Designer: Stanley Thompson (1951)
Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
History: Opened in 1951, Whirlpool is the final design from prolific Canadian architect Stanley Thompson. Americans Jimmy Demaret and Cary Middlecoff beat the Canadian team of Bob Gray and Stan Leonard in an exhibition match on opening day. A municipal course, Whirlpool is owned and operated by the Niagara Parks Commission. While not officially on any lists at the moment, it is considered one of the best municipal courses in Canada.
Conditions: 7/10, Whirlpool’s greens were a bit on the slow side when I played but the conditions overall were very solid.
Value: 7/10, Whirlpool offers decent value, with rates ranging from $55 to $80 CAD depending on the day. It is an especially good deal for Americans due to the favorable conversion rates.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Gold 72 7019 74.3 130
Blue 72 6701 71.8 127
Blue/White 72 6507 71.0 125
White 72 6292 70.3 122
Red 72 5702 72.7 124
Yellow 72 5203 69.8 122
Hole Descriptions: I can’t imagine many people are traveling to Niagara Falls for golf, but if you have extra time in the area, there are several courses worth playing including Whirlpool. While Stanley Thompson isn’t a household name in America, he is a legend in Canada and designed many of its best courses such as Banff, Jasper, and St. George’s. There is an argument to be made that his dominance over Canadian golf is greater than any single architect in America. Whirlpool is not his best course, but is notable for being his last as well as being an affordable municipal course for all to play. This parkland design sits less than a mile from the world-famous Falls on a rather compact property with solid land movement. It is somewhat tight and nondescript off the tee, but features excellent approaches into well-defended greens with classic Thompson bunkering. I enjoyed my round here and would recommend it to tourists visiting to the area.
Whirlpool opens with a slight dogleg left par 4 at 384 yards. A fairly tight hole, this fairway is lined by trees and rough down either side with a bunker on the left around 225 yards. This green is on the smaller side and slopes back-to-front with bunkers on either side.
The 2nd hole is one of the most memorable on the course as a 386 yard par 4. Featuring a blind teeshot, this hole runs downhill the entire way and plays very narrow with trees and OB down the left. This approach is a pretty one, playing towards a diagonal green defended by bunkers left and short and water to the right. The putting surface contains two humps in the rear that create almost a backstop.
Whirlpool features five par threes and this collection has to be one of the most difficult anywhere, with four of the five playing over 200 yards. The 3rd hole is the longest of the group at 212 yards. This is an intimidating hole playing over a pond and valley to a wide, back-to-front sloped green lined by bunkers. Par is an excellent score here.
The 4th and 5th holes are consecutive par fives that play somewhat similarly in the same direction. At 495 yards, the 4th is the shorter of the two and plays as a slight dogleg left. This fairway is very narrow, with OB down the left the entire way and bunkers on the left at 215 yards and right at 270 yards. Additional bunkers line the fairway in the lay-up zone, while this green slopes slightly back-to-front with three sequential bunkers on the right and one left. The 5th hole is again rather narrow but this time slides to the right on the teeshot and plays longer at 513 yards. OB lines the left the entire way again and a bunker at 270 yards down the left is a good aiming point for many. The fairway remains tight in the lay-up area with bunkers and trees on either side. This green is elevated and defended by a false front and bunkers on either side short.
The 6th is one of my favorite holes at Whirlpool as another long par 3 at 210 yards. Playing downhill from an elevated teebox, this is an attractive one-shotter with views of downtown Niagara in the backdrop. This green is on the flatter side but surrounded by five bunkers and rough.
Two of the most challenging holes at Whirlpool come at the 7th and 8th, two straightaway but lengthy par fours that run parallel to each other. The 7th is probably the easier of the two, playing shorter at 416 yards to a tight, tree-lined fairway. This back-to-front sloped green is open up front but defended by three bunkers long. The 434 yard 8th hole is another tight hole, playing through a chute of trees to a skinny, tree-lined fairway. The fairway narrows even further as you near this large, elevated green with bunkers short.
The 9th hole offers a brief respite from the longer holes as the shortest par 4 on the course at 337 yards. This is an interesting hole that plays slightly uphill to a narrow, right-to-left sloping fairway defended by a pair of pesky right crossbunker around 225 yards. The ideal teeshot reaches the plateau over these bunkers, leaving a better angle into a large, receptive green lined by bunkers.
The back 9 opens with the longest par 4 on the course and another tough hole in the 450 yard 10th. While this hole plays straight with a fairly forgiving fairway, the length alone will make it a difficult par. This bunkerless green contains several mounds that make for some interesting pins. At 396 yards, the par 4 11th is not as long but is another tough hole and one of my favorites here. This hole plays uphill and longer the entire way with a tree-lined fairway featuring numerous ripples in it. The green sits well-above the end of the fairway and is quite narrow, sloping back-to-front. It sort of sits in an natural amphitheater with a crown of rough surrounding it.
The 12th hole is another long par 3 at 202 yards. This is an otherwise forgettable hole on level terrain with a flat green defended by bunkers on either side.
The 13th hole is a bit of an awkward par 5 at 510 yards. Initially, it plays straight to narrow fairway that ends abruptly at 225 yards. From here, the hole turns left, with a bunker on the inside corner of the dogleg at 235 yards and another down the right at 285 yards. The fairway becomes even tighter in the lay-up area, with tall trees and bunkers down either side. This long, skinny green slopes back-to-front with two bunkers on either side.
At 154 yards, the 14th hole is Whirlpool’s shortest par 3 by a wide margin and a pretty hole playing over a pond. This putting surface is rather flat but well-defended with four bunkers surrounding it.
The 15th hole is the longest par 5 at Whirlpool at 545 yards but a pretty straightforward hole otherwise. Playing straightaway, this hole plays along the edge of the property with a generous fairway lined by trees left and OB to the far right. Long bunkers run down the left around 160 yards and right at 225 yards but there is little other danger here. Likely a three-shot hole for most, this fairway remains wide with the exception of left crossbunker about 130 yards short of the green. This elevated green slopes slightly back-to-front with bunkers on either side.
The 16th hole is one of most attractive holes on the course as a 358 yard dogleg left par 4. The bunkering here is striking, with a large crossbunker you must carry at 145 yards and bunkers down either side for much of the landing area further up. This green slopes back-to-front and is defended by a vicious false front and bunkers short on either side.
The 17th hole is Whirlpool’s final par 3 and another lengthy one at 204 yards. While this green is receptive and flat, it is surrounded by mounds of rough and four well-placed bunkers.
Whirlpool closes in epic fashion, with a risk/reward 495 yard par 5 that’s simply a blast. With the Niagara River and U.S. border just a few hundred yards to your left, this hole runs downhill on the teeshot with OB and a road to your left the entire way, bunkers down the left between 190 and 230 yards, and a pair of bunkers on the right beginning at 265 yards. Potentially reachable in two, this fairway then trundles into a valley with trees and strategic crossbunkers on either side in the lay-up area. This back-to-front sloped green sits perched on a pedestal and is extremely well-defended with four bunkers long and another short.
General Comments: While the clubhouse and adjacent pub are more than adequate for a municipal course, practice facilities are limited with only a small putting green near the 1st tee. The course is a very pleasant walk and usually very busy.
Verdict: The final design from legendary Canadian architect Stanley Thompson, Whirlpool is a charming parkland layout with excellent bunkering and plenty of length and challenge. This affordable municipal course is certainly worth a play if you’re looking to add golf to your Niagara Falls itinerary.