Muirfield Lakes Golf Club will be opening it’s doors for play this Thursday, March 10, 2016! They will be playing on 18 holes, on full greens, and power carts will be available.
The Clubhouse will also be open for food and beverages. We will begin taking tee time bookings on Tuesday March 8th at 9am. Spring rates will be in effect which are $40 walking and $50 with a power cart.
You can book a tee time online or by calling the pro shop at 403-983-3311.
Click here to visit Muirfield Lakes Golf Club:’s website for more details about the course or to book a tee time.
The Links of GlenEagles | Golf Course Review
Course: The Links of GlenEagles
Location: 100 GlenEagles Drive, Cochrane, Alberta
Phone: 403-932-1100
Website: http://www.gleneaglesgolf.com
Architect: Les Furber
The Links of GlenEagles golf course is located in Cochrane (just 10 minutes outside of Calgary’s northwest city limits). The moment you drive down the winding road (Glen Eagles Drive), you realize you’ll in for a real treat. The view is breathtaking with serene greens and the Rocky Mountains in the background.
The practice facilities include a putting green and an irons only aqua driving range where you shoot your balls into a pond. A bit of a draw back for this driving range is that you have the inability to practice with your longer clubs (ie: driver).
The 18 hole golf course is well maintained an in great condition. There are a few challenges with this golf course as there are lots of elevation changes which will challenge golfers of all levels. Gusting winds seem to be a common factor when playing at this course as well. The greens are smooth and roll true. Just remember that everything breaks towards the river.
The signature 16th hole Par 3 has the best view of the entire course. With a major drop in elevation to the green, golfers are required to club down at least 2 to 3 club lengths with keeping the wind factor in mind. But if you’re an avid golfer, hitting the green is always the fun challenge.
The Links of GlenEagles has a new program called the Player Host Program, which illustrates the level of service this course provides. On top of the friendly service at the pro shop, snack shack and drink cart, there is a player host who drives around the course in efforts to provide golfers with the ultimate golf experience. These player hosts provide water bottles, portable blue tooth speakers to play music and heat packs for your hands on those colder days, all complimentary of the clubhouse. This is definitely something you don’t get to experience at other golf courses.
Overall, I would give my experience golfing at The Links of GlenEagles a 4.5/5. The customer service is top notch as they ensure that your time spent there is thoroughly enjoyed. I would definitely recommend those who have not made the commute out there to enjoy a day out golfing in Cochrane. Do yourself a favour and check out The Links of GlenEagles.
In related news, The Links of GlenEagles will be hosting the PGA Tour Canada ATB Financial Classic on July 30 – August 2, 2015.
Course Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
Course: HeatherGlen Golf Course
Location: 234024 Range Road 285, Rocky View, Alberta
Phone: 403-236-4653
Website: www.heatherglengolf.com
I’ve lived in Calgary for almost 15 years now (which by this city’s standards almost makes me a native Calgarian) and have played pretty much every golf course in and around the city; public, semi-private and private alike. I recall, albeit vaguely playing HeatherGlen quite a few years ago and for whatever reason hadn’t returned to play the course again. I recently returned to HeatherGlen for a round and found myself pleasantly surprised by my visit.
I have to admit; I was running late for my tee-time and didn’t get to fully experience HeatherGlen’s practice facilities. My playing partners shared with me that the practice facilities are nice and that they made an effort to arrive early enough for their tee-time to take full advantage. Despite my tardiness (I literally arrived less than five minutes before the scheduled tee-time), the pro shop staff was very pleasant and incredibly helpful (which is certainly more than I can say for a number other courses around the city, but I digress).
There are 27 holes at HeatherGlen and we played a rotation that included The Hills and The Grove nines. HeatherGlen’s website suggests “The Hills Nine is the longest of our three nines where the focus is on distance off the tee. Long hitters can clear many of the hazards here for an easy shot into the green.” I do concur that many of the fairway hazards not a factor for a longer hitter. I hit a longer ball, but this is typically both a blessing and a curse. Long balls tend to fly long regardless of the direction, so it’s pretty easy for me to get in trouble. Having said that, the fairways on The Hills nine are generous and forgiving, so feel free to grip it and rip it with confidence. Though I have to admit that there aren’t any particularly memorable holes on The Hills, overall it’s a pretty enjoyable nine holes.
