Lives
New Jersey, USA
Handicap
5-9
Age
25-34
Gender
Male
Skill
Advanced
Plays
A few times a week

Review Statistics

Average Rating

3.7
3.7
Total 23 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

23 Reviews
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
10
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
1
Recommended Courses
19
Not Recommended Courses
4
Helpful Votes Count
3
Not Helpful Votes Count
0
First Review
07/04/2013
Last Review
07/09/2018

Reviews Map

Reviews

3.7
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Middletown Country Club

Played On 07/09/2018
3.0
First Time Playing

What was and could be isn’t what it currently is...

Looking for a cheap round on my club’s maintenance day I decided to play Middletown because I heard about it’s quirky golden age lay out. I also heard if played before August the course is in decent shape. Here’s the thing, I don’t mind a course that’s a bit scruffy but I hate when a design is completely compromised by conditions. The bones of this golf course are actually really cool. It’s very Alex Findlay, little trouble off the tees, minimal bunkering, fairways and greens using much of the land’s natural contours etc etc. I especially felt like the greens COULD BE the highlight of this short par 68 layout because they are so undulating and use of much of the terrain to dictate break that they’re very demanding from approach through putt. The clear problem with Middletown is money and maintence. The course desperately (and I mean desperately) needs trees removed and brush taken back. I would say at least half of the holes if not more cannot be played with the intended lines because of encroaching vegetation. Next the fairway (and some green) sizes have shrunk so much over time it’s almost comical. Some fairways are less than 20 yards wide simply because a choice has been made to not have fairway grass to maintain. The original fairway lines are clear but they are now rough. 18 is a great example, once an interesting double fairway daring players to take on OB right to set up an approach level with the green the current hole only has the upper FW available while the lower section is completely grown in. There are no longer choices at Middletown simply bang a driver as close to the green as possible on a short par 4 or try to land a long iron on some sliver of FW. Finally (and I know this review is a bit long winded) the greens need to be maintained at a reasonable speed. I love fast greens but when I played the greens were far to fast for their slope and firmness. When short irons aren’t holding and anything above the hole will not hold the green (11 is a good example) that’s a problem. At times I felt like I was playing a smaller, dumpier version of the US Open at Shinnecock with how baked out the greens were. In the end I think this place could be a super fun quirky little course that offers enjoyment for all golfers. It’s got a really awesome collection of par 3s and is demanding enough on and around the greens no matter it’s yardage. With all that said to ever get to that point the township (someone told me they own it) would need to focus resources on important things: vegetation removal, irrigation, FW restoration, and bunkering. Clearly a lot to be done. In the end for 25 bucks go check out the bones of this place just in case it becomes a park or houses one day or if you’re lucky check it out before it gets the help it needs so you can say you saw it during the dark times.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Response from on 07/10/2018:
Hello, thank you for the three-star review. We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy the course layout as much as you hoped. We appreciate you leaving your detailed feedback and suggestions. Those are important to us. Thanks for choosing Middletown Country Club and we hope to have you back again soon.
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Better than is was but could be more

I used to live in the area and played Ramblewood quite a bit from 2012-2014. For a public course wedged in a South Jersey neighborhood having 27 holes is helpful in alleviating some crowding and helping pace of play. Since being taken over by Jaws the bar, parts of the course, and a few other aspects have gotten a much needed refresh. The bottom line is Ramblewood is an uninspired layout. Most of the fairways are huge and offer little to no trouble (fairway bunkers are either non-existent or easily avoidable). The course plays pretty short from the middle tees though the par 3s all jump up to around 200 yards from the back (we played white and blue). If you're looking from beauty or strategy in your golf Ramblewood isn't the spot, but if you're just looking for a convenient round or to get a little practice in RW is perfect. The work done by Jaworski is clear, lots of brush and over grown trees have been removed or trimmed bringing back some of the course's lines. Also the green were considerably better (even after the horrendous winter) than they were when I frequented RW.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Fairly Easy

Inniscrone Golf Club

Played On 10/22/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Private Club Feel at a Crazy Good Price Point

