hauserj85

Eagle Ridge has a reputation as one of the nicer courses in the area and the condition it was in leaves much to be desired. This course clearly has some work to do. I know, it's winter and it rained recently, but yikes. Poor drainage, serious runoff issues, and tees that need a lot of work. This course also has one of the worst ranges in the area. Heck, Reedy Creek has a better range that's a third of the size and I guarantee they don't have nearly the same budget. I'll certainly come back when things green up in April or May, but if you're playing before then, make sure you get a good deal. Otherwise, don't waste your time or money.

Second time playing this course, although it has been quite a while since the first time I've played it. Clubhouse isn't bad and has a nice golf shop/grill. Range turf is in great shape. Course itself has some work to do. In some places, the fairways are lush and pretty easy to catch a good lie. Other spots are downright awful. At this time in the golf season, with ample time since soil temps have reached a good growing point, that's not a good sign. Greens were recently punched and were slow due to the topdressing. Give those a couple weeks to recover and they should be in pretty good shape. Some tees on the back nine hadn't been mowed at all. Course layout is relatively easy although some doglegs make for important club selection off the tee. Pace of play was excellent with hardly anyone out there on a Wednesday afternoon, as to be expected. Breezed through 14 holes in about 2.5 hours, but ran into a 3some that was all over the place that added almost an hour for the last 4 holes. Overall, a decent track that could use some work on some fairways but does allow for some error off the tee. Pay any more than $35 and you've paid too much.

Last played this course a few years ago, before they were purchased by the Fred Smith Company. The course has come a long way from the bare fairways and burnt out greens, but it still has quite a ways to go. The fairways are certainly better but a few are not in good shape. Some tee boxes are downright embarrassing. Greens are certainly faster, but bumpy as heck. The course layout is actually pretty good, with holes that require shaping but have generous fairways that allow for some error. It is definitely not a bombers course. The rough in some places is punishing and your only shot may be a punch out. A couple of risk-reward holes keep things interesting, including a driveable par 4, and the par 3s are a good mix of distances. If the course continues on this upward trajectory, it'll work its way into the upper echelon of Raleigh tracks. If you can find a tee time for under $30, give it a shot. Over $30? Go elsewhere.

Have been wanting to play this course for some time and finally got the chance to do so. If you've never played it before, some of the tee shots are elevated and landing areas are hidden from view. Greens are quick but not fast. This is not only a shotmaker's course, but much more target golf than bombs away. The rough isn't awful, but wayward shots will result in tough approaches or an almost-certain bogey ( or worse) around the green. Lots of elevation changes make club selection a premium. Bring extra balls because you're going to lose a few. Clubhouse has a good selection of beers for the back nine swing lube. This course takes a few rounds before one can truly score well. Give it a shot.

Recently moved to the area but have wanted to try this course for some time. Course is in really good shape for the summer. Greens aren't fast (not like they can be at this time), but are firm and roll well. They're mostly flat and many putts don't break nearly as hard as you think they will. Layout itself is fairly easy and the course is relatively short from the tips (~6400 yards). Practice facilities are excellent with the exception of the range. It's located across the street and is a travesty compared to the rest of the course. It's in awful shape, it faces a daycare (!), and the turf is starting to show a U-shape unless you go to the far end. Put some money into fixing that thing. Despite the range, give this track a shot. Looking forward to seeing how fast they can get the greens come fall weather.

For quite some time, Falls Village was always an afterthought when booking a tee time. There were (and are) better courses for the money in the area. Today's experience moved FV into the upper echelon of courses simply because of the new greens. You usually had to go to Pine Hollow, The Neuse, or River Ridge to find quick greens, but FV's new greens are firm yet receptive, roll true, and are pretty quick. Course layout isn't difficult, but there are definitely some tee shots requiring a carry over water. A few dog legs require long irons off the tee. If you can work it both ways, you'll have a good time. Some of the back tees need a lot of work. The bunkers aren't being maintained at the moment, so ignore their condition. Given the condition of the greens the last time I played this course, I can't praise the new ones enough. Please please please maintain these greens at their current level. Will definitely be back.

