sorenj

The first comment I made to my wife as we walked down the number 1 fairway at Triggs Memorial golf course was that this should be called “old growth golf.” Much like an old growth forest, parts of Triggs are a bit too scraggly and overrun to be called beautiful by some; however, if you appreciate a raw, natural environment, this oak scattered course may be just your cup of tea.

The trick to Triggs is that all of the playing surfaces are great, stay on them and you’ll be fine. The crew does a good job with the fairways and greens and I didn’t have a single issue with my situation following a good shot. It’s when you get a little off the beaten path things get more interesting. The rough is just that… unkempt, at times vengeful feeling, rough. There is not only inconsistency in the tall grasses that surrounds many of the fairways, but a relative disregard for fallen branches from the trees etc. It’s as if the areas that are not a part of the proper tee to green path are not really the province of the grounds crew. This is not to say they are completely neglected, just not overly doted upon.

Personally, I loved this. It’s a very different look and feel than most of the courses I’ve played where everything within the property is manicured, sculpted or at least maintained to promote or preserve a certain image. Triggs is 18 holes working their way through an actual living, breathing forest.

I was a little concerned when I saw that the driving range allowed only irons and that, even from the back, the course only stretched to 6522 yards; however, in part because of the rough terrain around the fairways and also because of a nice design and layout, this track boasts plenty of challenge. The 71.8 rating and 131 slope seemed spot on to me as I made my way around.

While similar in distance (200, 191, 200) the first three par 3’s are different enough to make this okay. The first is uphill and therefore plays longer while the second has water running right in front of the green. The last of the three’s is one that kind of exemplifies the course. Slightly downhill and much shorter in distance (158) than the others, you are still firing at a quite small and well protected green (featuring multiple bunkers across the front and sides with forest in the back). Despite looking inviting, Triggs never really gets easy.

It’s a Donald Ross course and as such the greens are typically small and well protected while the fairways are generally fairly straight but narrow. You don’t have to be able to move the ball side to side much to score here, but you do need to be able to place your shot where you want it. Not coincidently the short dogleg left par 4 16th was both the curviest and my favorite hole.

In addition to having cool forward tees that launch from an island tee box in the pond at the beginning of the fairway, there are two large trees that stand sentry over the green for any shot that isn’t quite long enough off the tee. This does not make this a grip-it-and-rip-it hole, however, as a shot too long off the tee will leave you out of bounds (or at least in trouble shrouded in trees). It would not be difficult to outhit this fairway at all. I used a 6 iron which was just enough club to clear the “guard trees” but not enough to put the far side of the fairway into play. From there it was a fairly routine 9 iron-putt-putt-par.

I started my round very early in the morning and was pleasantly surprised when the grounds keeper not only worked diligently to make way for me, but spoke to me about his schedule on the next few holes over one stretch (he was watering) so I would not have to worry if I saw sprinklers on a fairway as I approached. It was an over and above level of service I don’t see many places. While they were very busy in the clubhouse (especially after my round) everyone there was friendly and made time to talk to me and answer any and all questions I might have had. In short my service experience at Triggs was outstanding as well.

It did seem to be getting very busy as we were leaving, so an early tee time might be best. While I understand the non-manicured look might not be for everyone, I really enjoyed my round at Triggs and would certainly come back again if I was in the area. It’s a different, but in no way inferior, feel. Which, again, I really liked.

If I had to describe Deerfield in a word, I would say “green, lush, and blind.” I really couldn’t decide between these options, so I’d have to let you choose. I don’t know if I’ve ever had this many blind shots in a round before (Potomac Shores in Virginia might be the closest thing). Between the thick trees, doglegs, and mid-hole elevation changes, it seemed like half my tee shots were taken without having seen the green.

That said, this is a lovely course. Dense vegetation lines most holes and the constant roll of the land keeps your vision largely confined to your own hole (often only half of it at a time) which left me feeling like I was playing largely alone (never a bad thing).

The 6323 distance didn’t give me much pause, but when I looked at the 136 slope I had to wonder where the challenge was. Largely, it is in elevation and direction change. The course features a large number of uphill tee (or approach) shots so it simply plays longer than the 6300+ yards. There are downhills, of course (what goes up must come down); however, in many cases they are the front end of a dogleg so you can only make up so much distance on them.

I’d go so far as to say the course is lightly bunkered (especially in the fairways), but that is just fine due to the large amount of forested area. Where they are needed they are present, for example on the elbow of #17, one of the few holes that isn’t tree lined, so that there is no free pass should you try to cut the corner and miss-hit your drive.