I've wanted to play Inniscrone for a while simply because I heard it was moderately priced and best of all a Gil Hanse design. IMO this is a course you can't miss. Sure its a bit out of the way if you're coming from Philly or SJ but honestly the design (with a few exceptions) is a can't miss. When you get to Inniscrone you'll be met by wonderful staff and a warm-up area literally off the back porch of the clubhouse. From there the fun begins. The two nines at Inniscrone are vastly different but with similar design ideas. The front is more wide open and offers better chances to score. Gentle par 4s open the round, most interestingly the drivable downhill par 4 3rd. Other highlights on the front include a fun little chipshot-downhill-nearly-blind par 3 and the gettable par 5 7th where the green is guarded by a huge mound (this mounding is all over the course). The 9th hole, a long par 4 with a shoot off the tee, is probably the toughest on the front. I did feel like that shoot needed to be widened at least a little. In it's current for the only tee shot that works is a completely straight one and with the holes overall length and blind approach it essentially becomes a half par hole. On the back at Inniscrone, Hanse really ups the creativity. The tenth is a fun little par 4 with a long iron tee shot and a huge washed out waste area on the approach. The 11th was my favorite par 3 on the course, a total visual illusion where the hole seems as narrow as can be with all the width hidden. The back 9 requires more shot making and more precision, I would also say more than one round is needed to fully understand how to score on a few of the more quirky holes. 13, 17, and 18 come to mind as holes where mid to high handicappers will struggle. All ask for forced carries and two leave mid to long approaches through narrow areas. My favorite and least favorite holes happened to be back to back, 16 and 17. 16 is one of the coolest par 4s I've ever played. A tee shot to a split fairway with a massive ridge/elevation change running through the middle, trouble on both sides. The approach (like so many is blind) but the tricky par is what level the green sits on. The left/lower fairway is at the green's level but is tougher to get at off the tee while the right fairway is well above the green and leaves a brutal shot to a green running away from the player. On the other hand the 17th is a nearly impossible par 4 (it's essentially a hole you're supposed to bogey). A tough tee shot will leave you nearly 200 (depending on tees) to a green guarded by a slope on the right and trouble left.

In the end Hanse did a wonderful job carving this track into the land. In many ways it reminds me of older courses I've played around Philly. Hanse clearly looked at the land and worked the holes into it instead of forcing the things. At the same the juxtaposition between the style of play on the front and the back can be jarring to say the least. Overall my experience at Inniscrone was awesome and I can't wait to visit again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Response from on 11/01/2017:
We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us 5-stars! We are going to pass on your feedback to our team, so they know their hard work is not going unnoticed. It is great to hear that the efforts Hanse put in helped provided a memorable and enjoyable experience for you that is proving to be timeless. Thank you for playing Inniscrone Golf Club, we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Hanover Country Club

Played On 09/21/2017
2.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

In need of some love

Hanover was one of the course in Burlington County I played a lot as I was getting into the game. The RTJ Sr. design was always kept in descent condition especially the greens. I hadn't played the course in about 4 or 5 years but I took a flyer on a cheap round knowing Hanover's previous track record. Unfortunately things have changed. My first issue is was with the fairway and rough length. I'm confused as to why the fairways are left pretty long and the rough cut so short. It's hard to determine where one starts and the other ends when on the tee and it basically turns the course in the flyer city. Seriously I had countless flyer lies during my round. The biggest issue at Hanover currently is the greens. I would say at least 50% (probably a bit more) clearly had some sort of disease. The 3rd and 13th were essentially unplayable. The course also has a ton of bare spots cropping up in the rough and around the greens and bunkers where players enter and exit (mind you we've had an absolutely perfect summer/early fall in the Delaware Valley area). I've said this in plenty of reviews this year but this course needs trees taken down and growth taken out. For example the back tee on 13 is completely unusable. The hole, a dogleg right, calls for a cut off the tee but the trees on the right (which are right next to the tee box) are so overgrown players have no way to take the ball down that side. Basically a player has to aim left of the left fairway bunker and hit a banana ball to get to position A, this should never be the case. Yes a draw should be tough to fit into the shape of the hole but even a straight ball is pretty much useless. The 14th hole suffers overgrowth in a different way. The right side has a large cluster of trees that provide significant shade, so much so that there's essentially no rough on the right side of the hole, just dirt. There is some good at Hanover. Though the course is mostly up and back holes like the par 4 10th and the par 4 6th are great holes that ask for strategy and shot making. The final 3 holes at Hanover are really solid as well. 16 is a par 4 with a sever up hill approach to a tilted green (the course's best hole IMO), 17 is a picturesque shortish par 3 back down the hill and 18 is a 600+ yard par 5 demanding a fairly long approach depending on how risky you want to be with your second. The bottom line is this place needs some significant love and attention. It's never been nor will it ever be a top tier course in the area and that's okay but in it's current form Hanover isn't playable if you're planning on taking a real score.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy

