I get a quick glimpse of the opening hole as I shoot past to hit a few looseners on the range before I make my way back up to the first tee. Boy am I glad I warmed up. As I look down the fairway from this elevated tee it really is a beautiful opening hole, no wonder Black Bear Ridge is ranked in the top 50 of Canadian golf courses.
I smash my ball down the fairway and just love the way it sails through the air, for me elevated tees are the way to go, they make me look good! Like me you will probably have a short iron into the green, but it is the perfect opening hole.
Later in the day I had a chance to catch up with the owner and apart from having five teeing options his philosophy is all about the golfer enjoying the experience and not feeling beat up. But if you have that sadistic streak and want to beat yourself up there is a teeing option just for you!
I love the way the course sits in the land and as I get further into my round I can see how the holes blend and just seamlessly move into each other. The start of the back nine gets underway just like the front with another great elevated tee shot and with all these trees, I must admit I love the sound at impact of the driver on my ball echoing around the trees, it’s a sound that every golfer just loves to hear, that meaty explosion at impact.
Black Bear ridge has everything, great par 3s, risk and reward driveable holes, and dramatic changes in elevation and it’s also pleasing on the eye. The bar sits just above the 225-yard par 3 9th and with a cold drink in my hand it looks so easy from here – forgetting how I carved my 2-iron into the trees on the right – but one thing you won't have to sugar coat is how good this course is, you will truly love it, but remember to bring bug spray because the bugs certainly loved me as much as I loved playing this track.
Top is par 3, 9th hole and clubhouse and above is the dogleg left par 4, 12th
Second shot to the 2nd hole The par 3, 13th over waterLooking back down the 18th