Our second nine of the day was played on The Grove, which had a decidedly different feel than The Hills. The Grove “is made up of holes from the original course at HeatherGlen, but the holes have been arranged in a different order.” Though I can’t comment on the original course at HeatherGlen, I can say with certainty that this is a pretty nine, more typical of a mature tree-lined course. Accordingly, The Grove is less forgiving than The Hills, but more picturesque. The trees can be punitive, but not overly so with the course still being very playable for golfers of all skill levels. If I had to choose between the two, I may give a slight edge to The Grove nine as I found it to be a little more interesting. Either way, you really can’t go too wrong with either of these nines.
I unfortunately wasn’t able to play The Creek nine which is apparently a little more difficult that either of The Hills or The Grove nines. HeatherGlen portrays The Creek nine as “more of a shot-maker’s test with three par-3s and three par-5s. This nine has large greens, so aim to land on the same tier as the pin after you hit your ball or you’re going to struggle for par. The Creek is shorter than the Hills so although distance doesn’t count as much, you can really score here with some well-struck iron shots.” After reading this description, I’m a little upset that I wasn’t able to experience The Creek nine.
I found out after finishing my round that HeatherGlen was actually a fully private club in the early eighties. Though I wasn’t able to experience HeatherGlen prior to my round (given my late arrival), I stuck around for a bit and chatted with a couple of golfers who have been playing HeatherGlen for a long, long time. It seems that HeatherGlen has a bit of a cult following. The course is no doubt interesting with 27 holes, but was struck me was how approachable everyone was – from fellow golfers and the pro shop staff to the servers and grounds crew. HeatherGlen is unpretentious and approachable, which is nice for a change and a breath of fresh air when compared to a number of other clubs that I frequent.
Related to the above point, HeatherGlen is the perfect venue for golfers of all skill levels, including less-experienced golfers among us. The course would be an ideal place for new golfers and families looking to experience great golf in a casual, friendly and welcoming environment. The course is forgiving, fun and easily walk-able; all hallmarks of a great course for avid and beginner golfers alike. Testament to this fact, HeatherGlen was voted Calgary’s #1 Public Golf Course in the Consumers Choice awards.
Though I can’t think of much that I didn’t like about the course, I would say that the layout and hole routing is a bit confusing at times. It is easy to get a bit mixed-up with the various nines intersecting one another. We admittedly got turned-around on more than one occasion, despite paying pretty close attention to the suggested routing. I live on the far West side of Calgary, so HeatherGlen is a bit of a hike for me. Accessing HeatherGlen is no doubt simple (just follow Glenmore Trail West), but on a Saturday afternoon, it took me about 45 minutes to get to the course (though this will be much less of an issue for most Calgarians). Lastly, I would say that if you are looking for a true golf test, HeatherGlen is not the course for you. As I’ve outlined above, this is more of a family-friendly course and those low handicappers among us may want to consider visiting Blue Devil or GlenEagles (coincidently owned by the same group).
Overall, I would say that HeatherGlen was undoubtedly an enjoyable round at a great public golf facility – definitely worth checking out!
Course Rating:3/ 5 stars
Click here to visit HeatherGlen Golf Course’s website to book a tee time or for more details about the course.
Blue Devil Golf Club | Golf Course Review
Course: Blue Devil Golf Club
Location: 2300, 194 Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta
Phone: 403-452-7892
Website: www.bluedevilgolf.com
Architect: Browning Horrocks Golf Design
Blue Devil Golf Club opened its doors to the public in late 2012. The course, which was designed by Calgary architect Gary Browning, reached an almost urban legend status over the past few years with varying theories about what the finished product would look like and why exactly it was taking so long to build. It is my understanding that Blue Devil began as a labor of love for cable magnate J.R. Shaw some 5+ years ago. I recall hearing story after story – each growing in grandeur and mystique – of this remarkable golf course being developed in South Calgary by one of Calgary’s better known multi-millionaires.
