Summary:  Value Rating = A+ (A++ if you are over 55)

Timber Ridge offers exceptional value – one of the best values for golf in Ontario (at least as far as I have found).  From the moment I stepped on to the first tee when I played this course for the first time in 2005, I was very impressed.  A great course in a slightly out of the way spot in Eastern Ontario – but easily accessed as you travel down highway 401.

This is a great and challenging course to play – like their website says, Timber Ridge is a hidden gem in Ontario.  The green fees offer tremendous value for a course of this calibre.  Playing during the week offers a great value – $50 (2010) – versus playing on the weekend when the green fee rate is $60 (2010 – still great value).  If you are over the age of 55 you can get an even better deal during the week – they offer a $35 senior special but you have to ask for this when you check in at the pro shop.  This great rate isn't advertised.  The fees do not include a cart or the range.  You can walk this course and have an enjoyable time although there are some long distances between a few of the holes and some ups and downs to contend with.

A great golf deal …… if only Timber Ridge was closer to Ottawa where I live.

About 7 of the 18 holes are in a more open, links style setting while the rest of the holes are in or near forested, parkland areas.  This course offers a nice diversity of holes and a challenge.  The pins can be placed in a number of tricky places along ridges and rises and near the edges of the greens.  You may find the putting a challenge.

I try and allow myself enough time to play a round at Timber Ridge whenever I have the opportunity to be in the area.  Great bang for your buck.

Check out www.timberridgegolf.net for details and some great photo’s of the course.

Play and Value Evaluation Rating Table

Refer to my evaluation criteria to see how I judge and rate the courses I've played.

Some Details: Timber Ridge is located between Trenton and Brighton, Ontario.  It is very near the 401 but you will have to travel on some country roads to get to the course.  Their website has a good map to help guide you.  The course is well marked on the highway and on the country roads.

As I noted above, the course offers a combination of parkland and open holes that meander through forested and grassland settings.

I’ve played Timber Ridge 6 times and managed some good and some not so good scores …… 82, 85 (twice), 87, 93 and 98.  The higher scores were due to some errant shots into the woods and the dreaded 3 putt flu.  I have played the course from both the white and the blue tees.  My higher scores on this course were from blue tees so it does make you play longer iron shots to the greens when you play from the blue tees.  For me, longer iron shots usually mean less accuracy and that gets reflected in my higher scores from those tees.

Timber Ridge doesn’t offer lots of outstanding vistas of the surrounding area or Lake Ontario but you do get some nice views of the course from some of the higher elevated areas of the course.  Despite the lack of great scenic views, the scenery is nice because of the parkland setting.

You do need to keep your ball in play because errant shots can end up in long grass in the open sections of the course or in the forest.  In most of these cases you won’t have much of a chance to recover.

The bunkers are well placed around the course.  I’ve ended up in fairway and greenside bunkers during each round I have played here.  The bunkers are well maintained so you shouldn’t have a problem getting out of the sand.

The greens are undulating with slopes and ridges so you do need to be careful with your weight and touch.  You can have your ball roll well past the hole, sometimes further away than your first putt if you aren’t careful.  I have played the course when the greens were soft (after a good rainfall) and when they were harder.  The softer greens resulted in slower putts while the harder greens resulted in speedier putts.  Your putting will be tested here.

You will use all the clubs in your bag – a nice mix of holes.

My Evaluation Details:

Scenery – Typical views of this part of Eastern Ontario with rolling hills, forest and open areas.

Mix of holes – offers an enjoyable and challenging mix of long and short holes.

Consistency and condition – the course was in wonderful shape each time I have played it and offers consistent tee boxes, greens, fairways, rough and bunkers.

Character – Timber Ridge offers a lot of character when you consider what great shape it is in and the golf challenge it offers.

Golf Challenge – the course offers a challenge in my books……

• tee shots – You have a good view of all the fairways from the tees. You can spray the ball around a bit but you do need to control your tee shots.
• fairway shots – The fairways were in great shape – well taken care of.  There are some undulations so you will encounter a few uphill and downhill lies.
• pin placements – The pin placements are fair.  The greens are large enough that they have many choices and options for where the pins are.  The times I have played the course there was a good mix of front, back, middle and side pin placements.
• putting – Putting was fast on dry days but slower after rainy days.  The speed was consistent across the whole course.  When dry and fast, expect some 3 putts.  The undulations will test your reading ability.
• greens – Like the fairways, the greens were in great shape.  On drier days, you will get more roll on your approach shots compared to wetter conditions.  You can use bump and run shots when you are in front of the greens, especially in the open areas of the course.
• a chance to recover – If you landed on the edges of the course, just slightly into the wooded areas or grassy areas, you can recover.  Shots deep into the woods or long fescue are real trouble.  The rough is very playable and fair with more undulations that in the fairways.

Other Observations:

Hole # 10 always forces me to decide whether to layup or to hit one over the fairway hazard.  The wind usually makes my mind up for me,  if it is in my face I lay up and if it is behind me or calm I use my driver.

On # 17 you look down from an elevated tee to a large green and club selection is key to getting the ball close to the pin.  You can end up with quite a long putt if you land in front and the pin is at the back. The slope on this green will usually move your ball to the left side so if the pin is on the right, you don't have much chance of keeping the ball near the pin unless you hit the ball high.

The facilities are good.  Staff was very friendly and we were greeted as soon as we got out of the car.

A very pleasant course to walk although there are a couple of spots where you have some distance to travel between holes.

I’m not sure there is much that you would change to make this course better …… move it closer to Ottawa is probably all I would ask for.

If you want an enjoyable set of courses to play in the Kingston, Belleville area I would highly recommend you play Timber Ridge as well as Loyalist (Bath, Ontario) and Black Bear Ridge (Belleville, Ontario).  You won’t find 3 better courses to play for an enjoyable golf vacation.  I would also recommend staying in Prince Edward County and playing the 3 noted courses – you will have a great time with lots to do in that area…….I’ve stayed in the County many times and enjoyed each stay Sorry no pictures yet but visit their website for some great shots of the course.

Lane Smith – Lane@lifepast50.ca