50 Words or Less

Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow is a beautiful, secluded golf course in central Oregon.  Tree-lined fairways lead to accessible greens.  Can yield low scores.  Excellent conditions.

Introduction

If you prefer your golf and vacations a bit further from the beaten path, Black Butte Ranch is calling your name.  With acres and acres of forest at the base of the Cascade Mountains, Black Butte Ranch feels more like a nature retreat than a golf resort.  But that doesn’t mean they don’t take the game seriously.  After a recent $3.75 million renovation, Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow is a course that can hold its own with central Oregon’s best.

Practice Facilities

The enormous Black Butte Ranch is home to two courses – Glaze Meadow and Big Meadow.  Both courses have their own complete practice facilities with a driving range and practice putting green.  At Glaze Meadow, both the range and green are within shouting distance of the first tee and large enough to house a couple foursomes.

Amenities & Customer Service

At Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow, you’ll find a medium-sized pro shop with all the soft goods you’d expect to find at a quality resort course.  There’s also the Glaze Grill, which has a convenient walk-up window, for turn snacks or post-round refreshments.

The carts at Glaze Meadow do not have GPS units.  While this is a little disappointing, the course doesn’t demand much local knowledge, so it’s not a big deal.

Learn why Central Oregon is one of the best golf destinations HERE

Glaze Meadow and its sister course Big Meadow are just two of the amenities at the sprawling Black Butte Ranch.  This property has homes, condos, and cabins available for groups of any size to rent.  The list of activities is nearly endless – hiking, bike trails, kayaking, a spa, and a kids activity center are just the start.  Also, they recently added the Little Meadow Putting Course which is a great way to get younger family members interested in the game.

Beauty & Scenery

This section typically focuses on what a course looks like, but Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow demands that I start with a different sense: sound.  This is among the quietest golf courses I’ve ever played.  That quiet gives space to a wonderful array of natural sounds – dozens of birdsongs, frogs, woodpeckers, and more.  Even if you love having music on the course, I’d implore you to let quiet reign for this round.

Glaze Meadow is no slouch when it comes to visual beauty, too.  The course is tree-lined and lush, painting the entire visual space in shades of green.  Moderate, rolling elevation keeps your eyes engaged, and the course opens up from time to time to provide aesthetic variety.

Tee Shots

Off the tee, Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow provides defined lines of play.  Your goal – and the obstacles – are put right in front of you.  This is a tree-lined course, though some holes feel open, others cramped.

The fairways are average in width, though a couple stand out as offering more or less room for error.  They’re also mostly flat, so you can feel confident that a ball that lands in the short grass won’t take a catastrophic bounce.  Most of the fairways are lined with a healthy section of rough before you get to the real trouble.  Should you drive it into the trees, it’s a coin flip whether or not you’ll be able to find your ball.

Overall, Glaze Meadow is straightforward off the tee.  It doesn’t demand pinpoint accuracy, but driving it wildly won’t lead to good scores.  There are five sets of tees from 7,007 yards to 4,909 yards, with four combo sets on the scorecard.  Though many tee boxes are elevated, the fairways are not particularly fast, so you shouldn’t expect to gain too much bonus distance.

Approach Shots

Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow rewards accurate drivers with premium approach shot opportunities.  The fairways have very modest movement, so your stance won’t be compromised.  Additionally, the fairways are left at a comfortable length, so those that sweep the ball will feel more confident in hitting a good shot.

Driving the ball into the rough increases the difficulty in two ways.  First, the rough is average in thickness and length and can create a wide variety of lies.  If the ball sits down, you can easily get a flier.  Having the ball sit up can feel like a break, but that can make it difficult to achieve a clean strike.  The other challenge is that the terrain is more uneven off the fairway, meaning the ball can be significantly above or below your feet.

The greens at Glaze Meadow are typically elevated a bit above their surroundings.  This elevation combines with the longer fairway cut to discourage running approaches.  Outside of that, the greens are inviting targets that are mostly conventional in shape without false fronts or dramatic undulations.

Greens & Surrounds

The greens at Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow will delight the skilled putter who is looking to show off their green reading and speed control.  The greens run at a quick pace and are extremely smooth.  The undulations are modest but impactful – a stark contrast to nearby Tetherow [review HERE].  You won’t make many putts by simply slapping the ball toward the cup, but this isn’t a course that will force three putts down your throat, either.

The bunkers are the primary defense of the greens at Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow.  While they don’t cover a huge amount of square footage, most of them are fairly deep.  The sand is soft and consistent throughout the course.  If you’re a competent bunker player, these won’t cost you any sleep.  If sand traps make your knees shake, do your best to avoid them.

Outside of the sand traps, Glaze Meadow’s surrounds feature the traditional three cuts in the surrounds.  The rough isn’t horribly long or thick, but you can draw a variety of lies in it.  There isn’t much dramatic mounding or elevation around the greens, so basic pitch and chip shots are all you need to save pars after missed greens.

Favorite Holes

#8 – Par 3 – 172 Yards

This Redan-style hole offers golfers a choice: hit your tee shot to the right where the ball can run onto the green or challenge the deep bunker that guards the front and left sides of the putting surface.  The pin placement can change this hole from a fairly easy par to one that’s quite difficult.

#6 – Par 4 – 411 Yards

This is the one tee shot that at Glaze Meadow that stands apart.  You’re forced to play over water, though you get to decide how much.  Choose the right line, hit a club that will keep you in the fairway, and you should set up a reasonable chance at birdie.

Conclusion

In our traveling party, the Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow golf course was hyped up by one of the locals as his favorite.  It’s not hard to see why.  Glaze Meadow provides exactly what many golfers are looking for on vacation: scenic views, pristine conditions, and a balanced layout with ample scoring opportunities.

Visit Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow HERE

The post Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

The Crosswater Club, part of the Sunriver Resort in Bend, Oregon, sits in a sprawling, gorgeous landscape.  Playable off the tee but demanding into the green.  Tough but fair.

Introduction

There are golf courses with generic names and others with fun names, but few are more appropriately named than Crosswater Club.  Sitting on 600 acres of woodlands and wetlands, this course brings you into near constant contact with the Deschutes and Little Deschutes Rivers.  If you’re ready to put your iron game to the test, head to this championship course in central Oregon.

Practice Facilities

On the way to the first tee, Crosswater Club has all the practice facilities you need to get your game warmed up.  There’s a putting green that can accommodate about eight players, and it mirrors the course conditions.  The range is enormous, easily housing two dozen players.  On the far right side of the range, there’s a short game area with a small target green and a couple bunkers.

Something that reflects Crosswater Club’s commitment to their players are the yardage markers at every hitting station (above).  Target greens are only useful if you know how far you are from them, and Crosswater allows you to get dialed in to the exact yardage.

Amenities & Customer Service

Excellent customer service was the norm throughout our trip to central Oregon, but Crosswater Club set the standard.  There were club employees seemingly around every corner, all with tremendous enthusiasm for the course and its guests.  Chief among them was Rusty who was quick to tell us that he was playing a round after his eight hour shift – a testament to his love for the course.

Crosswater is also very serious about pace of play.  There were several marshals on the course – a rarity in itself – and they were actively policing the pace.  They even gave a friendly nudge our group, for which I give them major credit.

Moving to the amenities, Crosswater Club keeps everyone hydrated with two comfort stations, a beverage cart, and a walk-up cafe at the turn.  The pro shop is packed with soft goods.  Finally, the GPS units on the carts are excellent, displaying yardages to the pin and much more.

Learn why Central Oregon is one of the best golf destinations HERE

Beauty & Scenery

Crosswater Club is one of the most beautiful courses I’ve ever played.  The front nine has the look of a mountain course.  The holes are more separated, playing through substantial tree lines.

As you start to head toward the back nine, the views open up, allowing you to see miles in different directions.  These long views with the Cascade Mountains in the background are breathtaking.