Fast-forward to August 2012. I declined a few invitations to play Blue Devil last year largely given the infancy of the course. However, I decided that it was finally time to “give the devil his due”. Over a few beers prior to my round, I shared with some golf buddies that I would be playing Blue Devil and the response from those who had already played the course was overwhelmingly positive.
So, without further ado, I’ll share with you a few notes and thoughts from my recent round at Blue Devil.
Overall, I very much enjoyed my round at Blue Devil and found the course to be a challenging, but fair and especially playable course. I could see this course becoming part of my regular rotation; I’m scheduled to play it again next week as a matter of fact.
Lastly, as I mentioned in the preamble, Blue Devil is located in South Calgary. Living in West Calgary I was a little put off by the location, but can confirm that the course is surprisingly accessible from Macleod Trail, Deerfoot Trail, or Highway 22x – it took me about 40 minutes door to door.
Course Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
The Links of GlenEagles | Golf Course Review
Course: The Links of GlenEagles
Location: 100 GlenEagles Drive, Cochrane, Alberta
Phone: 403-932-1100
Website: http://www.gleneaglesgolf.com
Architect: Les Furber
I am an avid golfer and have had the good fortune to play pretty much every course within an hour of this fine city of ours; public and private alike. For this reason I am often asked by friends, family and colleagues for golf course recommendations. There are a handful of courses in and around Calgary that I continually look forward to playing and tend to recommend more frequently and The Links of GlenEagles is one of them.
A recent trip to GlenEagles reminded me why I continue to enjoy this gem of a course just outside Calgary’s Northwest city limits. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again; I am a big fan of the overall package – an irresistible combination of interesting (but not gimmicky) holes, stunning elevation changes, mountain vistas, plenty of risk/reward opportunities and all without sacrificing playability. I liken GlenEagles to a more playable version of certain mountain courses (though I won’t name any names). Granted you don’t have the same in-your-face, breath-taking views as a few of the more notable mountain courses, I’d argue that the views from GlenEagles are as good as you’ll find in and around Calgary.
For those that have never played GlenEagles before, do yourself a favor and give the course a try. Specifically, I personally enjoy:
Inevitably, critics of the course will argue that it’s too far of a drive, that the practice facilities are lacking and that the course is not walk-able. In my humble opinion, I’ll give them two of the three – I concur on the walk-ability (or lack thereof) and the fact that the practice facilities are not up to par (pun intended). On the contrary, I feel that GlenEagles’ is a very manageable commute for most Calgarians at just 10 minutes from the City limits on Highway 1A.
For all of the reasons outlined above, I’m obviously a fan of The Links of GlenEagles. I golf the course a few times each year myself and continue to recommend this golfing experience to friends, family and colleagues. Do yourself a favor and check it out!
Course Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
The Links of GlenEagles | Golf Course Review
Course: The Links of GlenEagles
Location: 100 GlenEagles Drive, Cochrane, Alberta
Phone: 403-932-1100
Website: http://www.gleneaglesgolf.com
Architect: Les Furber
Those who know me know that I love to golf. Though I’m a passionate golfer, I have to admit, I’m a bit of a golf snob – I like to play great courses. It is important to note here that “great” doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. I’ve been fortunate to golf some really incredible courses throughout Canada and the United States(expensive and inexpensive). Recently, I was asked to provide my feedback on, what I consider to be, a pretty great course – The Links of GlenEagles in Cochrane. What follows are my thoughts:
Why I Like GlenEagles:
Why I Don’t Play GlenEagles More Often:
Overall, as is probably already obvious, I enjoy golfing The Links of GlenEagles. For a golf course of this caliber I have no qualms paying the posted green fees (and I routinely do). Having said that, I suggest you sign-up with The Links of GlenEagles to receive their weekly email; the email details some incredible rate breaks and promotional offers that are absolutely worth checking out!
Course Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
The Links of GlenEagles | Golf Course Review
Course: The Links of GlenEagles
Location: 100 GlenEagles Drive Cochrane, Alberta
Phone: 403-932-1100
Architect: Les Furber
I was entering my score after finishing a recent round at the Links of GlenEagles and I noticed that it was my twentieth round of the year. Looking down the list of the rounds I’ve played, I was surprised at the eclectic mix of venues – from incredible mountain courses in Banff and Canmore to stunning desert courses in Scottsdale and Phoenix with a smattering of public and private courses in and around Calgary. I couldn’t help but think that this recent round at GlenEagles was as memorable as any of the mountain, desert and private courses I’ve golfed this year.
