Thundering Waters

After bursting on to the scene with much fanfare and an attempt by the course's signature designer to hit one over the falls, Thundering Waters is still trying to find its way in a busy Niagara golfing market. The course itself has gone through major changes since it first opened in the fall of 2005, mostly due to condos being built on what was the first and second holes and the tenth. It does seem strange for a major re-design in only three years but course staff insist that was always the intention.

I first visted the course in the fall of 2005 covering the Candian Tour's Niagara Pro-Am and found that the course was not quite ready for prime time. The tees were hard as a rock and golfers had to use one to get their tee in the ground. The fairways on one and two were sparsely covered with grass but the layout and the greens were very good.

Jump ahead to my visit this week and things have changed dramatically. One would think that with John Daly associated with a golf course that the primary focus would be hitting it a long way off the tee. But the exact opposite is true at Thundering Waters. Precision off the tee is paramount to scoring well as is hitting to the correct side of the pin. Most greens sit above the fairway with fall offs to collection areas and if you short side yourself, getting up and down is going to be difficult. It is not a long course but it is a shot makers course.

The course is in very good condition for April and most of the greens have wintered well. There is one temp green in play at the moment but will be gone in another month. The layout is a bit confusing at times with the changes but can be navigated as long as you're paying attention. The Clubhouse is nicely appointed with good locker room facilities and a very nice grill room. All the carts have a GPS system that give eact yardage to the flag from anywhere on the hole plus distances to bunkers, hazards, etc...

Green fees are in line with other courses in the area that offer similar amenities and the customer service is excellent. From the bag drop, to the Pro Shop and on course staff they are all smiles. For more information and directions visit their website at http://www.thunderingwaters.com