingly. Can make a big difference on club selection.

Finally - eat at their restaurant if you can afford to - great steak and Faldo wine!

Enjoy the round - it is a great track, but I'd blow up 2 of the par 5s at least...

[247golfing]

And don't go to the driving range!

[RobertThompson]

Thanks for the kind words, pudubny. I haven't posted on this forum, but it appears very worthwhile. I didn't hate the Rock -- I was playing to scratch when I played it and have eagled the short four on the front -- but it isn't for everyone. If you are not hitting it very straight, you won't have a lot of fun, and there are a couple of terrible holes, including the 18th. There's some great ones too -- like the #9th.

[mikemakeitso]

Bang on - have to be able to work the ball to be sure. Invest in the yardage book - well worth the extra couple dollars.

#3 - go more left than you think if you are a big hitter
#4 - green was a temp green when I was there
#5 - take one less club
#6 - not as much room right as it looks
#9 - play for position off the tee - this is a 3 shot hole no matter what
#12 - from the tips, take no more than your 225 club - but you want to get as close to end of fairway as possible
#14 -drivable par 4 - go for it! 3 wood even if you are not on the tips
#16 - need length, but position is most important off the tee - lots of room right of the green for layup shots
#18 - can get home in two with 3 wood/3 wood - driver off the tee is likely not an option

Make sure you know where the pins are, and judge your distance accordingly. Can make a big difference on club selection.

Finally - eat at their restaurant if you can afford to - great steak and Faldo wine!

Enjoy the round - it is a great track, but I'd blow up 2 of the par 5s at least...
Under4hrs... good tips. Just wondering... is there anything similar, related to course layout - that you have played within the GTA, that would help prepare for the Rock?

[under4hrs]

That was one of the things I liked about The Rock - very few courses challenge you to be that accurate. Hockley Valley comes to mind, and perhaps Silver Lakes - but still not as cruel as The Rock can be. Oakridge requires some target golf, but not for 18 holes...

[RobertThompson]

There is nothing comparable to the Rock in the GTA, or all of Ontario for that matter. Well, maybe that's an overstatement. Seguin Valley reminded me of the Rock a number of times -- screwy routing, odd selection of holes, and an odd length -- 3700 for the front, 3050 for the back.

[Golftool]

There is nothing comparable to the Rock in the GTA, or all of Ontario for that matter. Well, maybe that's an overstatement. Seguin Valley reminded me of the Rock a number of times -- screwy routing, odd selection of holes, and an odd length -- 3700 for the front, 3050 for the back.
Seguin is a fave! - I love the serenity on the course! I find it a great mix of holes! Good layout and course was in great shape (have not played it yet this year - will be in 3 weeks!)

I love the #7 par 3 over water and # 15 par 4 over the swamp - must be accurate!

[RobertThompson]

Golftool: Too each his own. I thought Seguin was one of the biggest disasters I've seen in some time. Huge rides between holes, a great number of 300 yard downhill par threes, target golf at its worst. But don't get me wrong -- the par three over the pond and the par five before it were good holes. Just not enough of them there to warrant a two hour plus drive.

[iyell4]

Golftool: Too each his own. I thought Seguin was one of the biggest disasters I've seen in some time. Huge rides between holes, ...
from the postings on this board this is better than having to wear a hard hat on courses that have fairways overlapping each other. i luv the long drive between holes from one isolated hole to another. .. check out the layout ... it is fantastic ... after the greeting from the starter on the first-tee, you won't see another group of golfers until you're done you're 18 holes.

[RobertThompson]

iyell4: I have a difficult time with the notion of a golf course that has a questionable routing, but also has huge expanses between holes. Golf courses, largely, are made to be walked, and there's not any question of walking Seguin Valley. There are MUCH better courses in the area -- like the new Ridge at Manitou or Rocky Crest or Oviinbyrd or even Grandview. Seguin isn't in the league of any of these. So sure there's isolation -- but it is still a very marginal golf course on a poor routing.
If you want to see what a good course in the same area looks like, check out the photos of the Ridge at www.goingforthegreen.blogspot.com (http://www.goingforthegreen.blogspot.com)

RT

[iyell4]

nice course. thanks for the lynx.

