Black Birch Golf Club
About
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Men | 72 | 6158 yards | 68.9 | 118 |
Senior | 72 | 5488 yards | ||
Ladies | 74 | 4924 yards | 70.8 | 121 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue M: 70.2/121 | 332 | 321 | 410 | 319 | 117 | 480 | 482 | 151 | 382 | 2994 | 480 | 351 | 377 | 393 | 420 | 172 | 498 | 153 | 344 | 3188 | 6182 |
White M: 69.4/119 | 324 | 314 | 402 | 302 | 111 | 468 | 354 | 145 | 308 | 2728 | 356 | 322 | 370 | 295 | 408 | 147 | 384 | 144 | 334 | 2760 | 5488 |
Red W: 71.8/118 | 286 | 284 | 355 | 224 | 107 | 393 | 346 | 138 | 300 | 2433 | 350 | 315 | 354 | 284 | 308 | 140 | 376 | 137 | 227 | 2491 | 4924 |
Handicap | 16 | 10 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 9 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 11 | 13 | |||
Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
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Reviewer Photos
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this is the condition of the 12th green. This is standard condition on all greens Photo submitted by hendu11 on 08/03/2023
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while the greens and tee boxes continue to go downhill, the greenskeeper has the time and money to put these pointless bushes and rocks behind the 11th green. No priorities. Photo submitted by hendu11 on 08/03/2023
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The tenth fairway is broad enough, but going too far left or right means tree troubles. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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The fifteenth, tucked in the northwest corner of the course, is a solid par-3 playing to a terrace-style green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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Another view of green fifteen from its right flank. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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From the white tees at the sixteenth, your drive must cross this large pond to reach the fairway beyond. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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At the other end of hole sixteen lies its undulating green, which slopes front-to-back and left-to-right. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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The first green in the late afternoon shadows (green three sits in the background). Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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View from the fifth tee down to its green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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The sixth fairway, with a view to the landing zone at the base of the hill. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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From behind green seven at this par-5. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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8th hole: near dusk: Two deer (both behind green–to left and right of white pavilion) are about to hightail it over to the ninth tee. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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8th, picture two: The first is now out of the picture; the second is now hightailing it out to the left. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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The par-3 seventh (seen from its left flank), plays from a high tee down to this green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 07/26/2022
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From the right rough, a view of the eleventh green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 07/26/2022
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Twelve is a par-four dogleg-right that leads to this double-tiered green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 07/26/2022
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Your tee shot at the par-3 fifteenth must traverse a mashy pond. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 07/26/2022
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Seventeen is a stern par-three and runs uphill to its green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 07/26/2022
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The finisher’s fairway angles slightly leftward off the tee, then runs straight for the green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 07/26/2022
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Hole four plays uphill to a two-tiered putting surface. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/02/2022
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The fifth drops down to a postage-stamp green. It's also well-protected. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/02/2022
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Eight is a classic downhill par-3 requiring accuracy with your mid or short iron. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/02/2022
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The eighteenth. I reflected on my rounds here this week walking up eighteen. The pond was equally reflective. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/03/2021
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The seventh is a terrific par-five which culminates on this green, set on a tall plateau. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/03/2021
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A view of hole eight’s green. This par-three plays downhill. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/03/2021
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Fourteen, maybe the best four-par on the course, will make you work hard for a par. Seen from behind the green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/03/2021
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Fifteen, a downhill par-three, is set in the most secluded part of the golf course. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/03/2021
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The par-5 sixteenth’s green, seen from the rough in the late afternoon shadows. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/03/2021
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3rd: par-4, 410: Fine tee-to-green test ending on this green, defended by two sizable bunkers. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/04/2021
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5th: Postage-stamp par three. Nice scenery as backdrop in the Moodus countryside. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/04/2021
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10th: Tight par five, 480, over tree-line fairway. This is its green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/04/2021
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11th, par4, 351. Great, wavy Zikorus-designed hole, canting downhill--as well--from the right side. Should be drive-and-pitch. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/04/2021
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15th, par-3 of 147. Downhill from a high tee, over the marsh, onto this raised green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/04/2021
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16th: Superb hole: par-5 of 498. Plays over the marsh, then uphill to a well-contoured green. Hard to hit in two. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/04/2021
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Ten. Par 5 of 480. The wraparound bunker poses problems on any approach shot. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 06/09/2021
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Twelve. A 377-yard four-par that plays longer, moving uphill on the approach, seen here. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 06/09/2021
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Thirteen: A demanding par-4, 420. At its small green, made smaller recently. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 06/09/2021
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Fifteen. A tough target. This classic par-three maxes out at 172 from a high tee. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 06/09/2021
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Fifteen. Closer view of the marsh and green complex. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 06/09/2021
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Eighteen: The closer, a 344-yard par-4, features a pond within the holes last 100 yards. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 06/09/2021
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The third hole. Downhill, short, tricky three-par. But the setting should calm your nerves. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 04/28/2021
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Eight. Conclusion to another good par-three on the front side. Seen from its left flank. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 04/28/2021
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View from 10th green back to fairway Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/14/2019
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Green 14 from a shady left side. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/14/2019
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The fifteenth: par 3, over the marshland. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/14/2019
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The 16th fairway: view of approach for 2nd shot. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/14/2019
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Pond on the sixteenth. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/14/2019
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Green at the finishing hole. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/14/2019
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1st fairway and green Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 09/29/2019
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3rd green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 09/29/2019
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Looking back over fairway 7. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 09/29/2019
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The 7th green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 09/29/2019
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View down to green 8. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 09/29/2019
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Part of u-shaped bunker preceding 10. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 09/29/2019
Not Bad on the Front Side
My replay of Black Birch, some ten after the previous one, was of the front nine, which proved to be somewhat better than the back (last round). The fairways, especially, were more consistent. Still, the greens were about the same as on the back, which made putting dicey. Playable, but still has a long way to go to be called ‘good.’
