Canada Golf Course Reviews
Kananaskis Country - Mount Lorette Course ReviewKananaskis, Alberta
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Kananaskis Country - Mount Lorette Course Overview: One of two difficult golf courses located in the Kananaskis valley between tall mountains in the Canadian Rockies, about 1 hour west of Calgary. The golf course plays around a winding river and adds several more lakes to make water a formidable opponent throughout the course. Most of the golf holes are pretty and well designed, but the standout ones are reviewed below:
Lorette Hole 1: A very tough starting par four hole with two lakes left of the fairway (the second one is barely visible) and heavy trees and a creek running down the right side from tee to green. There is not a lot of room for error and the adrenaline will be rushing for the entire golf hole; what a way to start the round!
Lorette Hole 1: A very tough starting par four hole with two lakes left of the fairway (the second one is barely visible) and heavy trees and a creek running down the right side from tee to green. There is not a lot of room for error and the adrenaline will be rushing for the entire golf hole; what a way to start the round!
Lorette Hole 2 (left): A straight par through the trees, this slightly elevated tee shot shows the player that there are plenty of bunkers on the fairway and near the green to give the errant shots trouble, in addition to the plentiful forest on either side of the hole. The green is also angled a bit, so precision is required along with distance control.
Lorette Hole 4 (below): This par three is a long one with a deep, narrow green guarded by bunkers on either side. It also affords a great view of the distant mountains behind the green.
Lorette Hole 4 (below): This par three is a long one with a deep, narrow green guarded by bunkers on either side. It also affords a great view of the distant mountains behind the green.
Lorette Hole 5: This par five is all about the approach, so the aggressive player can let fly on the relatively simple tee shot. Eventually, the player will have to address the lake to the right of the fairway, starting about 50 yards from the green, right behind the bunker, and that water goes all the way up the side of the green, which is fairly narrow.
Lorette Hole 6: A par 3 with a large lake short and to the right, but with a sizeable green. The views are great, no matter what direction you look, but the golfer needs to avoid the "bailout" bunker left and, even If they hit the green, the player can face some long putts.
Lorette Hole 7: This outstanding par four is very long and difficult with water on the right for the tee shot, plenty of bunkers and the perennial threat of nearby trees on both shots.
Lorette Hole 9: The final hole on the front is a sweeping dogleg left where the ideal tee shot will hug, but not hit, the trees on the left side to cut distance off for the second. From the fairway, the second and/or third shots have a lot of real estate that eventually disappears as water eventually closes in around the green complex. Misses to the right may bring bunkers into play, but are much safer than anything left.
Lorette Hole 10: The start to the back nine features a tough slight dogleg right par four that is long and has a pesky bunker at the corner of the dogleg. Right of that bunker is dead meat, but the closer to it the player can get, the better the angle to the smallish green.
Lorette Hole 12: This short par four is a dogleg right with a narrow fairway. The adventurous golfer can try to cut the corner, but anything in the fairway will leave a reasonable approach to the green, which is fairly shallow, but wide, and with a fronting bunker that is well-placed and needs to be avoided.
Lorette Hole 14: This par five is set between the trees and the river. It seems fairly straight from the tee but it actually snakes to the left for the second and third shots, with the hole remaining fairly tight from tee to green.
Lorette Hole 15: The first of two par threes on the back that have to deal with the river, this one is slightly easier, but not easy. The river short and left only comes into play for a fairly errant shot and the green has no trouble in front. Thus, the more immediate dangers are the bunkers on either side of the fairly narrow green.
Lorette Hole 16: A par four that is not long, but that is the tightest drive on the course. The tee box is set across hte river from the rest of hole, leaving a unique and cool vista. The river is in play, but accuracy here can trump length and leave a good shot at birdie.
Lorette Hole 17: The final par three of the day must, yet again, negotiate the river. This time, it is very much in play and the green is also shallow, but wide, with two additional bunkers in play. Any pin placement right of center will get the blood pressure up as there is very little room for error over there.
