OUT OF BOUNDS: Lakewood Hills stunning in autumn

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/10/2017 (3155 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ONANOLE — There’s no doubt the Clear Lake and Poplar Ridge Golf Courses are among the best designs in Westman.

People come from across the region, the province and outside of it to play on the 18-hole championship layouts.

Maybe next time they’re in Onanole or Wasagaming, they’ll stop in at Onanole’s other golf course, Lakewood Hills.

Built in 1994 and described as a family friendly nine-hole design, the 2,806-yard course, which plays 2,490 yards from the forward tees, is a treat to behold and the perfect place to teach the next generation about the game.

Large undulating greens serve as one of the primary defences on the par-35 course, which opens with parts of the first four holes playing along a small lake. These holes give way to others with rolling hills as golfers turn towards the finishing hole and the classic 1902 Victorian-style clubhouse that overlooks the lake.

The opening par 4 is 332 yards but plays downhill to a landing area that is guarded by large trees on both sides of the fairway. There’s no need for a driver as the hole doglegs almost 90 degrees to the right and approach shots are hit to a large and heavily-sloped green that sits above the level of the fairway and features the lake in the background.

If you miss the putting surface, the best place to get up and down from is short, as that will leave you with more of a straightforward pitch shot.

The par-3 second hole is just 110 yards but plays across a corner of the lake. Distance control is crucial as any shots hit long will bound well below the green and possibly into a hazard full of bulrushes, and short will find the drink. A large bank straddling the back edge of the putting surface can kick balls back toward the centre of the green, possibly providing a chance for an ace.

Tee shots at the 408-yard third play across the hazard to a fairway that slopes hard from right to left and bends around the lake to the right. The question is how much of the lake do you want to try to cut and leave yourself with a shorter approach into the three-tiered green with the lake not too far off its right side.

Be smart but know a gamble might result in a great birdie opportunity or reloading from the tee.

The lake sneaks into the left side of the wide fourth fairway but shouldn’t be in play. At 300 yards, this green can be reached with a solid drive but beware of a small row of trees hugging the right side of the fairway at about the 250-yard mark.

Approach shots are played up to the level of a wide yet narrow green that has sideboards long and right you can use to help spin your ball back toward the pin to set up an easy birdie chance.

The fifth tee is the highest point on the golf course and it gives you a clear view of the 242-yard par 4 layout. The hole has a massive dip in the centre so it doesn’t play quite as long as the scorecard reads. That said, the green slopes severely off the front edge and putts from the right side need to be hit with a little extra gusto to reach the hole if it’s on the left side.

At 465 yards, the dogleg-left sixth is the lone par 5 at Lakewood Hills and it’s a fun one. Tee shots are hit down to a valley in the fairway that slopes to the right and is guarded by trees immediately off the left side and more off the right.

Grab an extra club if you’re going to give the long green a rip in two as it’s a steep climb from the fairway. However, the putting surface is quite flat and you can be more aggressive with birdie and eagle attempts.

The seventh hole also plays shorter than its 364 yards. There’s a small dip in the fairway but the most important thing is to put the ball between the trees on both sides of the fairway. This green is also long but contains subtle breaks that might throw you off.

Another short par 3 awaits at No. 8. It’s only 160 yards so the concern here is to hit your tee shot on the right section of the putting surface as a slope two-thirds into it runs across. Missing the green left or right will require an uphill pitch shot.

The final hole is the longest par 4 on the course. Measuring 425 yards, the ninth is a straight hole with not too many trouble areas if you are wide of the fairway. However, tee shots right will fall into a bowl well below the level of the fairway and leave golfers with a blind shot into a massive green.

Not only is Lakewood Hills beautiful, especially with the backdrop of autum leaves and the lake, but it is scorable and there are plenty of areas you can get into trouble if you’re spraying the ball.

Nathan Liewicki is the Brandon Sun’s golf reporter.

» nliewicki@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @liewicks