A Duffer's Guide

marc.lalonde@transcontinental.ca

Dorval Municipal Golf Course isn't the swankiest place you're ever going to hit a golf ball, and it's far from the longest course you'll play this year, but it might just be the best value going for duffers who don't want to go too far from home.

The semi-private club sits next door to Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, on Cardinal Avenue.

It boasts nine individual holes with two sets of tee boxes on each hole, making a full 18 a different experience on the back nine. The recently renovated clubhouse looks great, and the terrain is in great shape after a rainy summer.

When Cites Nouvelles reporter Phillippe Boisvert and I set out on our weekly Duffer's Guide trek, we knew the course would be interesting, and we were not disappointed.

On the par-4 first hole, My drive stunk, and so did my next three shots, almost as though I had no idea how to play golf at all.

Oh, yeah – that's right. I don't know how to play golf.

Things started to look up for me on the second hole, a 137-yard par-3 with a crowning green that can be tricky to get on to if you don't hit it off the tee. Our playing partner, Dominik, a 14-year-old member, hit most of his greens and fostered a serious inferiority complex among his playing partners -- who were all at least 10 years older than him.

He was an excellent addition to our group.

As the front nine wore on, I started to get more and more comfortable. On 10, the same hole the bedeviled me into an eight coerced me into a five this time around. I scored lower on every hole on the back nine than I did on the front nine (except for 18. No explanation for what happened there).

. Most of the par-4 holes are under 400 yards, but are tough plays, while the single par-5 hole, the 491-yard seventh/sixteenth hole is tricky but can yield some birdies if you play it well. The eighth hole is a long, 173-yard par-3 that proves tricky with a high crowning green, especially if you play it right off the tee.

Beware the sand traps, though. A wet summer has turned some of them into mudpuddles and they can be awfully tough to play out of. The course is in great shape – other than the occasional bunker) and with the cool breeze Tuesday afternoon, the conditions were perfect for a day on the course. If you are looking for a great way to spend an afternoon and get some exercise at the same time, Dorval Municipal is the place for you.

At $18 for nine holes and $26 for 18 holes, it's competitively priced and affordable for golfers of all backgrounds

Dorval Municipal Golf Club is located at 1455 Cardinal Ave. in Dorval, and it offers memberships throughout the season at affordable rates, and you can call them at (514) 631-4711 or online at www.golfmunidorval.com