Predator
Summary: Value Rating = C+
The Predator course at the Greyhawk Golf Club is a leisurely course to play – well maintained, excellent condition, and a links style – wide open and relatively flat layout. Overall the course is relatively easy as long as you keep the ball in play and out of the fescue along edges of all the holes. There is some water to contend with as well. Not as challenging a course as other ClubLink courses in the Ottawa area.
Predator is a private course, part of the ClubLink family of courses, so this offer a challenge in terms of evaluating the course from a value perspective. You will need to play with a ClubLink member in order to experience this course. Guest fees are applicable but taking advantage of twilight rates will give you the best value – approximately $40 compared to $70 regular guest rates. The fact that it is a private course affecting accessibility and cost reduces my value rating. Take advantage of the twilight rate if you can for better value.
Predator is located in the eastern edges Ottawa – in the rural parts of Ottawa but still very accessible from anywhere in the city. As a links style course it offers some minor rolling and undulating fairways and greens as well as some challenging bunkers. If you can control your shots well you will score well here. Predator can be an ego boost if you haven’t been scoring well lately. It still offers challenges but you may find it an easy course to play. The course is a very enjoyable.
Check out www.clublink.ca for details about the Predator at the Greyhawk Golf Club and its sister course, Talon – ClubLink is a company that owns, operates and develops member golf clubs.
Another ClubLink course I really enjoy playing in the Ottawa area is Eagle Creek – check out my Eagle Creek course review. Eagle Creek offers a more challenging and interesting layout at higher guest fees. The Kanata Golf and Country Club is another good ClubLink course in the Ottawa area, check out my Kanata course review.
Play and Value Evaluation Rating Table
| Scenery | C just average views of the surrounding area |
| Mix of Holes | B all holes are similar in this links course |
| Consistency and Condition | A+ course is in great shape and is very well maintained |
| Character | B- some memorable holes |
| Golf Challenge | C an easy course to play even if you spray it around a little. |
| Tee Shots | A good sized fairways requiring reasonable accuracy |
| Fairway Shots | A mostly flat lies on the fairways, some undulations to deal with |
| Pin Placements | A greens offer many pin placement choices |
| Putting | A very consistent and good putting around the whole course, greens have large undulations in some areas making it more interesting |
| A Chance to Recover | B- landing in the longer fescue and other grass areas can be troublesome |
| Intangibles | As a private course – must play with a member. An ego boosting course, you should be able to score better than your average here. Guest fees are reasonable but more expensive than some of the better public courses in the area – take advantage of the twilight fee for better value. |
Refer to my evaluation criteria to see how I judge and rate the courses I’ve played.
Some Details:
If you are able to control your ball flight most of the time, you will find Predator an easy course to play. There are still challenges as on any golf course but you can play the course without getting into any trouble because the fairways are generous and the greens are large. You will use more clubs in your bag if you play from the blues. Playing from the white tees makes the course less challenging and I typically don’t use my 3, 4 or 5 iron very much from these tees.
There is trouble – the fescue and long grass along the edges of the fairways can result in a lost ball or having to whack it out of thick grass / buried lie back onto the fairway for a better shot. There is water on about 5 holes that can cause some trouble.
The course is well bunkered in the fairway landing areas and around the greens.
As I noted earlier in this review, this course can be an ego booster. My score at Predator was 82 which I feel is an indication of how much easier this course is to play than others I’ve played in the Ottawa area (based on my 15 handicap).
My Evaluation Details:
Scenery – A mainly flat grassland setting with mo spectacular views of the surrounding area.
Mix of holes – offers a nice mix of long and short holes.
Consistency and condition – the course is in great shape, well maintained.
Character – a little weak in this department.
Golf Challenge – the course isn’t as challenging as other ClubLink courses in the area
- tee shots – wide fairways
- fairway shots – The fairways are typically in great shape across the whole course.
- pin placements – The greens are large with undulations allowing for some interesting pin placement choices.
- putting – Putting was quick and consistent across all holes. You will like putting on these greens.
- greens – The greens are large, well maintained and in great shape
- a chance to recover – longer grass and thick fescue areas along the sides of the fairways and around the greens can cause trouble but you almost always have a chance to get the ball back into play.
Other Observations:
Nice facilities at the Greyhawk location – ample room on the driving range and on the practice green. A new clubhouse will open soon (later in the 2009 season). Sorry no pictures yet.
Lane Smith – Lane@lifepast50.ca