Good Layout; Conditions Not Up to Par
I’ve always been able to warm up to the good layout at Black Birch, having played it now for quite some time, but during the two of the pandemic years--after being shut down during the first--the club has struggled with conditioning of both fairways and greens. Last year the greens had improved somewhat by late summer of 2022, but they were still pockmarked–which hasn’t changed to date. They were also rough and bumpy today, and without enough grass. The fringe areas are not good either, though variable in places. Some of the fairways have improved (I played the back side only) but several still had patchy areas, and the fourteenth’s landing zone is little more than dirt. When on the short grass, then, preferred lies are often a necessity.
So while the course conditioning lags greatly, the rest is still pretty good, especially friendliness in the clubhouse as well as pricing. Pace was on the slow side, but I still enjoyed playing these back nine fairways and greens on a comfortable spring afternoon. It certainly doesn’t hurt that you’re in a peaceful rural setting amidst mature trees and rolling terrain, punctuated here and there by water hazards. Although Black Birch is mostly woodland, there are still a few pleasant views to farmland beyond on the front.
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The tenth fairway is broad enough, but going too far left or right means tree troubles. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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The fifteenth, tucked in the northwest corner of the course, is a solid par-3 playing to a terrace-style green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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Another view of green fifteen from its right flank. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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From the white tees at the sixteenth, your drive must cross this large pond to reach the fairway beyond. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
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At the other end of hole sixteen lies its undulating green, which slopes front-to-back and left-to-right. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 05/20/2023
Hello. We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. Your feedback helps us do better. Thank you for visiting our course. We hope you'll give us another try in the future.
Great layout— but course is in bad shape
We played last week the greens are terrible- follow the bouncing ball across the greens— usually stopping in many of the holes or low spots on the green-sand traps are more like a course gravel.
The rough was like grass in the cow pasture -between the tee box and the fairways-some fairways were to far to reach from the white tees and especially the ladies tees - spent a lot of time looking for balls in the rough areas. Greens also has lines from a mower with a oil leak and it is evident the the grass is dying in those areas. Piles of dead limbs and even log’s laying along the fairways — This course has so much potential but apparently the owners do not care as it continues to go downhill every year since Covid.
Hi! Thank you so much for leaving us with your feedback. We value our customer experience, so your review is important to us. Please know the current conditions are by no means the standard we strive to achieve. We will continue to work towards a 5-star experience and we hope to see you back!
Hi. We’re sorry your experience didn’t match your expectations. It was an uncommon instance and we’ll do better in the future.
Please feel free to reach out to us with any further comments, concerns, or suggestions you wish to share. We would love to make things right if you give us another chance.
Get what you pay for
Course is in rough shape. I left after the front 9 because it was too slow and the course was in horrible shape. Couldn’t tell where the fairway ended and the rough or sand traps started. Big patches of dirt on the course and the greens were more pock marked than a teenagers pimple face.
Hello. Thank you for reviewing the course. We would like to apologize for your recent experience.
We're sorry to hear you were less than satisfied during your round. We pride ourselves on our providing great service and the high-quality standards we maintain.
We would like to make things right. Please reach out to our management team at the pro shop.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Sub par conditions
Greens were just treated- and led to them being extremely slow for being a very dry day
Hi,
We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. We are going to pass on your feedback to the teams in charge so they can work to make changes.
Your feedback helps us do better. We are looking into this issue and hope to resolve it promptly.
Thank you for visiting our course. We hope you'll give us another try in the future.
A nice friendly course
Our first time to play. We played quickly and finished in about 3 hours. We were never rushed though, we caught up with a couple groups ahead of us. The front nine is more nicely maintained than the back nine, but both the front and back were fine.
Great Value
Very laid back place to work on your game. Staff is friendly.
$30 for 18 holes
For $31 for 18 holes and a cart is a great price but the tee boxes were torn up and the greens were an absolute mess.
