Well its day one of our cruise and I have just disembarked from the zodiac that has taken me from the ship to the shore where I pick up our coach to take me to Cabot Links – I am playing Cabot Cliffs tomorrow – but I have heard so much about the two courses I can’t wait to get going.
After checking in and picking up my caddy, John who is driving the cart with my video equipment we set off to the first tee. Cabot Links is a walking course located in part on an old coal mine. The course overlooks the Gulf of St Lawrence and it is well worth taking a walk along the wooden boardwalk solely for the spectacular views of this track designed by Canadian golf course architect, Rod Whitman.
The opening hole is a par 5 measuring 540-yards from the tips, but there are 6 teeing options with the blues being quite some distance down the fairway. I am happy that Cabot links have catered for the novice golfer who may have only just started playing the game and with that in mind the fairways are wide and generous.
The wind, the roll of the ball, the sandy-based soil and being right next to the Atlantic Ocean tell you this is a links course, but this course is not going to beat you up like a lot of links courses in Scotland, Ireland or Liverpool, if you want to enjoy a links course but don’t want the constant challenge of the older links courses you will love Cabot Links.
As you can tell I don’t want to go into a hole-by-hole description because as I walk off the 18th green I have a big smile on my face, it’s something I know you will too. What I will say is the par 3s are all great holes, especially the 102-yard 14th that is played from an elevated tee straight out to sea. The hole is completely exposed to the elements; while today I hit a 54° wedge I bet when that wind is up and blowing straight into your face you could be playing a 6 or 7-iron.
Standing on the 15th and 16th tees with the sandy beach running parallel to the fairway on the left, I think those memories will stay with me a long time. It was truly stunning and I admit to taking a few extra minutes to soak up those views and remind myself how lucky I am to be playing this great game of golf.
Top Looking down the 16th hole. Above LtoR. 6th and 7th holes and 18th green
