A five star country club at an affordable price…read more
Note: I am not a member, but I come here when my insurance broker from Stork Insurance needs to talk business.
Hole 1: An up-hill climb to this elevated par five green will make you re-think your decision to nix a golf cart. A tight, tree-lined fairway on both sides will also make you re-think your decision to pull driver in front of all those clubhouse onlookers.
Hole 2: A medium-length par four that has a disorienting tee shot with a large bailout zone to the left that you can't see off the tee. If your tee shot winds up on the 5th green, you get a free drop, which I learned first hand.
Hole 3: The opening four hole stretch is the toughest on the course, and this par four's blind, downhill tee shot provides no opportunity for relaxation. Note: If your ball ends up in the neighbor's yard to the right of the fairway, they don't mind if you retrieve it. But don't hit from their lawn (that's just common courtesy).
Hole 4: Another steep up-hill climb to an elevated, semi-blind green that is a staple of the opening ten holes. Don't forget to look back toward the tee box from the green! A wonderful view that pays worthy tribute to the club's namesake.
Hole 5: A par 3. I usually hit 9-iron to 20 ft, leave my birdie putt five feet short, and then my kind insurance broker says my favorite words: "That's good." Thanks buddy. Put me down for a three.
Hole 6: If you're a lefty who fades it, this tee shot looks nearly impossible. But there's a hack: I highly suggest playing a huge cut to the right of the tree that blocks this par five's fairway. It should slice back into play. And if you wind up on the 7th fairway, it's a pretty agreeable angle into the green. You'll be thinkin' eagle (but if you're like me you will probably flub a chip and make a six).
Hole 7: The seesaw front nine takes you back uphill on this short but tricky par four.
Hole 8: Back downhill on a par 4. Don't miss right! That ball's a goner if you do. Although if you find a Taylor Made 4, that's mine. Please mail it back to me if you can. You can DM me for my address.
Hole 9: The longest par 3 on the course, although it's still probably only a middle-iron for most golfers.
Hole 10: The back nine (my preferred nine, for sure), begins with an uphill, dogleg right par 4. The elevated, tree-lined green is one of the prettier spots on the course.
Hole 11: The course widens on this back nine stretch. If you were hesitant to let driver fly through the first ten holes, now's the time to let your big dog bark.
Hole 12: One of my favorites on the course. A par five at just under 500 yards, a good drive will put you in an exciting go/no-go zone. If you challenge the water and win, you'll be raking in the Schlitz cocktails. If you lose, you'll be complaining about how the Finger Lakes air messes up your ball flight (and marking down a number that begins with 's'.)
Hole 13: Back- to-back par fives is a quirk of Lakeside, but not a disagreeable one. This is the longest hole on the course, but an open and forgivable fairway makes it another good driving hole.
Hole 14: If you're hungry and forgot to grab a bite at the turn, feel free to grab a few fresh grapes off the wonderful vines along the left side of the fairway, kindly placed for you to snack on.
Hole 15: Along with the 12th, this is probably my favorite hole. The cottonwood trees provide an inviting and picturesque atmosphere, even when you're slamming your hybrid into the ground because you chunked one from the tree-lined left rough.
Hole 16: An attractive, intelligent, and well-dressed par four. This hole may seem like a beautiful and eligible lady when you square up for your tee shot. But as you head down the fairway, you'll notice the ring. Sorry, boys. She's taken.
Hole 17: My favorite of the par 3s. The trees once again create a secluded atmosphere that is the motif of the closing four hole stretch.
Hole 18: The blue tees provide a tight angle into a wide open green. The white tees offer a much more forgiving shot. Whichever box you play, you'll love the view as you head for clubhouse and then onwards to The Laurentide to pound Schlitz cocktails with your handsome and delightful insurance broker.