The track was in terrific condition with all of the playing surfaces rich in both color and texture. This was especially impressive for as early in the year as I played. The colors of trees were pretty in the relatively early spring, I can’t imagine how beautiful this course gets in the fall.

The first hole is a proper introduction to the course. It’s a dog leg left par 5 with 360+ yards to the corner. From there, the hole takes significant downhill tack to the green (a surface you will not lay eyes on until your third shot). You can cut off a little of the corner (especially if you on the right hand side of the fairway); however, because of how dense the vegetation is on the left hand side, just know that if you miss left, you are going to your bag for another ball.

My favorite hole was probably number 10; it’s a strong dogleg left from a very elevated tee box. Any notions of trying to cut over the trees below is tempered by a pond that sits just beyond the elbow and runs along the left hand side of the fairway. So, only the biggest of hitters (read: not me) should try to shave anything off here. That said, a good shot to the center of the fairway will leave you 260-270 to the green. This is a par 5, so that may not seem like a big deal, but the fairway gets very narrow as you pass the pond. As if that were not enough, you are then firing into a postage stamp of a green. No matter how you play this hole there is risk involved. But there is no denying it is a fun hole to play.

While Deerfield is not for the faint of heart, it is not indomitable either. I was not at my best and shot an 88 from the back tees. However, I never sniffed a birdie and, to do any real scoring I think you would absolutely have to have you’re “A” game going. Interesting/fun sidenote, I met a guy in the clubhouse (as I was leaving he was getting ready to play) and he sent me a note later on with a pic of his first ever hole-in-one from later that day.

That brings us to the make or break standard for me with new courses, the par three’s. Deerfield did not disappoint here. With distances ranging from 158 to 225(!!) yards, elevation changes, and generally different looks… they certainly provided the requisite variety of challenge.

The staff and groundskeepers were terrific, as were the players I met at Deerfield. Between all of this and a pretty brisk pace of play considering the various challenges the course holds, I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to play this course.

I’ll preface this review by pointing out this was the first time I had played with accompanying media and, despite my protestations that it shouldn’t matter who you play with, it was an interesting experience because of that. He was there reviewing the course as well, my story was in addition to that, so I wasn’t the complete focus like later rounds, but still, it was something different and probably effected my overall experience moreso than my play.

We played the relatively forward silver tees which were well under 6000 yards and rated at 68.9 which was the lowest course rating of the 51 rounds I played on this trip. None of this contributed to a good score however, and I barely managed to stay below the mason Dixon line of 90 (carding a dog-fight-grind of an 89).

While I didn’t have many shots to write home about my best shot of the trip was on the par four 12th; a 188 yard 7 iron through a tiny gap in the trees onto the green. Which brings me to my first point about Potomac shores, there is no shortage of opportunities to make a phenomenal shot. Many holes offer risk/reward options and very often a so-so shot can be made up with a fantastic one. Having said that, it is worth noting that attempting that fantastic make-up shot can be particularly damaging to your score here, as there are a lot of areas where you simply aren’t getting your ball (or much distance) back if you fail to make the shot and a blow-up hole can quickly ensue.

Potomac Shores is a shot makers dream, and I’d love to play again (in fact I plan to play again) when I’m actually striking the ball well. I believe there is a real opportunity to post a low score here. The greens are generally well protected; both by approach angles as well as bunkering and elevation change.

The signature par five 10th hole is a beauty and a Nicklaus classic with an island of trees and long grasses splitting the fairway on your downhill approach shot. Placing your tee shot well is critical to having a reasonable second shot and setting up your approach. On a positive note, this hole is as scenic as it is challenging and, visually, you will love it the whole way. I was there in the spring, I can’t imagine how pretty it is in the fall.

Arguably my favorite part of Potomac Shores is that it is a trail of holes (one hole simply leads to the next) that progresses in a giant loop. There are almost no holes side by side, and even the few that are close don’t create a presence that is felt at all. I felt alone on the course all day. There are some long jaunts between holes and, as such, the course requires players to ride in a cart. As much as I prefer to walk, this is a good decision as it would simply take too long for groups to walk from one hole to the next in certain places and really effect pace of play.

Another unique feature is that the 18th and practice greens are on the same putting surface. From the 320 yard silver tees I played, your drive will probably get you close enough that you won’t feel intimidated by people warming up on the green you are hitting into. However, if I had been faced with a longer approach shot (e.g. from the 400+ yard back tees) this may have given me a moment of pause. For me, hitting a little wedge shot from about 85 yards, it was fun.