Wyncote Golf Club

Played On 09/16/2017
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Fun and Interesting

I played Wyncote on a whim as I was supposed to play another round but my partner cancelled. First of all this place is set on an incredible piece of rolling land. The design is hugely benefitted by natural terrain. Wyncote seems links-ish as first glance with the tilted fairways, fescue, and width (more on that later) but in reality its just cleverly masked target golf. Fairways widen and narrow based on landing area, pinching in where most would want to land with bunkers or fescue. Again it looks like a links course but clearly plays like the modern track it is. My favorite aspects of Wyncote are some of the neat things they do thematically. For example the first and tenth hole, both par 5s, mirror each other in overall length and have a shared green for your uphill approach shots. The 9th and 18th holes are also par 5s of similar length and are sort of cousin holes both slight doglegs right. Another plus for Wyncote is the variety of shots the course demands. In my opinion its a real strategic course that doesn't allow the bomb and gouge player to flourish unless they are an outstanding driver of the ball. Bunkering, fairway shape/slope, and green complexes are all meaningfully done to both challenge and reward a player who understands the best possible way to play the hole. The par 4 13th is a great example. You could take a driver and smash it down a relatively wide fairway despite trouble on both sides. What the player doesn't see from the tee is the extreme canting of the fairway in the landing area for a driver and the run off into some well hidden bunkering. My favorite hole on the course was the downhill par 3 14th (honestly 11-15 are all awesome holes) if not for anything other than the view, you can see a good chunk of the property from the tee box. There are a few issues I had with Wyncote and though they aren't huge they should be noted. The biggest knock I have is the use of fescue. Fescue in links golf is their to make things more difficult but never really to take away from play ability. At Wyncote it is clearly penal and very much a hazard, you will not find a ball if you end up in the tall stuff. Again I know this is more for look but this fescue is simply unplayable. My other big gripe revolves around the greens. On the day I played the greens were rock hard and not receptive. Wyncote's website even bragged about not aerating at this point in the year when most other places had punched. With where the flags were, the green speed and grain the fact that 7 irons were literally bouncing and running 5 yards (I nearly lost a ball that I hit on the green and had one bounce into a back bunker after hitting near hole high) in some cases made things a lot tougher than they needed to be. I would assume this isn't something that happens all the time but this place needs to get the greens punched and soon. Overall though I loved my round at Wyncote and I can't wait to return with a little more knowledge of the course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

JC Melrose Country Club

Played On 07/17/2017
I Recommend This Course
3.0
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Amazing Design in Need of some Love

I heard a lot of JCM before I played it. A few years ago I was living in the area (it was private at the time) and people told me it was a great option for the greater Philly area. No semi-private (or full public, hard to tell) I decided to take a flyer and check it out.
First of all the facilities are interesting to say the least. The large, modern clubhouse seemed completely empty as did the halfway house, the proshop was basucally run out of the cart barn. Also the range is small but totally fine for a warm up.
The absolute best part of JCM is the design. You always hear about golf course this "good bones" well this is one for sure. While not long (I'd say it played sub 6000 from the back tees the day I played), JCM is tight and requires precision throughout thanks to elevation changes and blind shots. The 2nd hole, a hard dog leg left reachable par 5, is one of the highlights of the round and a hole that screams Alister MacKenzie. If you were looking for JCM's closest link to other MacKenzie designs #2 is it with its rolling fairway and tilted green. I also loved the par 4 5th. A design that really doesn't exist in modern golf, #5 features a blind tee shot to a split fairway. To hit one of the fairway options a shot of either 150 yards or no more then 220 must be hit. The landing area (like everything at JCM) is narrow but essential to hit considering the severely uphill blind approach to a very tiny green. On the back 17 and 18 are a great closing duo, a long uphill par 3 and a downhill par 4 with a hazard down the right to a blind approach finish the round in style.
Now JCM isn't without flaws. First of all the course is very overgrown, making some holes insanely tight and kind of unplayable. On the 6th I smashed a FW down the left side of the fairway only to be blocked from the green by an overgrown tree. The 8th hole, a very tough long par 3 (kind of a half par hole from the back tees) had the flag tucked front and right. Unfortunately overhanging branches make the right side of the green inaccessible for the most part. My biggest gripe is the bunker condition at JCM. Bunkers had little to no sand in them and were absolutely rock hard. Many of the fairway bunkers than don't provide much protection against modern golf tech were clearly left for dead and starting to grown in a bit.
Bottom line this is one of the best little gems around Philly. It's short enough to be a lot of a fun for most golfers yet challenging enough (at points) for better players to have to hit some really quality shots to score. The greens are solid, very subtle, and tough to judge from the fairway considering the amount of blind approaches on the course (maybe 12 shots are blind or partially blind into the green). My hope is by going semi-private JCM can drum up some funding to clean up the rough edges that are holding the design back from being one of the coolest, quirkiest loops in the area.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 08/01/2017