[mikejb]

...Oviinbyrd....:help:

Is it even fair to bring that golf course up as a comparison. I do not think you are going to see more than one person on this board presently, aside to you Robert who will get access to that course.

As far as the course in Muskoka go, I think one that does not get a lot of recognition for its quality and challenge is Port Carling G&CC. It is a not exceptional long, but it is a smart and well laid out course IMHO.

Robert all the best and welcome to TGN.

[RobertThompson]

Mike: Good point on Oviinbyrd being an unfair comparison -- I'm just trying to show how much better some of the courses in the area are, private or not. If I were driving all that way and paying $125, I'd at least play Taboo or Rocky Crest (which are quite easy to get on) and skip Seguin Valley. Even Ridge at Manitou can be played these days and its only a half hour from Seguin.


RT

[Golftool]

Mike: Good point on Oviinbyrd being an unfair comparison -- I'm just trying to show how much better some of the courses in the area are, private or not. If I were driving all that way and paying $125, I'd at least play Taboo or Rocky Crest (which are quite easy to get on) and skip Seguin Valley. Even Ridge at Manitou can be played these days and its only a half hour from Seguin.


RT
I thought that course is member only? - Can the public play it? I also heard they have float plane service where they will come to your dock - pick up your foursome and fly you to the course! Thats service!:D

[mikejb]

Robert I am with you the whole way. How mich is the green fee at Manitou btw? What is the guest policy?

[RobertThompson]

You can play the Ridge if you stay at the Inn at Manitou (and you'll be certain hardly anyone will be on the course) or if you are affiliated with a private club and your pro can make a call for you. At least that's my understanding....

[focal]

Robert's blog is an excellent source of info in general, and he is straightforward.
I think he may post here once in a while as well.
Good luck.
Pud.

that's why your name sounded so familiar. I was reading every week with ENVY Robert's article in the National Post BUSINESS section early last year when he went out and played rounds with business or political figures.

loved his comments about hitting a perfect shot and watching his playing partner duffing his shots...hahahaha

and reading ALL THE CLUBS these power brokers were members of.. it was refreshing when he got to play with someone who had "game" and really did USE theiir memberships

[Cup13]

Mike: Good point on Oviinbyrd being an unfair comparison -- I'm just trying to show how much better some of the courses in the area are, private or not. If I were driving all that way and paying $125, I'd at least play Taboo or Rocky Crest (which are quite easy to get on) and skip Seguin Valley. Even Ridge at Manitou can be played these days and its only a half hour from Seguin.


RTRobert, did you ever rate Royal Ontario? If that was you, I inquired about your round so far, just as you had overshot the 3rd green into an "unfair" dropoff. You were pretty peeved about that.

Anyhow...

I have had the pleasure of playing an annual spring 36/day Muskoka golf/drinking tournament ever since Deerhurst Highlands was the only premium public game in the area. Each year we add/delete a course, so we have played them all except Oviinbyrd. Point is, we added Seguin this year and we were all pretty pleased by the conditions, challenge (tips), scenery, and took in the routing as part of the entertainment. I get the $125, 2 hour investment part, but this is holiday golf, not a single day outing.

[East Coast Golfer]

And don't go to the driving range!

???? what is worng with the range??? You must have been there on the weekday and on the astro turf. That stuff will test your ball striking as it grabs your clubs if you are a bit chunky. But on the weekends and for events they are on the grass.

I agree that the Rock is a course where you have to be smart and think your way around the course. The smart play on alot of the holes is to play to the 150 yard and leave the driver in the bag.

I think that the good players who hate the Rock have egos that they forget to check at the door. Face it, unless you are a really goood player you are not going to shoot low 70's your first time around. Its a course that you need to play at least twice to know where and where not to hit certain shots.

Price wise, its a better deal than the other big courses in the area. I get a kick of those people who complain about paying another 3$ for a yardage book after they just dropped 100$ for a green fee.

The temp green will be fixed by Sept 6th and look amazing already.

Overall we get much more praise than people who complain and say they will never come back.