The constants across both nines are the Deschutes and Little Deschutes Rivers.  From an aesthetic perspective, they are a constant, welcome companion.  The rivers bring with them other outdoors people, tubing and kayaking on the river.  But, as I’ll discuss next, the water is much more than an eye candy at Crosswater Club.

Tee Shots

Crosswater Club gives players a variety of challenges off the tee.  There are several holes where you’ll hit less than driver.  You’ll encounter a couple slim fairways where you need to be long and straight.  There are also a few holes where you can swing away without too much fear of trouble.  Said another way, this course doesn’t inherently favor distance over precision or vice versa; you’ll need a little of everything.

Speaking of precision, you’ll need to use the GPS or local knowledge to stay out of big trouble off the tee.  On several holes – like the two seen above – one side of the fairway is guarded by a stroke hazard.  There are also spots where you can miss wildly without much penalty, so pick your lines accordingly.

The day we played Crosswater Club, there were four sets of tees (Championship tees are listed on the scorecard but – wisely – were not in the ground).  They measured 7,273, 6,811, 6,138, and 5,723 yards.  There is also a set of Member tees which are a combination of the middle two and measure 6,550 yards.

As you may have noticed in the pictures, Crosswater Club is pretty flat.  This means there are no elevated tee shots that will give you bonus distance.  You need to earn every yard, so pick your tee boxes accordingly.  Also, like its neighbor, the Jack Nicklaus course at Pronghorn Club [review HERE], Crosswater Club strongly favors players who are hitting short irons into the greens.  I’d advise you to feed your ego with birdie putts, not by tipping it out.

Approach Shots

Testing approach shots are the defining characteristic of Crosswater Club, but it’s not unfair.  On the player’s side of the ledger, you’ll almost always have a reasonable stance.  The movement in the fairways is modest, so you won’t be dealing with unusual lies.  That said, there’s enough gently rolling elevation to block clear views of everything you might want to see.  You’ll need to trust your GPS and your yardage book.

Crosswater Club is also fair about doling out penalties for inaccurate driving.  The fairways are cut at a moderate length, making them comfortable for any player.  If you’re a bit off target, the rough is fairly light.  It can be sticky, but it’s not a major hindrance.  However, if you venture into the trees or hazard areas, you’ll find long, patchy grass that’s waiting to snare your club head.  It’s also pretty easy to lose the ball entirely.

The two biggest things that make approach shots difficult at Crosswater are the size and shape of the greens.  Hole #5, above, is the most stark example.  This isn’t a huge green in terms of square footage, and it plays much smaller due to the shape and the angle of approach.  Players are required to hit a high, soft shot with minimal room for error short or long.  And, if you have any interest in a birdie putt, your margin for error left and right is small, too.  Other holes are not as dramatic, but they employ the same principles to demand precise iron shots.

What makes Crosswater Club playable is that it balances those tough holes with some that are more “gettable.”  The green on #16, above, sits square to the fairway.  It also allows players to roll the ball up, negating the difficulty of the firm greens.  But golfers do need to make hay on the birdie holes because only the most skilled ball strikers will walk away from all the tough ones unscathed.

The last thing to note about the approach shots is the frequent presence of stroke or near-stroke hazards.  On nearly half the holes, there is water or a waste area on one side of the green.  Much like with your tee shots, you need to use your eyes and the GPS to be alert for this trouble and make a plan to play well away from it.

Greens & Surrounds

If you get a green in regulation at Crosswater Club, the hard work is complete.  The greens run at a quick-not-crazy pace that’s uniform across the course.  Much like the fairways, the movements in the greens are generally modest, though there are some sharp shoulders and ridges that effectively segment the greens.  There are very few straight putts at Crosswater, so you’ll need to bring a sharp eye for green reading if you want to make birdies.

Around the greens, there’s a huge variety of trouble.  Regardless of your short game strengths, you’ll find spots that are easy and some that will make your palms sweat.  As you see above, there are some large bunkers as well as tightly-mown collection areas.

There are other greens that have the traditional three cuts – green to fringe to rough – all the way around.  This is mixed with all types of elevation changes, from steep drop offs to gentle swells.  Overall, you can’t rely on just one type of shot to save your short game at Crosswater Club; you need a full arsenal of wedge shots. 

Overall Design

Crosswater Club is a strong test that doesn’t feel overwhelming or unfair.  The front nine is significantly tougher, but if you can keep your score together to the turn, the back nine gives you scoring opportunities.

While Crosswater does have tournament-level challenge, there’s nothing tricky or gimmicky about it.  For me, that gives this course a ton of replay value.  No one in our group scored particularly well, but everyone left feeling like the course was fair and would have given up a good score had our games been sharper.  Also, it presents tons of fun, varied shots that any golfer would be excited to try again.

Favorite Holes

#4 – Par 4 – 413 Yards

Off the tee, you can choose to play a measured shot to the primary landing area or fit a longer shot into a skinny section of fairway.  Bold, successful tee shots will be rewarded with a shorter shot into the shallow green that’s fronted by a hazard.

#5 – Par 4 – 460 Yards

The toughest hole on the course really bares its teeth if you’re playing from the championship, black, or blue tees.  Your drive has to cross the Little Deschutes River then keep to the right.  Playing from the white or gold tees removes the forced carry.  Regardless of your tees, your approach shot must be high and soft to hold the wide, shallow green.

#18 – Par 4 – 456 Yards

The closing hole is a beauty.  You’ll tee off with less than driver, trying to get as close to the water as you can.  Your final approach is played over the river to a green that sits at an angle and has bunkers short and long.

Conclusion

With over a dozen professional and NCAA Division 1 tournaments on its resume, there is no question that Crosswater Club is a championship-level test of golf.  It’s also an undeniable beauty, so whether your game is Tour-ready or not, this needs to be a stop on your central Oregon golf itinerary.

Visit Crosswater Club HERE

The post Crosswater Club Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

The Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course is a beautiful, sneaky tough test located in Bend, Oregon.  Tee shots require accuracy as well as distance control.  Approach shots demand precision.

Introduction

“Resort course” is generally used to describe a track that’s built for the high handicapper on vacation: scenic and easy.  The Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course certainly has the “scenic” part covered, but is the course a good fit for the high handicapper?  I played a round to find out.

Practice Facilities

Pulling up to Pronghorn Golf Club, one of the first things you’ll see is the massive driving range.  It can accommodate a huge amount of golfers hitting off grass tees to several target greens.  Additionally, it checks the critical box of being very close to the first tee.

The Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus course also has its own practice putting green.  In addition to being large, it’s one of the most attractive practice greens I’ve seen.  It’s surrounds by juniper trees with one right in the middle.

Amenities & Customer Service

At the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus course, you’ll find all the amenities you’d expect at a high end resort course.  The carts have outstanding GPS units which give you the exact distance to the pin on a color touchscreen display.  There’s also a full service turn station and a beverage cart that gets around the course quickly.

Juniper Preserve, the resort which is home to the Pronghorn Golf Club, is similar in having everything you would expect from a premium resort.  We had lunch at the Trailhead Grill restaurant, which was very good.  They have lodging for groups of all types and sizes in their hotel and rental homes.  Activities are outdoor and wellness focused with many offerings for families, too.

Learn why Central Oregon is one of the best golf destinations HERE

Beauty & Scenery

Before we played our round, several people in our traveling party were hyping up Pronghorn Golf Club for its beauty, and the course did not disappoint.  The look is unique – part desert golf, part juniper forest.  At times I felt like I was in Arizona more than Oregon, until I looked at the snow-topped mountains in the distance.

The hallmark of the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course are the juniper trees.  While the live junipers are beautiful – and they smell great – the ones that have been struck by lightning are unlike anything I’ve seen.  The twisted trunk and branches are right out of The Nightmare Before Christmas, giving the course a genuinely unique aesthetic.

