drewbenduh

This golf course isn't worth $200 plus dollars for us out-of-towners but I'm still glad I can check it off the bucket list.

I went down this year from LA as a birthday present to myself and played the North course the day before I played the South. While the North course is probably more fun, it's obvious the South was made for the big stage.. And that's exactly what you're paying for when you come here from out of town. You're paying for the US Open name. If you're lucky enough to be a resident, this place is might be golf heaven with the dirt cheap rates comparatively.

I don't really mind that system, if I'm being honest. I like that locals get a steal and folks from elsewhere have to pay a premium, but I will say, it's not worth the premium price tag. It's a course that's probably worth $140 tops, but hey... US Open.

The range is kind of awful. The practice area was closed due to COVID and it looked nice-ish, if not way too small to accommodate how busy the course is.

The views from some of the holes are breathtaking, but if I'm being honest, I feel like the North course incorporates the coastline better.

Holes 3 and 4 are the best photo ops, so you'll all still at least be smiling before the course has it's wicked way with you. If the rough is up, the course is TOUGH. If the rough is down, the course is "get"able but long. The greens were in good shape but not near as fast as I imagined they might be. The group ahead of us was two holes behind and were never approached by a marshal. That made the round longer than it needed to be.

All in all, I don't anticipate ever playing there again but I'm glad I can say I did. And if anything, watching the US Open next year will be a bit more fun knowing I've stood on those bluffs and felt the wind in my face on my 230 approach shot. :-)

Sometimes on early autumn mornings in the Midwest you make a last minute decision to get out there and play. If for no other reason then you know that in a few short months, playing golf will be something you daydream about as you look out over your snow covered yard. This, for me, was one of those lucky mornings.

I had heard Seven Bridges was a fun layout with a bunch of water in play throughout. And the layout itself was indeed fun. It got a little tight on the back nine but being's that it was my first time here, I played pretty conservatively and managed to avoid most of the trouble by just aiming at the black and white 150 marker in the middle of each fairway. The GPS on the carts seemed relatively accurate even if they were stuffed with advertisements. The fairways are in relatively good condition even without sand repair in the carts, though I found myself in a few pitch marks as the round progressed. Not the courses fault, of course, but still worth noting. The greens can also be deceptively fast, making getting up and down from a short side almost impossible with some of the hole locations. The speed did seem to vary a bit from green to green, making it tough to gauge distance control. All in all, the course was a fun little layout with a decent challenge from hole to hole.

But...

There is no driving range. I think this is a huge misstep for a course that charge greens fees like this. There was no chipping green either. There is, however, a putting green. But again, that green didn't seem to carry the pace of the greens on the course. There was no beverage cart on the morning I played, which I didn't really mind. What did bother me was there wasn't even a place to get a cup of coffee or a plastic wrapped muffin. I know golf courses don't get up and going right away during the week, but it's not like I teed off at 6:00 AM. My tee time was 8:10 and there was no opportunity at all for any food or drink. So, plan for that if you go early in the morning. Everyone I came across working was extremely nice and helpful, just seemingly unprepared for the morning rounds.

I guess the bottom line is this:

I felt like I was playing prime pricing for an off-season experience. I paid $89.00 when I saw online that morning that if I had booked with one other player, it would have been $69. Ouch! Guess I should have come with a friend. Don't pay full price for this course. In the end, with it's lack of amenities it's just not worth the rack rate. I think paying for golf is about perceived value and I'm sure my review would have been better had I not put down ninety bucks. If you get a Hot Deal or something from GolfNow or a sale from another online booking method, give the course a try. But be warned, a warm cup of coffee won't be waiting for you in the clubhouse.

This was my first round of the year and I didn't play particularly well, but dang, I had fun. Each hole seems to be it's own chapter in a classic novel. Some of the greens were still in pretty rough shape and rolled super inconsistently, but it's a problem they are aware of and they're working to correct it. It may be the only reason this course isn't perfect.

What I love about links golf is the ability to use the ground on windy days. While it was relatively calm when I played here, the ground was firm enough to use as an option. Too many American Links style courses over-saturate, looking to appeal to the people that need green grass to play off of no matter the environment the grass exists in. Unfortunately, that can take away from the charm of chasing a 6-iron onto the green because the ball doesn't roll as it should.

It should also be noted that I payed $99 for my round! We came up 18 as the sun set behind us. So, it was a pretty perfect scene and one I won't soon forget.

Let me first start by saying this course has some of the best green complexes I've played in the area. There are just so many opportunities for an array of pin locations, making it fresh feeling every time I play it.

I reviewed this course based on a Hot Deal price for it. And I got a pretty good deal at $19.00. I'm not sure I would ever pay the full rate of $70, but they offer pretty reasonable twilight rates that can make it worth the cost.

The pace of play was a huge issue this time around. We were stuck behind a foursome that should have been asked to skip a hole to catch up. So, we ended up having to skip a hole to pass them to get done by sunset. Most of the courses in the area really need to employ marshals to rectify this issue, and this course is no different.

The course layout is pretty fun. It seems a much flatter terrain than it's neighbor Eagle Vines, but the humps and bumps on the greens really make up for it.

All in all, it's fun to play. The practice area is nice and well kept. I'll probably be back when I see another good rate on Golf Now.

I played this course on a last minute Hot Deal from Golf Now and got on with a cart for $14! That isn't a typo. And if I'm really including the price in this review, I would have to give it five stars. But I think it's important to factor in what people normally pay for it as well.

A lot of the courses in the area this year are over watered. I've noticed it this late summer and I don't understand the need for superintendents to create green, but muddy golf courses. I was dodging sprinklers throughout my entire round, and I'd be lying if I said I was successful every time.

Aside from that, the course is split into front 10 and back 8. The best area of the course, by far, is 5-7. It's where the character is. The back 8 is pretty uneventful, although challenging green complexes throughout the course keep putting and chipping a fun experience.

All in all, it's a nice enough course for the area. And if you can get it at a discount, it's definitely worth checking out.

Some of the green complexes are pretty challenging...which equates to fun for me. There's plenty of character on both the back and front nines. Hole 12 and 13 are two of my favorites in the area.

All in all, a pretty good time and worth the discounted rate. Paying full rack rate would be hard to justify.