Greywolf Hole #18

Greywolf Golf Course Hole #18 "Hopeful Return" 447-yd Par4 Handicap 6

Greywolf finishes with "Hopeful Return", a healthy straight par-4 that has a subtle climb to a massive, rolling green. Two well-struck shots are required to complete your "high". Favour the right side when you take a rip at your final drive on this wide fairway. Approach shots must steer clear of the bunkers left, swale right, and Hopeful Creek long.

http://greywolfgolf.com/hole-18

Greywolf GC:
17 of the 18 holes would be "signature" holes on any other golf course (it is really that incredible) - A once in a lifetime experience!!!

http://www.greywolfgolf.com/current-course-photos -- More official photos taken just 2 weeks ago.

It's Time Boys!!!

To recap....

Stewart Creek -- 7,195 yards, Slope 130, Course Rating 73.3
Silvertip -- 7,173 yards, Slope 146, Course Rating 74.6

Jasper Park Lodge -- 6,663 yards, Slope 124, Course Rating 71.1 (Par71)
Banff Springs -- 6,793 yards, Slope 135, Course Rating 72.9
Mt. Kidd @ Kananaskis Country -- 7,072 yards, Slope 134, Rating 72.7

Greywolf -- 7,140 yards, Slope 144, Rating 74.2

http://tsmv.ca/golf
http://www.silvertipresort.com/golf/introduction.php

http://www.fairmont.com/jasper/Recreation/Golf/
http://www.fairmont.com/banffsprings/Recreation/Golf/
http://www.kananaskisgolf.com/home.html

http://greywolfgolf.com/

I hope you all have enjoyed the Official 2009 Canadian Rockies Open Blog....below is just a photo diary of a few of the other things you might see along the epic quest!

It has been my distinct honor to inform and entertain you gentlemen. We have patiently journeyed through 108 days of anticipation, and it is finally upon us...Golf at its finest...The 2009 CRO!

Greywolf Hole #17

Greywolf Golf Course Hole #17 "Cliff Side" 446-yd Par4 Handicap 10

Aim your drive at the middle fairway target bunker. A right to left shot will earn you extra yardage. Take at least a half club less on your approach to ensure your ball does not find its way over the green.

http://greywolfgolf.com/hole-17

Greywolf GC:
The course gives you an excellent yardage book with all the details you need to play each hole. The scorecard is well done with a color course layout showing all the holes. The card also has the greens and where the pin placement is for each day. On your day of play at Greywolf you have unlimited access to the driving range.

Rafting:

Upper and Middle Canyon – Kicking Horse River (Golden) - 20 kms
This unforgettable journey begins calmly, allowing rafters to familiarize themselves with the raft, paddles and guides commands. Enjoy the serene upper section of the river before heading into the mighty rapids of the middle canyon. As the Canyon narrows, the waves build, taking rafters on whitewater journey through class 4 rapids, finishing 20km downstream! Enjoy 2 - 2.5 hours of rafting time before heading back to the rafting base to enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch and view a slide show of your rafting photos! This trip is perfect for the first time rafter. No experience is necessary. Costs:$105 per person. This trip is so popular, it departs twice daily! (Hyrda Whitewater Rafting) .....Horseshoe Canyon Rafting -- $82/92 class 3-4, 2-2.5hrs rafting.

Greywolf Hole #16

Greywolf Golf Course Hole #16 "Moose Back" 390-yd Par4 Handicap 8

An ideal drive will carry the cross bunkers and stop on the right side of the fairway. A delicate short iron approach must clear the deep greenside bunkers. Errant shots over the back are in serious trouble.

http://greywolfgolf.com/hole-16

Greywolf GC:

Wildlife viewing at Greywolf is another plus. Here you will most likely see deer each time you play, as well as black bears and moose. We're too high up for elk, Morgan stated, but there is a family of deer on the course, so you're bound to see them at some point.

Designed by Doug Carrick, Greywolf epitomizes playability with a design built to maximize the natural beauty of the land. Fortunately for Carrick, the natural beauty of the land in and around Panorama is simply breathtaking.

Fishing:

The Bow River in Alberta is one of the finest trout rivers in the world. Just below Banff townsite, the Bow River winds it's way through the mountains of Banff National Park and out through the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains to the prairies boasting 40km (25 miles) of catch & release waters. This section of The Bow River is still a freestone mountain river, no man made structures have affected river flow or streambed. The wild and wary trout in the river make for exceptional sport. Using stable and highly maneuverable MacKenzie River drift boats, we'll expertly float you into some of the nicest holes and most productive holding areas in the river. "A simply magical experience", to enjoy the sensation of fishing in a wild mountain river, as it flows through the incredible mountain scenery of the Canadian Rockies. We are the longest running guide service on the Upper Bow River. This service is available April through October. These are private day trips with highly experienced professional guides. Our stable MacKenzie River drift boats that can seat two or three anglers plus the guide. All gear is provided, including complete fly and/or spin fishing gear, waders and custom tied flies at no extra charge. Our guides are expert teachers, and will give top-notch instruction. What better place for a novice to learn how to fly fish or spin fish - in a wild, free-flowing river, surrounded by impressive mountain scenery. Expert anglers can gain too, as many well kept secrets can be revealed. Our clients have caught brown trout (up to 10 lbs/4 kg), Rocky Mountain whitefish (to 5 lbs/2.2 kg), and the occasional cutthroat, brook, and bull trout. The fish in this river are wild and self-sustaining and are protected with catch and release fishing regulations. The average trip length is 7-8 hours on 7km (5 miles) of the river in catch & release waters. Transportation from your accommodations in Banff is available, or meet in Canmore at the site of departure. This section of the Bow River is a primary corridor and home to many varieties of wildlife, and floating down this beautiful river presents many photographic opportunities. The excellent fishing on a wild river set in the spectacular scenery of the Canadian Rockies will make this a truly memorable fishing adventure.

