Player at Lyman Orchards Golf Club

Front Nine Review: The Player’s front nine kicks off with a tough par-4 of 400 yards, a hole that doglegs uphill to a perched green. It’s a good indication of what’s to come. It may be comforting to know, at least, that the second hole is one of three shorter four-pars on the front (which include the 5th--which plays downhill to a green set amidst the trees--and the tricky sixth with its downhill, blind second shot). The overall difficulty, then, is balanced here with these easier, if not routine, ‘par-holes.’

Yet your score on this nine will likely be determined by how you play these pivotal holes, all rigorous ones:

-- Three, the most brutal driving hole on the entire eighteen, demands a long forced carry to a fairway sided by woods. The second shot is another target exercise to a raised and well-defended green.

--Four and seven are both mid-range par threes with different challenges, but the latter stands out because clubbing it is difficult given that the tee is set some fifty feet or more above the green.

-- Eight is the toughest tee-to-green hole on the Player. The drive plays steeply uphill to a tight fairway, which farther on makes a beeline toward a long trough, filled with a brushy overgrowth, that runs some 100 yards downhill toward the green. It’s another merciless crosshazard that doesn’t negotiate with golf balls, but rather eats them with gusto. The green has a small shelf in the back, which clearly can be murder for those incapable of 140-yard, high-spinning wedges (I certainly can’t).

Maybe it’s fitting that this is called “the Player Course,” because the slope of 132 (and that’s just from the blues) reinforces a name that seemingly puns on the idea that this is a course only for ‘players.’ With several sets of tees, though, it will be playable for a wide range of golfers. Is it harder (?) than its counterpart at Lyman: the Jones Course. I’ve always found the RTJ, Sr. course, with virtually every single hole a fairly tough par, to be the less forgiving exam from tee to cup. The greens at this Player are very good, but they’re more subtle than those at the Jones. But they’re also more fun--less stressful--to play here and they roll, as I was reminded again today, at what I consider perfect speed: medium-fast.

The Player Course also boasts terrific vistas across its rolling fairways and beyond, into the scenic hills of pastoral Middlefied. Mr. Player, who happens to be one of my favorite golfers (I’ll never forget his bold surge to victory in the ‘78 Masters at age 42, in which he overcame a deficit of seven shots) and who remains a great ambassador for the game, exploits the property’s landscape and its surrounds well throughout this routing. The views are particularly impressive at holes two, five, six, seven and eight.

Conditions: Presently in good shape. A few flaws exist around some of the tees, which apparently have endured heavy play in 2021, and in some of the roughs (the result of some small construction projects, it seems, going on near a few fairways). The fairways and greens were in very good condition, though there are a few wet areas--as expected-- after the recent nor’easter. But overall the course’s playability is good considering it’s nearly Halloween.

Some conclusions:
The Player course, though balanced and varied enough, emphasizes target golf on many of its holes. This will be an acquired taste for some players. I’m not all that partial to it, but I respect the integrity of these holes as well as the care and precision Gary Player put into this design. For those who want a ball-striking challenge, this will fit the bill. Not having played this in many years, I was a bit surprised today at my enjoyment of each one of these nine front-side holes.

We were warned that it was a tough golf course to walk in though we heated the warning we found it OK just that some of the walks in between holes was pretty long. T
The only other drawback is that a lot of the roofs were extremely tall and long and much too challenging for the average golfer.
The course was in great shape and we definitely would come back and play it again in the near future

Played my last round at Lyman. What a disaster! Whoever manages this course should be fired. No driving range on a Tuesday because they do "work on it". Another employee tells us "the ball dispensing machine doesn't work". We then have the same issue on an extraordinarily busy saturday. STILL no driving range.

And let's just make playing there EVEN worse....

I get having cart-path-only after some rain. But by 1 pm, 90% of the holes on the Player course were easily drivable. And the carts are all updated via some wifi to restrict their access to the course. Maybe lazy manager/superintendent guy can drive the course to open up most of the holes so we don't have to endure a 5 hour and 30 minute round. PLUS they let the rough grow so long that all the players hitting into the rough on the other side from the cart path have to walk across, then walk up and down looking for their ball wasting even more time.

This course is so poorly managed. There are far better places to play in CT.

The cart paths are becoming downright dangerous and need to be re-paved throughout. Also, someone should trim back the branches and foliage overhanging on the paths. The tee boxes also need some serious attention. Its not worth $75-85 per round in its current state.

Not quite worth the price paid. 2/3's of the course are blind shots. I'm talking tee shots AND second shots from the middle of the fairway on par 4's. The course wasn't in great condition. Not even close in comparison with the Jones course on the same facility.

Good course with a couple really screwy holes, #8 is pathetic from blue and black tees. Course in Good shape but greens too slow for my liking. Played on Saturday afternoon 3pm not very busy and pace of play was excellent. Good fun!

The routing on this course is suspect. So many blind shots on the first nine and criss-crossing all around to get from 2 to 3, 5 to 6, 13 to 14, makes your head spin. If you like “Quirky” then, this course is for you. The greens were excellent and the fairways in good condition. The staff were awesome, the pro shop and restaurant were good.

Fairways and greens were very good, Tee boxes were not good at all.

To all those who are complaining about the rough……stop hitting your ball in there. Brilliant!

Great round with two nice guys. Fun day and we will be back for another round soon.

First time playing this course. Many blind holes that made this a challenge. Fun course to try again. Greens are in nice shape.

Third time out, great track, great staff, a few “unfair” holes but fun

Love the layout . Greens very slow . rough was ridiculous thick and like that on most holes . Couldn’t even see the ball . The holes with Rough cut had way too many grass clippings . Realize we had a lot of rain but never seen the course in this bad shape in a long time . Also the cart paths need work . So much potential .

Never seen rough so long. 0 chance of finding your ball unless you hit the tiny fairways. Would not recommend this course unless your hitting the fairway every time. Otherwise greens were in good shape and pretty challenging course