As many golf enthusiasts are aware, Shaughnessy is synonymous with classic Canadian golf. Following the two Canadian Opens it has recently hosted, the club received high praise from PGA tour pros, claiming it was one of the best stops on tour. Those with an interest in golf history likely know that President Warren Harding played his last round of golf at Shaughnessy, just days before passing away. He was only the first in a long list of famous people (both world leaders and golf legends) to have visited the club. Its history is as rich as any in Western Canada. Needless to say, I was eager to get my chance to see this A.V. Macan masterpiece.
I can't be more grateful for the unexpected opportunity to visit Shaughnessy.
Aside from my lackluster ball-striking day, there was absolutely no disappointment. The club was exactly what a club should be - from the quaint entry to the pro shop/clubhouse, to the practice facility and golf course. By the time you reach the first fairway it is already a memorable experience. An instant favorite.
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The winding par 5 first
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Despite the course not having overwhelming length, it is still a solid test. While the fairways are flat, and reward good tee shots, trees often interfere with recovery shots if wayward from the tee, as pictured above. The rough was not daunting when I played (although it was for the Canadian Opens), but was just enough to prevent the golfer from shaping a recovery shot around the nearby trees. It took me a few holes to realize that, even though the holes aren't visually intimidating, a missed fairway will often lead to a pitch-out, rather than a shot towards the green. Quite simple, yet outstanding design.
The tree lined fairways are only the first line of defense. I would almost entirely credit the longevity of the course to the design of the greens. A well placed drive hardly guarantees a good score on any hole. Compared to modern golf courses, the greens are refreshingly small. You cannot mishit a shot and still pull out the putter. The course forces you to hit approach shots properly in order to leave a chance at birdie... how it should be. I also found it extremely difficult to get up and down when short-sided, which happens often with such small greens. Despite having a very strong short game, I was only 3/11 on up-and-downs (including 2/3 sand saves). While frustrating, I couldn't help but be impressed with the difficulty of the areas around the greens.
That being said, the greens were in no way unfair. Like the fairways, which rewarded good drives with good lies, the greens rewarded good approaches with reasonable birdie opportunities (though I didn't have many). Similar to some of the Stanley Thompson courses I have played, also designed in the 'golden age of golf course architecture', the greens had the perfect amount of contouring. While a 3-footer was rarely a gimme, a 30-footer was never an impossible 2-putt.
As mentioned earlier, length is not the courses main defense, although it does (barely) reach 7,000 yards from the championship tees. One result of this: a large number of 4.5 pars. That is, many of the par 5s play short, and a number of par 4s play long. This is very noticeable as one goes from the 4th to the 5th. The 4th is a mid-length par 4, but plays long as it makes a sharp left hand turn. A tee shot to the right leaves a very long second shot, perhaps a lay-up. It is a challenging hole with reasonable length. The 5th hole is a different story. A wide open par 5 under 500 yards. Par aside, they are quite similar in difficulty. This was exaggerated as yours truly grinded out a bogey 5 on the 4th, but made a fairly routine birdie 4 on the 5th.
Another instance of par being debatable was on the 11th. One of the more recognizable holes on the course, 11 is another hole just under 500 yards which is a par 5 on the card. It is too long to be a par 4 for all but PGA pros, but a simple par 5 for most golfers - another par 4.5. This is in no way a negative for the course, it just poses another challenge to the golfer. One must play the course, not the par listed on the scorecard, something rarely seen in modern designs.
It may already be obvious that this post has less photos than my other posts. For the most part, I do not feel as though my pictures do the course justice. The pictures do not capture many of the nuances, such as difficulty of the greens, which are essential to how the course plays. That being said, I feel obligated to include a few photos below.
A condensed list of the noteworthy holes on the course: 1, 8, 12, 14, 17.
The 1st hole (pictured above) is actually a good example of the in-between par 4/5s as well - a par 5 on the scorecard which plays as a par 4 for the Canadian Open. I think it is a great hole in both instances. As a par 5 it presents an early birdie opportunity, which can turn into a bogey quickly if played recklessly. As a par 4 it is a strong test right out of the gates. At any other point of the round it would most likely be a tough par 4, but as the opening hole it is more fitting that it is a par 5. Remember, as with holes such as 4, 5 and 11, it should be played as a 475 yard hole, not as a par 4 or 5.
