TABOO GOLF CLUB ( 866-982-2669)
Review 9/02/04
The Taboo Golf Club is the centerpiece of an international resort and full conference facility with five star dining,
luxurious accommodations, year-round indoor and outdoor activities, plus top-scale amenities - all set in an
overwhelmingly spectacular environment. For more info on the resort, visit our informational page with dozens of images and text featuring all Taboo Resort has to offer by clicking here. Continue to scroll down for a
complete review with photos of the course that 2003 Master's Champion Mike Weir calls home. The 7200 yards
of this Ron Garl designed layout are carved from the majestic Canadian Shield, resulting in a strikingly beautiful
golf experience, and one that will challenge players of all skill levels. Located just 1 ½ hours north of Toronto,
Taboo is ideally located to service leisure and business clients from all over the province - and from the states as well. And - as the below photo indicates, there are many ways to get here!
Those familiar with the Muskokas will be accustomed to the gorgeous lakes and granite rock formations that
populate this serene environment - as for myself, I was quite blown away by the majestic surroundings. A quote
from Mike Weir says it all: "Each time I play here the beauty overwhelms me. The course is both playable and
challenging. I love it here!" The Two Guys Who Golf played the course only once - which wet our appetites for
future trips. We found Taboo to provide ample fairways and landing areas off the tees. One of the tricks to
scoring well here is to navigate the challenging green complexes, which are usually well protected by soft sand
bunkers - with grass swales, collection areas and false fronts also getting in the way of good scores. Though not
overly undulating, the extremely quick putting surfaces have subtle (and at times not so subtle) slopes that make
three putts common. A good rule here is to stay below the hole on approaches. We highly recommend that
players arrive early to take advantage of the outstanding practice facility at Taboo. Get used to the roll of the
greens - and also spend some time at the short game area (photo below) to work on pitches and chips that
might help to save some strokes. This may come in handy very quickly in the round, as hole number one presents one of the most challenging green complexes on the course (also pictured below).
A spacious grass range is also on property, as is complimentary to green fee paying guests. There are ample
target areas, plus sand traps on either side of the range available for work on practice out of fairway bunkers.
The Taboo Golf Academy makes use of these outstanding facilities, while also featuring separate stations for
practice on specific skills. The clubhouse at Taboo includes a pro shop and snack bar that serves breakfast and
lunch sandwiches, plus snacks and beverages. The outdoor patio provides nice views of the property and also
includes a barbeque grill. On course golfers will find the layout amply marked, with yardage indicators at 100,
150 and 200 yards posted on the fairways and cart paths as well. Sprinkler heads and tee boxes are measured
to the center of the green, and an on-cart GPS provides accurate yardages from tee to the center of the green.
Four sets of tees provide ample options, with the tips playing to 7200 yards with a slope of 151. The blues are
no bargain with a 141 slope - at 6677 yards, and the white tees are also a good challenge at 6078 yards with a
133 slope. From the forward tees the yardage is 5157 yards with a 119 slope rating for men and 129 for ladies. Women who elect to play from an alternate tee will find a slope of 152 from the whites.
The opening hole presents a generous fairway, but golfers will be confronted with a challenging green complex
as the putting surface is perched between three bunkers with a devious slope guarding the front. There is room
to lay up right of center on two, but grass swales and collection areas greenside will again pose a challenge to
par. Waste bunkers are also a memorable feature at Taboo, and on the par three 3rd a humongous one comes
into play. The fourth is a challenging five par that is rated as the course's # 3 handicap. An extremely long and
accurate tee shot is necessary to provide a chance to reach in two, with the safer route featuring a lay up on both
the first and second shots, leaving an approach over a granite rock cropping from about 100 yards away. The
well bunkered green complex featured in a photo below also includes a false front, that will send balls that hit the
front portion rolling back to the fairway. Granite is also part of the landscape on five, which invites a lay up off the tee to the 120 yard area in front of marsh that crosses the fairway.
The sixth is a beautiful dogleg right par four that begins with a tee shot over a river. Bunkers await deep of the
fairway left, creating the need for a shot that shapes left to right, with the preferred landing zone 150 - 120 yards
out. The approach is also over water to a putting complex that slopes from front to back. Seven is an interesting
par three from terraced tees, with the playing area defined by walls of granite rock. The green here is sloped back to front and is quite undulating. Both holes are pictured below.
The 8th is a score-able par five - with the premium being on landing the tee shot somewhere on the narrow tree
lined fairway. This precedes the course's # 1 handicap, a long four par that doglegs to the right and plays slightly
uphill. With a good tee shot, it is possible to do well on this hole - which we found it be easier than some of the
previous holes on the front. The back side is pretty equal in length to the front, and is heavily weighted on the
finish with the last three holes being the 2nd, 4th and 6th handicaps. The fairway on ten is quite rolling and
undulating, but there is plenty of room from tee to green. The par three 11th features a formidable carry over a
sand waste area, with bail out room to the right. Numbers 12 and 13 (pictured below) are shot maker's holes -
with accurate lay ups demanded off the tee. Long hitters may decide to take advantage of a risk reward situation
and drive over the hazard on twelve, though the safer play (laying up to the 130 yard area right of center) may
create a good scoring opportunity. On the approach, a treacherous pot bunker guards the green with bail out
room provided short left. An accurate tee shot placed between the sand trap on the left and rock wall to the right
may set up another good scoring opportunity on 13. The green complex is raised with a slope in front, and three pot bunkers situated short right.
The fourteenth ( photo below left) demands a carry over a deep ravine to a rolling fairway off the tee, but the
downhill nature of the approach creates an ample opportunity to reach in regulation. The 18th handicapped par
three15th also presents a forced carry off the tee, this time over a creek and natural area, with three pot bunkers
guarding the front and another conventional sand trap situated behind the putting surface. The challenging finish
begins with a long par four that invites long hitters to bend their tee shot right to left over the edge of the fairway
trap. Shorter hitters will need to stay right of center to avoid the tree line. Reaching in regulation is an
accomplishment here as this hole plays to 484 yards from the tips. Though not as long, number 17 is also a
challenging four par that begins from an elevated tee and welcomes a left to right shot shape. It is possible to
drive through the fairway past the initial set of rocks deep of the fairway, making the second set the preferred
target. Check out the yardage booklet or GPS here, and golfers will see that a water hazard is situated along the
rock line, waiting on shots that do not quite make the dogleg. (photo below right) This is a gorgeous golf hole!
The finishing hole is also memorable. There is room off the tee but the second shot must navigate granite rock formations that are situated short right and long left. The approach is considerably uphill.
Taboo is a wonderful golf facility that though open for just 2 years as of this writing, has already garnered he
attention and accolades as one of the top golf resorts in Canada. The Taboo Golf Course is simply spectacular -
and awards are certainly coming. Golfers who like a challenge will find all they can handle from the two back tees
- and the average player will have the opportunity to play well from the white tees with good course management.
On some of the more difficult par fours, the difference in yardage from the blues to the white tees is considerable
(up to 81 yards). For those traveling to the Muskokas, this is a must play - and highly recommended by Two Guys Who Golf. For more info, click here to visit our page for Taboo Golf Club - with link to their website.
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