Golf Course Review by: Billy Satterfield
Rankings:
The Takeaway: A player's course, Mickelson National has some serious chops that will test your length, accuracy, and finesse all day long. The top shelf conditioning, sloping greens, and exceptional variety of hole lengths make the course stand out. Grade A-
Quick Facts
Designer: Phil Mickelson 2020
Cost: Private
Phone Number: 403-620-0086
Course Website: Official Website - Visit Mickelson National Golf Club's official website by clicking on the link provided.
Directions: Get here! - 34122 East Harmony Trail, Calgary, Alberta T3Z 0G8 – CANADA
Photos: See additional photos of Mickelson National Golf Club
What to Expect: Mickelson National is located northwest of Calgary on the way to Banff on a former farming site. A good amount of earth work was done to create contours and features on the property which make it more engaging to use as a golf course. The traits that instantly standout are variety and conditioning. The variety of hole lengths, shapes, and features is outstanding with some driveable par fours and other two-shotters where you'd be thrilled to reach them in regulation. The one-shotters also are outstanding with some really good green complexes that provide all sorts of options based on the pin placement. From a property standpoint, the trees are very young and will mark maturity to the club over the years as they grow, but for now, the views are vast across the property and extending into the distance. The club as a whole has a very modern feeling with a contemporary style clubhouse and features. Though the amenities, carts, and facilities are very modern, there is not a stuffiness to the club at all. It feels chic yet welcoming, and ultimately a great place to be with friends while competing on the golf course. In the end, Mickelson National is a really good golf course that is made better by maximizing the property they were dealing with. Phil Mickelson's influence is certainly felt throughout as the course tests every aspect of your game and seems primed to one day host the Canadian Open.
By the Numbers
| Tees | Par | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 72 | 7412 | 76.4 | 144 |
| II | 72 | 6865 | 73.9 | 139 |
| III | 72 | 6501 | 72.3 | 135 |
| IV | 72 | 6031 | 70.2 | 126 |
| V (Ladies) | 72 | 5512 | 73.3 | 128 |
| VI (Ladies) | 72 | 4741 | 69.0 | 119 |
Individual Hole Analysis
Signature Hole: 18th Hole – 542 Yard Par 4 – The home hole at Mickelson National gives players a final scoring opportunity with a par five, but they’ll need to stay out of the water to be successful. The pond flanking the left side of the hole narrows to a creek before crossing in front of the green and requiring players to take an aerial shot into the putting surface whether they try to get home in two or with a standard green in regulation. The fairway slopes towards the water so favoring the right side off the tee is wise as long as you can manage to stay out of the fairway bunker pinching the landing zone. The slightly domed green features a trio of bunkers across the back and the creek in front when being approached on the third shot, but if going for it in two the angle puts the bunkers on the left and water on the right. Either way, Phil is going to make sure you have accuracy on the home hole to score well.
Best Par 3: 3rd Hole – 194 Yards – Mickelson National enjoys a wonderful collection of one-shotters and the first of them sets the tone early. Tipping out just under 200 yards, the 3rd hole features a uniquely shaped green separated into two distinct tiers. The front tier is wide but relatively shallow with the right side horseshoed by a bunker while the left side features a sloping edge. The back tier is in a bowl and is where birdies are going to be much more common. There is plenty of forgiveness long, so taking plenty of club is advisable and can result in hitting a shot that uses the sloping to work the ball close to the hole.
Best Par 4: 7th Hole – 316 Yards – Mickelson National features a couple of drivable par fours that are both a hoot to play, but the layout and strategy at the 7th makes it the superior offering. Big hitters will eye the left side of the hole where the split fairway offers the only chance to reach the green with their tee shot. Balls will need to make it over the crest in the upper fairway before disappearing from view and hopefully working their way onto the green. The slope is strong enough that big drives can carom off the back of the green, so if you have just a bit of fade on the ball it should counter the slope perfectly and yield an eagle putt. The fairways are split with a heavy amount of bunkering with the lower fairway offering the safer route that is in view the whole way. The bowled right side offers plenty of forgiveness and allows players to be as aggressive as they want with their distance, but keep in mind that the raised putting surface reacts best with a high spinning shot, so leaving yourself a full swing in can be beneficial. There are so many fun ways to play this hole and an equal variety of scores it will yield.
Best Par 5: 4th Hole – 563 Yards – The par five 4th is all about your shot into the green. The tee shot features a relatively generous fairway that is protected by bunkering and trouble on the left side that is meant to discourage players from getting too aggressive trying to take yardage off the hole. The left side of the green is flanked by a pond, so every effort should be made to keep your second or third shot up the right side where the sloping in the fairway is quick to reward players with a kick towards the green. That being said, if you are going to layup, hitting a shot short of the water on the left side will provide a superior angle for getting a spinning wedge shot to hold as it will be playing into the slope of the green. With firm and fast fairways, the par fives are scoring opportunities at Mickelson National so take advantage of it here and throw a birdie on the card.
Birdie Time: 16th Hole – 318 Yard Par 4 – While the 7th hole is the more intriguing layout of the two drivable par fours at Mickelson National, the 16th is certainly the more vulnerable of the pair where a straight shot up the right half of the fairway will quickly be rewarded with a generous amount of roll and slope towards the putting surface. Players that reach the green in one will almost assuredly walk away under par while players who miss their tee shots to the left will likely walk away over par after their ball tumbles into the creek that is hidden amongst the brush. The back edge of the green falls off quickly to trouble, so you are better off taking a club that will stay in front of the putting surface than flirting with going long. With this hole and the par five 18th as two of the final three offerings, Phil is giving players a chance to go low on their way into the clubhouse.
Bogey Beware: 13th Hole – 528 Yard Par 4 – Phil is expecting a lot out of you on this hole, so you'll need to do everything to summon your inner Mickelson and hit some bombs. At 528 yards from the tips and just four strokes to get in for par, even players that are long off the tee will likely have a hybrid or more into the green. The hole is relatively flat and straight away, but there is plenty of bunkering to contend with; the heaviest of which is found on the left side near the green. The second shot should favor the right edge of the green where the fairway is sloped to kick balls left onto the putting surface and offer some reprieve to the length required. There is nowhere to hide here with the fairway exposed to the wind and your game being tested to the max. There is no shame in walking away with a five here; but trying to make it no more than that.