Tee Shots

The fairways at the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course pinch and swell dramatically, defying my normal rating of narrow, average, or wide.  Additionally, they snake left to right, adding to the difficulty of selecting a target.  Jack is also no stranger to centerline hazards, as you can see above.

One other element that’s harder to appreciate is the elevation, or lack thereof.  This course is fairly flat overall, so you aren’t provided with bird’s-eye views of the fairways.  The hole above is a good example: the GPS may tell you to play over the fairway bunker on the left, but without being able to see the landing area, it’s hard to confidently play that line.

If you drive it wildly at the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course, you’re likely to lose a lot of golf balls.  It’s possible to find your ball in the desert areas, but you need to know precisely where it went in, which is unlikely during your first round.  There’s a healthy amount of rough between the fairway and the desert but not so much that you can spray your tee shots.

There are five sets of tees at the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course ranging from 7,397 to 5,256 yards.  There are also three combo tees.  Being humble in your tee box selection will lead to having a much better time.

Where many golf courses beef up their yardage with long par 3s, the Nicklaus course does not.  Additionally, there are two short par 4s.  That means that the other par 4s and the par 5s are all brawny, and because there is so little elevation, there is no “free” distance.  After you read the next section, you’ll understand better why you’re going to want more short irons in your hand.

Approach Shots

While it’s no slouch off the tee, the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course really tests players on shots into the green.  The level of challenge is not immediately obvious.  There is only modest movement in the fairways, giving players good lies and stances.  The elevation changes into the greens are generally minimal to moderate.  There is meaningful rough, but it’s thicker than it is long.

The challenge starts with the size and shape of the greens.  They are generally no more than average in size.  The shapes are not bizarre, but they’re set up to minimize room for error.  A green might be wide but shallow.  It could be wide at the front but very thin toward the back.  The designs are subtle enough to give players a false sense of confidence then punish them for a lack of precision.

Additionally, the greens at Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course are thoughtfully defended.  The number of greenside bunkers isn’t overwhelming, but they’re placed for maximum impact.  It’s possible to create angles where you don’t need to play over them, but that requires a level of precision off the tee that’s not realistic.  Ending up with an unobstructed look at the green is as much luck as skill.

Finally, the turf at the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course is firm.  This does open up the ground game, but the aforementioned bunkers close it off most of the time.  All that makes very high, soft shots the required option if you want to get close to the flag.

Greens & Surrounds

If you miss the green at the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course – and you’ll miss quite a few – you need to be prepared for a variety of situations.  That starts with different cuts of rough.  Around the greens, you’ll find everything from very tight fairway cuts to light fringe to fairly thick rough.

There are some large collection areas, as you can see above.  While the short cut may lead you to think these are the preferred spots, it really depends on your short game strengths.  Putting is an option, but these areas are significantly slower than the greens, so your speed control needs to be extremely good.  If you can’t chip and pitch off tight lies with precision, you might be better off in the longer grass.

If you’re taking bold lines at the flag, you can expect to find yourself in several bunkers at Pronghorn Golf Club.  They vary in size and depth, but the sand is uniformly excellent.  Competent bunker players shouldn’t have much difficulty getting their ball out and on the green.  If you’re scared of the sand, you’ll be forced to play timid lines into the greens.

After playing at Tetherow [review HERE], most greens looked very tame to me.  However, after a couple holes, I recognized that the greens at the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course are anything but flat.  There are not many eye-popping undulations, but several greens are clearly segmented, and they all have character.  Making long putts here requires strong green reading abilities.

Overall Design

“Sneaky tough” is the phrase that I keep coming back to when describing the Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course.  Nothing here is going to scare golfers away.  There aren’t a bunch of blind shots or insane elevation changes.  The greens don’t look like roller coasters.  For the most part, the course is right in front of you, telling you where to hit it.

The difficulty, which is hard to appreciate immediately, is in executing those shots.  Your targets are much smaller than you may realize.  You might land the ball on the green but without adequate spin or height to keep it there.  A drive can be good and still find trouble.

Additionally, the course is relentless.  The shots are challenging, one after another.  You never look at a shot and think, “That’s impossible,” but you don’t get any freebies either.  This is a fun course to play if you like to challenge yourself, but if you need to go low to have a good time, you should be playing this one from some very short tees.

Favorite Holes

#12 – Par 4 – 342 Yards

This short par 4 is an absolute gem.  The severe pinch of the fairway (above) forces you to make a choice between laying back and going for it.  Driving it onto the elevated green is nearly impossible as it’s shallow and protected by a bunker in front.  There is no easy second shot: laying up leaves a longer club in your hand and getting close produces awkward angles.  This hole may be short, but it’s not easy.

#7 – Par 3 – 187 Yards

I chose this because it’s a great example of Pronghorn’s sneaky difficulty.  This is a mid-length par 3 with just one bunker and a surround that’s mostly cut tight.  While that may seem easy, a closer look at the green reveals that the triangular shape requires tremendous control of distance and line.  Additionally, the green is elevated and ready to send short approaches running back toward the tee.

#13 – Par 4 – 378 Yards

The prettiest hole on the course is also one of the best opportunities to score.  It starts with a cape-like drive where you can bite off as much as you want.  Getting closer not only shortens your approach, it improves your angle and takes more water out of play.  After you take a couple pictures, focus on your shots and take advantage of one of the true birdie holes at Pronghorn.

Conclusion

The Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus golf course is a treat for your eyes and a stern test for your game.  Bring a thoughtful, strategic eye and your best ball striking, and challenge yourself against a course that will make you earn every birdie.

Visit Pronghorn Golf Club HERE

The post Pronghorn Golf Club Jack Nicklaus Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

Sedge Valley, the fifth course at Sand Valley in Nekoosa, Wisconsin, offers a more intimate round of golf than its brothers.  While it’s generous off the tee, strategic thought is required on every shot.  A course you’ll instantly want to replay.

Introduction

Just a year after opening The Lido, Sand Valley has added a fifth course to its roster: Sedge Valley.  Playing to a par of 68 it’s a bit of an oddity, but the people behind Sand Valley are not afraid to give the golfing public something new.  After my round there, I’m hopeful that Sedge Valley can be a trend setter the way that Bandon Dunes has been.

Practice Facilities

Sedge Valley shares its practice facilities with the other Sand Valley courses.  Having four full-length courses sharing a driving range doesn’t sound ideal, but this range is big enough to carry the load.  There is also a short game area with two large practice greens.  The practice facilities are a short shuttle ride from the first tee at Sedge, so make sure to leave yourself ample time to warm up.

My visit to Sedge Valley came during a media preview day.  The putting green was not yet open, but I saw the area where it will sit, behind the pro shop and The Gallery restaurant.  Knowing Sand Valley, this green will mirror the course conditions perfectly so you can get your flat stick ready to make birdies.

Customer Service & Amenities

Caddies are an essential part of the Sand Valley experience.  Despite Sedge Valley being brand new, our caddie, Teal, was already prepared to give us the best lines off the tee and impeccable reads on the green.  Regardless of which course you’re playing at Sand Valley, I would strongly recommend taking a caddie.

One of the exciting new things that comes along with Sedge Valley is another Sand Valley restaurant: The Gallery.  The focus is on Italian food, especially delicious thin crust pizzas.  Along with your food, you’ll get views of the golf course, grass tennis courts, or indoor tennis.  At the time of this writing, The Gallery is a dinner-only venue.

The Sedge Valley pro shop is similar in size to the one found at The Lido [review HERE], which I found ideal.  It’s stocked with premium soft goods featuring Sedge’s fox logo.

Beauty & Scenery

Sedge Valley is a gorgeous golf course that shares some DNA with Mammoth Dunes and Sand Valley but is clearly its own creation.  Sedge was inspired by the heathland courses in England.  It has a rich, green landscape with splashes of sand, the inverse of Mammoth Dunes [review HERE].  And while it feels open and airy, it doesn’t have the overwhelming scale of Mammoth.

