Gladymir

Let me start by saying that I have played around 40-50 rounds here. The layout is great. The holes are interesting and challenging. The design is by the legend of Augusta himself. When it’s warm and dry, it’s a great day even with the blemishes. However, there are numerous ways this course can be improved. First, the greens are horrendous on the best of days. Players are lazy with repair and the staff clearly doesn’t have a handle on how to care for them. Putting through a minefield every time. I swear Lincoln Park has better tended greens. And that’s saying something. Second, way too many barren spots/questionable obstacles. Seed the areas that need it and block them off. Basic upkeep on your course. Not that hard. Novel concept, make a clearly visible barrier while the ground repairs. On the obstacles? Tree trunks. Literally not even rooted. Just there. Move them out. They don’t add character. Then your mowers can actually do their job around the rough and make it manageable. Weeds growing over a random tree trunk doesn’t add value to the experience. Drainage is horrible. Partially due to the physical location and obviously heavy rains can’t be blamed. It’s winter. My issue is that nothing is being down to fix problematic sections year after year, in good weather. I’m not an engineer but there must be a solution that can help with this. Again I’m not blaming the weather. Just the lack of meaningful improvement when there is a chance to do so. And to the people complaining about the horrible conditions the last few months? What are you doing? If you know the course and play there often then stop complaining. It’s winter what did you expect? The place doesn’t drain well and it’s been raining for weeks. Get a clue. Finally, the staff. There is a general saltiness permeating this golf course. The dude who checks you in is always in a bad mood. I don’t need a best friend to check me in. Just be polite and forgettable. He’s there everyday and is unpleasant to interact with. Just rude. Talks without listening. The food in the restaurant is terrible. The bartender and staff are permanently scowling. It’s loaded with regulars who are loud, drunk, and obnoxious. I think they just drink there and don’t actually play. I wish this place warranted my business. There’s just better options out there. Why continue to support a course that has no intention of making the golf experience enjoyable? I mean that’s the whole point isn’t it? I won’t be giving them another dime until some major changes occur. Neither should you. It’s a waste of time and money.

First off, the greens are in fantastic shape. Very smooth and well kept. Highlight of the course. Downside? Bunkers everywhere and they’re gigantic. That’s my problem if I go into them, but it’s the course’s problem if they’re concrete dirt blocks where you learn nothing. They need to be filled in or made smaller if they’re not going to upkeep them and make them playable. Fairways are generally well kept with some bare spots that need attention. Most of the fairways are fair but could benefit from widening as they’re so narrow it’s almost a joke. No one is a pro here so why not make them a tad bit more accessible. Plenty of areas that were fenced off that could easily become part of the track with very little work.

I’ll elaborate, but the title says it all. The tee times are spaced out at 8 minutes which is just so stupid. You just wait forever. Literally two minutes would make a huge difference. Don’t have anywhere to be for five+ hours, and you’re good. The course is in good shape. The greens are fast and true without a lot of damage. That alone led me to believe the regulars are fairly respectable. The fairways are fairly uniform as far as grass goes, and the layout is friendly to a wide range of abilities. The practice areas are quite nice. Excellent putting greens at the first hole and down near the range with the lower one being adjacent to a chipping green. The range is grass and quite nice.

The layout is challenging and unique. That’s the only thing going for this course. The fairways are hit or miss. Sometimes good grass. Other times smash your tee shot in the middle of the fairway...and into a dirt patch. Just not acceptable for what should be a top ten golf course in the country given the location and views. The greens are just tragically bad. You can’t learn anything on your putting game here. A billion bumps from jerks not fixing their ball marks. So stupid and irresponsible. The worst part of it is if you play with the locals here they’re just so uneven. They love the course but then are the worst offenders of common upkeep (the greens). All in all it’s a fine place to play for the price if you’re a resident. But don’t by any means pay anything more than a deal type price here. It’s just not worth it. Then again, in a pinch you can get a round in here and not be completely bummed. You just won’t learn much about your game because the course is not well kept.