Played this course a couple months ago for the first time in quite a while, the first since they were acquired by Fred Smith. At the time, the greens were getting better although a few spots were rough and most were pretty bumpy. Fast forward to this time and the greens have filled in nicely. Quick and smooth. Greens staff were working on the bunkers, a move desperately needed: the bunkers are basically just dirt at the moment. Some of the tee boxes aren’t in good shape, some of which can be attributed to the season, others from too little sun, others to poor maintenance. Course layout is pretty good and conditions are good. Be able to work the ball both ways for success. At its current rate of progress, this course should be in great shape for the spring and will jump into the upper half of courses in the Raleigh area. Keep it up.

Played this course several times over the years and it never disappoints, but never impresses. Large practice green and a wedge range is all you get for a warmup. Course layout is not challenging, so if you're having a bad day off the tee, you won't be punished like you would at other courses. Back nine is a little tighter than the front, and the stockholders nine is about as wide as the front. Fairways and rough are in decent shape. I know it's hot out, but for what this place charges, the greens should be in much better condition and a little faster; They current sit probably around 7.5-8. If you're used to playing on faster Bermuda greens, be prepared to slam your putts here. A few tee boxes are in terrible shape and it's tough to find a level lie for about half of the tees. Relatively walker-friendly. If your goal is to go out and work on some shots to some smaller greens, good course. If you're looking for a challenge and willing to pay $35-40, especially for greens that are 10 or faster, definitely go elsewhere.

First time playing this course and a place I've wanted to for quite some time. The range is in absolutely awful shape and embarrassing for a course that is in the upper echelon in the Raleigh area. There was confusion to get out of the gate because staff failed to let golfers know that play started off the back side. Course layout is moderately challenging. There are certainly some holes where you can swing away, others you need to plot your way around. Tee boxes do have markers letting golfers know the distance to a hazard, which is a plus. Ball washers are about 2 years past their replacement date. Despite all the rain in the last few days, fairways were in great shape and rough isn't too punishing. Definitely need to be able to work the ball left-to-right on this course, especially off the tee. Quite a few blind tee shots, so shell out the $4 for a yardage book if you've never played. River Ridge runs radio ads in the Raleigh DMA bragging about greens that run 11 on the stimpmeter. While I understand keeping the greens longer in warmer weather, there was absolutely no way they were running 11; They were probably closer to 9.5 or 10. You still needed to be cautious if you were above the hole, but not nearly as punishing as 11. Putts still rolled well as greens were relatively smooth and firm but receptive.

Overall, it's a nice track that is comparable to The Neuse in difficulty, layout, and green speed. Wait until the after-3pm rate to play, and it's supremely disappointing that they don't offer any price reduction if one wants to walk (at least on the website).

Scotch Hall is one of the best courses in the state for a reason. The value for the money is outstanding, and being able to secure a Hot Deal for a tee time ensures golfers get an insane deal, well worth the two hour drive from Raleigh.

If you're playing from the tips, the course will require you to use every club in your bag. Most holes are exposed to the elements, so club selection is a premium as well as the ability to flight the ball. It's not overly long for a par 72, although the wind on the back nine - especially in the afternoon - can lengthen many holes substantially. All but one of the par 5s are reachable, depending on the wind of course. The greens are smaller compared to your average course, which requires accuracy and course management when holes are in difficult positions. Fairways are generous for some holes but you will need to work the ball both ways. There are some tee shots that are classic risk-reward, so if you're on your game, take advantage.

Most of the bunkers are in awful shape, but there was a small hurricane that came through a couple weeks ago, so those should be fixed by next year. My only serious complaint, aside from allowing a 5some to go out ahead of a twosome, is the condition of the greens. To be fair, last winter wasn't a good one for Bermuda or bent, and some courses are in worse shape or had to replace their greens entirely. It's still warm enough out that bent needs to be kept longer to ensure it doesn't perish. That being said, the greens were about the same speed as your average muni, which is unacceptable for course of this caliber. True, the last time I played this course was when I worked for a pro tour and they were running around a 12, so perhaps my expectations were artificially inflated. Still, disappointing to say the least. There was one temporary green and the clubhouse failed to notify us.

Overall, the value for the money is excellent. The clubhouse has a solid food and beer selection. The GPS screen on the golf carts is a nice feature. This course, when the greens are in good condition, is a web.com-quality course. If the housing bubble hadn't popped and the course wasn't situated in the middle of BFE, this course would be hosting events. Looking forward to coming back.