Considered to be one of the top ten Lake Trout fisheries in Canada, Lake Minnewanka is the largest lake in Banff National Park and is less than 5 miles ( 9 km) from Banff town site. Originally named Devil's Lake or Spirit Lake by native peoples, the lake was renamed Minnewanka (Lake of the Water Spirit) by early explorers. This 18 mile ( 25 km) long, one mile ( 2 km) wide lake, and with depths of up to 400 feet ( 130 m), may or may not be home to spirits, but it is certainly home to trophy size Lake Trout. Our guided excursions on the lake provide the novice and expert alike the chance to land one of these monster fish. We'll take you where the fish are. A day out on the water surrounded by some of the most spectacular mountains in Banff National Park will make this an unforgettable experience. Lake Minnewanka provides excellent fishing for wild fish, and our clients have caught lake trout (up to 45 lbs/20 kg), Rocky Mountain whitefish (to 5lbs/2.2 kg), and occasional bull, cutthroat and brown trout. We actively promote "CPR"- catch, photograph, and release. However, anglers are allowed a limit of 2 fish per license. We have unrivalled knowledge of this large lake, and say with some pride that our success rate is phenomenal: our clients catch fish. Wildlife abounds in the area. There may be opportunities to view bears, bighorn sheep, elk, wolf, coyote, deer, bald eagles, golden eagles, diving ducks, and many other animals. Don't forget your camera! Typical trips are 4.5 or 6.5 hours in length. I’ve got news….this place above did not list the prices (Banff Fishing Unlimited), but another site did, and they are $395+100 for a half day for 3 people ….$500/3cad = I guess isn’t terrible, but it is a little pricey. Plus the fishing license I mentioned earlier …at like $28cad each. You’re looking at $160pp at minimum.

Greywolf Hole #15

Greywolf Golf Course Hole #15 "Eagle Nest" 176-yd Par3 Handicap 16

The subtle change in elevation from the tee to green will challenge your club selection. The two bunkers at the back of the green are ready to consume your long shots.

http://greywolfgolf.com/hole-15

Greywolf GC:

It is the most expensive course in the valley from Golden to Cranbrook but it is the only high country course. If you compared this to the other courses in the valley then you would have to say it’s value was lower. But you probably have to compare this to the Banff courses that are similar in nature. If you do this then the greens fees are $ 60 or more cheaper. This course is not like the valley courses so I have to compare the value to like mountain courses. This course represents good value.

Scrambling:
Q: What is scrambling?
A: You climb with your feet, and use your hands for balance. We look at scrambling as a crossover between hiking and mountaineering, with some hands-on climbing but without using ropes for protection. The difficulty often lies in dealing with the environment, not the technical rock climbing.Skills involved include route finding and keeping yourself safe. There are quite a few peaks for scrambling, but if you get off route you could get into dangerous terrain.

Q: Where do you scramble in the Canadian Rockies?
A: We take some peaks in Kananaskis and some in Banff National Park. Some of the classics would be Heart Mountain in Kananaskis, the height is 2,135 meters and it is rated as an easy scramble. Big Sister in Kananaskis is 2,936 meters high and it’s a moderate scramble.
We assess the scrambles by time, hazards and difficulty in route finding. Easy would be mostly hiking with a little exposure to steepness, and moderate would be frequent use of handholds and more exposure to steepness.

Greywolf Hole #14

Greywolf Golf Course Hole #14 "Notch" 527-yd Par5 Handicap 4

Aim your tee shot at the zebra pole or right of it for the long hitters. The second shot has two options; carry the fairway bunkers favouring the right side or lay up short of them to the left.

http://greywolfgolf.com/hole-14

Greywolf GC:

With its huge granite outcroppings combined with lush fairways, rambling creeks, and magnificent greens, Morgan says he gets a ton of feedback every year. Golfers are blown away by the beauty of the course. Designed by Doug Carrick, Greywolf is considered one of the best new courses in Canada for the way it blends into the environment. We're a pretty tight valley with immense mountains on both sides, Morgan continued, which makes the area amazingly picturesque.

