Timberlin Golf Club

Greens and fairways weee in great shape. Especially considering the heat we’ve had combined with the lack of rain, it’s obvious the maintenance crew takes pride and puts in the effort to keep this course in great shape. We tee’d off at 7 am and we’re done with our round by 11:15. Love this courae as it is long but forgiving.

BACK NINE LAYOUT:
–A bit more open than the front, the back nine still offers the greater challenges–despite the lack of true doglegs on this nine
–Terrain rolls smoothly; only large hill is shared by 16 and 17
–Most greens are bunkered, but the par-three 12th is fronted by a pond
–Other defenses include a road, crossing streams, numerous trees between fairways, and woods on the course perimeter
–The two hardest back-to-back holes (on course) are 14 and 15, both long par-4s.
–The par-5 tenth is reachable in two by longer hitters.

Most Interesting Hole (back): 17, par-4, 390 blue tees
For those fearless players unafraid to fly the stream from the tee, this will be a terrific risk/reward proposition. For others: a careful drive to a tight landing zone, then a pitch to a well-guarded green.

Best Hole (back): 16, par-3, 170
No routine par, this hole. The tee shot flies straight uphill to a perched, strongly contoured green that may induce 3-putting without fine judgment of speed.

CONDITIONS:
Good in general. The greens are outstandingly smooth, and also quick. Fairways ranged from decent to very good; roughs were average; tees and bunkers good.

OTHER:
The woman I met working in the pro shop was very personable, both on the phone and at the counter.

SOME CONCLUSIONS:
In my opinion, Timberlin has always been a set of straightforward challenges without any gimmicks. Many of the holes appear docile at first glance, but they are hardly that. It’s a bit like another course Architect Al Zikorus built twenty-seven years later in South Windsor: Topstone. Not a flashy course, Timberlin still has strong aesthetic appeal and genuine variety. Epitomizing these characteristics are the four finishing holes. And although this is a ball-strking challenge, it tests your full game, so patience on every shot is necessary to earn a good score at Timberlin.

Friendly employees, challenging greens, driving range for me to warm up, nothing to complain. Will come back more often.

All in all not too bad. Slow front 9 as we were following a junior tournament. Back was much faster. Would definitely play again

Good course, good greens, fairways not in great shape. Pace of play was very slow

It's a fun course uf your in the area. I played from the blues and it seemed like every par 4 was 400 yards and straight. All four par 3s play 170 from the tee box. Just wish they made you use some different clubs

Rolling over moderately hilly terrain, past the occasional creek or small water hazard, and among stately, mature pines, Timberlin remains a classic New England-style golf course, a track meriting a play, definitely, if you’ve yet to try it. I’ve played here many times and have always respected the course challenges.

Unfortunately, today was not exactly ideal for play, as I teed off later in the afternoon (too late, apparently, for a Saturday), when some four groups were held up behind a slow foursome in front of me, and on every tee two at least were waiting. At any rate, my play was cut short at the tenth by rain. I plan to return, before long, to play a full eighteen.

LAYOUT

Timberlin’s difficulty is reflected in its slope, a healthy 129 from the blues. As it sports a trio of long par-5’s and is dominated by long par fours on the back side, this is no easy golf course. Its fairways–most, anyway–have generous enough width, and the beautiful, mature trees are set back adequately from their edges. But there’s more than enough compensation here in the form of difficulties: there are not only the tilted and well-protected greens (many elevated above grade), but also large sand traps and tricky doglegs to negotiate.

Having played here for the first time in five or six years, I was reminded of its better front-side holes:

The par-5’s: First Hole (550) and Sixth: (540)
Both will be three-shooters for most golfers. The first, made tough tee-to-green on the tight second shot, features a deep falloff preceding the green with an embedded bunker. The sixth demands two good shots to find the fairway, leaving a pitch to a left-to-right and back-to-front sloping green. Pars are earned by careful play at both of these holes.

The second: Par-4, 360.
This resilient hole is a strong test of driving with the woods encroaching tightly on both sides. Its dogleg-left fairway calls for a well-placed drive to open up the green.

Eight: Par-4, 335.
Clever drive-and-pitch hole that bends gently to the left down the fairway. The tee is set on a hilltop, affording a clear view of the driving zone. It’s a good-looking hole as well.

CONDITIONS:
Good fairways, smooth and fast greens, above average tees. The roughs tended toward average. While this is not quite the Timberlin I remember in overall conditioning (it was typically excellent in the past), conditions are still respectable overall.

BOTTOM LINE:
The pace of play was a big weak area today, but past experience suggests that this should be an irregularity. Beyond that aspect, Timberlin impresses as an engaging countryside layout, especially good on the tougher inward half, abundantly challenging and beautifully set.

Everything was going smoothly till we made the turn. Started getting backed up. Whole front 9 we never saw a group in front of us. Back 9 was totally different. Pace of play went down dramatically. Course was in pretty good shape. Would definitely play again