Saturday, May 22, 1999
MICHAEL GRANGE
The Globe and Mail

There's value in them hills.

For a golfer prepared to drive that extra 20 minutes or so, there are some reasonably priced playing opportunities at some decent courses, an important consideration as green fees in the greater Toronto area continue to climb.

A good example is Mill Run Golf and Country Club, northeast of Toronto about eight kilometres west of Uxbridge.

Designed by Rene Muylaert on a generous, rolling piece of property, Mill Run is a layout bereft of any real weak points and in possession of a handful of holes that wouldn't be out of place on any number of tracks that charge twice the $45 it costs to play Mill Run at peak periods.

Mill Run has the amenities that make for a pleasant day on the links. The range has grass hitting areas, the overall practice facilities are excellent and the 19th hole is as cozy as your local sports bar.

It also boasts a fine executive course that requires every club in the bag, if one is looking for a change of pace or somewhere to take a new golfer.

Then there are the youngsters who offer complimentary (tips only) club cleaning on the way out to the parking lot. Not a bad way to spend one of those dollars you've saved.

But no matter what the price, a golf course is still remembered for what happens between the first tee and the final green, and although there is the odd rough spot, Mill Run does just fine there as well.

The two nines play like two different courses. The front nine is open and hilly, with high grasses rather than trees defining most of the fairways. You can use your driver on almost every hole. Wind is always in play, as are bunkers that guard most of the greens, none more fiercely than Jaws -- the massive trap protecting the green on the 203-yard, par-three eighth hole, one of two unnecessarily nasty par-threes on the front.

The back nine start with two holes that run through a low-lying, forested wetland area. Bring your bug repellent for this part of the course and be prepared to hit three strong, accurate shots if you have any intentions of getting on the tiny elevated 567-yard, par-five 10th hole in regulation; then hit two more to get to another tiny elevated green on the par-four 11th.

Holes 12 through 16 are back on top, but the 17th and 18th cut through the woods again. One of the changes that will be in play by midsummer is a new tee position on the 17th. No longer will it be a sharp dogleg; instead, the hole will play longer, with only a gentle bend, and require a tee shot through a narrow chute.

A word of caution: Those balls you rifle into the woods on the low-land holes on the back nine? Leave them there.

Mill Run has one of the most unusual lateral hazards to be found in the greater Toronto area: quicksand. We're not kidding. Just take a drop.

Mill Run is a semi-private club, although members have no problem sharing their course with daily fee players, whose money keeps their membership dues low.

They will also help pay for a planned second championship course on the property. Master architect Doug Carrick (Angus Glen) has been consulted on the plans.

Members at Mill Run will tell you the grooming can vary between just average to quite crisp. Depending on how you find them, the course conditions make Mill Run a true bargain or simply fairly priced.

One move the club has made to make things a bit more consistent is to rebuild the ninth green, which had fallen to disease a few years ago and wasn't big enough to handle the traffic it received.

The new green was sodded in the first week of May and will be ready in June.

So if you're searching for a challenging venue to hit your big stick but trying not to spend the grocery money, one might consider heading for the hills and teeing it up at Mill Run.

Just watch out for the quicksand.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Where: 269 Durham Rd. No. 8, eight kilometres west of Uxbridge.

Statistics: 6,793 yards from the back tees, with a rating of 72.8 and a slope of 131; there is also an 18-hole executive course.

Head professional: Darren Stalteri.

Fees: $36 from Monday to Thursday; $40 on Friday; $45 on weekends and holidays; twilight rate is $26 after 5 p.m.; carts are $20.

Facilities: Practice range; pitching green, two chipping greens, practice bunkers and two putting greens; club rentals; fully equipped pro shop and clubhouse; showers and lockers available; full banquet and meeting facilities.

The word: It's a little off the beaten track, but an extra 15 minutes drive or so and you'll find a fun, solid layout at a fair price.

Contact: 1-800-465-8633; or 905-852-6212, ext. 240 for championship course and 239 for executive course.