Settlers Ghost

[rsfairwaysandgreens]

Curious, I am looking for a potential new golf home for next season. Right now I am playing at Midland, last season I played at Oak Bay but the owner decided he didnt want members anymore, Hard to believe that is going to change for next season. My issue with Midland is the place is busy! My preferred playing time is early weekday mornings. I dont really care about special events or Mens Day or anything like that. I just want to play early weekday mornings at a great pace and then plan my afternoon. Yes, I am retired

The course seems to be pretty accessible from a tee time perspective. They do have a Mens Day but its at the end of the day which to me is perfect. Members can book tee times on line. I intend on playing it in September after the holiday makers have gone back to the city. I hear conditions are way better than the membership price of $1600 for 7 days walking.

Anyone have any opinions/experience on the course? Conditions? Lay out? I hear there are a lot of blind shots but they are only blind the first couple or 3 times you play it, Greens? I think this is a love it or hate it type of lay out. I dont really care about the club house or food. I might have the occasional post round beer but its not a regular thing

[nomullies]

I've played it several times. I find it a very pleasant experience. A road hole is challenging. Definitely hilly. Overall good value.

[NEeZ]

I tried to play there early this season after a job near by.. but sadly.. when I called it was their men's league day and they had no times available. ****** for me cause i'm not up in that area much.

[dmcdam]

That's too bad about Midland but my experience as a public player, it's so difficult to get on at times that it isn't worth the effort. We've done a guys golf weekend at a cottage in Tiny around early June for several years now. We always try to get at least one Midland round in, but our batting average is only about 50%, and that's with booking as far ahead as they allow for public, plus using multiple personal local contacts within the membership of the club.

We've played SG a couple of times. It was fun but found the blind shots and elevation changes left it feeling a bit like a pinball machine. IMO it's okay once in a while, but definitely not somewhere I'd want to play as a daily/weekly course.

While it's not nearly as nicely conditioned as other local courses, I do enjoy the layout at Brooklea. We always make sure to play that at least once.

[hoganapexplus]

I found Settler's Ghost to be quite repetitive, with a majority of par 4's in particular being basically the same length. The starting 3 or 4 holes all run parallel to each other as well making them potentially dangerous. Proximity to the course is important.

[Chambokl]

As I am reading this I receive a text asking me about SG. I took a picture of the answers and send it to him. That is funny . . .

[rsfairwaysandgreens]

I found Settler's Ghost to be quite repetitive, with a majority of par 4's in particular being basically the same length. The starting 3 or 4 holes all run parallel to each other as well making them potentially dangerous. Proximity to the course is important.

You could probably say that about most courses. There is only so much real estate for golf courses. I played at Trafalgar for over 30 years, people said it was all holes running parallel to each other.

But I appreciate the feedback

[rsfairwaysandgreens]

"That's too bad about Midland but my experience as a public player, it's so difficult to get on at times that it isn't worth the effort. We've done a guys golf weekend at a cottage in Tiny around early June for several years now. We always try to get at least one Midland round in, but our batting average is only about 50%, and that's with booking as far ahead as they allow for public, plus using multiple personal local contacts within the membership of the club."

Public players can probably get on pretty easy Saturday and Sunday afternoons, I dont play weekends (have 4 day membership) but I do peek at the tee sheet and its pretty quiet. Through the week, the tee sheet is pretty busy. Tuesdays is Ladies Day and a lot of lades are members at MGCC. Wednesday is Mens Day and the tee is jammed all day

MGCC is the semii private club that is almost private, Mostly member play these days and we have a full roster of members and everyone seems to play golf

Thanks for the feedback

[duffer_mcmulligan]

My in laws live in Balm Beach/Midland and I have played Brooklea far too many times. They would join annually for over 28 years. The front 9 is OK, the back is hella boring. The owners, last I was there pre-Covid 2019, they hadn’t put sand in the bunkers in years and the greens were frankly awful. I have played Midland several times and every time I come back to my in-laws and tell them to join it. It is a far, far superior round of golf. However, they now won’t be playing golf any more, getting a little too infirm.

Settlers Ghost is a nice layout, hilly and undulating. when I played it, conditioning was meh (same summer 2019). Personally, if you have an annual membership with full booking privileges at Midland, I would far prefer to play there. While an old course, it is a Stanley Thompson, and the green complexes are damn nice. When I played it, I definitely felt it had a kinship to Banff Springs. Not in the same league, but some similarities.

Where is your cottage in the area? Trying to think of others nearby…..

[CC05]

Settlers is fun. Yes a ton of blind shots but if you become a member and get some rounds under your belt, no sweat. Bit on the short side. Maybe look down the street at Braestone. I think a better track than Settlers.

[almostasenior]

I don’t think Midland is a Stanley Thompson design? I think his brother or uncle was the original architect.

Braestone (old Orillia GCC) is nice but I think they have priced themselves out of most golfers reach. Unless you have a million dollar home down the road lol.

SG is nice but a bit repetitive. I enjoy playing Heritage Hills in the north end of Barrie. Lots of variety but about 20 minutes from SG depending where you are coming from.

Bonaire used to be nice but it’s been 15 years since nice I played there.

[4underthru9]

I don't think Midland is a Stanley Thompson design? I think his brother or uncle was the original architect.
Braestone (old Orillia GCC) is nice but I think they have priced themselves out of most golfers reach. Unless you have a million dollar home down the road lol.
SG is nice but a bit repetitive. I enjoy playing Heritage Hills in the north end of Barrie. Lots of variety but about 20 minutes from SG depending where you are coming from.
Bonaire used to be nice but it’s been 15 years since nice I played there.

Correct, it was his brother Nicol, https://ghsc.ca/nicol-thompson/

[hoganapexplus]

You could probably say that about most courses. There is only so much real estate for golf courses. I played at Trafalgar for over 30 years, people said it was all holes running parallel to each other.

But I appreciate the feedback

It wasn't even the parallel so much as every par 4 was between 310 and 330, and very little variety in the layout of them.

[rsfairwaysandgreens]

My in laws live in Balm Beach/Midland and I have played Brooklea far too many times. They would join annually for over 28 years. The front 9 is OK, the back is hella boring. The owners, last I was there pre-Covid 2019, they hadn’t put sand in the bunkers in years and the greens were frankly awful. I have played Midland several times and every time I come back to my in-laws and tell them to join it. It is a far, far superior round of golf. However, they now won’t be playing golf any more, getting a little too infirm.

Settlers Ghost is a nice layout, hilly and undulating. when I played it, conditioning was meh (same summer 2019). Personally, if you have an annual membership with full booking privileges at Midland, I would far prefer to play there. While an old course, it is a Stanley Thompson, and the green complexes are damn nice. When I played it, I definitely felt it had a kinship to Banff Springs. Not in the same league, but some similarities.

Where is your cottage in the area? Trying to think of others nearby…..

I live in Port Severn. The drive to Midland is a royal pain. Settlers is essentially the same distance but a straight shot down the 400, not driving around GBay. If Oak Bay (which can really beat you up) comes to their senses with a membership option, I would be hard pressed not to seriously consider it.

[bl8d]

played most if not all the cottage courses on HWY#93. but none really thrilled me. The defunct Bonaire had the best patio of them.

If I was still going up #11, Hawk Ridge would be my stop.