Hello, Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We see you rated the course 2-stars and are interested in learning what we can do to improve for your next visit.
We take customer feedback very seriously at our course. Please reach out to our team in the golf shop and tell us what's on your mind.
Good, fun golf
Course was fun and challenging. Great bang for your Buck. Not kept in greatest of shape. Definitely going back to play another round
Needs lots of work.
Fairways are terrible. Greens are terrible. Needs some love. Played in the past and was decent. Will sit out the rest of this year. Needs love and water and nutrients.
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We apologize for the current condition of our fairways and greens and understand your frustrations. We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve the maintenance and overall experience for our future guests.
Hi. We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. We see you rated the course 1 star and are interested in learning what we can do to improve for your next visit. We take single-star feedback very seriously at our course. You are welcome to comment further or reach out to our team in the golf shop. We always appreciate the feedback. Thanks for choosing our course.
Hidden Gem, EXCEPTIONAL Value!
Discovered this course in 2022 through GolfNow.com site. It is a 30-minute drive from my house, but well worth the value. Rates are 50-75% LESS than what the course on my street charges. Course is located in a beautiful off-the-beaten-path setting. Began playing Black Birch during the end of the drought... the course condition improved greatly as each drought-busting rain event came through. The pro shop staff is wonderful - very down-to-earth and helpful; a welcome contrast to the stuffed shirts and skirts who ru(i)n the experience at my "home" course. I love the unexpected appearances of wildlife around the course... a doe/fawn by the 11th green, wild turkeys calmly strutting along the edges of the 12th, a fox, squirrels, and chipmunks at other points... a welcome distraction to offset my typical successions of poor golf shots ;). Trying to talk my (anti-sports) wife into buying a season pass for me, but THAT will require divine intervention... in the meantime, looking forward to returning to Black Birch for 2023! Phil F., Norwich, CT
Getting Better
Played Black Birch a few times this year and the condition of the course has improved each time. It’s getting greener since the drought. Greens in pretty good shape. Today, we played in 3 hrs and 15 minutes. Can’t beat it.
Hello, ralltj. Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We see you rated the course 2-stars and are interested in learning what we can do to improve for your next visit.
We take customer feedback very seriously at our course. Please reach out to our team in the golf shop and tell us what's on your mind.
Challeging Layout
Black Birch offers a fine, old-school rolling layout with lots of up and down ground movement, especially on its front side. Most of the greens are bunkered; many of them are set upon knolls, meaning that you’ll have to be careful with club selection. The par-5s are not long on the card but seem to play longer, due to either twists and turns down the fairways or some strategically-placed hazards near or next to their greens, not to mention plenty of woods on their margins. A couple of long four-pars will challenge you, but for the most part they’re of moderate length, so making a good score here is possible when you strike the ball well: the course isn’t tricked-up or unfair. Without too many water hazards, you’ll mainly be concerned with hitting relatively straight shots on the tighter back nine, where the toughest holes–twelve, thirteen, fourteen, seventeen–require some careful and precise shotmaking.
The course’s one deficit is still its conditioning. Greens are passable but still pockmarked too frequently; tees are rough; the roughs are sometimes sparse. Fairways have improved since summer as they’re now pretty well grass-covered, but much of it is crabgrass. It’s all fair but decently playable.
I played here three times over the past week–all nine-hole afternoon rounds. The first time I spotted three white-tailed deer behind hole eight near dusk, and on the third occasion a family of five in the same location. Prior to that I encountered a flock of wild turkeys near the pond on the seventh.
The setting was invariably beautiful on these early fall afternoons.
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The first green in the late afternoon shadows (green three sits in the background). Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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View from the fifth tee down to its green. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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The sixth fairway, with a view to the landing zone at the base of the hill. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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From behind green seven at this par-5. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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8th hole: near dusk: Two deer (both behind green–to left and right of white pavilion) are about to hightail it over to the ninth tee. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
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8th, picture two: The first is now out of the picture; the second is now hightailing it out to the left. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 10/02/2022
We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us, AptlyLinked. We are going to pass on your feedback to the team. Thanks for visiting Black Birch Golf Club, and we hope to see you again in the future.
Mike’s review
The 4 star rating I gave is probably more than the course deserves because of condition issues. I gave that rating because this is such a nice course to play and I keep hoping that the owners will wake up some day and realize what a gem they have and do what is needed to make it the first call course it can be.
Just the rains we had the past few weeks has improved things greatly, the fairways are green and the greens are looking good. Of course all the rain in the world won’t help the traps, that will take money.
Hello, AptlyLinked. Thank you for visiting us at Black Birch Golf Club and taking the time to write a review. We are sorry to hear that your experience didn't quite live up to your expectations. We will share your feedback with our staff to make corrections and improvements. Any feedback is greatly appreciated so that we can improve your future experiences at our course. Thanks again for choosing us.