Course Review: Bear Creek Golf Club, by Jeffrey Reed (October 2005)

Copyright 2005 London Ontario Golf

It’s difficult to explain why I score well at one of my favourite area golf courses, Strathroy’s Bear Creek Golf Club. Sure, this track measures only 6,154 yards from the gold tees, but thanks to the winding Sydenham River, water comes into play on 14 holes. Fairways are tight, too. But I’ve always enjoyed playing this fully-mature course, because it has character – and yes, because my scores are usually low.

Opened in 1914 as the nine-hole Strathroy G&CC, the course expanded to 18 holes in 1975 with redesign in the hands of hometown golf course architect, Rene Muylaert, who passed away earlier this year. Muylaert designed more than 50 Ontario courses, including The Oaks G&CC in London, and Sarnia’s Sawmill Creek G&CC. In November 2000, Larry Welch and Hugh Getliffe, the club’s current CPGA pro, purchased Bear Creek, which rests just 20 minutes southwest of London.

What I really appreciate about Bear Creek is its variety of holes: no two are alike. There’s a challenge at the first tee, where a sharp dogleg right demands pinpoint accuracy at this 477-yard par-5. A two-tiered green slopes from back to front. No rest at No. 2, a 361-yard slight dogleg left demanding an accurate uphill approach shot. The large green at the 167-yard par-3 No. 3 is made more difficult with a slight slope to the front. No. 4 is one of my favourites. Measuring 480 yards, water rests in your landing area from the elevated tee. No. 7 is a pretty hole, again from an elevated tee to a challenging green.

The only problem I have with Bear Creek is its inaccuracy of hole measurements, especially on the back 9, where a number of holes are much shorter than indicated on the club’s scorecard. On this ideal fall day, I was consistently hitting wedge and 9-iron into holes which should have demanded more from me. However, the winding water and tight fairways do even the playing field.

No. 10 is another gorgeous hole, 490 yards from an elevated tee with water at the landing area and fronting the green – a tough par-5. No. 11 is a difficult par-3, measuring 180 yards. An overhanging tree comes into play on the left, and out-of-bounds rests right of the green. Measuring 157 yards, No. 13 is a tricky little par-3 with water front and bunker left. The 290-yard par-4 14th lets you grip it and rip it for a chance to drive the green, but the tee shot requires a slight fade. I ended up pin-high to the right of the green. Lots of fun at No. 15, a good risk-reward hole. A dogleg right should call for an iron off the tee, but I hit a power fade with driver and ended up 30 yards in front of the hole. Again, this one measures shorter on the course than on the scorecard.

Bear Creek’s No. 16 is probably the most difficult hole on the course. A sharp dogleg left with a narrow fairway demands an iron off the tee. Then, you must hit into a heavily guarded green with a wide water-filled ravine front and a large bunker front and left.

The real story of the 507-yard par-5 18th isn’t the Titelist-grabbing river winding in front of the green. For a 16th season, The Bear – a memorial toll bridge leading to the finishing green – has invited golfers to donate their pocket change into a small coin box in support of cancer research. More than $15,000 has been raised at the bridge, which is accompanied by a sign recognizing members who have died of the disease. The club also hosts the annual Cancer Golf Tournament, and has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Canadian Cancer Society. Both the bridge and the tourney were founded by club member Clarence (Mickey) Pettigrew, who was encouraged to do so by a neighbour who was raising money for cancer research.

Completing the Bear Creek tour, a catering kitchen and large, heavily-used banquet hall, plus GetWel’s bar and grill, are top-notch amenities, but the pro shop leaves a lot to be desired. However, these minuses don’t take away from an enjoyable round of golf. I highly recommend play at Bear Creek GC, close to London and well worth the drive. 

Bear Creek GC
Strathroy, Ont.
519-245-7773
Green Fees:
$29 weekdays, $34 weekends, cart $27
www.bearcreekgolf.ca