Among the words I’d use to describe Sedge are “subtle” and “natural.”  Many course designers talk about moving very little dirt, but that actually feels true here.  There aren’t any contrived features screaming for attention.  This allows the player to appreciate the movement of the land, focus on their game, and be fully present in the round.

Tee Shots

Any discussion of Sedge Valley needs to start with the unusual numbers.  This course plays to a par of 68 – just one par five and five par threes – and it tips out at 5,829 yards.  There are three sets of tees plus two combo sets; the shortest tees measure 3,753 yards.

In our foursome, we had a player who drives it over 250 yards, one around 230, and two below 200 yards.  We played from the tips, though I will note that the tees were not all the way back.  I’d like to give a concise report like, “Our longest player hit nothing but wedges into greens,” but that’s not accurate.  Sedge Valley has tremendous variety in its length of holes.  Some holes will tolerate an overly ambitious tee box selection, others will severely punish it.  I think most players will get all they want from the middle tees.

Architect Tom Doak stated that Sedge Valley “may require some compromises from the long and wild hitter,” but that does not mean this is a narrow course.  Most of the fairways are wide, though not as generous as Mammoth and Sand Valley [review HERE].  Being precise off the tee can yield some advantages, setting up preferred angles into greens, but any player aiming down the middle will find ample room.

The one thing that makes Sedge challenging off the tee – especially your first time around – is the inability to perceive the movements of the fairway.  There is a great deal of undulation in the fairways, but they look mostly flat from the tee.  This can make it hard to know where to aim, to perceive distances, and to pick a precise line.  The simple solution is to take a caddie and trust their advice.

Approach Shots

Continuing on the theme of fairway undulations, you’ll be forced to hit your approach shots from a variety of lies at Sedge Valley.  There are some flat, driving range lies, but more often you’ll have an uneven stance.  These rises can sometimes block your vision of the green, which is the biggest tax, especially for the first timer.  There are also at least two instances where one side of the fairway falls off dramatically, making your approach not only blind but more uphill (see above).  When your caddie tells you to avoid a certain side of the hole, listen.

If you leave Sedge’s generous fairways, you’ll find a thin but meaningful cut of rough.  It’s just enough to put a little chance into your second shot.  The rough also serves a helpful purpose of keeping your ball out of the tall grass.  Should you get truly wayward off the tee, you’ll find grasses that range from tall and wispy to “There is no no chance you’re finding your ball.”  The latter is more rare, but it does exist.

The size of the greens is the features that most distinguishes Sedge Valley from its counterparts at Sand Valley.  Though not objectively tiny – they have an average depth of 38.4 yards – these greens feel small.  That’s the result of the contours, the shape, and the way they’re presented to the approaching golfer.  Take a careful look at the pin sheet to discover where there might be unseen green that you can use.

Finally, one thing Sedge Valley shares with its brothers is firm and fast conditions.  The greens are not as firm as those at The Lido, but mediocre approach shots will not stop where they land.  The benefit of these conditions is that they open up running approaches, if you have the precision to navigate the undulating surrounds.

Greens & Surrounds

While Sedge Valley feels open off the tee, the green sites feel intimate.  This feeling comes from the smaller size of the greens and the mounding around them.  What struck me most about the undulations in the surrounds is the balance of help and hurt.  The eighteenth green (above) is the most stark example.  Whether you’re coming from the upper or lower fairway, the banks on either side of the green help to feed your ball onto the putting surface.  However, those same banks can add some challenging break to your putt, and there’s a testy shoulder in the middle of the green.

Despite being brand new, the greens rolled smooth and true.  The undulations are generally moderate in size, but easily noticeable – you shouldn’t be fooled if you’re paying attention.  Running around a 9 or 10 on the stimpmeter, the greens offered a good challenge, but no putt felt impossible.  The smaller green sizes put more emphasis on line than distance, but three putts are always in play if you get careless.

The surrounds at Sedge Valley are mostly puttable, cut to a fairway length, but there are spots of light rough.  The undulations will dictate your approach around the green more than your lie.  If your short game lacks a high, soft shot, you’ll need to be expert in navigating the mounds and judging speed.

The one occasionally cruel element is the sand.  There are not an overwhelming number of bunkers, and most are average in size and easily visible.  Then there are these nasty hazards like the one above, hidden behind #2, or the sliver of sand behind #5.  These are Tom Doak’s way of telling you to think your way around the course rather than mindlessly firing at the flag.

The other way that Doak emphasizes strategic approach shots is with the elevation around the greens.  On numerous holes, one side of the surround is very tame and the other falls off steeply, as seen above.  To avoid these drops, you may need to play dramatically away from the flag.  I can’t fault anyone who says, “This is a bucket list round, I’m firing at every pin,” just know that plan may have unfortunate consequences.

Overall Design

As we walked the final few holes at Sedge Valley, Dylan declared that it was his favorite at Sand Valley.  I balked at this statement; five years ago, I rated Mammoth Valley as #1 on my Five Forever Golf Course list [read more HERE].  However, as I’ve reflected on the round, I find it hard to argue against Sedge.  It gives me everything I want in a golf course.

Off the tee, it’s generous but not boring.  There are choices to make, and great shots will get an advantage over good or average ones.  Into the green, Sedge asks for precision but doesn’t beat you up for being less than perfect.  Thoughtfulness is rewarded, but you don’t need loads of local knowledge to survive.

Ultimately, Sedge Valley is a golf course that’s subtle.  It feels big but plays precise.  Bogeys are easy, but pars and birdies require craft, focus and skill.  And it has the highest golf course virtue: replayability.  Before the round was over, I was thinking ahead to my next time out and the shots I’d like to try.

Favorite Holes

#6 – Par 4 – 294 Yards

There are three par 4s under 320 yards at Sedge Valley, and debating the best one will be a fun part of every post-round meal.  My choice is #6.  From the tee, you can hit a shot of no more than 200 yards into a wide open fairway to the left.  The other option is to challenge the green.  Choosing the former leaves a fairly easy wedge shot that requires some left-to-right precision but has ample room long and short.  Driving nearer the green puts you in a minefield of bunkers with an uphill pitch to a green that’s only 15 yards deep.  The two shortest hitters in our group walked away with par.  The long hitters did not.

#5 – Par 3 – 136 Yards

My favorite of Sedge’s five par 3s starts with a carry over a low area, giving the green an elevated look.  The green is very wide but demands precise distance control.  Getting near the flag is essential if you want a realistic birdie putt as the green is heavily segmented.  If you aim for the middle of the green, beware of one of the nastiest bunkers on the course just over the back.

#18 – Par 4 – 318 Yards

The finishing hole at Sedge Valley is going to be the favorite of many players.  Your tee shot asks you to choose between two fairways.  Getting to the upper level provides a clear look at the green and a better angle.  From the lower fairway, you’ll have a blind shot to a fairly small green.  The punchbowl-style surround invites aggressive approach shots and can help you walk away with a closing birdie.

Conclusion

I’ve been visiting Sand Valley Golf Resort since it was little more than an idea.  With the addition of Sedge Valley, it’s truly become the midwest Bandon Dunes.  The five courses here offer golfers the fuel for endless conversations about which one is the best.  If you’ve been putting off your visit to Sand Valley, now is the time to make the trip.

Visit Sedge Valley HERE

The post Sedge Valley Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

Tetherow Golf Club, located just outside Bend, Oregon, is a tough test of all phases of your game.  Immense replay value.  Lots of fun for the creative shot maker.  Beautiful natural setting.

Introduction

Tetherow Golf Club is not the most famous David McLay-Kidd design in Oregon – that’s Bandon Dunes [review HERE] – but, depending on your taste, it might be his best.  If you’re looking for a firm, fast test of your ball striking and strategy, it’s time to head to Bend, Oregon.

