Speargrass provides scenery, fine golf
It could be that everyone’s in a hurry to get to the final three holes but whatever it is, play seems to move right along at Speargrass Golf Course.
Well under four hours for our foursome and we didn’t feel the least bit rushed for the 18 holes.
It’s those last three offerings of the 6,698-yard, Gary Browning design, however, that can often make or break your day, but always leave you with visions of grandeur.
You will be hard-pressed to find a more picturesque par 4 outside the mountains than the 335-yard, 17th. Elevated tee, heavy brush down the right side, sharp drop off the left bank that runs all the way down to the river.
It’s an eyeful to behold and the classic risk-reward offering. Haul out the driver or 3-wood and nail the tee shot over the brush, carrying about 260 yards from the tips, and you’re likely going to be putting for an eagle. Hit it short or left, though, and you’re into bogey or double bogey country.
Smart play is to lay up but that’s no fun.
“I think the risk outweighs a layup,” said longtime club pro Jimmy Driscoll. “Even if you hit it left, you drop another ball from point of entry and have a chance to get it up and down for par, bogey at worst. But if you go for it, you can’t hit it in the scrub. You’re dead and looking to hit from the tee again.”
The 16th is a par 3 tipping out at 147 yards with two greens, a lower one,and what is generally a more challenging shot to an upper one. Beautiful.
And 18 is a slight uphill par 4 that plays anywhere from 433 yards at the tips down to 250 yards. The tee shot must be kept to the right centre of the fairway or even played off the right side banking because there’s a ravine on the left that sneaks up on you real quick.
The green sits above the ravine with a huge facing bunker on the left front.
That’s just the end of a course that offers some testy par 4s, both long (587 and 591) and short (519, 490, 526) par 5s and a collection of attractive par 3s that rumble through natural fescue and past an ever-growing residential development.
Truth be known, the par 3 11th and 14th holes, which share the same hilltop for tee boxes, would rank as signature holes at many courses.
Most players will tell you the key to scoring the course is tacking up pars at the 208yard, third, the 587-yard fourth and 184-yard fifth. Otherwise a heavy wind will be your only enemy on this finely-manicured layout, which is marking its 10th season and, officially, is up for sale at $11 million. That includes title to the remaining three dozen or so residential properties.
“Jim Goodbrand used to build and sell golf courses all the time, but he thought he’d keep this one for his family,” said course manager Brady Shave. “Jim died in November of 2010 and the family isn’t into the golf business.”
Speargrass, which is located 1.5 km south of Carseland, offers green fees starting at $49 on weekdays up to $86 on weekends and holidays. Those fees include power cart and practice range. Their big seller this season, however, has been the 90-hole Value Card at $180, which is fully transferable and reloadable.
Tee times may be booked at 403-901-1134.