NEW TO TGN

[Golfbum]

Hello fellow golf nuts. I am a new member at TGN, been on some other forums for some time now. Since there are no forums for my area of Ontario (southwest, London area) I thought I would join this one too.
I've been playing golf for 24 years, and I can truly say I am addicted. The past two seasons I played over 300 rounds combined and I am have played 113 rounds this season.
Handicap index has vaired from 9 to 5, currently 7. (it is coming down again)
I belong to a club just outside of London, called Westminster Trails. Links style course, fescue, some water, not many trees and lots of wind! Oh and a Par 3 with an island green:(
There are many great coures to play within an hours drive of my city, and I think golf tends to be cheaper down this way when compared to Toronto area.
So I am glad to be part of the TGN now, another forum to come to read up on what everyone else is doing in the world of golf

[Fuzzy]

Wow, golfbum, you are some major league golfer!! I just joined, too, but my miniscule golf schedule looks lame compared to you.

What does it cost to play a decent course in London? I pay 55 to 75 around here.

[Golfbum]

Wow, golfbum, you are some major league golfer!! I just joined, too, but my miniscule golf schedule looks lame compared to you.

What does it cost to play a decent course in London? I pay 55 to 75 around here.Yeah I play a lot Fuzzy, and I am married too!:)
One of the best public courses near London is FIREROCK , you can find it on the internet. Rates there are $80 with a cart. Played it once this summer for $52 with cart, we had a half off coupon. $40 plsu cart.
Forest City National is another good course, rates vary from $45-60 with cart and GPS plus range balls. Played it once this summer for $49.00
Most public courses around here vary anywhere from $25-40 green fees. I have a full membership at Westminster Trails, and that also allows me to play two other courses under the same ownership. My membership was $1149 for 2005.
Friends of mine and I go play a course at Strathroy, called Caradoc Sands when we are on a lay off week (I work for Ford Mo Co) and when we go there we pay $26.50 with a cart, with a coupon they offer on their website. It is only 3 years old but it is a pretty decent track. Good greens and fairways, traps are good, rough needs to fill in.
So as you can see golf is cheaper down this way, once you get west of Kitchener I think the prices start to go down. I sure would not be playing 165 rounds (like I did last year) while paying $55 green fees. I'd be broke!

[akrus]

Welcome to the site, both of you.

I'm from Kitchener and agree that the farther west you go, the cheaper it gets. Some nice courses in the London area.

Why don't you guys join in on the Thundering Waters trip this weekend? It's going to be a blast.

Albert

[Fuzzy]

Wow, those rates are awesome!! Gas is too expensive to drive there. Maybe I move some day. Cheers.

[Big Shooter]

Welcome....


Love FCN, wish I lived closer to London, would play it a lot more than our 'annual trek!'

Haven't played FireRock, yet, but it looks sweet, and there have been some great rates via LastMinuteGolf.com
...tho' I might wait a couple of years, that 'new course not totally ready thing...'

[Ems]

welcome you two! London's not in the GTA, but it's in the Golden Horseshoe, we seem to have a lot of ppl from this area and you're all welcome!

I think the best places for golf around Toronto is actually outside of the GTA anyway. Looking forward to reading about your golf experiences.

Golfbum, your track record is impressive, I think Openflow is probably close to you...?

[Greywolf]

Welcome Golfbum, that is some serious playing, how do you ever find that much time to play. There are some nice courses down your way for sure, FCN, like Big Shooter is also one of my favourites. I notice that when I go to London area there are so many signs along the 401 for different courses, never heard or seen most of them, Caradoc Sands would be another of those.

[DubRepublic]

Welcome.

[boo1]

Welcome.Hey golfbum, do you ever play Bear Creek in Strathroy? I enjoy a round or two there every once in a while. Totally different from Westminster Trails though.

[Golfbum]

Hey golfbum, do you ever play Bear Creek in Strathroy? I enjoy a round or two there every once in a while. Totally different from Westminster Trails though.
Yes I have played Bear Creek, not for a couple of years though. Nice course, I just wish they would give you the yardages from the tees to those damn creeks! I play Caradoc Sands a lot now because the guys I work with go out when we are laid off and Bear Creek is too tough for them. $26.50 with a cart, you can't beat that for a decent course.

Westminster Trails can be a challenging course if the wind is blowing. I have had to hit 5 irons from 220 and from 130 on the same day! If that course could be stretched out to 6900 yards it would be unplayable on some days due to the win. Tough greens too, most of them are raised up and if you miss one you have tough chip shots. But there are some players out there, and I think the wind makes you a better player.

As for local courses, take your pick! There are a lot of quality golf courses from London to Windsor and London to Sarnia. We are not exactly in the Golden Horseshoe. I can jump in the car, drive an hour and play a lot of good courses at decent rates.

[Golfbum]

Welcome Golfbum, that is some serious playing, how do you ever find that much time to play. There are some nice courses down your way for sure, FCN, like Big Shooter is also one of my favourites. I notice that when I go to London area there are so many signs along the 401 for different courses, never heard or seen most of them, Caradoc Sands would be another of those.
Well Greywolf I work for Ford Mo Co and our plant has had a lot of downweeks due to slow sales. Plus I get a lot of holidays hours due to my seniority. I play during the week when I am on afternoon shift and during the week when I am on dayshift! Twice a weekend, it all adds up! I am on holidays again next week and laid off the following week. So that should add another 12-14 rounds to my total!
FCN is a nice layout, not always in the best shape and I think that is due to the fact it gets some green fees people who don't replace divots or fix ball marks. I was impressed with Firerock considering it just opened last summer. Nice layout, some easy holes and some hard holes. Stay out of the rough, it is brutal! In time I think it will be London's highend greens fee course. I also love St Thomas Golf & Country Club. As far as private courses go that is one of the best deals in Southwestern Ontario. Great 100 year old course. Consistently in the Top 75 in Canada.

[tjhayko]

Welcome GolfBum. I wish I could play as often as you do...

[TourIQ]

There are many great coures to play within an hours drive of my city, and I think golf tends to be cheaper down this way when compared to Toronto area.
So I am glad to be part of the TGN now, another forum to come to read up on what everyone else is doing in the world of golf
Welcome Golfbum. Don't worry you are outside of the TO area. I'm 75 minutes north of you. London is a great city. I did my post secondary there. You sure get out and play a lot. You are making a lot of other guys droullll (sp). The only course I played in your neck of the woods was 'The Oaks' at Deleware. Man I would die and gone to heaven to belong to that course. Anyway, welcome to TGN ... its sure a great group of locals.