Upper Canada
Summary: Value Rating = A+
The Upper Canada golf course offers a challenging course to play and tremendous value. The course is located in a nice parkland setting typical of this part of Eastern Ontario and the St. Lawrence River Valley. The price, the enjoyable layout and the course conditions are the reasons why I rate this course so high. You can play this course for less than $30 in the afternoon – a real bargain. Some specials are offered for around $40 which includes a cart but a cart isn’t needed – the course is a very enjoyable walk.
Many of the fairways are tree lined. For the most part, the fairways look tight from the tees but there is enough fairway if you control your tee shots. You do have to keep the ball in play so hitting straight drives is one of the keys to playing well here. If you do have to play out of the woods it will cost you a stroke or two. A few of the holes are in open field areas. Water does come into play, especially on the 4 holes that run beside Aultsville Creek – the most picturesque part of the course.
The course offers large greens and a nice mix of holes with varying distances and dog legs. This course does play long, around 6900 from the blues and 6300 from the whites. The white tee distance is bit longer than you might typically see from the middle tees and adds to the challenge of playing Upper Canada. I’ve hit some nice drives and still had a challenging long or middle iron into the green because of the longer layout – something a bit different than you may be use to.
Refer to the website for additional details – www.uppercanadagolf.com
Play and Value Evaluation Rating Table
| Scenery | B- the holes along the creek are very picturesque and provide the best scenery on the course. There few if any elevation changes so there aren’t any views of the surrounding area to take in – this part of Eastern Ontario is reasonably flat. |
| Mix of Holes | A |
| Consistency and Condition | A+ the course was in excellent condition when I’ve played here. |
| Character | B the length adds to character of the course |
| Golf Challenge | A key challenges are the extra distance to the green on your 2nd shots on the par 4s and the need to hit reasonable straight tee shots |
| Tee Shots | A |
| Fairway Shots | A predominantly flat lies in the fairways |
| Pin Placements | A+ large greens offer many pin placement options |
| Putting | B+ greens are quick |
| A Chance to Recover | B+ stay out of the water but shots into the woods can typically be played sideways back onto the fairway |
| Intangibles | The combination of great course conditions, slightly longer middle tee length, and speed of the greens makes this a challenge to play for the average recreational golfer. Add in the low price and it is a bargain despite the hour drive (from Ottawa). |
Refer to my evaluation criteria – www.lifepast50.ca/topic-list/golf/reviewcriteria
Some Details:
From a scenery point of view, the most memorable holes are the 4 holes along the creek. Usually there are lots of birds in and around the water. The 14th hole (a par 5) in particular is my favourite on this course, not only because of its location with the creek on the left and the trees (some nice white birch) on the right but also because of the creek inlets jutting into the fairway.
Upper Canada golf course is about 75 miles from downtown Ottawa – near Morrisburg, Ontario and beside the Upper Canada Village Heritage Park. On average, about an hours drive from Ottawa, but well worth the travel time. The course is located in St. Lawrence Park.
Some of the greens are quite large so depending upon where the pin in you can end up with some rather long putts. The greens are very receptive and you typically don’t get a lot of roll from high shots into the greens.
There are lots of Canada geese around so their droppings can be annoying on parts of the course.
My average score at Upper Canada is 92 – a bit higher than my average score because of my inconsistency in hitting the greens with longer iron shots and some long putts on the larger greens.
My Evaluation Details:
Scenery – Other than the holes along the creek, there isn’t anything overly spectacular about the views you will see on the course.
Mix of holes – The course has a solid mix of long and short holes with left and right dog legs. You will use all the clubs in your bag.
Consistency and condition – The course, the times I have played it, is in great shape and is obviously well maintained.
Character – the length, speed of the greens and the excellent course conditions have always impressed me.
Golf Challenge – the course did offer a good blend of decision making places…..
- tee shots – the view from the tees is tight so you do have to hit straight tee shots or aim appropriately if you draw or fade the ball.
- fairway shots – the fairways are flat with few undulations.
- putting – the putting is very consistent across all the greens. The greens are very smooth with few bumps. The greens are quick (at least when I’ve played Upper Canada).
- greens – the greens are receptive to high approach shots with not much bounce.
- a chance to recover – landing in the rough presented the usual problems and landing in the forest usually means a sideways shot back onto the fairway. Very wayward shots will get you in trouble.
Other Observations
I do wish the course was closer to where I live because my buddies and I would play it more often. It is well worth the trip to play here.
Sorry no photos.
Reach me at Lane@lifepast50.ca