Name: Nobleton Lakes Golf Club
Location: Nobleton, Ontario (~50 minutes north of Toronto)
Type: Public with membership options
Holes: 27 (3x9)
Length and Par: 5213-6938 yards / 72
Tees: (Shortest to Longest): Red, White, Blue, Gold
Website: http://www.nobletonlakesgolf.com/
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Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Nobleton Lakes is one of the nicer but tougher courses that I've played over the years. From the moment you arrive you know you're going to have a great golfing experience. When you arrive, you're greeted by a large clubhouse, which houses many facilities like a restaurant and a lounge for players, and is maintained by very friendly staff. Practice and warm-up facilities such as putting greens and a driving range are also present. All of these features give you the impression that you're playing at a high-end private country club.
The course itself is made of up three sets of nines (The Woods, The Lakes, and The View), each one with it's own set of challenges: The Lakes takes water hazards into account on most of its holes, The View is the lengthiest of the three, and The Woods is a combination of both. These sets are neatly laid out near each other, but remain separate; rarely do you think that a badly sliced tee shot will end up on an adjacent hole's fairway.
Some things that are common between all sets of nine are the difficulty of the greens and the need for accurate shots. Most of the greens at Nobleton Lakes are large and feature large slopes, most of which are tough to read. A poor read of them can easily make a good approach shot end with a three-putt. I've also noticed that the greens play slightly faster than a typical green, even after rainfall. Tee shots and approach shots must be accurate, as forests and water line most of the tight fairways and protect most of the greens. Despite these difficulties, good shots are rewarded and good scores are possible for mid to high handicappers. Also, all three sets have good finishing holes, especially Lakes #9.
From my last visit, the course was maintained very well (some of the best I've seen this year); properly trimmed greens and rough, raked bunkers, defined markers, etc. My only complaint, which is more of a personal thing, is that some of the tee boxes are sloped and not level, which can throw you off just a little bit when teeing up.
The prices are also pretty fair. Average rates are between $88 - $65 without taxes and depending on the time of day, power cart included. It's also worth noting that Nobleton Lakes doesn't allow walking, so rounds are usually quick (4 to 4.5 hours for 18 for me). At the right time, you can get a round of 18 for under $75, which is very good, considering the quality and difficulty of the course.
One hole that sums up this course perfectly is Lakes #4. This is a 420-350 yard par 4, downhill slight dogleg right with raised/sloping rough; the hole seems to run down a valley. At the bottom, the fairway narrows to a well protected green, water on the right, and sand traps on the left. The green itself is raised in the middle and slopes downwards towards said hazards; bogey or double-bogey is likely for mid to high handicappers here.
Overall, this course is very well designed and meant to challenge all areas of your golf game and all skill levels. I'd recommend this course to anyone who wants a little challenge or a test of their golf game.
-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews
**UPDATE** 09/01/14: Nobleton Lakes has renovated the green on Woods #1. Click HERE for the full story on the renovation.
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