Sechelt Golf And Country Club
December 29th, 2010 12:24 PM
Sechelt Golf and Country Club, from Taylor Way to the Sechelt G&CC parking lot is 70 kilometers. The distance from real life and from the traffic of the city is light years. What makes a good vacation great? No need to do laundry when you come home, no need to haul out those ugly suitcases you have been meaning to replace and no worries about how badly your Visa will be hurt. Playing Sechelt any time of the year means leaving in the morning, being home for dinner, and experiencing a unique one-day vacation.
Although Sechelt is only a day trip because of the short ferry ride there and back, you get the feeling of being away from it all. Open all year long this 6,400-yard course (complete with practice range and full clubhouse facilities) is a place where a winter- weary Vancouverite can go to play golf while your sister in Regina is trying to thaw out her pipes. And no need to plug-in your car's block heater either!
It opens with a 368-yard par four that is wide open. A cushy way to start your day. But stay tuned! Number 4, to me, is the toughest hole on the course. It is 429 yards long, dogleg right and slightly downhill. And to spice it up even more there is water skirting the full right side of this fairway. Once you have avoided the water you will see a small green well bunkered down on the left. Yes, that is where your ball is supposed to go - good luck.
The number 1 handicap hole is Number 11. I am not sure why this hole got picked; it is tough but not the toughest on the course. It is par 4 measuring 411 yards from the back tees. From tee box to about 175 yards the hole is narrow and comfortably uphill. But from there on it opens up fairly wide and the green is fairly sized. A great hole but number 1?
Want a challenge? Try the 227 par three 17th. It is downhill, playing one club shorter because of that fact. It is tough to gauge the distance, the wind, and if you are talented enough to be aiming at pins, just figuring out how far the pin is away on the big green will keep you guessing until its to late.
The 18th is a long par four that doglegs hard left with gorse and heather guarding both sides of the fairway and the green is very heavily trapped. From the tee aim at the bunkers out in the distance and remember it is hard to be to far right here.
A Player's tip:
BC Ferries says reservations on the Langdale ferry are not mandatory but I really suggest that you make reservations. As for playing the course your pre round practice should be all short game orientated. The rough is only a few inches tall but once in it you have to break your back to get out. Practice your chipping and running because you will not be able to spin anything from this Velcro-like rough. And if carrying a 7-wood or 9 wood is an option, do so. The long par 3 holes and the glue-like rough almost demand it. A great golf course with spectacular settings all help to make this one little half-day trip feel like a much longer vacation.
Tom Cattermole is a freelance golf writer from North Vancouver. Cattrmole@telus.net
copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Dec 05 - Jan 06
Although Sechelt is only a day trip because of the short ferry ride there and back, you get the feeling of being away from it all. Open all year long this 6,400-yard course (complete with practice range and full clubhouse facilities) is a place where a winter- weary Vancouverite can go to play golf while your sister in Regina is trying to thaw out her pipes. And no need to plug-in your car's block heater either!
It opens with a 368-yard par four that is wide open. A cushy way to start your day. But stay tuned! Number 4, to me, is the toughest hole on the course. It is 429 yards long, dogleg right and slightly downhill. And to spice it up even more there is water skirting the full right side of this fairway. Once you have avoided the water you will see a small green well bunkered down on the left. Yes, that is where your ball is supposed to go - good luck.
The number 1 handicap hole is Number 11. I am not sure why this hole got picked; it is tough but not the toughest on the course. It is par 4 measuring 411 yards from the back tees. From tee box to about 175 yards the hole is narrow and comfortably uphill. But from there on it opens up fairly wide and the green is fairly sized. A great hole but number 1?
Want a challenge? Try the 227 par three 17th. It is downhill, playing one club shorter because of that fact. It is tough to gauge the distance, the wind, and if you are talented enough to be aiming at pins, just figuring out how far the pin is away on the big green will keep you guessing until its to late.
The 18th is a long par four that doglegs hard left with gorse and heather guarding both sides of the fairway and the green is very heavily trapped. From the tee aim at the bunkers out in the distance and remember it is hard to be to far right here.
A Player's tip:
BC Ferries says reservations on the Langdale ferry are not mandatory but I really suggest that you make reservations. As for playing the course your pre round practice should be all short game orientated. The rough is only a few inches tall but once in it you have to break your back to get out. Practice your chipping and running because you will not be able to spin anything from this Velcro-like rough. And if carrying a 7-wood or 9 wood is an option, do so. The long par 3 holes and the glue-like rough almost demand it. A great golf course with spectacular settings all help to make this one little half-day trip feel like a much longer vacation.
Tom Cattermole is a freelance golf writer from North Vancouver. Cattrmole@telus.net
copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Dec 05 - Jan 06
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