I’ve played The Links of GlenEagles on a number of occasions before and I’m continually surprised at just how quick and easy it is to get to from Calgary. The Links of GlenEagles is a very manageable commute (just 10 minutes from Northwest Calgary) and a worthwhile investment for this terrific golfing experience.
After golfing GlenEagles this most recent time, I have to say the main reason that I am continually drawn to the course is the layout – the rare combination of interesting/unforgettable holes, elevation changes and risk/reward opportunities all while maintaining playability is difficult to resist. Couple this with the fact that (short of driving an hour to golf in the mountains) GlenEagles provides as dramatic a backdrop as any course in Calgary and the surrounding area.
I typically play GlenEagles from the blue tees but earlier this year I was feeling ambitious so I elected to play from the black tees – though it was quite a test, I finished the round feeling very satisfied. A perfect mix of playability and challenge – it was difficult, but not overly punitive.
Looking back over my recent round, I particularly enjoyed golfing GlenEagles for the following reasons:
Though I highly recommend the course, a couple of items may be worth noting for those who are considering a trip to GlenEagles:
For a golf course of this caliber I have no qualms paying the posted green fees (and I routinely do). Having said that, I suggest you sign-up with The Links of GlenEagles to receive their weekly email; the email details some incredible rate breaks and promotional offers that are absolutely worth checking out!
In my opinion, GlenEagles’ unique mix of truly memorable holes, mountain vistas and course conditioning is difficult to beat anywhere in Calgary or the surrounding area. I highly recommend a trip to The Links of GlenEagles in Cochrane – it’s absolutely worth the trip.
4.5 / 5 stars
Course: Royal Links Golf Club in Las Vegas
Location: 5995 East Vegas Valley, Las Vegas, Nevada
Phone: 888-427-6678
Introduction
I was down in Vegas a couple weeks ago and had the opportunity to play at the Royal Links Golf Club of Las Vegas. This is a course I have heard great things about and have always been eager to play it. The golf course features holes inspired by eleven different British Open rotation courses. Royal Links is one of three Walters Golf Las Vegas courses (the other 2 being the Bali Hai which is just off the strip behind Mandalay Bay and Desert Pines).
If you follow the PGA tour like I do, playing at the Royal Links presents an opportunity to essentially play holes from courses like St. Andrews, Royal Troon and Prestwick among several others. Not only did the fact that I could play British Open holes by just flying down to Vegas, the course itself has received accolades like the “Best Course in Las Vegas” in the 2006 Review Journal “Best of Vegas” poll and one of “America’s BEST Courses” by GolfWeek. Needless to say, when I had the time and opportunity to hit these links, it was the most excited I’ve been in a while to hit a new course.
Travel/Location
It’s about a 20 minute cab ride from the Las Vegas strip to Royal Links. The Royal Links website provides great directions for those who are driving from popular locations like the strip, the airport and downtown Vegas. The Royal Links Golf Club clubhouse is definitely unique in that the exterior is a gorgeous small castle that definitely contributes to the British Open feel the course strives for.
The Course
Walking to the tee for the first hole definitely feels like you are over in Scotland as you must cross the famous stone Swilcan Bridge in order to tee off.
The course designers pulled out all the stops to ensure that the British Open feel was replicated in Vegas, particularly the all-consuming rough that I see every year at the British Open; unfortunately it swallowed a few of my balls over the course of the day! The course is beautifully built with certain vantage points providing a view of the strip beyond the pin while other holes allow you to escape allowing you to almost feel like you are actually across the pond. Golfing down here especially during the winter months for Canadians must be a treat as the temperature approaches a high of just under 20C during the day.
As for the course itself, the layout of the course definitely provides golfers with various strategic options. There are four par-3’s and four par-5’s. The course is definitely set-up to be challenging but playable for the novice golfer. Just keep in mind that the rough is definitely unforgiving and there are many deep sand traps
A few memorable holes:
#10: The famous Road Hole: the wall juts out and blocks your vision of the pin, just like they do over at St. Andrews. You must clear a section of the old wall with a sign on top of it! Definitely a challenge and a joy to play.