The Preserve at Jordan Lake, like The Neuse in Clayton, is one of the hidden gems of the Triangle. Usually, the course is in great shape and the greens are pretty quick, somewhere in the 10-11 range. With the hot summer, it's understandable that they were a little slower. The course itself was in mediocre shape. To be fair, there had been quite a bit of rain over the previous two weeks and the course, with all its contours, does not drain well. The bunkers were in god-awful shape. There were pools in all but a couple of them. Some of the tees looked like they hadn't been mowed in a few days, unacceptable for a course of this caliber.

The course itself is a challenging layout. If you don't have your best stuff, be prepared to lose quite a few golf balls. Depending on which set of tees you're playing, club selection is critical; you don't need (or want) to hit driver every hole. Greens are undulating but some hole locations allow for mistakes to be made. When they are as quick as they normally are, above the hole usually means an automatic two-putt. You must be able to work the ball both ways if you want to be successful here.

If you're looking for a test of your abilities (and it hasn't rained in a week or so), give this course a shot.

Like most golf courses in the fall, wayward tee shots are difficult to find because of leaves. This course is difficult enough if you're not finding the fairway, but the leaves add another level. The Preserve is a challenging layout that requires you to be on for all aspects of your game. The greens were deliciously slick, running around an 11. Anything above the hole was nearly impossible to get in the cup. Your short game and your ability to get creative will be seriously tested. If you can't put spin on wedge shots from less than 40 yards, do yourself a favor and play very cautiously. The Preserve is a great course for the money. Can't wait to come back in the spring when the leaves are gone.

On a separate note, don't offer a particular tee time and then suddenly move it by 20 minutes, especially when there's limited daylight and a packed course. If I need to book Hot Deals 72 hours in advance, there's absolutely no reason I should be forced to move my time tee less than 24 hours out.

Have played this course several times and it still remains a staple in the rotation. It’s relayively easy with a few challenging holes. Some holes require some imagination off the tee which helps to break up any monotony. For the first time, pace of play was a huge issue. For some odd reason, the staff sent out a 5some as the lead group for 3 more 4somes. Not sure who thought that was a good idea. Normally, I can get around in about 3.5 hours with a buddy or two m. It took 3 hours just to play the front. It’s not good when you tee off at 12:30 and have trouble finishing before dark. Plan better. The two complaints I have that haven’t changed (or been addressed):

1. For the love of God, speed up the greens. It’s cooler weather and the greens can handle it. Anything below a 9 is unacceptable with current weather conditions.
2. Although not important right now with less daylight, the bar needs to be open past 5. In the summer, you’re giving up a lot of potential revenue to those twilight golfers.

Definitely one of the best courses for the value in Raleigh. With the time change, I'm hopeful that the course will update it's twilight hours as well. Course is in pretty good shape, although a few of the tee boxes could use some serious work. Even though the temperature has cooled down, the greens are still incredibly slow. If they brought the greens up to 9-10, this course would be even better. As for the off-course amenities, the bar inexplicably closes at 5 on Fri/Sat. I mean, come on. For the upcoming season, 6pm at the earliest. For the summer months, if they're not open until 8pm on Fri/Sat, you're losing money. To close, give this track a go, especially if they speed up the greens and keep the bar open a bit later.

First time I've played here in a while and was excited to see the new greens. They aren't as hard (not difficulty) as I expected, so you don't have to worry too much about shots hitting and releasing way more than you're used to. Still a little slower than I'd prefer and grainy, but look for that to improve by next year. Course is in good shape. If you've never played here, you need to be on your game. Some really good golf holes out here. If you have the time to trek from Raleigh, definitely give a go. A solid track that, now with the Mini Verde greens, has a chance to be an exceptional course if they can speed them up a bit and verticut them as well to take out some of the grain.

This small 9-hole course has quite a bit of history with the late Arnold Palmer and his days as an employee and a student at nearby Wake Forest College. That being said, the course isn't in very good shape. The fairways and rough are ok, but the greens are awful. Slow, bumpy, and tiny. To be honest, it's barely better than playing on temporary greens. The layout is straight forward and pretty easy. As it was described to me in the pro shop from the exceptionally nice guy in there, it's a practice course. Don't expect much more than that.

