Links at Brunello

Stunned that I live 25 mins away and never played. This course deserves all the positive reviews. Very similar to another McBroom highly acclaimed course, the ridge at Manitou. The other j Lawlor is a member at that one I will be back this year for sure.

If you are looking for a challenging round of golf with a great layout of holes where no two holes look the same then you need to give Brunello a try. The course is in fantastic shape for only being open for 2 seasons, as time passes I believe this will be as big a draw as the Links courses are in Cape Breton. Carts are complimentary with the green fee and come with built in GPS. There are many different sets of tees to accommodate any and all levels of golfers at Brunello. The putting/chipping area as well as the driving range which can be used before you play are in my opinion some of the best in the province. Unlike other courses you are free to hit unlimited Taylormade balls before your round which is a huge plus ! With the renovations to the clubhouse this season and the addition of a lounge area it has the makings of one of the best courses in the country. Keep up the good work Brunello

I was a pass holder last year and after 4 rounds was ready to pack it in but decided I would start playing from the proper tees and start using some golf management. I was a 15 handicap before playing this course. now I am a 24. This is a tough layout but if you use your head and follow the GPS you should be okay. You have to play the course at least 5 times to get the feel of the layout. I have played some of the best courses in North America and this one is right at the top. Excellent staff, practice facility and great conditioned golf course.

Id love to know how Glen Arbour of Halifax got a higher rating then this course. Brunello is better in basically all ways. The clubhouse is the only difference. that and if you are good enough to complain the greens are new so wont hold very well for a couple more years. Brunello is a very premium course at a very premium price.

I've played this course about 12 times as a guest of a friend.

My factor is 13 and I lost about 6 balls the first round and expect to lose between 2 and 6 every round. Another friend whose factor is about 19 lost about 12 balls. Another friend's factor is 3 and he also lost some balls and not because of bad shots. This is my main complaint is the number of balls you could lose. I rarely lose balls!

PROS

1. Well-maintained; nice layout

2. Great service - very friendly, free water.

3. Good value for money (if you don't count the cost of lost balls)

4. GPS on carts

5. Reasonable pace of play (if you and others don't spend time looking for lost balls)

6. Nice practice range and greens with free balls

CONS

1. The greens are hard - assuming because this is only their second year.

2. a few blind shots on some par 4s - this means that you could lose a ball

3. on some fairways, even if you hit your ball down the middle, when you arrive at the location, your ball is probably in the first cut and lost! Some of the fairways are peaked in the middle and sloping to either side.

4. GPS does not give you enough warning as you arrive within 100m of the green and you may have to reverse. A rope across would help

5. You have to take a cart given the distance between greens and the next tee. This is not a walking course

SUMMARY

While a beautiful and well groomed course, it is frustrating. Play this course if you want a challenge and don't mind losing balls. It is not a good course for scramble tournaments with average golfers.

This course is a classic example of a great opportunity lost by a designer who tried too hard to make the course some kind of special challenge. While the staff are great and the conditions are very good (although the greens are hard) this course has been designed in a way that makes it, simply put, no fun to play. It is not just challenging, but punitive. Shots that are not near perfect can be penalized significantly. Most greens are very protected and misses by a few yards result in little chance to get up and down. Most fairways are narrow, and often sloped toward the rough. The rough is near impossible: lost balls are very common. This could have been so good. It needs many changes to get there.

By Far the Best Course around, the conditions are always impeccable, the people and customer service are second to none!. They go above and beyond to ensure your visit, round and time there is amazing. I will, and have referred all golfers I know to play this course at least once, however after the first round you will be back again for a second go at her. Guaranteed.