Most of the week off, half day Monday with an appt up north, stopped and played Hilly Haven on the way home. Beautiful piece of property with rolling terrain. Did not realize this until recently that the Niagara Escarpment runs right through the property. There a is a huge U shaped ravine that separates the front from back, with a ~ 50 yard covered bridge to get to the back nine, and walk back after 18. the ravine then goes around 18 green and down the length of 18 and 17 creating an OB right. There are other parts of it running through the course with a creek and quite a bit of exposed limestone. Family owned for generations so it's mom and pop for sure with a lot to like.
Played Riverdale CC today, another beautiful property for golf with some mini valleys running through creating some elevation change with several downhill tee shots and then uphill approaches. The greens😍. The course is very old there are several greens with quite a bit of slope back to front, a few punch bowl greens, and a few that are long and narrow and also perched up and one that resembles a redan. When I say long and narrow, I bet #16 is 40 yards long front/back. The front is. 34 with three par 3,s and one par 5, two of the 4s are drivable for the mortals and fun holes. The back is a traditional 36 and is a great 9 of golf. My favorite is #14 mid range par 4, sweeps good left to right, down lhill tee shot, uphill approach to a tiny and I mean tiny green shaped like an arrowhead slope back to front guarded by two big and deep bunkers. There is a little forgiveness in that each side of the bunkers are built up to carom balls back towards the green but the opening to the green is narrow. Front pin placement is for when the greenskeeper hasn't gotten laid in a while, probably for scrambles only as I've never seen it. It also slopes a little left to right so if the pin is left it's almost impossible to get something really tight unless you hit the mounding just right. Must be seen to appreciate it.
Followed that up with a celebratory beer-