This is one of the most helpful reviews and wanted to thank you for being so thorough. I'm playing the course for the first time tomorrow and appreciate the time you took to observe the layout during your round. I'm much more excited to play after reading this. Thank you!

Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club

Played On 05/07/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Lots of trouble but memorable holes too

I played Meadowbrook Farms on a absolutely perfect Sunday in May. I was playing as part of a little makeshift Ryder Cup a friend of mine put together so our Sunday singles took place at Meadowbrook. First off all the course has a nice grass range and a friendly staff (even if you have to pay for range balls with your 85+ dollar round...that's a bit absurd really). The course starts off with two tight dogleg right par 4s. Many of the holes at Meadowbrook Farms don't require driver, in fact driver brings in some unforeseen trouble so if it's you're first time playing be mindful of how close trouble and hazards actually are. Despite the abundance of brush and red stakes the course is wide enough at points to be really enjoyable. On the front holes like 3, 5, 8, and 9 stand out. The eight is an especially cool par 3. An elevated tee with a shot to an equally elevated green that is up on a mound. The mound itself is no bigger than the green surface meaning a shot missing the green is going down an extremely steep, tall (maybe 10 feet from the bottom to the green surface) slope. I would say this is probably the most memorable hole with the drivable par 4 15th coming in a close second. Personally I was worried after the first 2 or 3 holes that this course would suffer from being a bit too narrow and penal but the truth is Meadowbrook Farms is strategically tight. The 10th is a great example. The hole is a hard dogleg right, a shot of anything more than 200 yards needs to be turning left to right to hold the fairway and leave a shorter in or there is the risk of trying to fly the tree line on the right off the tee bringing the brush and trees on the other side of the hole very much into play. The 11th plays a similar trick, the hole is much more straightaway than the 10th but the closer your tee ball gets to the green the narrower the landing zone becomes bringing in water on the right and brush on the left (I hit mine off the path and it bounded out of bounds even though the fence line seemed miles away from the box). Greens were true and in some cases very small targets (the par 5 7th comes to mind). There were some burnt out or flat out dead sections in the fringe of a few greens but nothing crazy. Overall I loved the layout and some of the quirkiness Meadowbrook Farms brings to the table.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
46b00ba2-f862-5d05-996d-87531e5dc294
Commented on 05/11/2017

Hi "jscalici" Thanks for the great review! We are so glad that you left today with some memorable holes. We do have some challenging holes but are glad you were able to conquer them. We appreciate you leaving us a review and hope you will visit us again next year.

I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Fun but Uninspiring

I've played both courses at Blackhorse but I have now played the South course twice. After my first round there I decided not to review the course because of torrential rain that really hurt course conditions before my time out there. I played the South course on a perfect May Friday without a breathe of wind (big bonus for Texas) and while the course has some cool aspects to it and some fun holes I found it to be somewhat bland overall. On the front holes 4,5,6 are a fun trio of short but tight par 4s with a nasty little par three thrown in there. 9 is a demanding hole and one that standsout in my mine. On the back 10, 15, and 18 (especially 18) standout a bit among the rest. Again I enjoyed the course, the wonderful halfway house, and the friendly staff but as for adventure there isn't much to be found in the South course's layout. My other problems were with conditions. While a grass driving range is awesome it only works if there is actually grass on it for one to hit from. The most frustrating situation with the South course at the moment are the bunkers which are so full of fresh sand (I'm assuming they redid the bunkers) that even shots rolling in from the fairway will sit down. Approach shots going into greens will be fried eggs or plug in almost every situation. At the same time I should mention the greens and fairways were well kept and played great.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Tour 18 Houston

Played On 04/10/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Only Played the Back..Got Rained Out

