Royal Ontario Golf Club in Hornby, Ontario, Canada | GolfPass
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Rating Index Rating
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3.9
378 Reviews 378 Reviews
5 Stars
95
4 Stars
177
3 Stars
67
2 Stars
20
1 Stars
19
Conditions
3.8
Value
3.6
Layout
4.1
Friendliness
4.2
Pace
3.4
Amenities
3.9
78.6%
Recommend this course
303 out of 378 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.5
2 Reviews 2 Reviews
5 Stars
1
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.0
Value
4.5
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.5
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
4.5
100.0%
Recommend this course
2 out of 2 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.9
23 Reviews 23 Reviews
5 Stars
8
4 Stars
8
3 Stars
5
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
1
Conditions
3.8
Value
3.6
Layout
4.1
Pace
3.4
Amenities
3.9
StaffFriendliness
4.2
78.3%
Recommend this course
18 out of 23 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 7074 yards
Slope 146
Rating 75.0

Royal Ontario Golf Club sprawls across gentle hillsides blanketed in mature trees and thick fescue. Formerly a stable, the course features large meadows and dense groves of trees that frame the fairways and greens. The layout has a more traditional, links design that features occasional water hazards, most notably on the par-5 ninth and 18th holes that share a large lake, but the tree-covered hills are the true challenge of the golf course. Although there are many difficult elements on this course, five sets of tees make it accessible for players of all skill levels. Royal Ontario Golf Club is often compared to the Masters Course at Lionhead Golf & Country Club.

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Royal Ontario Golf Club
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Course Details

Year Built 2003
Golf Season Apr 1 to Nov 30
Architect Ted Baker (2003)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Pull-carts Yes
Caddies No
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Bar, Snacks, Restaurant, Beverage Carts

Available Facilities

Showers, Lockers
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Reviews

3.9
378 Reviews (378)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 25
Patio Dining 24
19th Hole Scenic Views 20
Course Challenges Include:
Water Hazards 59
Bunkers 42
Narrow Fairways 42
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 47
Locals 33
Entertaining Clients 27
This Course's Location is:
Convenient to the City 46
Worth the Drive 35
In the 'Burbs 17

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 20
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Course was decent, Greens terrible

Course was in good condition. Unfortunately greens had been aerated, making a tough course that much harder. Pin placements where silly, bunkers so so, and the tee boxes not even.
I expect better when forking out $128.00 at this time of the year.

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Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played

Punched Greens!!!!

I have played this course a few times per season over the years.On this occasion, the course failed to inform myself or playing partners that the greens were punched / aerated .
This made it impossible to putt.
If I had have known, then I would definitely not have paid the $120 green fee to play this course. My playing partners felt exactly the same.
I would at least expect that before you book and pay immediately online, that you would have full disclosure of the greens being PUNCHED!!
Very disappointed that we didn’t know.
I would urge that anyone playing this course, call before booking, in order to avoid this happening in the future..

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Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Always nice

Great course… bit of a frost delay but not unexpected… some bunkers were like concrete though

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Lots of potential

This course is very good overall.
Beautiful layout and well taken care of.
A few too many gimmick holes (short par 4’s, etc.) take away from the overall rating.
Way overpriced at $148.
Mandatory carts is an unfortunate rule for most Kaneff courses for the extra money grab.
Pace of play was 4:20 (early 8:40 tee off) which is unacceptable for a course with mandatory carts.
In my experience, lots of occasional golfers play here - which contributes to the slow play.

Wish they would fix the price and let people walk, but have an actual marshal speeding people up.

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Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 5
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

A Lovely But Occasionally Baffling Course

Never having played here before but wanting something 'special' for our anniversary, my wife and I chose Royal Ontario. The conditions looked wonderful and challenging but there were a few surprising twists, especially for first timers. 1) Numerous non-level tee boxes, haven't seen that very often before... 2) several par 5's where you can't see the fairway and don't know which direction to aim... 3) a short part 4 where you can't see the green (so driving it isn't an option) and a first timer isn't even sure where to lay up, and 4) a par 3 where the green was obstructed by trees from the white tee box... Lastly, the carts would sound a loud alarm if you were 'in a restricted area', which is fine but it sure would help newbies to maybe put up a sign or two so you know where not to go, or where to 'escape' the 'no-go' zone. Also the alarm went off a couple times while we were on the actual cart-path, and the cart would auto-shut off... so seems like a glitch or two still in the system. All that said, I'd love to go back and try the course again now that I have a better idea where to aim, and the greens and fairways were in lovely condition. The layout is scenic and challenging and great golf fun can be had here. Just wish the par 5s' made it a little more tempting to 'grip and rip'....

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Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 130
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser

Not worth it

Packed, 10 minutes staggering between groups is not appropriate.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 130
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 34
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Terrible Tee Blocks, 0 player management

As 3, made into 4, we let two solos pass, a double pass and caught up to a then several times.

The course should be able to spot these deficiencies and ask the slower players upfront to play faster or educate them on the game. (They were waiting for people to finish the hole to tee off and spending 5+ minutes looking for balls)

Entering the shop was a little weird, no explanation or direction on where the 1st hole was, where to get carts, etc.

TEE BLOCKS: the only thing that makes this course difficult is the fact you are swinging at 45 degrees due to how terribly uneven the tee block were… literally unplayable

Not to mention, no one on this course fixed divots or ball marks. Course and green was beat so bad that due to slow play we probably could of had been paid for how much maintenance we did

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Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Amazing course great conditions

Everything was great, if anything the golf cart has a bell to signal pace of play, food at the turn etc.
a little bit loud bell.
It kept ringing that we were a home behind where we were right behind the group in front of us.
I guess in hindsight it’s a great tool to keep slow groups on pace.
So no big deal. For sure I will be coming back.

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Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Good round of golf..... lots of walking

Somethings you can change, others you can't. No marshalls on the course from hole 5 onward. waiting on every shot was tough on a hot day. poor tee sheet management. played as a twosome, behind two other twosomes. Cart girl told us four groups up had a huge gap in front of them.

Course is challenging, though some holes i wasn't a fan of. hitting two 100 yard shots on a par four seems odd?? didn't like that hole.

Also note under things you can't change, it was cart path only as there was rain the night before. lots of walking though completely understandable. i will say compared to others, this course does not drain well. despite playing midday in very hot temp, there were puddles all afternoon on the fairways....

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Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Need more Marshall's

Very slow round. Waiting on every hole. Staff was great, just wished saw Marshalls on the back nine.

Odd course layout. Scorecard doesn't match GPS. Plays much shorter than advertised... Shouldnt hit wedge/wedge on a par 4 that plays 200 yards and you cant go for... on another one not be able to hit anything longer than a 6 iron offthe tee with a short right hand approach to the green. Some very nice holes but just a few odd holes.

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Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Poor
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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