jgregory51

I played the white tees.
Old Union is my local preferred course. It is a "valley" course in the mountains. The owners are putting some money into the course as is evidenced by its grooming and conditioning over past years. They have added drinking water on every 3rd hole as well.
Fairways are "furry" and do not give much added yardage from the tee. Greens are slow as should be expected for public access courses.
It is a "what you see is what you get" on the front nince with the only head scratcher being #9. A creek crosses the fairway at about 200 yards off the whites. So you either have to be a big hitter to clear the creek (250+/- yd carry) or count on a 200 yd second shot to a green that is accessable IF you are in the right spot off the tee.
Some local knowledge is necessary for a few holes on the back 9. #10 (par 5) has streams crossing the driving area in three places. Club selection and shot making ability are a plus. #11 is a short par 4 requiring a good drive to the right (close to or over a tree line) to avoid a bunker in the middle of the fairway on the other side of a crossing stream.
#12 is another head scratcher off the tee. A non-active stream bed crosses the fairway in the ideal landing spot... so choose wisely off the tee. It is possible to drive across the stream bed if you are a long and straight hitter. The crossing stream bed marks about 170 yards to the green, which is very open and accessable.
The balance of the back 9 is a "what you see is what you get" course.

The course is a very fun venue with acceptable conditioning for a public play course.
Take your Range Finder for spot to pin distances. Not many marked sprinkler heads.

My round was a day trip and not as a resort guest. Lots of rain in the AM (Thunderstorms). Course drained well with only 4 holes "cart path only"... except for 1 (par 4) and 11 (par 5) which are roped off at the cart path.
It is a "Links" style course. #1 through #18 is a straight haul with no return to the club house, so don't forget anything you need.
I didn't use the practice range or practice chipping areas. Practice putting green was in good condition.
Bunkering is fair and not often a source for collecting tee shots. Greenside bunkers are fairly placed and not much of a penalty if you have a good bunker game.
Greens hadn't been mowed due to the AM rains and were very slow, but rolled true to the perceived break. Greens are not severe in undulation and not represented well by the practice putting green regarding undulation.
This is NOT a walking course. There are several holes with up to a hundred yards+ between holes.
Many great views, streams (trout and such) and some wildlife (turkeys, geese fish and turtles, etc .).
Restrooms and water on the usual 3 hole expectation... well... water to drink anyway.

Fairways are well maintained. I played the white tees, which made the course only moderately difficult. The "tips" may be a different matter, but only due to length.

Greens were in good condition and will likely only get better after aeration marks fully heal and greens can be mowed and rolled. Course is very well maintained.

Suggest golfers go to the course web site to copy and paste by hole information on where to hit and were to avoid that accompanies each hole description on the site. I found it somewhat useful, but fromt he white tees... you can see the challenges and best landing areas.

I had a great time... played by myself... and once the 4-some in front of me let me through... I zipped around with no issues.

It's a good course. Resort also has horse trails, tennis and a moderately priced restaurant. I did not eat at the restaurant and cannot vouch for the food.

A very fun golf course to play. Many elevation changes with challenging tee shots. A few holes require local knowledge from the tee on doglegs, but generally what you see is what you get. There aren't a lot of water hazards but those that challenge you are easily unavoidable. One par three over water requires correct clubbing depending on pin location.
The course is a beauty with many large private residences. The putting green was not in the best of shape. Fairways are generous. Course greens had been dressed and sanded two weeks prior to my round; slow and bumpy, but acceptable.

I would recommend The Ridges for a fun time on a course with high potential to be outstanding with better conditioning.

A lovely drive through the mountains with great views. Course is situated just south of Franklin, NC in a nice piedmont in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Great views, streams, small water falls on many holes.
I played the white tees at about 6K yards.
#1 and #17 are funky blind dogleg right drives that require local knowledge for the correct line. The balance of the holes are rather straight forward with a "what you see is what you get" layout.
Greens had been arified and sanded a few weeks ago and putts were slow, but very playable.
Fairways are well conditioned but were very wet and plugged shots were often in the fairways.
Recommend a good range finder for distances to pin from fairways.

Drinking Water and bathrooms on course are non-existant, so "go" before going out and at the switch from the front to the back 9. Take a few bottles of water to hydrate.

It is a "shot maker's" course with placement of tee shots critical to providing second shot access to the greens. No forced carries for all but #17.

The course will be a treat for those who play when it has dried out and the greens are fully grown back in from maintenance. If the ground crew can speed up the greens they will present a good challenge.

The course's main obstacle is sand. No water hazards on the course but plenty of sand and if you are not in the fairway, really nice oaks might cause you problems.
Course is always in good shape. The greens are very puttable but only stimp about 8 and you must pay attention to the grain on the greens; it will impact the speed of your putt and can turn it a good deal more than your line might indicate.

Lots of great hills that sometimes leave a blind shot into some greens.

Drinking water on the course is scarce and my only real negative.