Horseshoe 18 holes

[birdieman5204]

Apparently Horseshoe will be a full 18 holes this summer? I've never stayed at the hotel before but two 18 hole rounds and an overnight seems like a really good deal!

https://www.underpar.com/courses/horseshoe-resort-the-valley-course

[Nvision86]

I'm excited to try the new 6 holes! Apparently they are still operating as a 12 hole until mid June and then making the switch to a full 18. The price for $18 is $89 w/cart so this seems like a really good package with 2 rounds and the overnight.

[duffer den]

https://horseshoeresort.com/golf/

They give a word description, as well as a scorecard type breakdown for the current 12 and new 18.

From what I can recall in my one time playing the original 18, way back in 2000 or 2001, it will be pretty similar to that. Except that they will no longer use that weird first hole, which was oddly placed by the ski hill, and it would seem a new par 3 3rd hole will have been created, since the rest of that front nine looks to use the originals - at least based on a view of google maps and what I can see.

I still remember that round I had way back then, one of the more enjoyable ones. I had played Highlands as well at that time, though maybe it was just nine at the time, I can't quite recall. It definitely was new and I believe the surrounding homes were just starting to be built in that area - we were staying on a timeshare promotion with Carriage Hills Resort. I will have to check back in my scorecard collection. Not really sure what has become of that, though maybe there is/was news of that here on the forum at some point.

[melon2112]

I went there on the 1st/2nd/3rd. The course is short. It is quite tight. It was in decent condition but more of a cottage type course... Greens were extremely slow... Pace was quick Monday (3hr round)... Tuesday was just over 4 hours...and today was 3 hours. Holes 2 thru 7 were the new holes which are not in my GPS and poorly marked. The stakes were not accurate... I recommend walking off yardage like old school... Do not rely on posts.

For the cost on underpar, I was okay with it as I enjoyed hanging out at beach/lake after golf (heading again now). No nightlife but rooms were decent.

I would not travel for golf alone but for the whole package, it was nice.

[MichaelR]

I went there on the 1st/2nd/3rd. The course is short. It is quite tight. It was in decent condition but more of a cottage type course... Greens were extremely slow... Pace was quick Monday (3hr round)... Tuesday was just over 4 hours...and today was 3 hours. Holes 2 thru 7 were the new holes which are not in my GPS and poorly marked. The stakes were not accurate... I recommend walking off yardage like old school... Do not rely on posts.

For the cost on underpar, I was okay with it as I enjoyed hanging out at beach/lake after golf (heading again now). No nightlife but rooms were decent.

I would not travel for golf alone but for the whole package, it was nice.

Been many years since played it but your post caught my eye. Are there decent package deals to be had?

We used to cross country ski up there a lot back in the day -- may be interesting hiking trails this time of year?

Horseshoe "Lake" in this case is man-made I gather...

.

[Ruska]

I'm playing the new 18 Monday, will report back

[Ruska]

Here we go as promised...

Horseshoes & Hallways
Some good, plenty of bad and ugly

First Impressions:
To start, no warmup facilities other than a couple makeshift hitting nets awkwardly placed next to the carts. Not a deal breaker but something to note. My playing partner and I had a full warmup at the Settlers Ghost range down the street. The greeter was friendly, as was all the staff we encountered. Cart only, no walking. Upon reviewing the scorecard, the back tees play 5447yds and its a Par 69. Was pleasantly surprised the new layout was recognized on Golf Canada and I could enter my score accordingly. Unfortunately, my Garmin (which has the latest updates) is still the previous 12 hole layout and was rendered useless.

Play:
The new Par 5 introductory hole (old Hole 10) is a relatively inviting opening tee shot. Longer hitters need to be wary of the narrowing fairway which foreshadows the holes to come. The mature parkland style layout rolls and bends with the natural folds of the valley. It is tranquil yet demanding. A plethora of narrow tree lined corridors, elevation changes and blind shots. A strategic approach reliant on accuracy is required which is unbecoming of a mundane resort course. Without my Garmin it was easy to feel a bit lost at times but luckily the scorecard included individual hole illustrations which gave some sense of direction. The majority of holes are on the shorter side. Ironically, the Par 3s all played 170-180yds from our tees. The front 9 was uninterrupted and swift. It felt like we were the only players out there... until we made the turn. There was 2 foursomes of relatively casual golfers ahead and we were waiting on every tee through the back 9. I would have to imagine on a busy day, pace would be challenging.

