The Lake Course
A sharp contrast to the Old Course, the Lake Course at Thousand Islands Country Club is far shorter and more sheltered from the stiff breezes often felt on the Old Course. This shelter and shorter length isn't free though; plenty of water and tight wooded fairways mean that the Lake Course still has plenty of teeth. Winding through a network of gondola canals left behind by hotel mogul George Boldt, this fun track will likely provide some of the most unique holes you've ever played. A favorite among many of the locals, the Lake Course is a hidden gem to check out if you're just visiting the area!
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Hole #1
A narrow fairway sets the tone for a round at the Lake Course; accuracy is key. The short par 5 offers a scoring opportunity to start the day. The relatively flat green is guarded by earth mounding and features a view of the Lake of the Isles to the left. -
Hole #2
The short par 4 2nd provides another scoring opportunity. Beware the road and houses down the left and try to find the undulating fairway. The second shot is to a flat green protected by a bowl of mounding. Views of the Lake of the Isles are still available to the left. -
Hole #3
The third hole is driveable for some, but presents a very small target. An undulating fairway leads to a small and severe green with a steep run-off down to a pond to the right. A shot hit 200yds off the tee leaves a small wedge shot for the second. A miss short leaves the easiest chip. -
Hole #4
A par 3 off a cliff and over a road, the fourth hole at the Lake Course is one of the most memorable on the entire property. This two-tiered green is framed by trees whose shadows often interact with the breaks to provide a true test in green-reading. Hitting to the correct section of the green makes life a lot easier, but mind the crosswind off the tee. The prevailing wind blows right to left. -
Hole #5
The fifth is a downhill par 4 with a blind tee shot through a shoot of trees. The green is protected by mounds on either side and a large tree in the middle of the fairway. Longer hitters can get on or around the green off the tee, while shorter hitters must navigate around the fairway tree. There is more room to miss right off the tee, although it doesn't look it from the box. -
Hole #6
The sixth hole is a tricky par 3 to a plateau green. Steep runoffs on all sides guard the flat green. A narrow gap in the trees off the tee provides an intimidating tee shot back into the predominant wind direction. Making par here often feels like a birdie. -
Hole #7
The seventh is another potentially driveable par 4 that provides yet another small target. Beware the pond short left of the green as well as the trees down the right side. A similar strategy of play to the third hole can be very effective. The green is protected by mounding once again, a staple of the Lake Course. -
Hole #8
A par 5 bordering the main road into the Lake Course with a large pond centrally located in the fairway, the eigth hole offers stunning views. The green has a bit of a false front and is protected by natural mounding. It sits atop a hill and provides a challenging approach regardless of if you're trying to reach in two or lay up to a wedge yardage you like. -
Hole #9
A par 3 to close the side, the ninth is a slightly downhill shot around 150yds in length to a raised green. It typically plays in a right to left crosswind and is framed on the left by one of the canals that late 19th century hotel tycoon George Boldt had dug. The story goes that he would take his wife Louise Kehrer Boldt on gondola rides in the sheltered canals. -
Hole #10
One of the most unique "par 5's" you'll likely ever play, the tenth hole winds its way around and through the natural wetlands that border the gondola canals. A direct shot at the green as shown here is about a 270 carry, but is almost entirely blind. A shot of around 200yds played out to the right leaves a shot inside 150yds to get home in two. The flattish green sits on a small plateau and is framed behind by another canal. -
Hole #11
The par 4 eleventh is around 290yds and potentially driveable on warm, dry days. A pond short left of the green as well as a road and residential areas up the right side protect the green, which pitches hard from back right to front left. A shot of around 200yds leaves a nice wedge in, but mind your spin and pay attention to the wind. -
Hole #12
Another intimidating par 3, the twelfth hole features a downhill shot through a narrow shoot in the trees. The green is small and slightly raised and is guarded by a pond behind it and a bank of trees framing the right side of the complex. It typically plays back into the wind as well. Pars are rare here and always hard earned. -
Hole #13
This 90 degree dogleg left par 4 provides another tight and intimidating tee shot. A shot down the right center around 200yds in lenght is recommended by our pro Mark as it clears the dogleg but stays short of the mound and trees visible in this photo beyond the fairway. The small green is framed by an amphitheater of trees and features some subtle breaks. For those that are brave and have a high ball flight, you can try to hit a club that carries around 230yds on a line over the woods on the left, but it gets harder to drive the green each year. -
Hole #14
The downhill, typically downwind par 5 fourteenth offers a great scoring opportunity midway through the back nine. A road and forest guard the left of the fairway while a pond and bank of trees protect the right. Room runs out quickly down the left as the hole gently bends to the right. The larger green is protected short by moguls and is framed by a pond that works around the left and back sides of the complex. The famous Boldt farmhouse can be seen in the distance behind the green. -
Hole #15
Barely over 100yds, the par 3 fifteenth is quirky to say the least. Trees down the left side almost completely block your view of the green from the tee box. A shot to the right side of the green is always a safe bet. -
Hole #16
The signature hole of the Lake Course, the sixteenth plays downhill towards the back corner of the Lake of the Isles. Framed by the Boldt Barn on the right and woods all down the left, the hole presents a real risk/reward choice for each player. Many can reach off the tee, but the landing area is incredibly small and the fairway slopes hard from right to left. Rocks guard the front left of the green, which slopes incredibly hard from front to back. -
Hole #17
The "par 4" seventeenth plays only 200yds from the back tee and presents one final scoring chance late in the round. A downhill tee shot finds a relatively flat green guarded by a bank of trees short right and steep drop-offs left and long which lead down to woods. -
Hole #18
One final challenging par 3 to end a memorable round at the Lake Course. The eighteenth plays back uphill to an elevated green pitched from back to front. It typically plays back into the wind as well and is guarded by trees left and mounding to the right.