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4.9
74 Reviews (74)
5 Stars
57
4 Stars
16
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.9
Value
4.9
Layout
4.9
Friendliness
4.9
Pace
4.9
Amenities
4.8
99.2%
Recommend this course
72 out of 74 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 72
Length 6662 yards
Slope 136
Rating 73.0

Editor's Note: Course closed for business in 2020.

Situated along the shores of Canandaigua Lake, Bristol Harbor is in the heart of the Finger Lakes wine country. Robert Trent Jones designed the golf course in 1972. The layout practically offers two courses with a front nine that showcases lakefront views and a back nine that plays through the forest. The front nine is also composed of links-style holes as opposed to the tighter holes on the back nine. The golf course plays longer than the 6,662 yards indicated on the scorecard thanks to a variety of different challenges. There are plenty of bunkers strategically placed along the greens and be prepared for some tricky uphill shots. The signature hole is the par-4 14th. This scenic hole is set in a deep gorge within the Bristol Hills, creating a dramatic drop in elevation from the fairway to the green.

Course Details

Year Built 1972
Fairways Bent Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (1972)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes
Practice Hole Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Collared shirt, slacks/shorts, and soft spike golf shoes. T-shirts, tank tops, cut-offs and/or jeans are not permitted.

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Available Activities

Swimming, Billiards

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in New York (2019 #10) (2018 #12) (2016 #6)
  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Courses for Pace of Play in the U.S. (2018 #4)
  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Friendliest Courses in the U.S. (2018 #8)

Reviews

4.9
74 Reviews (74)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Patio Dining 6
Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 6
This course/club is great for:
Group Getaways 6
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 6
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 7

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 15
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Breathtaking

Terrific challenge. Bring your A-game. Excellent layout! Friendly staff. GPS navigation carts that keeps your score. I loved it!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Great course for the value

If you can get on this course for $50 and under you're getting a good value course I'd hard on back and fairly easy on front. People are very friendly.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Excellent course

Course was in great shape. Fairways excellent as were the greens. Greens are difficult. Fast but fair. Difficult to read due to contour changes. Back nine much more challenging. Very scenic as well. Some beautiful holes. Hadn't played this course in years and forgot what a pleasure it was to play, though I didn't personally play well. Clubhouse is fantastic as was the staff.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 18
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Bristol Harbour

Five stars across the board for this course. Staff were very friendly, course was in excellent shape and a layout that made you play a variety of shots. It really is a tale of two nines here, the front is more open, while the back nine takes you out into the woods, all while going up and down through the hills. I really can't say enough good things about BH, and I will definitely return if the opportunity arises.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Walked

Bristol Harbour

Perfect conditions

Greens were firm and fast - Fairways and tee boxes in excellent condition

Practice your bunker shot for 5 minutes before playing - You will find yourself in at least several bunkers during the round

Nice electric carts that are fast and quiet with GPS

Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Course great / Pace slow

The course was in excellent shape and the lay out is very challenging from the back tees. The pace was great until hole 13 (picture included), which is one the prettiest holes I've ever played, but it caused a four group back up when there was none before that. The backups never stopped for the rest of the round. It was a great day overall.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 12
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Front and Back, Very Differeny

Great course, good sand, fair amount of water. Well maintained. Front is a bit easier and open. Back it tight tree lined.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Great course

This course has a ton of elevation change. Number six, 14 and fifteen are great holes. I played late in the day with an overcast sky so perfect golf weather. Course was in great condition. Pro shop staff was great, got a great deal. This course is worth the drive from Rochester.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 13
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Nice public course

Last time Played this course 2 years ago . Course seems little bit of of out of shape with weeds everywhere . Fairway Sand bunkers not enough sand. However they have whole new flight of electric golf carts with gps system the one similar to ravenwood golf club has. Another thing I do not see is pro shop is gone replaced with a little eat in restaurant . The golf check in counter is a joke (just a little podium) . I heard the golf course are bought and run by different ownership in January 2016. Overall the course is good not the best. I like the layout and greens .the rate is little pricey. If they lower the price . It is definitely one of the golf course we will play again

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 638
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Golf Advisor
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

A scenic tour of Canadaigua Lake

Playing Bristol Harbour brought up an interesting conversation during my tour of courses in greater Rochester: Would you rather play a course kept in better condition or a more interesting course that's a little roughed up in spots? My choice is the latter. I'd choose Bristol Harbour, despite its inconsistencies in conditioning, over several other courses I played. It's got such a nice setting on Canadaigua Lake (even though you rarely glimpse the lake). I love how Robert Trent Jones Sr. used the land. The front nine plays as a wide-open warm-up to the narrower, tree-lined back nine. The back-to-back par 5s on the front nine provide great contrast. It's easy to score well on the downhill sixth and so tough to climb the uphill seventh. A lot of golfers dislike no. 14, where a 200-yard layup to the corner of the dogleg left sets up a blind approach down a steep fairway to a sunken green. No. 15, a daunting par 3 over a creek, plays even tougher. The final three par 4s finish in style with excellent variety - a sweeping dogleg at no. 16, an uphill trek at no. 17 and a pond near the green on no. 18.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Great time

Great course! Setting beautiful. Grounds were great! Room good. Food choices limited! Weather warm for September. Staff were great! Did a 3 day package. Group of 12!! Usually we go down to Ocean City MD. But came here instead in 2013. Will do the same in 2014 too!!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Great Course - Great Atmosphere

This is one of my favorite courses and I make sure to get out and play it at least once a year. It is set on a hillside overlooking the lake. The clubhouse and proshop are wonderful and the staff is friendly.

The golf course is tough if you don't hit it straight. The front 9 is wide open and the back has more trees but the fescue grass makes you pay for arrant shots. There is also plenty of water and the greens slick and have a lot breaks if you are not tight to the hole.

My only complaint here is that the course is inconsistently maintained. The greens show signs of dollar spot occasionally and the fairways develop dead spots where water puddles from poor drainage.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Nice course. Challenging with some especially tough holes.

Good course. Front nine is very open, lots of traps, not many trees. Significant elevation change so need to add/subtract a club length on many holes. Back nine is the opposite, narrow, goes through the forest on every hole. Especially on back nine there are some challenging holes, with some being tough to play for the first time as they are quirky, two with huge elevation change on second shot. Three holes have tee shot that needs to back off to a 3 or 5 wood. Try to play with a local. All greens were very fast, and many with lots of slope. Putting is tough.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Great layout and excellent condition

A great course, but a little difficult getting started. After the Pro shop I went out to get a cart and there was no one there. I went and asked someone cleaning a cart and they said to get, I forgot his name. After 5 minutes the guy showed up and gave me a cart that had not yet been cleaned.
Nice GPS on the cart but does not work on the entire course. The back nine you're on your own for a couple of holes. I assume because of the hills and trees, but the layout more than made up for the GPS missing on a couple of holes.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
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