Willowbrook Country Club

I play a lot of Golf and I like playing 9 hole courses but a lot of them are just Pitch N putts. Not this course only 2 par 3’s. The rest are good sized Par 4’s and 5’s. But i’ve never heard of this course. I feel like I found a hidden gem. I didn't know what to expect when I pulled up but there was a beautiful clubhouse. The staff were super friendly. I asked the friendly woman at the pro shop and she said building the new clubhouse has raised its profile but it's just a little local course for people who live in the area and its all word of mouth. She said it's a tough course because there are water hazards that are forced carries and ”trees where there shouldn't be” I thought that last remark odd until I got to the 5th hole. More on that in a bit. I thought it’d be a slow course but the course was packed. There is a working starter who grouped us together. And he was very friendly, at no time were people waiting for us to play through. But we were waiting on half the tees for a fivesome in front of us that seemed to take a long time to find their balls. Total time for 9 holes was 2 hrs and 17 minutes. The three regulars I got grouped with said it was unusually busy for a Sunday but most days the course is not that busy. So that 5th hole? I. Get to the tee and the regulars are waiting for my reaction. There is a huge Cypress tree smack dab in front of the 5th hole. Reminds me of the green monster on the 7th hole at National City. You have to hit a high shot to get it over that tree, and it's a 500-yard par 5. One person hit it over the tree. His two older partners just aimed to the right of the tree and had a 2nd shot that left an angled approach shot to the green. I thought I Was up to the challenge. Hit a high driver shot that appeared to get sucked in by a tractor beam the tree emits. We all saw something come straight down but none of us could find the ball. So I had to drop. They said yeah that tree keeps the balls sometimes. Quirky little golf course, My one complaint would be the course conditions. I've seen much worse and much better, most of the course is in good shape. But some of the greens were really rough with cracks in the grass that left dirt strips you have to pug through. Apparently, there were some water issues in the past. But most of the greens are maintained and fast. It should be noted that many fairways have 2 sets if tees so you play through a 2nd nine it will be different. Also they are SCGA accredited with a terminal to input your score. The grill seemed very popular with the locals. I had a breakfast burrito. It was good but not as good as the Lona Club breakfast burrito, All in all a fun quirky 9 hole course that allows you to play every club in your bag.

Even though it is a 9 hole track there are multiple teeing areas for most holes allowing for a different tee shot when playing 18 for a par 72 round.

Water is a factor on 4 of the 9 holes. Bunkers well maintained and the greens are generally in good or very good condition.

Fairways have a generous width but with enough of a challenge for the better player to keep it interesting.

First hole is a par 4 with a slight dog leg left and the fairway has a slight drop to a level about 5 feet below that of the teeing area. A two tiered green has bunkers protecting it and a mound along the back so an accurate approach shot is needed.

The second hole has a couple of well place obsticles midway to the green: a fairway bunker with a high back lip and immediately to the right of the bunker, a large oak tree. Between the tree and the duck pond there is an adequate open area of the fairway to land your tee shot. Again, bunkers left and right protecting the green. Going through the green will leave you among a couple of trees.

Hole 3 is a par three with bunkers left back to catch those tee shots that go left while those which are short and right will find another beach for their ball. The green has two tiers.

Hole 4 offers two teeing areas: for those with lesser ability to hit far enough to carry the water hazard, the left-most tees give you a straight shot down the fairway while those who are more confident and a bit longer in their carry can play the right tees and use their skills in estimating the distance the ball will need to carry to select how far down the fairway to try to hit their tee shot. A stand of trees and a bunker is on a direct line between the right-most tees and the green. Only the best will be able to hoist their tee shot over the trees on the far side of the duck pond and land it on the multiple level green.

The 5th hole is a par 5 that is more or less a straight line from tee to green, however, there are a couple of trees in the fairway which will keep the ball on the right side of the fairway both off the tee and for the approach shot. Again, bunkers left and right of the green makes the approach shot interesting. Going through the green can present a challenge with the perimeter fence and oleanders likely to force the big hitter to take an unplayable lie.

The 6th is another straight-forward keep-it-down-the-middle of the fairway off a slightly elevated teeing area. The challenge is the second shot. There is a large oak tree situated near the end of the fairway along the right side which narrows the options for the approach shot -- literally. The green has multiple levels and is very much longer than it is wide. There is a bunker along the right side of the green.

Hole 7 is a par 3 with a carry over water. A bunker along the left side of the green and mounds surround the left and back side of the green. It is possible to repeat a "V.J" skip over the water and up to the approach. For the less fortunate, there's a drop area.

Hole 8 is a par 4. The teeing area is placed somewhat to the right of both the fairway and a line of oak and cypress trees. This "offset" presents the golfer with a choice of going left, over or to the right of a moderate size oak tree that guards the entrance to the fairway. Bunkers appear both on the left and right of the green which slopes slightly from the back down to the front.

9 is a par 5 with the tee shot going left finding another duck pond or going right into one of many oak trees found in a stand along the right side. The fairway narrows somewhat where it is pinched by oaks both left and right while at the same time rising to the same level of the ground as the teeing area of the first hole. Again, greenside bunkers left and right with a green that gets progressively wider as it goes from front to back.

The reviewer finds the course a pleasant track, certainly easier than some other courses but enough of a challenge to keep it fun. You can play 9 or 18. Both electic and "pull" carts available. No practice driving range. Practice putting green.

White/blue tees are 68.5/123 while yellow/red are 68.1/118.

This course has gotten progressively worse. The staff is very short and reluctant to help you. Ever since they built the new Clubhouse, its seems they don't worry about the condition of the course at all.