Summary: Value Rating = B

Emerald Links, I feel, as a couple of personalities. I much prefer the East / West layout compared to any combination that includes the South course. The East / West layout is more mature and weaves through a mostly wooded neighbourhood area and offers a good golf challenge. The South nine is more open and less mature than the original 18 holes and lacks some of the feel you get from playing the original 18.

The course is typically well maintained and is very lush and green throughout most of the season. If you play early in the year you will find parts of the course a bit soggy and often, parts of the greens and fairways have suffered some winter kill. As the season progresses these winter kill spots fill in. This doesn’t really affect play too much though – more visual than anything. The greens on the East / West course are more challenging with more undulations and levels which helps to make your round more interesting.

The course is located in rural area of south Ottawa and is easily accessible from all parts of town. In terms of scenery the course is pretty much flat with only a couple of larger elevation changes. There are some nice looking larger homes in the neighbourhood which you can see from many parts of the course. The fairway areas are typically big enough that the neighbourhood properties don’t come into play unless you hit a really errant shot.

The price is good – less than $50 during the week (excluding cart) – so the course does offer value. If possible, ask to play the East / West combination for a more enjoyable golf experience. You can view course information at www.emeraldlinks.com.

Play and Value Evaluation Rating Table

Refer to my evaluation criteria – www.lifepast50.ca/topic-list/golf/reviewcriteria

Some Details:

My buddies and I have played Emerald Links a number of times over the years. My average score is around 91 which typically includes 1 or 2 penalty strokes per round for a lost ball or unplayable lie.

There are some very nice homes along the course but they are far enough away that you really have to hit an errant shot to end up in trouble. There is water on 16 of the 27 holes on the course so you do need to keep your shots under control.

This is a very easy course to walk – an enjoyable walk on a nice day.

As the South nine is the newest part of the 27 holes, it is less mature and more wide open. The South nine is very flat. The greens on the South course do not have the undulations that make the East/West combination more interesting and challenging.

Generally speaking you will find Emerald links pretty player friendly. It is a popular course in the Ottawa area and can be very busy. You can also find the pace of play a bit slow when it is busy or when the club is hosting a tournament.

My Evaluation Details:

Scenery – no beautiful views of the surrounding area – fairly flat terrain.

Mix of holes – Just average on this front.

Consistency and condition – The course was well maintained and in excellent shape.

Character – overall the course just average on this front but the East/West layout is stronger

Golf Challenge – the course does offer some challenges…..

• tee shots – for the most part you have good size fairways to hit onto.
• fairway shots – mostly flat lies everywhere, even in the rough.
• pin placements – some tough spots on greens in the East/West configuration.
• putting – the greens are typically quick.
• greens – the condition of the greens is good.
• a chance to recover – most errant shots can be hit back onto the fairway without problem.

Other Observations

The staff is very friendly.

There are two practice greens – one for putting and one where you can warm up your chipping game. It is nice to be warm up both prior to a round.

For general information about other courses in the Ottawa and Eastern region, check out the www.ottawagolf.com – a good golf information source.

Sorry no photos.

Lane@lifepast50