[G]od [O]nly [L]oves [F]ools

I was invited to play in the Parkwood Hospital Charity Golf Classic in St. Thomas yesterday. They did everything right, providing fresh breakfast, a solid dinner, snacks and gift bags to all those in attendance. Hole-In-One giveaways for cars and boats as well as “Beat The Pro” and Longest Drive challenges made the day very enjoyable. If you have your druthers, golf tournaments are the only way to play for my money. What really made the day most enjoyable, though [other than the fact that it was paid for by work, and that I've never seen better customer service anywhere] was the course itself.

The St. Thomas Golf and Country Club was founded in 1899, with the basis for today’s course being first cemented in 1923. There’s a lot of history for the to flaunt here, and the club proudly does so with everything from photos of every past President from the last 109 years to a plaque commerating a 94-year club member who once beat Moe Norman there in the club tournament in 1951. The clubhouse itself isn’t much to look at, but it’s the only thing about the course that isn’t, as it’s a beautiful course from start to finish.

The course is par 72 and measures 6795 yards. The OGA course rating is 73.0, and there’s a slope rating of 128 from the tips. Score Golf rates it in their Top 100 Courses every year. Although I’ll let Boomer run up a “Croucher’s Local Knowledge” when we get around to playing it together, there’s a couple of holes that really stand out on this track. The 486 yard 14th is far and away my favourite, with it’s green nestled down and away it a little corner underneath a house owned by the luckiest people on Earth.

This is a wonderful course that’s carefully maintained and serves the moderate golfer well. The greens were a little fast, but there’s an amateur tournament this weekend and I’m sure that’s why they’re rolling that way. If you’re in Ontario and wou’re willing to drive out here, you won’t be wasting your time.

- BC