My brother and I almost always play over at Wildcat (IMO the best value in public golf in the Houston area) but we decided to take a flyer on Tour 18 after hearing a friend talk about how fun the Amen Corner holes were. We were sent off the back as a twosome and with no starter on the 10th hole had to wait behind a foursome of beginners. I have no problem with new golfers, we were all there once, but I do have an issue with not having someone to direct traffic. If you're sending groups off the back you need a starter there or someone relaying information back to the starters stand. My other gripe is about course conditions. We were given the classic speech about repairing ball marks, raking bunkers, and filling divots because "the course is in topnotch condition" the course however wasn't really on that level. Bunkers for the most part had little to no sand in them and the greens on a few holes (10, 12, 15) were really shaggy. Now for the good. Having played or been at a few of the courses Tour 18 tries to model their holes after I can say that do a solid job with the terrain provided. 11, the famous Disney par 3 and 17 (Bayhill) do a wonderful job of nearly copying the hole. Others like 13, a "copy" (good to use that word lightly when comparing this to Pebble) of the 14th hole at Pebble , 14 the famous Church Pews from Oakmont, and 16 (my personal favorite) a copy of elements from Merion's 14th really capture the overall spirit and strategy of the hole despite lacking the natural terrain. While I can't comment on the front which includes Amen Corner and the island green from Sawgrass I can say that I would try Tour 18 again for both the novelty and the price.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
8df3177e-be47-5bef-9992-dc9bf8bd0f50
Commented on 04/20/2017

Hi "jscalici" Thank you for the honest review. We appreciate the great feedback and w will take a closer look into directing traffic to the appropriate nines. We appreciate your patience and hope that you will give us another try in the near future.

I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

A Chance to Feel Like a Pro

After flying down to the area on Friday my group and I played GC of Houston on a windy Saturday. When we got there we were excited to see most of the stands from the Shell still up and for the 2 scratch players from my group the tourney tees still available for play. The course itself was immaculate as was the all grass range. The greens where lightning fast the day we played with some really tough pin placements. Overall there is no doubting the course is difficult even from 6600 or so but the reward of playing on a tour proven course is worth the grind. Most holes are bordered by water, bunkering, or brush and I highly suggest if you can get a little wild off the tee to play up a set just to allow for a little more room for error. Also take a caddie if you have the spare coin for it. We had Adam (dude must have laser range finders for eyes) and not only was he hilarious but he nailed so many yardages and reads that we wouldn't have seen.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Burlington Country Club

Played On 02/05/2017
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

A Semi-Hidden Gem

There are two things you must know about BCC right off the bat. First of all this course is private. In the past 2 years I've played here 4 times all of which were through a connection. Secondly it is hard for me to be unbiased in this review considering I grew up with this course in my backyard and always viewed it as an example of the perfect golf course (even without playing it). The first 9 holes retain many of the design features of the original layout created by Alexander Findlay in 1929. The greens are well guarded and incredibly subtle and while many of the tee shots on the front are straightforward a few, namely 3 and 4, demand precision and benefit from the ability to shape a shot. In early 2000s the course underwent a renovation that mostly focused on drainage and the rerouting of the back 9. While the back 9 starts with a short, quirky downhill par 3 to a severely sloped green the updated design is apparent on the courses most picturesque hole, the par 4 11th. The rest of the back 9 plays out similarly, the subtle slanted greens and hilly terrain remain (Burlington is built into the side of a hill. The green on 18 is probably the highest point with the tee box on 16 being the low point) while the updating of that 9 is apparent in the curvature of fairways and narrowing of certain landing areas. Back across Burrs road on the same side as the first 9 is Burlington's most famous (or infamous) hole the par 4 18th. Players must either hit a shot no more than 220 from the back tees or turn over a slight draw if they want to bite off a bit more. From there players must hit a blind approach to a severely ( and I mean severely) elevated green. Once on the green the real fun begins as the green's apparent contours are almost impossible to truly read thanks to its position on the hill. Members and locals will tell you to look at the foundation of the club house, which is about 10 feet off the right side of the green, to aid in reading your putt. Again my love affair with this course slants my review but if you enjoy classic layouts and you have an in over at Burlington get out there and enjoy this wonderful track.

Conditions Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/02/2017

Thanks for the awesome review jscalici! We appreciate the detailed review and we are so glad you love the course as much as we do! We hope to see you again very soon!