Practice Facilities

The practice facilities at Tetherow Golf Club aren’t just excellent, they’re visually stunning.  Most driving ranges stand apart from the course – wide, flat, dull.  When I first got to Tetherow, I thought that the driving range was part of the course – that’s how much effort was put into matching the aesthetics of the range to the course.  Also, the putting greens are elevated, giving you great views to go with all the slopes you need to prep for the course.

On the practical side, the driving range is a adjacent to the first tee, which is exactly where it belongs.  There are two sides to the range, so it might require a short drive to hit balls.  The two practice putting greens – one under construction at the time of this writing – are located just behind the range.  Finally, Tetherow has one of the best short game areas I’ve seen.  This area has all the wild elevation that you’ll see on the course, so you can get your short game truly prepared.

Fun fact: the driving range turns into a par 3 course on Mondays…and it’s free to play!

Amenities & Customer Service

Tethrow Golf Club offers players traditional golf carts – with excellent GPS units – as well as Finn Scooters.  I’m a huge fan of the Finn Scooter [review HERE], and I saw more golfers on Finn Scooters than in golf carts at Tetherow.  This makes sense since Tetherow has the largest fleet of Finns anywhere.

The pro shop is fairly compact and more focused on soft goods than hard goods.  You’ll be able to find a replacement putter but not a full set.  There is also a drive thru turn stand where you can refuel for the back nine.

While the Tetherow Golf Club is a first-tier course, Tetherow Resort has much more to offer.  There are three restaurants – I ate at The Row numerous times and never got tired of it – an outstanding fitness facility, a pool, miles of hiking and bike trails, and much more.  The hotel rooms are spacious and well appointed, and there are rental homes if you want more space.  There are only 50 hotel rooms at Tetherow Resort, which gives the place a great feel – intimate, never crowded.

Learn why Central Oregon is one of the best golf destinations HERE

Beauty & Scenery

Tetherow Golf Club is in a unique spot.  It sits on 700 acres that borders the Deschutes National Forest but is just minutes from downtown Bend.  Both elements are on display, as you’ll see quite a few houses on the course (safely set back from play) as well as the Cascade Mountain Range.

The real star of the show is the dramatic movement of the land.  This high desert landscape was left rough and wild.  What I love about this look is that it’s directly related to the way the course plays.  The slopes and elevations not only entertain your eye, they’re also what tests your game.

Tee Shots

A player might look at the wide fairways of Tetherow Golf Club and think, “This course is generous off the tee.”  Another player could see the forced carries and waste areas full of plants and think, “This course is tough off the tee.”  Neither player is entirely right or wrong.  Off the tee, Tetherow is a mixed bag.

I rated almost every fairway at Tetherow as “Wide” and just one hole as below average in width.  But that doesn’t tell the entire story.  The fairways snake left and right, split and dead end.  There are definitely holes where you can swing away, but most demand that you choose a specific line and distance.  If you’re really precise with your drives, you can gain huge advantages by using the slopes to gain distance.  In our group, one player hit a 400 yard drive on #2.

Missing the fairways comes with a steep price.  While you can find your ball in the waste areas, you won’t find them all.  You might draw a playable lie, but it’s more likely that your ball will be suspended in a shrub.  There are numerous center-line hazards at Tetherow, but, for the most part, you’re better off in a fairway bunker than taking your chances with the waste areas.

Tetherow Golf Club offers players five sets of tees ranging from 7,283 to 5,230 yards.  There are also three sets of combo tees.  The fairways are fast and firm, which can add distance to your drives, but you should also take into account the wind.  While I would not say that length is a major factor at Tetherow, you can make it one by biting off more than you can comfortably chew.

Approach Shots

The fairways at Tetherow Golf Club are firm and fast with undulations that range from subtle to enormous.  Unless you find a divot, your ball will have a perfect lie, but your stance is likely to be less than ideal – uphill, downhill, or sidehill.   Getting comfortable over the ball is just the first part of the challenge.

Next, you’ll need to deal with elevation changes and wind.  It’s rare that you’ll ever play the GPS yardage on an approach shot.  The elevation changes range from modest to “I’m supposed to hit it up there?!”  Beyond adding distance, those uphill shots can take away your vision of the target.

The final piece of the approach shot puzzle is the green.  Tetherow Golf Club has uniformly large greens, but they’re heavily segmented and undulating.  You can easily hit a green in regulation but be a long way from a par.

With the course playing firm and fast, the ground game is available on most holes.  The caveat is that you need to make a choice.  If you’re going to use the slopes and play a running shot, you need to commit to that path.  Alternately, you can play a precise, target golf shot, but it needs to be really high with plenty of spin.  Taking the middle route – average trajectory with no plan for what happens on the ground – is the fastest way to missed greens.

Greens & Surrounds

The surrounds at Tetherow Golf Club are just like the rest of the course: big, bold, dramatic.  There are perilous false fronts, towering mounds, and steep drops off the sides of greens.  Large, wild bunkers protect many of the greens.  Though the bunkers are often the focal point visually, more strokes will be lost to slopes than sand.

While there are spots of light rough, the majority of the surrounds are tight and fast like the fairways, leaving you the ability to putt from almost any distance.  The speed of the playing surfaces and the size of the undulations allows for tremendous creativity on and around the greens.  During our round, numerous shots were played well away from the cup to utilize a friendly slope.

The greens are outstanding, running at a smooth 10 or 11 on the Stimpmeter.  This enhances the effects of the large undulations, making every lengthy putt an adventure.  Putting from one segment of a green to another can feel more challenging than an approach to an island green.  The reads are not difficult, but you need to have your speed under control.

While great shotmaking and precision are always useful, the critical ability around the greens of Tetherow Golf Club is discipline.  During your round, you will face situations where you need to take your medicine.  That might be a chip that’s likely to run back down a false front.  It could be a birdie putt you can’t be aggressive with.  Whatever it is, make the smart play immediately and get on to the next shot.  Trying to fight this course is not going to be good for your score.

Overall Design

Tetherow Golf Club is a litmus test for who you are and what you like in a golf course.  If you like playing the victim, you won’t like this course.  You’ll have ample opportunities to whine when your “perfect” shot rolls off the green.  However, if you appreciate the ground game, creativity, and the natural interplay of luck and skill in golf, Tetherow could easily be in your personal top five.

The day that I played Tetherow Golf Club, the wind was blowing unusually hard, according to the staff.  For me, this just added to the fun.  The course absolutely wore me out, but I had a smile on my face the whole time.  But perhaps I’m a golf masochist.

Regardless of your taste, what you must appreciate about Tetherow Golf Club is its immense replay-ability.  Because the greens are so big and have so much character, a new set of pin positions means an entirely different playing experience.  Couple that with the flexibility in the tee boxes and you can easily see why the members never get sick of this course.

The other thing that makes Tetherow a great home course is the depth of the local knowledge.  Some courses give up all their secrets after one round.  Tetherow Golf Club is not one of them.  Every time around this track, you’re going to find a new wrinkle to avoid or take advantage of on future trips.

Favorite Holes

#2 – Par 5 – 546 Yards

Looking at the flyover, the second hole seems fairly normal – a medium length par 5 with a divided fairway.  In person, the amount of elevation change is jaw dropping.  Depending on the distance and line of your drive, you can have a long, blind second shot or a wedge to set up eagle.  And like virtually every hole at Tetherow Golf Club, getting to the green is only half the battle.

#6 – Par 4 – 424 Yards

The sixth hole also features a split fairway.  Playing to the right limits how far you can drive it, and it takes away your view of the green.  Going to the left gives you a better shot, but it brings water into play.  You can also hit it perfectly straight and end up in the garbage like I did.  This is a hole that you’ll want to play again the minute you putt out.

#7 – Par 3 – 226 Yards

This hole made the cut for its green and its tee boxes.  It’s only a long par 3 if you’re playing one of the back two tee boxes – it drops to 163 for the middle tees.  This is something more courses should do.  The green is a masterwork, encapsulating everything that’s fun and maddening about Tetherow Golf Club.  To get a great result, you need a solid plan and precise execution.

