Tarandowah Golfers Club, owned by the Row family, has been named as the best new golf course in Ontario for 2008 by two separate golf magazines, Ontario Golf and Fairways.

The ratings came out in October, just as the club was ending its first full season at its location 15 minutes east of London. General manager Bryan Row says the challenging course takes golf back to its sporting roots.

“Our slogan is ‘The Adventure of Pure Golf,’ ” Row says.

“We take golf back to where it used to be, when courses weren’t manicured and pristine with cookie-cutter designs. This is a whole different realm.”

Tarandowah was designed by renowned English golf course architect Dr. Martin Hawtree of Hawtree Limited, believed to be the longest serving golf design office in the world. Panellists from both Ontario Golf and Fairways magazines raved about the course and its outstanding value. Prime time green fees are just $40 on weekdays and $45 on weekends.

The “pure golf” course was also recognized by Ontario Golf for providing the "Best Overall Value" among the new courses and for having the two best new par-4 holes, No. 11 and No. 6.

Earlier in 2008 Tarandowah Golfer's Club finished third in SCOREGolf magazine's rankings of the best new courses across all of Canada.

"We're absolutely delighted and honoured to be recognized with these awards," says Head Professional Dave Schweyer. "There has been a significant buzz locally because we're such a unique product. Now we're also seeing people from all over, from Windsor to Toronto, coming here because the club is developing a name for itself as a challenging but fair golf course that's fun to play."

Fairways Publisher Peter Mumford says more than half his panellists gave Tarandowah their first-place votes.

"Tarandowah forces you to be imaginative with every shot. The combination of strategically placed pot bunkers and contoured fairways requires a high degree of creativity and the ability to execute a variety of shots, both to keep your ball in play and score well.”

Tarandowah is a challenging 5,380 to 7,067-yard, par-70 layout that's a little on the wild side. The serene countryside layout is defined by rolling windswept fairways, gnarly fescue, undulating greens and more than 104 tiny round pot bunkers. The course is located eight minutes south of the 401 Highway/Putnam Road exit on the south side of the Village of Avon, www.puregolf.net.

The land was previously a Row family farm. The family has owned some portions of it for almost 100 years. They have been business owners since Bryan Rows’ grandfather and grandmother founded Badger Farm Equipment in Malahide Township in the 1940s. His father Karl owns Ken Jones Signs in St. Thomas.

Karl is also president of Tarandowah Golfers Club, while his wife Lynn and Bryan’s brother Paul sit on the board. Bryan’s sister Karla Moyer manages the club’s pro shop. The club employs about 20 other people in season.

It took about six years to develop Towandoah and the family is looking forward to its second full season beginning April 1. Dr. Hawtree will be visiting in the spring to see how his creation has come to life, offering pure golf.