Conditions:
In my honest opinion, conditions aren't on par for a course in this price bracket. The ground is firm and the grass is thinning like a receding hairline. If you stray from the fairway, don't be surprised to find your ball sitting down in a patchy lumpy area. As with many post covid bunkers these days, the sand seemed sparse in most cases. The greens are pleasantly undulating making for a proper test. Unfortunately, that test is exacerbated by how painfully slow they are.

Conclusion:
Happy to see Horseshoe returning to an 18 hole layout. It definitely offers a unique experience in the area yet with current conditions and price point it's not one that will be in my regular rotation.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9K65lYuB5G/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[4wedges]

Here we go as promised...

Horseshoes & Hallways
Some good, plenty of bad and ugly

First Impressions:
To start, no warmup facilities other than a couple makeshift hitting nets awkwardly placed next to the carts. Not a deal breaker but something to note. My playing partner and I had a full warmup at the Settlers Ghost range down the street. The greeter was friendly, as was all the staff we encountered. Cart only, no walking. Upon reviewing the scorecard, the back tees play 5447yds and its a Par 69. Was pleasantly surprised the new layout was recognized on Golf Canada and I could enter my score accordingly. Unfortunately, my Garmin (which has the latest updates) is still the previous 12 hole layout and was rendered useless.

Play:
The new Par 5 introductory hole (old Hole 10) is a relatively inviting opening tee shot. Longer hitters need to be wary of the narrowing fairway which foreshadows the holes to come. The mature parkland style layout rolls and bends with the natural folds of the valley. It is tranquil yet demanding. A plethora of narrow tree lined corridors, elevation changes and blind shots. A strategic approach reliant on accuracy is required which is unbecoming of a mundane resort course. Without my Garmin it was easy to feel a bit lost at times but luckily the scorecard included individual hole illustrations which gave some sense of direction. The majority of holes are on the shorter side. Ironically, the Par 3s all played 170-180yds from our tees. The front 9 was uninterrupted and swift. It felt like we were the only players out there... until we made the turn. There was 2 foursomes of relatively casual golfers ahead and we were waiting on every tee through the back 9. I would have to imagine on a busy day, pace would be challenging.

Conditions:
In my honest opinion, conditions aren't on par for a course in this price bracket. The ground is firm and the grass is thinning like a receding hairline. If you stray from the fairway, don't be surprised to find your ball sitting down in a patchy lumpy area. As with many post covid bunkers these days, the sand seemed sparse in most cases. The greens are pleasantly undulating making for a proper test. Unfortunately, that test is exacerbated by how painfully slow they are.

Conclusion:
Happy to see Horseshoe returning to an 18 hole layout. It definitely offers a unique experience in the area yet with current conditions and price point it's not one that will be in my regular rotation.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9K65...RlODBiNWFlZA==

I used to enjoy the old "original (Valley?) course. What were the fees?

[Ruska]

I used to enjoy the old "original (Valley?) course. What were the fees?

Regular rate is $100 after tax. We got a special rate of $78 and I felt I overpaid

[4wedges]

Regular rate is $100 after tax. We got a special rate of $78 and I felt I overpaid

Ouch! Thanks for this, I will keep it off my "to play" list.

[ace in the hazard]

Played it this morning. Fun track with a tight layout that manages to avoid being too quirky. A couple of 300 yard par 4's that don't really reward biting off a lot off the tee unless you are very confident in your placement. The greens are hideously slow despite looking decent and rolling relatively true. Bunkers are about what you'd expect from a course of that calibre and price.

One beef was that sometimes tee shots that looked great would end up being blocked out by low overhanging branches. You could argue that a second round with better course knowledge would improve that but I felt in a couple of cases, it was just trees growing in over time and changing the look/playability of the hole for the worse. On one shorter par 4, I hit a great drive to about 40 yards in the middle 3rd of the fairway and get up there to see that I have no shot except trying to punch something under a low branch to an elevated green lined with thick rough.

Overall, it was a decent experience with the overnight stay at the resort (tons of activities on site, especially if you have kids). The little resto has a nice patio and the food was decent pub grub. Dog friendly which is what sold us on it. They even have a dedicated "dog beach" at the far end of the man-made lake. If we go back, I'll plan ahead and rent a mountain bike for the downhill track there.