Conclusion

If you’re up for a challenge and you enjoy putting your creativity to work on the course, Tetherow Golf Club is a must-play.  This is a gorgeous course that’s going to test every part of your game while giving you the opportunity to fashion shots you wouldn’t be able to play anywhere else.

Visit Tetherow Golf Club HERE

The post Tetherow Golf Club Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

The Ocean Point Golf Course at Fripp Island in South Carolina is a beautiful track that will test all elements of your ball striking.  Greens are pure.  Loads of ocean views and memorable holes.

Introduction

There is no shortage of golf courses with the word “ocean” in their name, but few earn their moniker like Ocean Point Golf Course at Fripp Island Resort.  Designed by George Cobb Sr., the man behind Augusta’s par 3 course, Ocean Point will take you within steps of the beach while consistently challenging your ball striking.

Practice Facilities

The practice facilities at Ocean Point Golf Course are very similar to those at Ocean Creek.  The driving range is large enough to accommodate about ten players, all hitting off grass.  There are several targets downrange to keep you focused and help you figure out your distances and judge the wind.  The only negative is that the range is a bit short, so you can’t hit driver.

The practice green is a few steps from the driving range at first tee, exactly where it belongs.  It’s not huge, but there’s ample room for a foursome to roll a few putts before stepping onto the course.  The greens at Ocean Point are wonderful, so you should spend some time here even if you aren’t playing for your personal low round.

Customer Service & Amenities

Ocean Point Golf Course has a high quality, mid-sized pro shop with a large variety of soft goods and a curated mix of hard goods.  Don’t go to Fripp Island expecting to buy a new set of clubs, but if you need a new putter or wedge after one of yours goes for a permanent swim, they have you covered.  On the other hand, you’ll have loads of choices for logoed polos, hats, and more.

Down the hall from the pro shop, you’ll find the Ocean Point Grille.  Our group found this to be a perfect spot for a quick lunch between rounds.  They have all the staples – packaged snacks, drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers – but also some sneaky good choices like the brisket Philly cheese steak.

Finally, the customer service throughout Fripp Island Resort is excellent.  Not only are they friendly and helpful, they’re attuned to what each guest needs and happy to go the extra mile.  If you leave a club behind, they’ll track it down.  In a hurry?  They’ll run your sandwich to the first tee.

Get the full story on Fripp Island Resort HERE

Beauty & Scenery

Ocean Point Golf Course, in my opinion, is the prettier of the two Fripp Island Resort courses.  This is largely due to the frequent ocean views.  Holes 9, 15, and 18 all play steps from the ocean, and you have long views to the water from numerous others.  This is balanced with a handful of more isolated holes that give the round a great visual blend.

The other thing that makes Ocean Point a standout is the wildlife.  We saw at least half a dozen alligators during each round.  In one case we had to create a new local rule – the alligator drop – to make sure Mike got home in one piece.

While the gators were my favorite, there were also loads of interesting birds, turtles, fish, and the omnipresent Fripp Island deer.  These guys had a lot of faith in our accuracy.  Or very little.

Tee Shots

Off the tee, Ocean Point Golf Course bears a close resemblance to its younger brother, Ocean Creek [review HERE].  That starts with a scorecard that doesn’t tell the whole story about its length.  Ocean Point tips out at 6,524 yards, a seemingly benign length for a long-but-not-elite hitter.  There are are six sets of tees which go as short as 4,041 yards.  Regardless of which tee you choose, this course is longer than its scorecard yardage.  The combination of sea level elevation and a heavy, consistent breeze will cost most players 1-2 clubs of distance.  With a driver carry distance over 250 yards, I played from 6,127 and 5,790 yards and still hit all my clubs into the greens.

Also like Ocean Creek, Ocean Point is penal for those that leave the fairway.  The fairways are slightly more generous at Ocean Point, but I wouldn’t call them wide.  Of the 28 fairway sides, 11 feature stroke hazards almost immediately off the fairway and 14 have only a modest stretch of rough before getting to water or dense trees.  This is not a course where you can successfully apply a “spray and pray” strategy from the tee.

There are two things that help the player off the tee.  First, there are no visual tricks.  You’ll be able to see the hazards from the tee and plan your strategy.  Local knowledge is always somewhat of an advantage, but it doesn’t mean as much here.  The other element that helps is that the fairways are largely flat.  If you land your ball in the fairway, it’s going to stay there.  You don’t need to worry about a tee shot hitting the shot grass and caroming into the water.

Approach Shots

While Ocean Point Golf Course is a little gentler off the tee, it’s more testing on the approach shots because the greens are smaller.  This is taken to the extreme on the front 9 par 5s – #4 and #6.  The former is an L-shaped green that is less than 6 paces wide.  These small targets are another reason to play up a set of tees – trying to hit them with a mid or long iron is a tall order.

Sticking with distance for another moment, I need to reemphasize the weight of the wind.  I’ve played at several courses known for being windy and links-y.  When there was a 2-3 club wind, you knew it.  At Ocean Point, the wind sneaks up on you.  It might feel like a gentle breeze, but then a flushed iron shot will come up 15 yards short.  If you’re picking clubs with your ego, you might not hit a GIR all day [mandatory lesson recommendation HERE].

All this difficulty is balanced with lies and stances that are benign.  The fairways don’t move much, so you’ll rarely face up, down, or sidehill stances.  Additionally, the rough is quite thin.  It would take a very bad break to catch a true flyer lie at Ocean Point.  As long as your ball is on solid ground, you’ll get a fair chance to hit the green.

Greens & Surrounds

The surrounds at Ocean Point Golf Course feature minimal undulations and the same light, springy rough that you’ll find around the fairways.  Unless you put yourself in jail behind a bunker, you can play any short game shot from a chip to a flop.  Putting the ball is an option from almost anywhere, too.

Much like Ocean Creek, the bunkers at Ocean Point are fairly large and conventionally shaped.  They’re not visually overwhelming, but every hole has one or two to watch out for.  The biggest hazard is finding yourself at the back of a bunker with a long carry and minimal green to work with.

The real short game challenge at Ocean Point is the size of the greens.  Even when you miss on the correct side, you can feel like you’re short sided.  Being overly ambitious with your chip or pitch can easily lead to ping-ponging over the green.  On the positive side, the small greens do minimize the importance of distance control and the possibility of three-putting.

Once you’re on the green at Ocean Point Golf Course, you can exhale and enjoy the pristine putting surfaces.  The undulations are modest, but they’re enhanced by the speed of the greens.  When we visited, the greens were incredibly smooth and rolled at a quick, enjoyable pace.  Knowing we were going to a get a “true” result gave our group a lot of confidence, and we saw a lot of long putts fall.

Renovations

Our visit to Ocean Point Golf Course (March 2024) came just before renovations that will happen under the guidance of the Dye Designs Group.  The most notable visual change will be 200,000 square feet of grass being traded out for sand-based waste areas.  This is going to give Ocean Point a totally fresh look as well as substantially changing the way the course plays.  The look will be further improved when all the cement cart paths are replaced with crushed limestone.

Additionally, the Dye Design Group will be reconstructing – and in many cases completely reshaping – bunkers on all 18 holes.  Finally, several of the tee boxes will be leveled to restore their condition after many years of play.

This renovation project is scheduled to begin in June with a target completion date in early September.  If you’re headed down to Fripp Island, know that at least nine holes should be open during the first phase of the project, and Ocean Creek will be fully operational.

Favorite Holes

#18 – Par 5 – 481 Yards

Ocean Point Golf Course closes with a flourish of fun and beautiful views.  The eighteenth hole has one of the wider fairways on the course and loads of room to bail out right, so you can swing from your heels.  It’s not a super long hole – even at sea level with the wind – so you can get home in two after a strong drive.  Your second shot plays to the ocean, and, if you’re really talented, you can stop your shot on top of the wall on the left like I did.

