The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

19 | Stouffville Sun-Tribune | Thursday, August 25, 2016 Hitting from the eighth fairway at Lebovic Golf Club into the first phase of Venetian-style estate homes. Chris Traber/ photo Stunning conditions provide Aurora rookie Lebovic's strength Lebovic Golf Club DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Ken Hamilton STATUS: Public SIGNATURE HOLE: Take a few moments on the tee box to allow your eyes to roam the nearby countryside from the high point of the course that is No. 3. It's a gorgeous par-4 test winding its way 407 yards downhill to the lowest point on the course and a slightly elevated and bunker-protected green. Two fairway bunkers offer an optical illusion from the tee box, but a generous landing area awaits to set up a second shot to the green. TROUBLE AWAITS: Water is a factor on several holes on Lebovic, which opened this spring. However, No. 14 dares big and bold hitters to bring it over a large pond. "Bite off as much as you wish to risk," head golf professional Ken Hamilton says, pointing to a 336-yard, par-4 challenge that has water all the way to the green whether you play big or cautious. "The brave or the foolhardy can have a go at it." The challenge for long balls clearing the pond is to hold on through a narrow horizontal landing area. The safe play is to shoot for the landing area between THE PR TOUR 'S The Pro's Tour reviews golf courses in and near York Region and appears on a regular basis online and in York Region Media Group newspapers. the water hazard and 150-yard marker and play the hole as a left dogleg. Two bunkers protect the right side of a tricky saddleshaped green. . CURSE OF THE COURSE: Fescue. Fescue. Fescue. It's tough to not be aware of the challenging straw grass even in a dry summer that has kept it at a manageable height. Just wait until the fescue matures. GIMME A LIFE MEMBERSHIP: The shortest hole on the course is no pushover. Even from the longest (black) of four tee sets (104 from the whites), No. 12 plays to a mere 131 yards. With shaved green-side bunkers waiting to pounce and an elevated green that dips off in multiple directions, it's all carry to the green. A reminder good things still come in small packages. Honorable mention: From sharply contoured rectangular tee boxes to lush fairways, the course conditions are spectacular. Immaculate USGA-style greens roll true without hidden surprises. Bunkers are stocked with white quartz angular sand shipped from North Bay. CLUB-TOSSING TIME: Winds are usually blowing in from the southwest. That makes the holes located on the west side of Leslie Street particularly tricky. "Those front seven holes are daunting, especially when playing mostly into the winds," confirmed Hamilton. PANEL'S PICK: It is uphill with a rolling fairway that makes No. 5 play longer than its 357-yard listing. The dips and dives in the sloping fairway were more than enough to keep esteemed panel member Mr. Wiggedy Whack wobbly and off balance. Honourable mention: No. 8 is the first of 11 holes on the "other" side of the street. The 500-yard, par-5 test is a right dogleg playing into the initial phase of 75 Venetian-style estate homes that will ultimately run through the east side of the course. Key is to drive to the flat plateau overlooking the remainder of the hole and green. Beware the pond to the left. . THE PRO'S VIEW: "Everything is in front of you so if you can play controlled ,you should be OK," Hamilton said. "Try to be a hero and you'll get killed." Hamilton also warns players to be careful in picking their tee box for the round. "Everyone equates yardage to skill set," he said. "They see a number. Play what's fun and reasonable to make it enjoyable and positive all the way through the round." GENERAL INFO: Twelve minute intervals make for a comfortable round on this par-70 course ... Located on more than 150 acres of the Oak Ridges Moraine, the 18-hole Doug Carrick-design is split by Leslie Street with an underground tunnel connecting the seventh hole to the remaining 11 holes on the east side of Leslie ... Projected as private in future, facility is very likely to remain a public play for at least 2017 season ... Plays from 6,462 yards at the tips to 4,750 from forward tees. LOCATION: 14020 Leslie St., Aurora Tel: 905-727-4099 Website: lebovicgolfclub.ca ­ compiled by John Cudmore A Ne W w he n M em Yo be u R r & ef Th er ey Jo in ! Re $ ce iv e 25 Invite Them To Join The Chamber Today! Is Your Employer A Member Yet? www.stouffvillechamber.ca Call (905) 642-4227 harry@stouffvillechamber.ca