#7: Inspired by #13 at Royal St. George’s Golf Club, the hole features rolling hills that hide a number of sand traps leading up to the green. A great tee shot down the middle can find you stuck in the sand right in the middle of the fairways.
Altogether, the course is definitely a challenge but definitely rewards certain risks. Aside from the course maintenance that we unfortunately timed our visit with, the aesthetics of the course are beautiful and it is obvious the condition of the course is generally excellent. The course definitely lives up to its aim of providing a British Open golf experience.
Fun Factor
On top of the challenging and unique golf experience, the staff at Royal Links Golf Club aims to foster a laid-back relaxing atmosphere and this was definitely evident during our round. The club tries to ensure that there is “something for everyone” and offers the option to have a “Parmate” caddie accompany you during your round of golf. The website boasts an extensive roster of Parmates to choose from. A few Parmates were on the course with another group while we were there, and they were definitely easy on the eyes and having a great time.
At the end of the day, the course succeeds at its aim of providing a relaxing customer-first atmosphere that will please both the serious golfer and the bachelor party. The course is meticulously thought out, beautifully constructed and offers a strategic challenge.
The next time you’re heading to Vegas or planning a golf trip, I encourage all of you to check out the Royal Links Golf Club. Although a round of 18 is a little on the higher side compared to what we are used to in Calgary, the unique design of the course and the aggressive pricing compared to similar courses in Vegas make this course a very good deal in my opinion. Furthermore, if you check out www.waltersgolf.com, they seem to always have promotions for rounds and hotels, which can make golfing at the Walters Golf courses an even better deal!
Altogether, I would give this course a 4.5 out of 5.
Course: The Links of GlenEagles
Location: 100 GlenEagles Drive Cochrane, Alberta
Phone: 403-932-1100
Architect: Les Furber
As an avid golfer who has played a number of the private and pretty much every one of the public and semi-private courses in Calgary and the surrounding area, I was excited about the opportunity to provide my feedback / review of the Links of GlenEagles in Cochrane.
I am no stranger to driving near and far for a great game of golf. Located 10 minutes West of Calgary limits, The Links of GlenEagles is a very manageable commute and a worthwhile investment for this golfing experience.
I’ve played The Links of GlenEagles on a number of occasions before, but I have to admit, the panoramic mountain views from pretty much every hole never get old. An additional aspect of GlenEagles that I really enjoy is the five, five, and eight format – five Par-5s, five Par-3s and eight Par-4’s.
After golfing GlenEagles this most recent time, I have to say the main reason that I am continually drawn to the course is the layout – the rare combination of interesting/unforgettable holes, elevation changes and risk/reward opportunities all while maintaining playability is difficult to resist.
A few highlights of the round include:
• Two of my favorite Par-3 golf holes in Calgary – #5 and #16 (you would know them if you saw them – even if I didn’t just give you the numbers). Try playing #16 from the back tees if you want to experience a true golf test
• Two (or three) really great risk/reward Par-5 holes (three eagle putts on the day for me)
• Stunning river and mountain views throughout (a storm was rolling in from the West presenting an amazing backdrop for our round)
• Some of the nicest, truest-rolling (and difficult) greens that I have played on this year
A couple of items to note for those who may not have played GlenEagles before:
• Though some might enjoy it, the 180-yard “aqua range” isn’t really my style. I’m more of a traditionalist in that I like to warm-up with all of my clubs (including the driver)
• I typically prefer to walk when I play. GlenEagles may be walk-able for some, but it would certainly be a test of one’s endurance
If you are a frugal golfer, I suggest you sign-up with The Links of GlenEagles to receive their weekly email. The email details some tough-to-resist rate breaks and promotional offers – definitely worth checking out!
In my mind, GlenEagles’ unique mix of truly memorable holes, mountain vistas and course conditioning is difficult to beat anywhere in Calgary or the surrounding area. For these reasons, I highly recommend a trip to The Links of GlenEagles in Cochrane – you won’t be disappointed.
4.5 / 5 stars
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