#15 – Par 3 – 179 Yards

This is the shortest par 3 on the course, but it’s all carry.  With the pin up front, as seen above, there’s very little room to miss short.  Regardless of where the pin is, take advantage of one of the larger greens on the course, get your GIR, and enjoy the great views.

#9 – Par 4 – 369 Yards

After several inland holes, the ninth at Ocean Point Golf Course brings you back to the beach.  Depending on your length and the tee box you’re playing from, you can opt for a bold line over the water on the left to set up a flip wedge into the green.  Playing it straight isn’t a free roll as your tee shot will need to split the water on the left and the houses on the right.

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for a first-rate test of your ball striking or some of the best ocean views you can imagine, Ocean Point Golf Course will not disappoint.  Bring your A game off the tee – or a couple sleeves of extra balls – and precise iron play.  And definitely don’t forget your camera.

Visit Fripp Island Resorts HERE

The post Ocean Point Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

The Ocean Creek Golf Course at Fripp Island Resort in South Carolina is a test off the tee.  Much longer than the scorecard indicates.  Fun approaches and greens.  Great variety of holes and natural beauty.

Introduction

In a state with as many golf courses at South Carolina has, it can be hard to know where to play.  Fork over huge money to play the big names?  Throw a dart at the golf guide?

In this review, we’re going to answer that question with one of the lesser known destinations that’s on its way to single name status.  Ocean Creek Golf Course at Fripp Island Resort is a Davis Love III design that’s challenging enough to host the Big South Conference Championship but still has enough fun for a high handicap buddies trip.

Practice Facilities

Ocean Creek Golf Course is home to a driving range and a small practice green.  Both are located within steps of the first tee, which is a major plus in my book.

The range allows you to hit every club in your bag, but you need to be fairly straight lest you find the road to the right or the first fairway to your left.  Also, be mindful of slicers coming from the first tee to search for their balls on the edge of the range.

Customer Service & Amenities

Fripp Island Resort is home to a wealth of good times and things to do.  To get a full picture of Fripp Island Resort, please check out our feature, coming soon.

At the Ocean Creek Golf Course, you’ll find a medium sized pro shop and a snack shack.  The pro shop is stocked with high quality logo gear and a handful of hard goods in case you have a misbehaving club.  I think Fripp’s sailboat logo is great, so you’ll want to bring home at least a hat or polo.  The snack shop has all the drinks and packaged foods you could want; if you need a full meal, you’ll have to head to one of Fripp’s many restaurants.

Get the full story on Fripp Island Resort HERE

Finally, Fripp Island Resort has a great feeling throughout that’s created by both the resort employees and the guests.  Wherever you go at Fripp, people are smiling and helpful.  The person at the bag drop will ask about your round while cleaning your clubs.  Everyone is having a good time, appreciative of their beautiful environment and warm weather.

Beauty & Scenery

Ocean Creek Golf Course is a prototypical South Carolina low country beauty.  The highlights are holes 6 and 7 which offer long views of the marsh to your right.  There’s water in sight on almost every hole, and the course is flooded with wildlife.  The deer on Fripp Island mosey around as if they own the place, completely unbothered by golfers.  On the more dangerous side, alligators are liable to show up on any hole.  We had to reroute our cart several times to give them a wide berth.

Find more ocean views at Fripp Island’s Ocean Point Golf Course HERE

Tee Shots

To the surprise of those who glance at the scorecard, the place where you will be tested the most at Ocean Creek Golf Course is the tee.  From the tips, Ocean Creek measures “just” 6,392 yards.  There are five sets of tees, going all the way down to 4,209 yards.

I cannot stress enough how deceptive these numbers are.  Ocean Creek is at sea level, and there is a constant, “heavy” breeze.  Even when the wind doesn’t feel strong, it’s robbing you of at least one club of distance.  Zack and I are both capable of carrying the ball over 250 yards, and we got everything we wanted from the gold tees at 6,021 yards.  I played one round from the blue tees (5,610 yards) and was still hitting drivers and full approach shots.  Ocean Creek plays much longer than the number on the card.

An even bigger ingredient in the challenge is the lack of width off the tees.  Most of the fairways are average in size, but there are precious few places to miss.  Of the 26 sides of the fairways (left and right of the 13 fairways), 12 are stroke hazards (water or inescapable tree lines and brush).  Only 7 fairway sides give you significant room to miss.  The course doesn’t favor one shot shape over another, but you need to take one side out of play to the best of your ability.  Going around Ocean Creek Golf Course with a two-way miss is a recipe for a huge score and a lot of frustration.

On a happier note, if you hit the fairway, you’ll be setting up a great approach.  There is only modest movement in the fairways, so you should get a favorable stance.  Additionally, with the exception of a couple doglegs, you will always have an unfettered view of the green.

Approach Shots

After navigating the treacherous tee shots, you can relax slightly on the approach.  The greens at Ocean Creek Golf Course are average to above average in size and conventionally shaped, making them inviting targets.  This course also provides fair sight lines with almost no visual trickery.

As long as your ball is dry, you shouldn’t have any problem making good contact on your approach.  The rough – at least during our early spring visit – is very light and springy.

The main challenge on the approach shots is that they must be played through the air.  Water runs in front of the green on numerous holes, taking the ground game out of the equation.  The hazards are generally not tight to the green, but coming up a club short will often result in a lost ball.

Finally, I’ll note again the impact of the low elevation and heavy air.  Throughout our rounds at Ocean Creek Golf Course, we were hitting at least one full club more than normal, two or three if we felt much wind.  The wind also enhances the subtle elevation changes.  From the fairway, an approach may look level, but that one or two degree incline can rob you of the few yards you need to hit the green in regulation.

Greens & Surrounds

The greens at Ocean Creek Golf Course add variety to your round.  On the whole, they feature moderate undulation, but there are instances of sharp tiers and dramatic shaping.  As you gain experience at the course, you’ll learn where the most makable putts are and the few spots that are to be avoided.

It’s a similar story around the greens.  By and large, the surrounds are modestly shaped, allowing straightforward recovery shots.  You’ll have the option of playing whatever types of short game shots you feel comfortable with.  There are spots, however, that are quite penal.  #15, for example, has one of the more elevated greens and some spots in the surround that require a high, soft, precise pitch.  The collars are very putt-able, essentially enhancing the size of the greens.

Finally, the bunkers at Ocean Creek Golf Course are sneaky tough.  They’re fairly large, but, in my opinion, are never the dominant feature of the hole.  They seem benign because they’re not very deep or aggressively shaped.  What makes them tricky is their square footage.  Because they’re so big, it’s easy to end up with a bunker shot that has to fly six or seven paces just to find grass.  If you’re not a confident sand player, do what you can to avoid them altogether.

Favorite Holes

#4 – Par 4 – 274 Yards

This short par four is a gem because there’s risk no matter how you play it.  The narrow fairway sits between dense woods on the left and water hazards on the right, so even a mid iron shot will test your nerves.  If you go for the green, you need to get the ball all the way there or else you’ll be stuck in a deep valley.  The green is the most dramatic on the course, and the pin position has a major impact on the hole’s difficulty.  If the pin is in the bottom of the bowl, most approaches will end up close.  If the pin is on the upper rim, hitting the green in one is no guarantee of birdie.

#6 – Par 3 – 151 Yards

This looks like a mid-length par 3 on the card, but it plays much longer thanks to the prevailing wind.  Try not to be distracted by the beautiful views and make sure to get your ball on the green.  The marsh comes up fairly close to the front edge of the putting surface, so being short is not the play.

#18 – Par 5 – 512 Yards

After a straightaway drive with ample room right and left, your second shot is played over a natural berm that runs almost perpendicular to the fairway.  After crossing the berm, the hole veers to the right.  Getting home in two is possible with two strong shots.  The closing hole was a point of contention in our group with some players feeling like it was unclear where to hit the second shot.  Whether you love it or hate it, this is definitely one of the more memorable holes on the course.

