Golf Course Review by: Billy Satterfield

Rankings: 

 

The Takeaway:  The Old course has a handful of unique hole designs and the bones to be one of Alberta’s better public tracks, but the location next to the highway, dated facilities, and subpar conditioning holds it back.  Grade B-

Quick Facts

Designer:  Rod Whitman 1985 (West nine 1984; East nine 1985)

Cost:  $90 ($20 for a cart) Click for current rates

Phone Number:  866-783-6050

Course Website:  Official Website - Visit Wolf Creek Golf Resort (Old)'s official website by clicking on the link provided.

Directions:  Get here! - RR3 Site 10, Ponoka, Alberta  T4J 1R3 – CANADA

Photos:  See additional photos of Wolf Creek Golf Resort (Old)

What to Expect:  A Rod Whitman design that dates back to the mid-80s, the Old course at Wolf Creek was certainly regarded as one of the top public courses in Alberta for much of its lifespan. However, with the former ownership's financials providing little opportunity to update the facilities or keep up with turf conditions, the resort went through receivership in 2023. The resort was purchased by GolfNorth that same year with the mission of bringing the property back into shape with promises of investing more into the dated facilities. Some of the early holes on the Old course run along the highway and bring visibility to the facility, but the noise is pretty brutal during that stretch. The land enjoys a nice variety of movement in the terrain with a balance of open areas along with some forested holes. Each nine is pretty balanced in their strengths with neither side being the clear favorite for patrons to enjoy. In fact, the bones of the architecture are solid with several engaging hole designs and good bunkering, but ultimately I give the nod to the Links course as the superior track at the resort. As a side note, the Old course is the combination of two nines that were formerly known as the East course (1981) and West course (1982). The North and South nines came later and eventually became the Links course. In the end, Wolf Creek has the potential of being a great public golf destination in Alberta, but turf conditions and facilities will need to see some improvements to get back to its former glory.

By the Numbers

Tees	Par	Yardage	Rating	Slope
Black	70	6624	71.7	124
Silver	70	5996	68.4	122
Blue	70	5691	67.0	119
White	70	4917	63.6	104
Blue (Ladies)	70	5691	72.6	126
White (Ladies)	70	4917	68.0	119

Individual Hole Analysis

Signature Hole:  4th Hole – 385 Yard Par 4 – From the tee it feels like the 18th at Augusta National with tall trees framing the tee boxes before opening to a fairway that boasts a creek meandering up the right side. The approach shot plays uphill to a green that is horseshoed by water and will only allow forgiveness short. With water abounding to get in and accuracy being at a premium, carding a par here is something worth patting yourself on the back for.

Best Par 3:  3rd Hole – 199 Yards – A pleasant setting is presented at the first one-shotter on the course with a well undulated putting surface awaiting. Favoring the right side will result in your ball tumbling towards the center of the green and helps take the bunker out of play on the left side. Waste grass covers the land between the tee and green, so you'll need to hit a quality shot to stay out of the junk and record a good score.

Best Par 4:  18th Hole – 450 Yards – The closing hole bends slowly and steadily to the right the whole way home, so if you have a fade in the bag it is a good time to use it. A waste area lines the right side so don't let your fade turn into a slice before attacking the course's final green that is protected by four bunkers.

Best Par 5:  11th Hole – 506 Yards – This is certainly one of the coolest holes on Wolf Creek's Old course, and is a great scoring opportunity if you hit a good drive. The tee shot plays to a mostly blind landing area but the tree lines make it clear that the hole is bending left and will reward a draw. As players approach their balls, they will find that fairway terminating and picking back up well down the hill before traversing across the low ground enroute to the green. The green is perched up on a small bluff on the opposite side of where a creek crosses the fairway and will force players to carry their ball all the way home whether it is getting there in two or three. A bunker rests behind the green to catch balls coming in hot and can be a backstop if trying to reach the putting surface from distance.

Birdie Time:  16th Hole – 338 Yard Par 4 – The short 16th gives players a chance to score a birdie late in the round and prepare for the final two holes. The tee shot plays slightly uphill to a fairway that is partially obscured but features a tree stump as a good line to take. Players who draw it off the stump will be rewarded with a great angle and flip wedge into the green. Any tee shot that finds the fairway should be in attack mode, so be aggressive and secure a three here.

Bogey Beware:  9th Hole – 468 Yard Par 4 – Without question, the 9th is one of the wildest holes at the resort and will yield as many "others" as it does bogies. The lengthy two-shotter features a fairway that plays out and slightly to the left as it takes off between the trees. Finding the right location is critical to have any kind of look at the green as players will need to carve an approach shot between the trees, over the creek, and onto the raised putting surface. Anything coming up short will quickly tumble back downhill to trouble and virtually eliminate any chance at par. The highway is roaring behind the green so the distraction it delivers doesn't exactly help with player's concentration on the course's most demanding hole.