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Stanley
Thompson was more than the patriarch of Canadian golf
architecture; he was one of the leaders within North
America. Such esteemed architects as Geoffrey Cornish
and Robert Trent Jones apprenticed under him at one
point, and he was a founding member of the American
Society of Golf Course Architects. Thompson’s work
is famous in Canada; his name is attached to some of
the finest courses across the country. To the golf
knowledgeable worldwide, his name resonates more for
the properties on which his works are built than the
designs themselves.
The Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club,
Banff Springs, and the
Cape Breton Highlands are among
Canada's elite resort destinations, and they share
some common qualities. Each is accessible to the
public. Each is a faultless synthesis of nature and
golf. And each bears the Thompson name. Along with two
of Thompson's private efforts—St. George’s and
Capilano—his resume counts five courses among
Canada's best. Jasper was the first of this esteemed
quintet to be built, in 1925, and was a major
departure from the majority of Thompson's work within
Ontario to that point.
It is fitting that the railway, which played a
fundamental role in the growth of Canada westward, was
the impetus for the construction of Jasper Park Lodge
Golf Club. The Canadian National Railway, trying to
establish Jasper Park as a viable destination on the
rail line, hired Thompson, 50 teams of horses, and 200
men to carve a world-class golf course out of the
idyllic Rocky Mountains setting. Given a healthy
budget to work with, Thompson created his most
memorable course to date, and entrenched his legend as
Canada's great golf architect.
Jasper Park Lodge underwent a restoration period in
1994, where many of the bunkers were rebuilt according
to Thompson’s original blueprints. With its original
integrity preserved, golfers have the chance to again
enjoy the 6,663-yard, par-71 layout as Thompson first
envisioned it almost 80 years ago.
The second hole is a perfect example
of challenging, scenic golf, while not playing overly
difficult. Measuring only 488 downhill yards from the
back tee, many argue that the hole is too easy to play
as a par five. Depending on where the drive is placed,
the hole can be shortened even further, thus tempting
even the amateur player to try for the green in two.
It is on the approach shot that the depth of the
design subtleties comes alive. The easiest approach is
from the right side, which provides an opening into
the green, but the hole demands a right-to-left
approach from a fairway that slopes from
left-to-right. Still, two is great early birdie
opportunity, and the first of many spectacular
mountain backdrops.
Three, at 454 yards, requires a big
drive to clear the large slope in the middle of the
fairway. Drives that reach the upper plateau will
leave players with a difficult uphill approach to a
well-protected green. Tee shots that hit into the
slope will make reaching the green in two nearly
impossible.
Thompson is renowned for his wonderful
par threes, and he created five gems at Jasper. The
two best are his signature long par threes, both found
on the front side. Four plays downhill from 240 yards
to a green surrounded by five bunkers, and with a
narrow opening in the front.
The ninth is aptly named 'Cleopatra,'
and plays 231 downhill to a green framed by Mount
Pyramid Peak. Golfers tend to be easily deceived by
the erratic placement of the bunkers short of the
green, as the dramatic elevation change makes it
difficult to gauge their exact location. There is
actually quite a bit of room between the bunkers and
the front edge; a shot just clearing the last bunker
will run into the green and leave a relatively easy
birdie putt.
The back nine features a great middle
stretch of holes. The monstrous 13th
measures 603 yards and moves gently right toward a
small, three-tiered green set back in a grove of
trees.
The14th is one of the prettiest short par-fours in the
world. From tee to green, Lake Beauvert forms the
hole’s left boundary. The tee juts out into the
water and forces a short carry over the water to the
fairway, and from there the approach is to an elevated
green with the water guarding its left flank.
Fittingly, Lake Beauvert is a beautiful green
colour—a nearly exact translation of its name.
‘Bad Baby,’ the 15th hole, is a great short hole, comparable
to the great short par threes around the world.
Measuring only 138 yards, 15 has one of the smallest
greens anywhere, so if you manage to hit the surface a
short birdie putt awaits. Miss, however, and the sharp
falloff on all sides will leave you with one of the
most difficult up-and-downs on the course.
Famed architect Alister Mackenzie has
made mention of the closing hole at Jasper Park Lodge
as one of the best anywhere, and for good reason. At
just 463 yards, this long par four plays downhill and
moves to the player’s left towards the low-profile
clubhouse behind the green. The key on this hole is to
have your drive carry to the slope, adding significant
length to the drive. The long approach is to a
well-protected green that provides some interesting
putts. Suiting, the finisher is one of the most difficult holes on the
course, and one of
the strongest finishing holes in Canada.
The Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club offers great golf in a
perfect setting, on a classic design of Stanley
Thompson’s that launched his career that established
him as Canada's great golf architect. Reasonably
priced and open to the public, Jasper Park Lodge is
a testament to Canadian golf at its best, and truly
a "must-see" in Western Canada |