I found the staff very friendly and helpful all around, the only thing that I thought could really be improved was signage on the course. I picked up a yardage book in the clubhouse and it helped a bit; however, without it I think the decision on which way to drive after the first hole would have been a coin flip at best. Overall I thought this was a very nice course that played a little tougher than its rating mostly because the cost of an error is a little steep for a 68.9 (although, to be fair, this is probably adequately represented in the slope of 132).

I’d recommend this course to anyone in the area and intend to visit again when I get the chance.

My morning at Worthington Manor was cold, wet, and wonderful. If you look closely at any of the pictures that include me, you’ll notice I’m wearing two gloves, which only happens on really cold days. However, no amount of rain or cold could ruin this good walk.

Playing from the tips, Worthington’s rating (74.7) and slope (145) threaten to challenge you; and they deliver on that promise. Beyond the 7000+ yards, there are plentiful turns, tight targets, deep extended rough and elevation changes to test your game. None of that, of course, includes the bunkers, greens, and water hazards which are also very much in play throughout this track. There are multiple holes where you are facing more than just added distance by playing all the way back, as the angles can dramatically change where you can effectively place your ball on the fairway.

Having said all of that, even from the back, the course is playable and there are very few holes which would cause too much trouble if you played them decently. The par three 17th might be the exception to that as you will need a good 200 yards of carry off the tee and you are essentially firing through a shoot of trees most of the way. The tee is elevated, though, so you don’t need a full 200 yard club to clear the creek in the front of the green.

This course is built on a watershed, and there are subsequently very few holes where you are not having to carry a decent amount of marshy waste area or water of some kind. Worm-burners off the tee here will frequently cost you a ball. The first and second holes are great examples of this; both requiring a roughly 200 yard carry to the elbow of a dogleg left. Because you are firing into a dogleg, the depth of your landing area is naturally reduced. The script is somewhat flipped on the long (437 yards) par 4 third, where the marsh carry is to the green; which, because of the length of the hole is going to be a longer iron for most players (without a good tee shot, this could quickly become a hole that plays as a par 5, requiring a layup shot before your approach). You get the idea, Worthington Manor will make you play some golf.

What you will not be challenged by, is finding a good view. This course is beautiful both in layout and environment. Surrounded by trees and rolling over and through countless hills Worthington has as many vistas as it does divots. The tee to green, everything is in terrific condition with nice sharp lines between cuts and putting surfaces that roll true (they were a little slow the day I played because of the rain, but my understanding is that on most days the pace is very good as well). As eluded to above, the design of the course is great, placing as high a premium on course management as ball striking.

The staff at Worthington were also commendable. Overtly friendly and helpful they were a significant feature and added considerable value to my visit. I talked to one of the guys for a few minutes about my trip and the experiences we have had. From the stories of my rounds thus far, he was able to identify holes in which I’d be likely to score and how I should go about doing it (as well as which ones I should simply manage and live to fight another day). By the time I was on the course, I felt like I had already played a practice round; and this helped… more than a little.

To me, if you are in the area, Worthington is a must play. I’m very excited about trying to get back out there and squeeze a round in during my next trip back east.

I’ll preface this by saying that I played in RAIN at The Woods. I have (quite literally, no hyperbole here) never been this wet when I wasn’t actually immersed in water. I had the first tee time set up (months in advance, actually). But a member and regular showed up and wanted to go out first and I had no problem with it so off she went. I believe it was on the second fairway we ran into her as she was heading back to the clubhouse, abandoning her round… it was that kind of day. Somewhere around the 14th hole I stopped playing into the greens due to the amount of standing water present (and my fear that I would start plugging balls and ruining the greens). However, when you are playing 50 rounds in 50 states in 50 days, you get what you get… and what I got was soaked.

Having said all of that I really enjoyed my round at The Woods (once you accept that you are wet, and are going to be wet… it’s not that big a deal, really). With par threes called “the ball washer” and “dam hole,” a drivable par 4, and an uphill cross ravine tee shot that is fully capable of making your hair stand on end; there is pretty much something for everyone here.

My favorite hole was probably the par 3 ninth. It’s only 134 yards, but you are firing from an elevated green through a shoot of trees and carrying water all the way up to the front of the green. The landing surface is shallow, although there is a backstop of a hill behind the hole that offers some protection. I hit an easy pitching wedge, which was almost too much club into the green and finished with a two putt par.

The downhill 313 yard (although I’d say it plays closer to 250) par 4 sixteenth hole is fun as well. The course description calls it an eagle hole, but with no real protection on the front left of the green, I can see a regular player having legitimate albatross aspirations whenever they see a left side pin placement.

