Pursuing the Quest for Birdies, Eagles and the Ever-Elusive Blue Heron!

This weekend marks a special moment in the world of professional golf in south western Ontario as the Nationwide Tour comes to the Georgian Bay region for the first time. The Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic will be the first major professional golf tournament played in this part of southwestern Ontario. The Nationwide tour professionals and celebrity amateur golfers will tee it up on the Georgian Bay Club, Clarksburg, Ont., and Raven Golf Club at Lora Bay, Thornbury,

This tournament should be well-attended by local residents because golf is extremely popular in this area. There many challenging golf courses in the area. If you are in the area you might try out one of my favorites, the Stone Tree Golf Club located just 2 minutes south of the city of Owen Sound on Highway #6 & 10. Below I have posted my golf course review of this challenging 18 hole championship golf course.

Pursuing the Quest for Birdies, Eagles and the Ever-Elusive Blue Heron!

By: Paul White

When a golfer steps up to the tee on any hole, his or her quest is to par the hole, or better yet, make a birdie or even an eagle. At the Stone Tree Golf Club, a golfer can also enjoy sighting American Goldfinches, Purple Martins and the majestic Blue Heron while he or she pursues their quest to improve their golf game!

The Bruce Peninsula attracts visitors from around the world eager to enjoy the unique flora and fauna of the internationally acclaimed Niagara Escarpment. This region also boasts many other amenities for the outdoor enthusiasts. The blue water of Georgian Bay provides a scenic background for fishermen, sailors, divers and golfers.

The Stone Tree Golf Club, located just five minutes south of the City of Owen Sound, the gateway to the Bruce Peninsula, incorporates all the natural attributes of the region. Stone Tree is not only a challenging golf course, but it is also part of the Niagara Escarpment, a 450 mile stretch of land which has been designated by the United Nations as a World Biosphere Reserve. The golf course’s more than two hundred acres is also a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary to protect the abundant wildlife which inhabits the course. This provides golfers with the opportunity to enjoy the countless varieties of feathered wildlife as they pursue the ever-elusive quest for par on this challenging and scenic golf course

The first hole seems fairly ordinary. But, the three hundred yard, par four with only a forest running along the right side of the fairway to threaten your score, is only a warm-up for what lays ahead!

After putting out, the path leads you across a hiker’s trail. Any thoughts of an easy round are quickly dashed as you prepare to tee off! The second hole, nick-named the Bear, is a par five dog-leg to the left, that requires a straight drive and controlled fairway shots to even come close to holing out in five! The hole is bordered on the left from tee to green by dense marsh land. Errant shots mean lost balls, as only wild life are allowed in this area designated as a wildlife habitat sanctuary.

If you tend to hook your ball to the left, better use an iron and play safe, because this monster will eat up your score before you know it! Your tee shot must carry about 250 yards before you can safely shoot towards the green. Your second shot has to be accurate! The marshland looming the entire length of the hole on the left crowds the green, while on the right forested areas leave little room for error. To make matters worse, a small stream with thick marshy banks crosses the fairway less than 20 yards in front of the green.

Once you have passed the second hole, the Stone Tree course relaxes its grip and the next few holes, although well-treed with mature oaks and maples, and bunkered with deceptive dog-legs, present the golfer with a challenge and an opportunity to enjoy the large variety of feathered creatures that inhabit the wild life sanctuary that is a vital part of the course design.

The sixteenth hole is a relatively easy par three, but like the first hole its ease is only a precursor of another test of skill and endurance lurking at the next tee box!

On seventeen, you had better play smart and safe or your score will be in jeopardy! Named the Water Snake, a vast marsh stretches almost from tee to green along the left side, while a treed out of bounds area flanks the right side of the fairway. The hole is straight and narrow for about 400 yards when its takes an abrupt swing left, a further 150 yards to the green. Only the most confident player will challenge this par five hole by attempting a second shot of some distance over marshland into the green.

The par three eighteenth hole is appropriately called Memory, perhaps because its relative ease allows the golfer to finish the round and leave with pleasant memories of a par, or better!

After your round of golf you can relax and enjoy refreshments or a full-course meal at Stone Tree’s excellent restaurant.

You can also work on the finer points of your game at the exceptional practice facility which includes chipping and putting areas, as well as a driving range with grass tees and natural grass target greens.

If new golf clubs are on your golf shopping list, Stone Tree is a certified Ping golf outfitter and head professional Michael Todd can assist in making the selections that are best-suited for your golf game.

Stone Tree also boasts an exceptional fitness centre with all the latest in training equipment. There is also an indoor swimming pool, making Stone Tree not only a challenging and enjoyable golf destination, but a facility that offers full-service sports and entertainment amenities at the gateway to the scenic Bruce Peninsula.
Vital Statistics



Location:

Highway #6 and #10 five minutes south of Owen Sound, Ontario
Highway #6 – two and a half hours north of Hamilton
Highway #10 – two and a half hours north of Toronto

Stone Tree
RR #4
Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
N4K 5N6
Telephone: (519) 376-7899
Web: www.stonetree.on.ca

Head Professional:

Michael Todd, C.P.G.A