BATTEAUX CREEK GOLF CLUB (705-444-8337)
Review 9/24/04
Batteaux Creek is an 18-hole championship Stephen Young design that opened for play in 2002. Built on over
250 acres of land, this beautiful layout features manicured bent grass fairways, oversized true rolling greens, plus
hazards in the form of plentiful bunkers, natural areas and lakes and ponds that create numerous risk/reward
opportunities. The presentation of the teeing areas has been thoughtfully calculated as the five sets play to 7003
yards/140 slope, 6728 yards/136 slope, 6355 yards/132 slope, 5929 yards/125 slope for men and 129 for
women and 5309 yards with a slope of 122. This system of evenly dispersing the yardages allows for golfers of all skill levels to choose a set of tees that matches their game.
The clubhouse at Batteaux Creek features vaulted ceilings and upper dormer windows designed to create a
warm, country atmosphere filled with light and space. Private and public lounges are available, as are locker
rooms/showers for men and women. There is a pro shop plus a restaurant/lounge framed by an outdoor deck,
with plentiful seating and wonderful golf course views. The facilities here provide a private club feel for a golf
experience that is open to the public. This includes a complimentary grass range and short game area, as well as a practice putting green.
On course yardage markers are posted 100, 150 and 200 yards from the green and some sprinkler heads are
also marked. Pin placement is indicated by color coded flags for front, middle and back hole locations, and
yardage diagram cards that are available in the pro shop provide valuable info on the layout of each hole. Weather covers that are standard on all carts provide protection for golf clubs on rainy days.
This links style course is finely conditioned from tee to green, with sculpted tee areas, manicured fairways and
large, contoured putting surfaces. The terrain is fairly level with understated mounding and plentiful room for error
greenside on most holes. The beginning hole (pictured above left) is a beauty, and features a tee shot that skirts
a lake, with a long bunker serving as a buffer between the landing area and hazard on the left side. On the
opening holes golfers will get a good glimpse of what they will find throughout the layout. Challenging water
hazards are present on 17 of the 18 holes, in the form of lakes, ponds, creeks and natural areas. From the
forward tees however, women will find the course player friendly - as indicated in the above photo of the par
three 5th hole, which is fairly straightforward with the water/sand hazards located only on the perimeter. The
opening in front of the fifth green is indicative of the room golfers will find near many of the putting surfaces. Miss
short and up and downs are very possible - miss to either side and collection areas and grass swales will make recoveries a bit more difficult.
At some point, it is very likely that balls will find a watery grave - perhaps on the par three 8th (pictured above) ,
which features bunkers to the right and a lake situated along the left. Balls that don't find the water have a decent
chance of landing in sand - on one of the 94 soft sand bunkers that are strategically located near landing areas
on the fairways and greenside. These traps are found in a variety of forms, from the small pot size bunkers that
dot the fairway on number 11, to the longer waste variety that can be found short right and long left on the par four
14th (photo above right). On 15 golfers will also find several traps are each side that define the landing zone and
make the tee shot precise business. A good fairway bunker recovery club will certainly come in handy at Batteuax Creek.
The closing holes present an opportunity to finish well, beginning with the 18th ranked par three 16th. As with the
other three pars on this course, there is ample bail out room for those leery of the water. Number 17 is perhaps
the most interesting hole of the layout. This dogleg left par five features a pond on the left that filters into a creek
which crosses diagonally from 150 yards in. With a long tee shot golfers may be able to reach in two - though
played as a three shot hole, birdies can also be had. There is plentiful room on the fairway of the par four finishing hole, though a long, narrow green creates the need for an accurate approach.
Batteaux Creek is a wonderful golf facility. The comp range balls that come with paid green fees is a nice touch -
and the clubhouse presents a great golfing atmosphere. We found the course to be one of the best conditioned
layouts that we encountered this year - and the design presents the opportunity to use every club in your bag.
This is a beautiful course that can be enjoyed by all levels of players! For more info and for a direct link to the Batteaux Creek website, visit our informational page for the course by clicking here.
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