Coppinwood Golf Club

New golf courses are like girlfriends - some are a big disappointment on the first date; some start off with fireworks but fizzle out as time goes on; but eventually you find one that might be a keeper. The new Coppinwood course designed by Tom Fazio is the kind you want to marry. It scores highly on first impression and you think this might be the one. On your second date, you begin to understand the character and complexities of the design and want to learn more. By the third outing you’re infatuated and prepared to pledge your undying love. You think it’s all you ever wanted but then you learn to your utter astonishment it comes with a sparkling new clubhouse and the best practice area in the country. It’s like finding out your fianc?e has a sizeable trust fund and a scratch handicap.

Coppinwood is Fazio’s first Canadian course since he and Uncle George designed The National Golf Club in Woodbridge over twenty years ago. On his own, Tom Fazio has garnered a reputation for bold, challenging designs but almost everything he’s done has been surrounded by a housing development or a resort – designs that are often compromised by alternate land uses. The Coppinwood site is spread over 300+ acres of rolling, wooded countryside with enough elevation that from some points on the course you can see downtown Toronto. There are stands of hardwood alongside open meadows, acres and acres of poplar and cedar framing the fairways and the occasional solitary pine to suggest a northern flavour. There’s a lot of fescue but nary a condo or tennis court in sight.

During a site visit to Coppinwood last year, Fazio spoke at some length about the property and how rare it was for him to have such a blank canvas on which to work. There were no instructions from the owners regarding other land uses, no preconceived ideas on routing or design, just a direction to do what he does better than most everyone on the planet – build a great golf course. And he certainly delivered!

Fazio is noted for his attention to detail. During the same site visit we toured the 12th hole which is shown on the cover of this issue. The green was under construction and ready to receive a layer of sand. The entire surface was covered with a network of string dividing it into squares about 3’ x 3’. Each square had a small peg in the middle. One of Fazio’s site lieutenants explained that every peg was laser-measured using GPS to ensure that the height of the new layer of sub-mix was uniform across the green and conformed to plan. And this was done at every level on every green and tee on the whole course.

With seemingly nothing left to chance, you might think the golf course would have a manufactured look. Actually the opposite is true. Coppinwood looks like it belongs on the property. Although it still has a new look, this will fade as the course matures and in a year or two visitors will believe the course has been there a long time.

Coppinwood opens with a big sweeping par-5 that crosses a wetland to a broad sloped fairway. It’s a dramatic opening hole and indicative of the vastness of this course. The fairways are maintained firm and fast meaning if you hit them there is lots of roll and the course will play shorter than its yardage. As an added bonus, Fazio has built what he calls “speed slots,” and if you put your drive in the right place you can count on an extra 20 – 25 yards downhill roll. A great example can be seen on the par-5 15th hole where hitting the speed slot can make the difference between laying up or getting home in two.

This course is all about execution. The fairways are of reasonable width and the greens are generally large and inviting, so if you’re on your game and putting well, a decent score is possible. However, if your game is the least bit erratic or you can’t develop a feel for the green speed or slopes, it may be a long day with a large number attached. Those generous fairways are framed by deep, thick fescue while those large inviting greens run fast with plenty of slope or multiple tiers. For added sport Fazio has designed bold aggressive bunkers flashed into hillsides, raised greens with deep bunkers all round and added just enough fairway bunkering to make you think long and hard about cutting some corners.

Fortunately, the practice facility at Coppinwood is second to none so members have no excuses. It includes several tee decks on the main range with target flags, greens and posts, all marked for exact yardage. There’s another deck at the opposite end for very private lessons. A second range also allows shorter approach shots to several target greens from many angles and the option to hit fairway bunker shots. A massive short game area provides two practice greens – one for putting and one for practicing chipping and pitching from any lie you might find on the course including deep rough, sidehill or downhill lies and several types of bunker situations. Finally, there are three practice holes that emulate most of the conditions found on the full course. A small Academy building offers a spot for members to relax, view video or work with an instructor.

Every golf course designer will tell you that he doesn’t have a signature hole, instead there are 18 of them. In the case of Coppinwood, that may be close. Close enough that you should be thinking marriage.
More articles by Peter Mumford