Makefield Highlands Golf Club

Played On 01/21/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

Great for a winter round

I've played at Makefield a handful of times mainly in the summer or fall and I've always had one issue with it, wear and tear. This track gets a ton of play in season and with the lack of trees on this pseudo-links design the hot summers absolutely nuke it. My friends and I decided to play Makefield on back to back weeks in January. While temps were cold to "way to cold to really be playing golf" the course conditions were absolutely perfect. Unlike many course in the area Makefield clearly punched their greens at the right time and had them grow in over the late fall/early winter. Even in the cold (38 degrees at tee) the fairways and greens were accepting of shots with a few inconsistencies here and there. The layout of Makefield is also a bright spot. Though fairly open off the tee MH has a few risk reward par 4s and some challenging par 3s. The most challenging hole, the par 4 15th, is a tough dog leg left to a narrow bean-shaped green over water. With that said there are 3 nearly drivable par 4s before you get to the tough closing stretch so make your hay before hand. Overall this course is awesome and honestly one of the best conditions wise I've ever played in the winter up here.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate

The Architects Golf Club

Played On 09/04/2015
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Just the Right Amount of Everything

I played Architects 3 years ago and was unimpressed with the conditions. Between soggy fairways, beat up greens, and inconsistent bunkers I didn't think I'd make the hour plus trek to return. On a whim my normal playing partner and I decided to take a flyer on Architects, I was more than happy with my second visit. First of all the course conditions were much improved, fairways were great and the bunkers while hard were much more consistent. The highlight of this course is in its historical approach to design. If you know the courses certain holes are modeled after the golf only becomes more fun and interesting. For example the challenging par 3 12th which is designed to emulate Merion's famous 17th. Or the par 5 13th which is a combination of features from Augusta National. Even the first hole which really, doesn't stand out at all, has a slight homage to St. Andrews with a true pot bunker fronting the large green. Finally the 4 closing holes are some of the most fun on the golf course and if you are in a friendly match with a friend they ask you to hit a few shots you probably didn't have all day (longer ins from sloping fairways, blind tee shots, etc). Overall the increased quality control and Architects way of emulating a hole without copying it make for a fun day of golf with just the right amount of challenge mixed in.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Great layout with plenty of "teeth"

I'll preface this review by saying this was my first time playing the Rock Barn Jones course. The staff was great, starting me (a single) on 4 to avoid getting trapped behind a large group of members teeing off on 1 just before my time. The layout requires absolute concentration on most any shot. The contours of the fairways must be used to keep the ball in play and at times away from hazards (hole 16 being a great example). With that said a yardage book is a must for this course. The combination of blind tee shots, severe downhill landing areas, and tee shots that point you in many cases toward danger (see the long par 3 3rd) a golfer playing the Jones Course at Rock Barn for the first time can easily get into trouble. For me I started to play safe after smoking a drive up the right on 6. According to the line you can see from the tee my drive, a slight draw up the right, should have been fine but a lateral hazard actually juts out further than can be seen from the tee. Had a yardage book been provided I probably would have hit 3 wood and hit a mid iron in rather than trying to bomb it with trouble on the right and a short porch left. As for course conditions the waterfall and surrounding foliage are beautiful back drops but after a tough winter many of the fairways are under repair due to winter kill. While the course is still totally playable expect a few hard bounces and big hops. The greens were immaculate and IMO were just on the edge of being considered "glassy" making putting a challenge but with a chance for a mid handicapper to make some putts. Also the little homage to Augusta on 16 and 17 is a cool and well done touch. Great course overall.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent

Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club

Played On 07/01/2015
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Rewarding the Bold

Being in the Charlotte area for a few weeks I've tried a handful of different tracks, Verdict is the only one I repeated. The design of the course rewards creativity and shot making while being wide enough for most any player. Holes like 3, 9, 16, and 18 encourage a shot that uses the layout's natural hilly terrain (it's really hilly) to get shots into the fairway and down to flat areas (many shots into greens are off of slopes). Just for the sake of depiction, the 9th hole, a short par 4 with water on the right and OB on top of a huge hill to the left actually asks the player to hit toward the OB to catch the hill and move the ball into wedge range without having to worry about the water which is very much in play because of the holes natural contours. As someone from the northeast the blazing fast Bermuda greens had me shaking my head all day long but they were smooth and true. If I had one gripe it would be the inconsistency in some of the bunkers but that is a small mark against a great course that can be played at a great value.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent

