Dellwood Country Club

The golf course at Dellwood Country Club, formerly Dellwood Hills Golf Club, is situated in a low-lying mostly marshy tract of land. As a result, the course is fairly flat, with no major elevation changes, and many watery penalty areas throughout. There are six sets of tees ranging from 7,028 to 5,371 yards, so players of all skill levels can choose an appropriate yardage. The Gold (middle men’s) tees are 6,439 yards, and provide plenty of challenge. Tree coverage is fairly sparse on most holes. When we played, the rough was high enough to cover any balls that left the fairway, making them difficult to find. Fairways are comfortably wide but, possibly due to a high water table, several of them have furrows that run across them, giving them the appearance of a washboard. Balls landing in these areas will leave you difficult downhill or uphill lies. Greens are smooth and fast, most of them with a definite slope but with no severe undulations. Judge the speed correctly and every GIR becomes a birdie opportunity. Holes present a good variety of looks, with both right and left doglegs, long and short holes, and some very interesting par 3 holes. One of the more interesting holes is the dogleg left 390 yard par 4 seventh. A pond guards the inside corner of the almost ninety degree dogleg. You can challenge the pond and be left with a short iron or middle iron to the hole or play safe by going right of the pond, but choosing the safe route can have an undesirable result if the tee shot is hit too well and goes through the fairway and into the rough or trees on the other side. The eleventh hole is a 408 yard par 4 that is fairly straight, but has ponds right and left that are connected by a channel that cuts across the fairway about 250 yards from the Gold tees. Stay in the fairway and you’ll have a good chance of making par or better on the second handicap hole on the course. The par 5 thirteenth hole is 475 yards from the gold tees. This dogleg left hole has water running across the fairway about 90 yards short of the green, giving you a choice on your second shot of “going for it” or laying up to a preferred yardage for a wedge or short iron to the slightly elevated green. All in our foursome had played Dellwood before and all enjoyed the round, lamenting that as a private course we had few chances to play here except for charity events or MGA tournaments.

This is a fairly open and well-maintained course. Windy days will affect play here as there are many wide-fairway holes. It has some interesting details, like the train tracks. The amenities here are great and the club has certainly come a long way in the last 5 years. You ought to check it out. Anyways, some of the holes I liked: 3rd hole, with water hazard and 2-putt par capability; 7th hole with severe dogleg left requiring guarded play; 9th hold has a water hazard off the tee and small landing area, followed by an elevated tee and nice view of the clubhouse; on the backside I like the 13th and 17th holes which provided rewards for long-hitters like me, although I only survived one of these! Overall it's a great course for those looking for the extras in a golfing experience!