Take the Low Road

Many years ago at the Bing Crosby Tournament at Pebble Beach, a fierce wind was blowing off the Pacific. On the short 7th, a mere 107 yard par three played downhill to a tiny green perched on a cliff, most players were taking sixes and sevens. Player after player watched in melancholy horror as their efforts were blown off course, missing the miniature target and being dashed on the rocks and swallowed up by the hungry ocean below.

Sam Snead, having seen the problem others were having, and trying to protect a good round, knew he had to find a way to keep the ball out of the wind. Since the tee is elevated some 50 feet above the green this was not an easy task. Snead answered the challenge by banging the ball down the cart path with his putter, and ending close to the edge of the green. Then he chipped on and made par as an amazed gallery watched in awe.

In another time and place, Johnny Miller hit his drive through the fairway and into a small clump of trees. His ball came to rest next to a large tree trunk giving him no room to swing. He also used his putter to hit the ball left-handed through a tiny gap in the trees some 10 or 12 yards in front of him. The ball took off like a rocket and flew 160 yards, pitching just past the pin and actually backing up five or six feet, leaving Miller a "tap-in" birdie putt.


Summer Golf In The Muskoka's 2010



Summer is not yet officially here. Heck - it hasn't been consistently warm for more than a few days at a time since we opened. But the ice is off the lakes up North, and the golf courses are open. One of our fovorite courses in Muskoka is the Muskoka Highland Golf Links. It plays like its name - a links-style course that runs with the land. No big contrived carriers or hugh obstructions. You can see your ball land on most of their holes. But you have to keep it out of the fescu - as it is tougher than trees when you hit it in there. You get lots of help from the prevailing winds - which switch direction frequently. We know there are players who can hit a 7 iron on the 10th hole one day, and have to hit a 3 wood the next day when the winds changed and became more intense.

We know that many of you will head up North at some point this summer to enjoy time away in Cottage Country. We have all heard about the G8 and the G20 - and the improvements that are being made locally in Muskoka. It might be time to put some truth to the rumours and head up to Muskoka and take a look for yourself. Don Mackay at Muskoka Highlands assures us they have not made many changes to the course - Mother Nature changes how it plays everyday. He assures me that their greens are some of the best in the region. The tee decks are always maintained. And the fairways - well, we know Don is a Scot at heart - and he is adamant that he does not water the fairways. Mother Nature does it - or they go dormant. In his words "Water - you can either walk on it ore drink it. If we use water to keep the fairways totally lush and soft, then there will be less water for our children and grandchildren to drink." So the fairways are truly Scottish - changing with the weather patterns.

Enough of the swashbuckling though. We would highly recommend you try Muskoka Highlands Golf Links when you are in the North - it will be a great day for you and your friends. And be sure to tell Don that we sent you!!