Fifth hole, 438 yards: A robust par four that most appropriately signals the course’s strategic intentions. The tee shot asks the player to challenge a series of fairway bunkers on the inside corner of this dog leg. The carry is substantial for the aggressive line, but the reward is a significantly shorter iron or maybe even wedge into a green that repels indifferent shots.

The green complex here may remind the keen eye, of 14th at Augusta National, though it’s certainly no copy or rendition of it. Drawing from the source material is the major false edges, turning what looks like the middle of the green into portions that bleed away into collection areas. There are no greenside bunkers, and the green’s total surface area is rather large—it’s the simple visual intimidation factors that deceive the golfer’s eyes into thinking the shot is more complex than it actually is. Big numbers are inevitable for those who lack confidence.

Sixth hole, 231 yards: Visually and physically, this is the most intimidating one-shotter on the property. The green sits tucked over the corner of a large water hazard on the left. A natural redan in presentation, it sits perched precariously with a severe back-to-front and right-to-left slope headed directly towards the water. Players with the ability to hit a long and high or running, right-to-left shot can take advantage of the natural slopes of the land to reach middle and back pin locations more easily. The architectural brilliance here lies in the bailout area: players who fear the water and hit shots to the safe side will find themselves left with a dangerous pitch shot back toward the water that is faster and more terrifying than the original tee shot itself. It’s a perfect example of the course’s ability to allow for passive and safe play at almost any moment while emphasizing the need to take on the features presented to score.

Seventh hole, 333 yards: It might be said that every great golf course must have a quintessential short par 4 that can deliver a masterclass in risk/reward. At Laval, the seventh hole is that drivable opportunity for the longest hitters. With the back tee at a modest 333 yards, most might play this hole from 300 or less and be left with a short pitch into the green. Yet, it’s not as easy as it might seem from the scorecard alone. Tee shots must navigate the pond sitting parallel to the line of play. A line of trees separates the seventh from the fourth up the left, while two bunkers short of the green further protects the safety zones. From the tee players are forced to pick their preferred line, with those who lay up left pitching directly towards the water, while aggressive tee shots up the right have the benefit of a preferred angle but are riskier plays. The green is situated directly along the right side of the hole, narrowing and pitched away from the golfer towards the water.

Eleventh hole, 456 yards: The 11th is a striking hole—both visually and to play. The tee shot here looks far more challenging than it is, with two bunkers eating into the fairway—one on either side—with the inside bunker on the right hiding the amount of room available. Similar to the ethos of the golf course, the tee shot isn’t the main focal point of the design; that lies in the approach. Beyond the bunkers, the terrain dips into a small shallow valley before quickly rising some 20 or so feet to the green. While there is ample green space to work with, the devious false front, coupled with two fronting bunkers and the rounded corners at the rear, are among the key tools used to perplex golfers. It’s a hole that you could pluck from the golf course and stick at some of the finest parkland courses in the World and it wouldn’t look out of place, including drawing some similarities to the approach at the 11th at Oakland Hills (South).

12th hole, 366 yards: Often cited as one of the best and visually inspiring holes from the renovation, this mid-length par four utilizes the rolling topography beautifully by lacing a string of bunkers down the middle, dividing the fairway into an upper (left) and lower (right). Due to the topography at hand, the two bunkers in the fairway look connected to the third and fourth bunker as they all sit into the hillside, yet ample room exists between the two couples. A short or mid-length iron must elevate the ball to a green which is strongly pitched away from the golfer—particularly from those who play the left side. It’s a hole with two distinctive strategic pathways that players can execute depending on their preference and skills.

18th hole, 478 yards: If the Blue was a Canadian Open host, this would be a fitting conclusion to such a test of golf. Long and demanding, the tee shot turns ever so slightly to the left. A bunker on the outside narrows the landing zone, such that players who lay up or miss short face a significantly long and difficult shot in. The approach features a green complex that seems to reject anything but the most well struck shots. Its putting surface perched above its surroundings which includes a lonesome bunker front left protecting the largest portion from running shots. It is an apt end to a round that requires constant mental engagement.