Always a fan of in-play water, I like that at least 8 holes include some sort of pond or creek. Relatively straight and with few bunkers, The Woods relies on these features and the wooded areas lining the fairways for protection. As the 125 slope would indicate it is slightly above average in difficulty, stretching out to 6621 this track sports decent length and does allow you to use the majority of your clubs along the way. I found it manageable, with no blow up holes despite the less than ideal weather; however, did have a higher than usual count of 12 bogeys on the round (against only one birdie).

The course was a great shape, very green and well maintained. The new sand on several of the greenside bunkers was strikingly white and created a terrific contrast against the deep greens. Additionally, the rain didn’t prevent the rather abundant wildlife from cavorting with us. We saw deer (pretty domesticated and undaunted by me playing through) on multiple holes, and plenty of other critters as well.

The pro-shop is small in comparison to a lot of the courses we have visited. But they did have exactly what we needed with regard to rain gear for Melanie etc. and they were as friendly and inviting a group as you could want. The folks out working on the course were great too, even if they did call me crazy more than once for playing under these conditions.

Overall I had a great time at The Woods and the biggest disappointment we ran into was probably the challenge in capturing good pictures the rain presented. I’d love to get back and play it on a nicer day… but I’d go back again even if it was raining as well.

I had the first tee time at Heritage Hill and about 10 minutes before that time as I was warming up around the tee box, the group behind me encouraged me to go. I was hesitant because, well, it wasn’t my time just yet. However they insisted, speaking about how they played almost every day and would handle any flack that might otherwise come my way. They were friendly, fun and (eventually) got me off the tee box early. If *that* is the “worst” part of your day on a course, you’ve probably chosen your track well.

The course was in fantastic condition and quite frankly, I was ready to start writing my review after the third hole. Heritage Hill doesn’t waste anytime piquing your interest with a lovely (200+ yard) elevated tee shot into a green that is well protected on the right (although there is some respite on the left) on the par 3 second hole. This is followed by the par 4 third with one of the coolest and most visually pleasing tee boxes I’ve hit from on my trip.

I played from the tips and it is a lengthy track from back there, 7142 yards with a 72.8/136 rating/slope. The rating is a little low for that distance (in my experience) which is probably because most of the holes have rather generous landing areas, making it relatively easy not to get into too much trouble off the tee. Most of the difference from the regular tees to the back is distance; however there are a few holes where the angles matter. Eleven and to a lesser degree sixteen come quickly to mind. On #11 the angle into the par 3 green really cuts down on the play you have in your shot and at 170+ yards (read: you’re not firing in there with a wedge), this starts to matter.

I found the bunkering on the first three or four holes to be both light and ineffectual as far as keeping the course honest; however, after that the traps increased significantly in both volume and practical value. On both nine and ten, for example, I don’t think you could put bunkers in better strategic places to maintain the integrity of play. As mentioned above, the course protects itself largely with distance, although there is also a little water here and there.

Other than #18 there really aren’t any really tough angles or holes where a premium is placed on where you leave your drive. Even there it’s really just a matter of how much water you want to carry, I don’t think there are any holes where being on the wrong side of the fairway cuts off a significant part of the green. While this makes play a little less strategic, I really enjoyed being able to “just play golf.” Move around the course putting together one decent shot after another without being overly focused on threading a needle in order to set up a decent shot for my approach.

This course plays to a nice mixture of challenge and forgiveness as you really have to make some pretty big mistakes to take the proverbial blowup hole (I can imagine #2, #11, #16 and #18 causing some consternation on the wrong day though). This is how I feel a course should be designed, tough to score upon, but also forgiving enough to properly reflect an average round (many courses set up to overly penalize average play, Heritage Hill will not do that). As such I really enjoyed my round from the course design standpoint.

We also had a great experience when it came to the staff at the course. In the clubhouse everyone was friendly and helpful; however, the gold medal goes to the gentleman we had a lengthy conversation with after the round. Such a great guy and so many fantastic stories. That personal touch really made a great day even better.

Pace of play was great (as you might imagine being playing as a single and going off first), with the foursome behind us playing with us the entire way (and the group behind them right on their heels. This was particularly impressive since we turned in a 3:15 round. I can’t speak for the afternoon pace, of course, but if this is any indication I can’t imagine ever having any pace issues in the morning.

I really enjoyed Heritage Hill and if I find myself in the state again will almost certain make a point of visiting and playing here again. If you live in the area, be sure to go!

I’m going to preface this review by saying the day we played Redtail it was cold, wet and foggy, with an emphasis on wet…

The main point in starting with that is to let you know in advance that the pictures from Redtail are not going to do it justice, the weather just was not conducive to taking great pictures. What the weather couldn’t do; however, was ruin a terrific track and despite getting very wet, we really enjoyed this course.