Scoring the CRO:

Clearly we don't want to put too much of a strain on the demands of playing well, but in keeping with the nature of the annual tournaments, we need to have something in place. First of all, I would imagine the 2009 CRO outright champion will be determined as usual, by lowest combined score. That I don't really see any way around (however, if I shoot 112 at Stewart Creek and Roscher hits 17 GIR, I may as well stop playing altogether)...but another thought was to have a point system in which you earn points based on play (5pts to daily low score, 1pt/birdie, 3pts/eagle, 1pt/skin, 2pts for long drive (1hole/rd), 2pts for closest to pin (1or2holes/rd)) and in that way you could create a daily winner, basically saying first round is on the loser, next on the next guy ...so that the daily winner has some incentive.

As other ground rules go, I think we're all on the same page for no OB penalties, treat all as a lateral, or if you re-tee and bomb one, that just counts as your 2nd shot off the tee (and if you put that in the woods, still play the lateral from the 1st), but then from there on out, if you yank one into the trees, take the penalty and drop with a clean view, not behind another tree. But if you're in play behind an obstruction, you have to just play it, punch out (essentially a penalty anyway).

I don't know what you guys are feeling, but I know I am planning on drinking on the course and being an asian tourist with my camera, so I will have fun either way. There will be no club throwing or golf ball chucking unless it's at a wild animal in hopes of preventing my own mauling.

A couple shots from the 2008 Michigan Open.

Greywolf Hole #13

Greywolf Golf Course Hole #13 "Creekside" 441-yd Par3 Handicap 2

The brave hitters should aim over the large bunker on the right. The faint of heart should stay left of the bunker leaving a long tough approach. Avoid being long or right of this slender, rolling green.

http://greywolfgolf.com/hole-13

Greywolf GC:

Links, the best selling golf franchise for the personal computer, includes Panorama’s Greywolf Golf Course as one of the few championship courses to be featured in the new game Links 2004 built exclusively for the Xbox system.

I've played about 60 of the top 100 courses in Canada, and i'm just drawn to this place," said Garland Bouvier of Calgary. "The views, the scenery, the quality of the game."

Hiking:

Mount Yamnuska -- For experienced hikers, Stermann recommends hiking Mount Yamnuska, a mountain just east of Canmore, which is technically outside of the park, but hey, it’s a great hike, so we’ve included it. “It’s a very steep face, but it’s relatively easy if you go around back,” he says.The hike involves scaling a small chimney (which is a cut in the rock that is a narrow chute, like a small chimney with one wall missing). From there you hike to a wire that you hold as you walk past a steep ledge, you scramble up to the peak, which affords some of the most amazing views of the valley, then back down along a trail below a 1,000 ft. cliff, to a scree field that you can slide down. The whole trip takes about four to six hours, Stermann says. Because this hike is difficult and involves some climbing/scrambling, we recommend getting a guide or talking to Parks Canada before attempting it.

Greywolf Hole #12

Greywolf Golf Course Hole #12 "Heli High" 181-yd Par3 Handicap 18

A true test in club selection. Don't let the massive mountain backdrop that looms above the green fool you into taking too much club. A ball long off the green is certain disaster.

At an elevation of nearly 4,000 feet, it's not uncommon for golfers to feel a little "high" at Greywolf. With a world class ski-hill boasting a vertical drop of 4,000 feet, and heli-skiing opportunities up to 9,000 feet, the operative word at Panorama seems to be "high". As a matter of fact, the par three 12th hole was aptly named "Heli-high".

http://greywolfgolf.com/hole-12

Greywolf GC:
The setting is serene, a mountain range far away from urbanization. It's inspirational, with every fairway lined by ponderosa pines reaching high into the sky. It's exhilarating, forcing play over a rushing mountain stream on the par-5 fifth, then across a deep gorge on the par-3 sixth. It's humbling, the entire course tucked into a few seams beneath massive slopes of the Canadian Rockies.

Dramatic elevation changes, scenery and challenge. Fabulous mountain course. Really is a treat. Only downside is that it exists in a totally artificial resort environment and you pay for that.

PEYTO LAKE:

Glacier-fed lakes are famous for their surreal colours. Contrasting the deep green of the forest, Peyto (Pee-toe) Lake, located in the Mistaya Canyon along the Icefield Parkway, is iridescent blue-green. Another great lake. From the parking lot leads a steep but easy tarmac path to a lookout platform that provides a great view of the lake lying beneath you. Again, a very blue lake. And look at the shape. It is not so hard to distinguish a light blue bear in the shape of the lake.You should follow signs for the Bow Summit and / or Peyto Lake Viewpoint ..... they share the same car park. Once parked, the veiwing point is around a 5 - 10 minute walk along a path that starts at the far end of the car park. Its an easy walk, and well worth it! The Peyto Lake viewpoint gives you not only a stunning view of Peyto Lake itself, but also gives you an excellent view of mountains away in the distance ..... Mountains incidentally that you will drive passed if you are going to Jasper! This should definetly be on your "to do" list if driving on the Icefield Parkway!