The Links at Crowbush Cove

Thomas McBroom's Links at Crowbush Cove has been in or near the top 10 courses in Canada since opening in 1993. In fact, its position at #16 in the 2012 rankings which I am using for this blog is the lowest ranking it has ever received. After seeing the course in person, I would be both surprised and disappointed to see it fall any further. The 2014 rankings bumped Crowbush back up to #12, although Cabot Cliffs will almost certainly push it back one spot in the coming years ranking.

After years of being limited to western Canadian courses, this summer presented my first opportunity to explore some of the east coast. While Nova Scotia would seem like an obvious first choice, Cabot Cliffs had yet to open at the time that I was planning my trip. I decided to leave Highlands Links, Cabot Links, Fox Harb'r (and others) to another trip, at which time Cliffs would be open as well. Which destination would be next on the list? I had often heard rave reviews of Prince Edward Island, the home of some reputable courses. Besides, PEI is the self proclaimed #1 Golf Destination in Canada, it has to be good!

With limited time, I had to shorten the list of courses I wanted to play. Crowbush and Dundarave are the two top-100 courses on the island, thus making them must-plays. I also searched around and decided that Green Gables was deserving of a visit due to its history (a Stanley Thompson original) and its recent McBroom restoration. Of the three on my list, Crowbush is widely regarded as the best course on PEI. In accordance with my typical routine, I planned to play Crowbush last so as to 'finish the trip with a bang'. I have found that it can take away from good golf courses to play them right after playing outstanding courses. The best way to get the most out of successive rounds is to play the courses in order of increasing quality. This strategy has always served me well... until PEI!

My first few days on the island offered great golf weather. Dundarave was a bit cold, but still enjoyable. Green Gables was clear and sunny. With a tee time booked at Crowbush for the last morning of my trip, the weather took an unexpected turn for the worst. When I awoke to flood-inducing rainfall I phoned the course (which was about 45 minutes from my bed&breakfast) and was told that the rain was light enough to allow golfers to tee off. Thanks to my scheduling I had no way of pushing my tee time back to a different day. I had two thoughts: "I came all the way here, I need to see Crowbush", and "I've golfed in a lot of rain... how bad could it be?"...

Well... Pretty bad!

I bought a heavy-duty rain jacket in the pro shop, and skipped the driving range to head to the 1st tee. By this time the rain was just light enough to allow me to tee off. Understandably, the tee sheet was almost completely open.

The first hole is a short, relatively gentle par 4 to get the round underway. It is followed by alternating par 4s and 5s before reaching the first par 3 at the 6th. Having played only McBroom's newer courses in the B.C. interior, a few things become evident quite early:

1) Despite a naturally flat landscape, the course has fantastic slope and undulation. The area is very different from the desert-like hillsides on which Tobiano and Tower Ranch lie, yet the use of the land is equally as interesting.

2) The bunkering is also quite unlike Tobiano and Tower Ranch - more understated, but equally challenging. The one similarity is that the bunkers fit seamlessly into the rolling terrain.

3) The greens are tiny (or at least feel that way). One might consider them a throw-back to those of the early 20th century.

The approach to the par 5 third

The above photo of the 3rd demonstrates the 3 points listed. Much of the fairway leading up to the green is hidden by the bunkers, and the green is not much bigger than it looks.

In reaching the 5th green you return to the clubhouse. As such, the front 9 has two distinct loops. The par 3 6th kicks off the more thrilling of the two loops - a mid-length hole, all over water to another small green. This hole is followed by a dramatic par 4 with a reasonable carry required from the tee.

#8 is perhaps the toughest on the course. The long par 3 circles a small lake, and would be daunting under ideal conditions.. I was content to blast my 3 iron into one of the bunkers left of the green.

Nerve-testing par 3 8th

The front side closes out on a short-ish par 4 with tremendous contours and bunkering. None of my pictures do it justice, you'll just have to play it for yourself! My gloves and grips had become so saturated and slick by this time that my driver slid out of my hands as I hit my tee shot. It became a challenge to try to see and enjoy the course without being so discouraged by the weather.

After putting out on the 9th under heavier rain, I headed back to the clubhouse for shelter. Not only was I completely soaked, but it was cool enough that my hands had gone numb. Luckily, with how empty the course was I could take as much time as needed to dry off and thaw my hands. After roughly half an hour I headed to the 10th tee. The weather seemed to be breaking, and I wanted to make the most of any playable conditions.

With dry hands, I striped a drive to the wide 10th fairway. While the fairway is bunkered, the green is protected only by contours. As it turned out, the 10th would be the last hole I played. The course had simply become too saturated. I viewed the last 8 holes from the golf cart, taking pictures without pulling clubs from the bag.

From a parking area not far from the 10th green a very long staircase leads to the 11th tee - the most scenic point on the course. Looking backwards (away from the hole) the entire coastline is in view.

After a significant drop to the 11th fairway, the rest of the back 9 plays mostly uphill. As on the front side, deep bunkers guard small greens. There is also a reasonable amount of water in play, demanding precision throughout the round. Despite limited exposure to the back 9, it wasn't hard to see why Crowbush has remained near the top of the rankings for a few decades. Two particular holes stood out in this regard: #16 and #17.

The 16th is a treacherous par 4 with a long forced carry over water, and a blind uphill approach. It has to be the toughest 2-shot-er on the course, among a collection of difficult par 4s. A large embankment limits the view from the tee, but once you climb to the green you can look back down the windswept coastline.

Looking back down the 16th fairway

You can clearly see how much water was pooling in the fairways... and that's at the top of a steep hill! It took away from the play-ability, but couldn't take away from the view!

The par 3 17th is a great short hole running parallel to the 16th (just out of view, above, to the right). Although it's the shortest on the course, it is no bargain. The hole demands a precise, uphill wedge shot, to a well-guarded green with 3 distinct tiers. The greatest challenge is that the tiers on the green cannot be seen from the tee. Its the type of hole that presents a birdie opportunity, but can just as easily result in a double bogey if played carelessly.

While 18 is not as special as the preceding holes, it is solid, and concludes a great finishing stretch. Unfortunately, I was unable to hit shots and fully take in the experience. I'll have to return!

After leaving the course I had just enough time to head to downtown Charlottetown, grab lunch, and head to the airport. What a crazy day!

Of the courses I played in PEI, Crowbush was the only one that hadn't been heavily damaged by record snowfalls the winter before. Even with vastly different conditions, it is easy to see why this is the #1 course on the island. Dundarave and Green Gables simply did not quite compare. The contrast of McBroom's coastal design with his inland courses in BC was spectacular. All courses distinct. Yet equally brilliant. Crowbush was challenging, but generally very fair. The course rewards precise shot making, and penalizes reckless play. It is a blast, start to finish (even in a steady downpour). I'm excited to play an entire round on Crowbush in clear conditions when I am able to return!


'Til next time, keep your stick on the ice!

The Golfing Canuck