One of the things I liked, in retrospect, was that Redtail starts you off “easy.” The first few holes are below the mountain where you can get your swing calibrated and build a little momentum. Further, after the up and down of the mountain holes, there are a few relaxing low land holes at the end as well to ease you into the club house.

In between you’ll find some of the most scenic and interesting golf around. Winding up and down the face of the hills, elevation change becomes a staple of almost every hole beginning with the 75 foot ascent to the green on #5 and culminating with the roughly 200 foot drop on the par 4 fourteenth.

Nothing quite matches number 12 though. The hole drops about 230 feet tee to green, and around 260 from the tee box to its low point in front of the green. This may be one of the most protected greens you’ll ever see when it comes to trying to get on the deck in two (it’s a par five). The hole is located at a 90 degree angle from the end of the fairway, with a rise and forest defending against attempting to cut the corner. As if all of that isn’t enough, there’s also a small rock wall in front of the green. It’s truly a fun and unique hole.

Another thing not to miss is the old burial ground tucked away on the right hand side of the fairway as you head downhill on number 14. It's very cool, but easy to miss.

One of the least bunkered tracks I’ve played on this trip (at least the mountain stretch, there are a few more on the low-land holes), Redtail mostly relies on elevation and angles to defend itself, and it does a fairly good job of it. However, what I really liked was that, while the course design does make it tough enough that it’s hard to really “destroy” the course; at the same time, if you play smart and take what the course gives you, it’s certainly possible to post a good number.

We found the staff to be simply wonderful. In fact probably the only thing “unreasonable” about our experience was them apologizing for the weather (obviously, there’s nothing they could do about it). Since we were, by and large, the only people crazy enough to play on this particular morning, I can’t say too much about the pace of play in general. However, we went out first and I was playing alone and it still took me nearly 4 hours walking. The moral of the story is, use a cart here if you want to finish in a reasonable amount of time.

If you are a shutterbug, bring your camera as there are no shortage of vistas and views and if you are golfer, bring your whole bag, because you will have a chance to use it all. We really enjoyed Redtail and would certainly return and play (a hopefully dryer round) again.

When I was researching courses to play in South Carolina, one of the first thoughts I had was wanting to play on a barrier island. As I was scanning reviews and pictures of courses I ran into a picture of a sign that read “please don’t feed the alligators.” It was at this point that the courtship between the Ocean Winds course at Seabrook Island Resort began.

Ocean Winds, perhaps surprisingly, doesn’t offer a ton of ocean views, but it doesn’t promise that. What it implies, and delivers on, is stiff ocean breezes as you work your way around the course. This is especially true of the back nine which is far more open – both in the width of the fairways and the vegetation around them – than the front.

Indeed, the front and back nine’s are quite different. The front has numerous dense stands of tall trees and very narrow fairways, especially (at least the way I play) in the landing areas. Being a little bit off could easily leave you in the woods, likely in a place dense enough to require a pitch out rather than a recovery shot. Between the distance lost on the shot that hit the trees and the often necessary escape shot, bogeys come easy should you misfire on a tee shot.

The tradeoff is that it’s a beautiful stroll filled with wildlife, we saw deer on multiple holes for example, through some pretty straight forward (literally and figuratively) holes. Without a lot of angles or elevation changes, you can rely on your stock club length and a mistake is never compounded by leaving yourself short sided on a dogleg.

While the fairways on the back are still a bit narrow, the landing areas open up more than on the front. More significantly though, there are far fewer trees and as such this side of the track is more forgiving to a slightly wayward tee shot.

This does not mean the course suddenly get easy, however. The open spaces invite winds coming off the ocean and those breezes seldom decline to attend. A slight fade can turn into a slice fairly quickly by catching a prevailing wind. The good news is that recovery is much more likely, even for significantly more unwieldly shots.

There are relatively few bunkers on this course, not really needed because of the tree and wind protection. However, there is a decent amount of water to keep you honest as you move your way around. We found the course to be in very good condition.

I found the staff to be quite attentive as well as being very friendly. This included a 10-15 minute “tutorial” in the pro-shop on different grass types and how to properly care for the course (e.g. divots and ball makrs on the green) while you are playing on each type. This may have been the most instructive 15 minutes of my trip! Also, not overly surprisingly based on the “do not feed” sign… we found the gators to be, if not friendly, at least not overly aggressive.

Overall the experience at Seabrook Island was really good. I’d certainly enjoy returning and playing the Oaks course as well.