Seaview - The Bay Course

Played On 06/06/2015
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Old School Links Requiring Old School Shotmaking

I played the Pines course last year and wasn't happy with the conditions, I heard great things about the Bay course an decided I would give Seaview another chance. On a rainy Saturday the week after the Shoprite LPGA I was not disappointed. The Wilson/Ross design isn't long (63ish from the back) but the visual tricks, bountiful fescue, and tricky greens are more than enough defense for the Bay course to survive. On the day I played the wind coming off the bay also added to the challenge. For me the approach shots which needed to hit certain sections of the semi-dome like greens were the Bay's best defense. I also found the greens tough to read. Many putts I thought would break didn't and others which seemed fairly straight had some subtle breaks. My one issue with the course was pace of play. The course wasn't extremely crowded and yet there wasn't a Marshall trying to keep things in track. Yes, looking for a ball in the fescue can be tough and it takes time but eventually a drop needs to occur.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Bang for the Buck

I decided to play this course on a whim, with one day of vacation left I decided to squeeze in a round at a course close to where I was staying. I could not have been happier with the experience. Magnolia Landing has a great formula for golf: Give the golfer a few holes where they feel comfortable while mixing in a few that are a challenge visually and yet a few more that are actually challenging. Tee shots on 6, 7, 8, & 9 really play with your alignment and perception of the hole while other holes like 2, 4, & 17 get you on the greens. Overall ML had everything I wanted in a golf course without trying to do too much. If I had one gripe about ML it would simply be the routing....this course is like a maze! In the end I would suggest this round to anyone, such a fun course!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Average weather
Used cart

9 good to 9 mediocre

Overall i enjoyed my round at Pelican Preserve. Their real grass driving range was huge and allowed room for everyone waiting to head out. I was especially impressed by the starter, Frank, who was not only personable to me ( a non-memeber) but also extremely on top of getting groups not the course. The staff at PP was also impressive in terms of their rangers. Very rarely do I feel like a ranger is actually letting people know they are playing slowly, at PP the rangers were totally observant of the pace of play. In terms of the course, I played the Heron and Ibis 9s. The Heron loop was a fairly open off the tee but had teeth in other places (mainly OB close to greens). Greens were perfect and rolled pure. I wasn't nearly as impressed with the Ibis side however. The layout was much more straightforward and in many cases sort of boring, on top of that the 9 holes on the Ibis were bordered by unfinished construction and unmarked hazards.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Shell Point Golf Club

Played On 12/24/2014
3.0
First Time Playing
Fair weather
Used cart

A weird little course

I decided to check out Shell Point as I was down visiting family and a local said it was a good experience. I'll get some things out of the way quickly. The staff was very nice and friendly, the price was decent, and we played on an EXTREMELY windy day. First of all if you are looking for a good range before your round this is not the one, you're basically hitting balls into a field of weeds, but on a good note it is a grass range not mats. The course itself is crammed into a small chunk of land so it is very (and I mean very) tight off the tee with trouble usually on both sides (usually trees/brush/jungle on one side and water on the other). While the greens and tee were in great condition I found the fairways to have more than a few bare spots especially as you moved closer to the rough. The highlight of this course has to be the greens which rolled about as true as they possibly could. My biggest gripe deals with hazards crossing the fairway. Shell Point has more than a few hazards that cut through the fairway off the tee (or second shot) but without a yardage book, a sign saying how far the hazard is from the tee, or at times even a stake/making to laze navigating those shots is pretty much happenstance (and on a windy day even tougher). Overall Shell Point wasn't a bad play, but the little things this course ended up lacking really put it down a notch for me.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Rancocas Golf Club

Played On 08/17/2014
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Average weather
Used cart

Not what it once was but still a go to

Rancocas is one of the most convenient courses for me location wise, I've been playing since I started about 7 years ago. The design is nice and has some really challenging holes (especially on the back 9). I have two problems with Rancocas, the first being the over crowding. The staff put off groups basically every 5 mins causing slow pace of play and waiting on nearly every shot. My second issue is with course conditions. The track isn't in the best area so coming up with ways to hide the surroundings a little would be nice. Also over the last few years the fairways have gotten harder and the rough more barren so be prepared for tight lies and awkward almost unfair lies in the rough. Tee boxes need to be evened out big time...almost forgot that. If you play Rancocas you'll see the skeleton of a really great design, ownership needs to make a commitment to bringing it back to its former luster.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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