TIME TO TEE IT UP!

BY DAVID MOSLEY AND TIM ROOT

As Canadians, we reluctantly accept that we have long winters and too-short summers. And it means we all understand that we have to pack in as much outdoor activity as we can in the summer months. So as the firstspring shoots poke through in the garden and the ice and snow finallymelt away, we are READY….. to spend some time lingering in the sun on a patio, open the pool, clean up the yard, make the firsttrip to the cottage, and if you are a golfer, to dust off the clubs and get out there for the first ound of the season.

We are fortunate in Halton to have an amazing selection of great public golf courses to choose from, all within a 45-minute drive of home. They offer a vast diversity of terrain and degree of difficult, so you can choose to experience them all, or pick a couple of favourites and focus on those.

If you are planning to play a lot this season, then it will make sense to take advantage of a coupon book. For example, the Greens Fee Passport available from www.golfpassport.com offers savings at 170 golf facilities in Ontario and upstate New York. Golf Fore All is another program that offers savings at about 120 courses in Ontario (www.golfforeall.ca ). You will findthe savings from these programs usually pay for the upfront cost within a couple of rounds.

Most golf courses in Ontario offer discounts for seniors playing on weekdays. Make sure to call ahead or do your research online, and book your tee times early. The popularity of the game has surged since the pandemic, and it may be difficultto get the tee time of your choice at many courses.

With so many great local courses to choose from, it is not easy to pick our favourites. But here are a few courses we recommend. You won’t be disappointed at any of them.

Tee it up and have fun this summer!

Carlisle Golf Club, 523 Carlisle Road, Carlisle

KANEFFGOLF.COM/GOLF/COURSES/CARLISLE

Part of the Kaneff Golf group, in the beautiful area between Carlisle and Kilbride. A cozy collection of three nine-hole courses, with rolling greens, tall pine trees, and generous fairways. This is a shot-maker’s course, so accuracy is key. Watch out for the signature 6th hole on the North course, a par 5 with a dog leg to the right and a very narrow fairway. Lots of balls have been lost in the farmer’s field to the let of the fairway!

Lowville Golf Club, 2662 Brittania Road, Burlington

LOWVILLEGOLF.COM

In the picturesque village of Lowville, locally owned and operated, this 18-hole course is built into the side of the Escarpment. It may be helpful to have one leg longer than the other as you will need to play lots of side of hill shots! You can drive a mile from the long downhill par 5’s, but be prepared for a good workout if you choose to walk this course. The sunset views across the valley on a summer evening are spectacular.

Mount Nemo Golf Club, 5377 Walkers Line, Burlington

MOUNTNEMOGOLFCLUB.CA

Formerly known as Indian Wells, this 18-hole championship course is in a spectacular setting beneath the towering cliffs of Mount Nemo, with beautiful views from many of the holes. This is a challenging course with water hazards on 6 of the holes on the front 9, and narrow fairways and mature forests on the back 9.