Course definitely has the potential to be a really good track. Range is in mediocre shape at best, but adequate to do the job. The fairways were punched recently and the grass hasn't grown back in, so there are quite a few spots that have little to no grass. They're rock hard at the moment, so if you're looking to throw up a record driving distance, this place is the place to do it. Went 380 on #9 and only had an 8 iron in to a 540-yd par 5. The greens are another story. I understand that it's been extremely hot lately and the crew has to keep them long and damp in order to keep them alive, but good grief. They were not in good shape. Some of it wasn't the course's fault, i.e. people not fixing divot marks, but they were so slow it was like putting on shag carpet. Only good thing was that they were soft, so it was easy to go after the flags. As the rest of the reviews state, the bunkers are god-awful. Unless you're in a fairway bunker, where the lack of sand is a blessing, just pull your ball out and hit from the rough. Overall, it's not a bad course. When the temps go back under 90, I'm sure the grounds crew can speed the greens back up. I love playing on fast bentgrass greens, but it might be time to switch to either Champions or Mini Verde, Falls Village.

First time playing this course. Place was in fantastic shape. Guy inside was extremely friendly and was kind enough to help out a buddy of mine who was running late. It's a short track for long hitters (~6100) and the layout is relatively easy. Only complaint addresses the greens. I know it's hot out and you can't cut them too short, but when they're rolling around 8, and that's being generous, it's not any fun having to slam every putt. At least roll them or something.

Regardless, looking forward to playing this track again in the coming months as temperatures cool and the course can speed up the greens into the 9.5-10.5 range.

A buddy of mine talked about this track and that it's an easy walk during the summer. It was only $2 more to ride on Saturday, so I wanted to give it a shot. Facilities are adequate and food/bev prices are reasonable. There is no driving range, but there is a small wedge range that's about 80-100 yards. It is alongside the road, so you need to be careful about hooking or skulling a ball that direction. The course itself has a decent layout and is really short. From the tips, ~6100 yards for a par 72 can lead to some low scores if you're a longer hitter. Right now, the fairways were fairly hard and I routinely cleared 330. Not a lot of grass at the moment, but it is March. The backside is much more narrow than the front, although the front is wide open, so that's not saying much. I was thoroughly disappointed in the greens. At this point during the year, most courses can afford to cut greens short since they don't have to worry about baking them. These were long and grainy. Most other tracks have greens running 9-11; not fast, but quick. These are lucky to get to 8, which makes course management much less fun (think Tiger's 05 Masters chip or Jordan Spieth's chip shot from the WBC on March 3), i.e. you can't play a slope because the ball wouldn't 't take it if it wasn't severe enough. Not sure about the rest of you all, but I hate going to a course and having to smash every putt. Overall, it's not a bad course but slightly overpriced for the current quality. I'm sure I'll give it another shot in April/May and can give a more accurate review. If you want a short, relatively easy course and can get a good price to ride (x<$25), give it a go.

After two straight weekends of passing up this course for longer drives, I decided to give this place a try. Range is a little short for longer hitters (fence is 290), especially on a day when the range was downwind. The bucket prices for medium and large are ridiculous ($10 and $15). Range grass is in decent shape. The putting green is a foreshadowing of how bumpy the greens are on the course. Remember watching those slow-motion replays of Tiger putting on the poa annua greens at Torrey Pines in the 08 US Open where his ball bounced all over the place? That's what they're like out here, but far worse. There were a couple greens that barely had any grass on them at all. Of the ones in decent shape, they're relatively quick. Speaking of grass, there is almost no grass on the fairways. It's awful. It's smarter to hit in the "rough," which at least has some resemblance of grass. If the fairways are like this in April or May, the super should be fired. Same with many of the tee boxes. Layout is relatively easy. A couple of blind shots here and there. For those concerned about the houses, the course really isn't that tight unless you're routinely spraying your tee shots 30 or 40 yards left or right. Pace of play was good for going off around 12:30pm on a Saturday. There was a single ahead of us who took off and we didn't hit another group until 15. However, that group we hit was four ladies who were stuck behind a 5some. Whoever allowed those groups to go out like that wasn't the brightest crayon in the box. If I recall correctly, there is ONE working ball cleaner on the course. The rest are broken or have no cleaning solution in them. Overall, course isn't difficult and it's a good place to go low, especially with three par 5s on the back. Undulations on the greens provide a challenge, especially if you're above the hole, and a chance to get the ball close with your wedges. If you can get it for under $20, yeah, give it a shot. Anything more than that, especially until the fairways come in, and it's not worth it.