Review of Copper Point, Radium Springs

Playing from the blue tees, I drove my ball right as my playing partner James drove it to the middle of the fairway. Chris on the other hand, knocked his ball out of bounds on the right and decided to hit a provisional. When I got out to my ball, I managed to see the undulations on the fairway of hole # 1. The fairway sloped towards the center, somehow keeping the balls in play. I decided to hit a 6-iron because I couldn’t see the green. James ended up in the left bunker after hitting his second shot with a Callaway hybrid. I ended up just off the green and chipped on in three. I would bogey the hole.

The next hole was quite a ways off and I was glad that we were riding. I don’t think they would let anyone walk this course because the tee boxes are so far apart from one another. Hole # 2 is a par 3, 164 yards from the blue tees. I hit a 6-iron and ended up right, under a spruce tree. I flopped my ball from under the branch but it trickled into the front bunker. I would end up bogeying the hole.

Hole # 3 had an elevated tee and if you had troubles driving the ball, you would find yourself in the rough alot. It was a long 532 yards, par 5 that would eat you up if you duffed your tee shot. I would settle with a double bogey. There was something about hole # 4 that spooked me because I ended up hooking my ball off the tee box. Taking a drop, I would hit my 3i hybrid to 100 yards from the green then PW to the center of the green. Luckily, I walked away with a double bogey.

Hole # 5 had a small gorge between the tee box and the fairway. Sometimes, holes like this would spook me but I managed to drive it to the right of the fairway. I would hit my 4-iron to the edge of the green, chipped on using my 9-iron and single putt in for a par. Most of the holes in the front 9 were manageable and pretty straightforward. When we arrived on hole # 7, a par 3, we thought we played the hole before. It almost looked identical to hole #2 but this hole was shorter by 4 yards. Chris thought it was Groundhog Day all over again. James said that he had wished Copper Point would make each hole unique.

Up and around the back of the clubhouse, hole # 10 is a dramatic elevated tee, a par 5, 572 yards monster. If you followed the fairway like me, you would drive it straight. James and Chris decided to cut the corner and drive it right. They had more bunkers to navigate but eventually, they met me on the green in three. We all had a chance to par the hole.

In the back nine, you would have more water hazards as water comes into play on several holes. In all, Copper Point was fun but it managed to eat me up alive. I ended up shooting 103 after losing 3 balls and getting penalized for one out of bounds.

Golfing in Fairmont

When the first sign of Spring appears, golfers all over the snowbelt cities grab their clubs and head out to the local driving range. Some will make the trek across the Rocky Mountains to Fairmont where there are hot mineral springs, world-class skiing, trout fishing and golf. Golf courses in the Fairmont area usually are open for business as early as April. While Calgary is digging out of late season snowfall, Fairmont begins to offer spring golf getaways.

This weekend we will play four courses in the Fairmont area which include Mountainside, Riverside, Copper Point and Radium Springs. If twilight permits us to finish a round, we may attempt Radium Resort Course or Eagle Ranch. Other courses worth playing at include Greywolf and Copper Point Ridge but are closed until May 9th.

The Fairmont Resort is a four season resort providing hot mineral springs and spa experience year round. There are two courses that are associated with the resort, Mountainside and Riverside. The first round is played on the Mountainside course.

I’ve played the Mountainside course a few times but still find it daunting for slicers off the tee. Before straightening my drives, I used to clear my ball over the Fairmont Villas. I’ve improved since then but I still find this course challenging to play. I don’t know if it’s because of the clear mountain air but the green is always a long ways off the tee box.

I’m packing my usual golf bag with extra balls. It’s not the errant shots I’m worried about but how the psychology of water and rough manages to play on me. There is plenty of water hazards on all these courses, especially at Riverside. There is a par 3 where the river criss-crosses the fairway three times. There is no laying up on that hole, just a straight mid-iron to the green. You can bail out a little left of the hole but too much and you will be in the forest. There is also a dramatic par 3 on the Mountainside course where off the tee box, you have to carry your ball long enough across a lake. You have quite a large green to play with but you have to choose your club well.

I will review each course as I play it.