There are a number of terrific holes on the front nine, but since it is hard to display the course's genius with my pictures, I will skip ahead to the 8th. This challenging par 3 plays 180-210 yards, although the awkward walk back to the longer tee boxes makes it very apparent that this distance was not part of the hole's original design. Even today, I feel as though the hole need not be any longer than 175 yards. Aside from this unfortunate addition, it is still an outstanding hole.
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The skill testing par 3 - 8th
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As pictured above, the trees are the first thing you notice standing on the tee. However, unless a golfer is playing a very low left to right shot, the trees aren't actually in play. They simply serve to intimidate the golfer, making him or her think the playing corridor is narrower than it actually is. If one can look beyond the trees, they will see deep bunkers guarding the left and the right, with a strong sloping green. It is a really good hole, especially from the original tees (which I believe are today's white tees).
The next par 3 is also a dandy. When we reached the tee at the par 3 12th hole, my host told me "it doesn't look uphill, but it is.. club up!". I did, but it was hard to trust that yardage. See for yourself!
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12th, par 3
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Pictures tend to flatten out hilly terrain (as is commonly said about Augusta), but trust me, even in person the 12th hole does not look uphill. My host was spot-on, as the hole played a club longer than the 170 on the scorecard. Since my second shot from the right green-side bunker stopped on a dime, leaving a tap in par, I didn't have much opportunity to assess the green. I do, however, remember watching my playing partners putt, and thinking it was a well designed green.
Although I have placed an emphasis on the par 3s, along with the in-between par 4/5s, the best hole on the course is quite possibly the drive-able par 4, 14th. It is an outstanding risk/reward hole.
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The reachable 14th
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From the championship tees the 14th stretches to 315 yds, but is under 300 from other tees. A series of bunkers flank the left, with 3 trees guarding the right. Both obstacles are out of reach for a lay-up with an iron, but come into play if one goes for the green. The green is relatively flat, but is very firm, and likely the smallest on the course. It is a birdie hole if managed effectively and executed to plan, but it is by no means an easy hole. It is the one hole which never needs to be lengthened to keep up with advances in golf technology. In my opinion, the best and most fun hole on the course.
The last hole which caught my attention was, again, a par 3. The 17th is a short par 3 with tees from roughly 130-160 yards. The green slopes front to back, and to the right. When the greens are firm, as they were when I played, the green is very tough to hit.
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Tricky short 17th, ocean behind
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No explanation is needed to see that the right side of the hole is dangerous. It is worth noting, though, that the rough to the right is long enough to keep the ball inbounds, although the slope runs out-of-bounds. One would have to hit their ball right of the large tree in the foreground to actually go out of bounds. The awkward uphill pitch is more of a threat than the out-of-bounds line. The left side is also no bargain, as the firm left to right sloping green has surely seen many bunker shots roll down the hill to the right. Hit it straight and you're safe.. sound fair? The green is difficult to hit onto, but is not so daunting to putt on. It is a classic, timeless short par 3 that needs no modification. When combined with a firm, front to back sloping green on the 16th hole, as well as a challenging uphill 18th hole, the finishing stretch at Shaughnessy demands golfers to stay sharp right to the end of the round.
As I walked down the hallways of the clubhouse towards the locker room after the round, I couldn't help but notice all of the framed images commemorating visits from VIP guests. Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan; Presidents Harding and Clinton, Prime Minister Chretien, and more. The impressive history makes one reflect upon the truly special experience they have just lived, walking in the footsteps of such influential individuals. Just for a short moment, it sent a chill down my spine.
Having had the below average ball striking day that I had, I am eager to return to Shaughnessy and improve upon my score. That being said, it is hard to be disappointed with anything else about my day at the famed club. My pre-round experience was terrific, the round was special, and dinner after the round was equally as good. Shaughnessy is without question worthy of its rank in the top 100. I must mention, again, how grateful I am to have had this opportunity. In my opinion, there is nothing quite like a good round of old fashioned Canadian golf.. And in Western Canada, there are few rounds, and overall experiences, quite like Shaughnessy.
'Til next time, keep your stick on the ice!
The Golfing Canuck