Conclusion

Whether you’re traveling with low handicappers or a more recreational bunch, Ocean Creek Golf Course is a great destination.  The weather allows you to golf almost year round, and the course’s beauty takes the sting out of the occasional water ball.  Book your trip to Fripp Island Resort before the word gets out.

Visit Ocean Creek Golf Course HERE

The post Ocean Creek Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

The Cypress Bend at Craft Farms is part of the 36 hole Arnold Palmer design that offers a variety of exciting holes with a layout and conditions to match the prestige of its famed player and architect.

Find out why the Alabama Gulf Coast is a great choice for any golf trip HERE

Introduction

Arnold Palmer designed hundreds of golf courses all over the world and restored even more.  There are only two Arnold Palmer Signature Design golf courses in the state of Alabama and both of them happen to sit right in the heart of Gulf Shores at the Craft Farms Golf Course.  Craft Farms is a 36-hole facility just steps from the white sand beaches of the Alabama gulf coast.  We got a chance to play Cypress Bend at Craft Farms recently, and it was a treat.

Practice Facilities

The practice facilities at Craft Farms are plentiful.  There is a full length, all grass driving range with standard golf balls to prepare for your round.  There is a scenic chipping green behind the 10th tee so be sure to leave an extra few minutes to drive over there and back prior to teeing off.

Unique to Craft Farms is two separate practice putting greens available on site.  Each green correlates to the greens on their respective course.  Both putting greens are massive and allow plenty of options to warm up prior to a round here.  Get to the course early to take advantage of the tremendous practice areas.

Customer Service & Amenities

Southern hospitality is on full display here at Craft Farms.  From the pro shop staff to the starters and cart crew, everyone was eager to lend tips for playing the round and how to better enjoy our experience.

That same southern charm extended after the round as our group explored the newly renovated pro shop and restaurant.  The old pro shop was damaged by Hurricane Sally in 2020 and is going to be turned into lodging sometime in the future.  In the meantime, the new pro shop is fully stocked with anything you need before or after your round with a fantastic tree logo which made its way back home with me in the form of a few new items.

Beauty & Scenery

Designing a scenic golf course within a neighborhood is a tall task, but Arnold Palmer took that challenge on using a variety of design elements to create a visually stunning course.  Although the homes that surround the course are visible at times, Palmer used features such as streams, plants, and course shaping to pull your focus to the course the entire round.

The main design element at Craft Farms is water.  While plenty of holes had water in play, there were also bodies of water that merely added to the aesthetic.  Palmer also uses different types of plants along the banks of the water that draw your focus in towards the greens.  The mix of plant life was an attraction for the wild birds that were native to the area.

Tee Shots

One thing I really enjoyed about Cypress Bend at Craft Farms is the amount of tee shots that provoke your imagination.  Standing on many of the tees you have options on how to play a hole, such as cutting the corner and clearing a hazard or taking less club and going the safer route.  I love this type of risk-reward, and it is prevalent here.

Because of these options, many of the fairways are wide and can provide relief for errant shots.  No matter what way you decide to play off the tee, there’s plenty of room to find some grass.  I noticed midway through the round that Palmer rewards the aggressive player.  If you enjoy using the driver and are accurate, not only are you going to find lots of fairways, but you will likely have the best positions to go after pins.

Approaches

The approach shots at Cypress Bend at Craft Farms are all based upon how aggressive you are off the tee.  Even a great drive can still lead to an approach shot that is visually intimidating.  As I played my round, I quickly realized this was only a visual tactic as the greens were larger than what I could see from the fairway.  I had to mentally block out the visuals and trust my club choice.  

The fairways are wide here but if you do happen to find the rough, it is not going to be your favorite place.  The rough was not deep but it was thick and difficult to get solid contact from.  The few times I found the rough, I struggled to make par.

I also found myself in a handful of fairway bunkers during the round.  Thankfully, the edges were relatively low and did not pose a huge risk to get a ball up and out.  The sand itself was somewhat inconsistent from bunker to bunker, but overall, if you have a decent sand game, they will not be too punishing.

Greens & Surrounds

Cypress Bend at Craft Farms has larger than average sized greens.  Most of them were relatively flat with very few undulations which made two putting manageable.  The trouble lies with pin positions, particularly when they are tucked in shallow areas of a green.  Taking on these sucker pins can make or break a round.

Very similar to Peninsula Golf Club [Review HERE] just down the road, the fringe and surrounds are not all that penal with the exception of the par threes.  They are mowed down to a first cut length which allows for almost any type of chip, pitch, or putt from off the green .  

The greenside bunkers are no different than the fairway traps in that they are tricky.  Whether the lie calls for a splash shot, nippy spinner, or chunk and run, the flat and forgiving greens allows for a multitude of shots of any level player.

Overall Design

Arnold Palmer did a marvelous job curating a fun and dynamic golf course from a mostly flat piece of land.  The layout incorporates both short and long holes that challenge the golfer in different ways.  This design is not overly difficult, but there are decisions to be made on just about every hole, which is exciting and keeps you engaged the entire round.

Favorite Holes

#3 – Par 5 – 475 Yards 

This early par five stood out as one of my favorites in large part because of the photo above.  A good drive gives the player the option of going for it in two with the obvious danger of the pond that catches anything short and right.  Making it a three shot hole is still tough as the third shot with a wedge could also find the water.  The 11th hardest hole by ranking, there are lots of opportunities to score on this one if you play it right.

#5 – Par 4 – 333 Yards 

The short par four fifth hole is not reachable by most, especially with a false front that deters any ball trying to run up on the green.  The entire right side of the fairway is flanked by a series of bunkers and, as you can see, I found one of them off the tee.  The rare two tiered green is split by such a large ridge that it is essentially two small greens on one hole.  Find the correct side and you’ll have a good look at birdie.

#8 – Par 3 – 153 Yards 

The par three eighth is a mid length hole with a slightly elevated tee shot.  It is all carry over the large pond to a wide but narrow green that has a bunker in the back for balls going long.  This one reminds me a little of the 12th at Augusta in length and design.  This is one you just have to step up and hit the right shot to the middle of the green as there really is no bailout anywhere.  Either way, it sure is nice to look at!

Conclusion

Cypress Bend at Craft Farms is a layout that will leave you wanting to play here over and over again.  There are many risk-reward holes that challenge the golfer, while the beauty will make you want time to slow down.  If the name Arnold Palmer doesn’t make you want to book a round here, the variety of 36 different holes certainly should.

Visit Craft Farms Golf Course HERE

The post Cypress Bend at Craft Farms Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

The Peninsula Golf Course is a 27 hole championship layout that stands out as one of the most well manicured golf courses on the Alabama gulf coast.  Peninsula has a true member for a day atmosphere.

Find out why the Alabama Gulf Coast is a great choice for any golf trip HERE

Introduction

The name Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club may lead you to believe that this is a private club.  While it is public, I can attest that the facilities, staff, and course experience make it feel like I was a member for a day.  Peninsula is located halfway between Kiva Dunes [review HERE] and downtown Gulf Shores and boasts three separate 9 hole courses – Lakes, Marsh, and Cypress.  I got to experience Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club, and it was a treat.

Practice Facilities

The Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club has what you need to get warmed up before your round.  It features multiple practice putting and chipping greens as well as a spacious grass driving range.  The driving range is long enough to hit any club in your bag while the practice greens are large enough to simulate a variety of putts or chips.

An underrated part of Peninsula’s practice area is that it is centrally located between the bag drop, pro shop, and the first tee, making it easy to get a few practice swings in before a round.

Customer Service & Amenities

Once we arrived at Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club, the only decision we had to make was which breakfast sandwich to order.  Every staff member was extremely welcoming and provided information before being asked.  For someone playing this course for the first time, especially in a town I wasn’t familiar with, it was comforting knowing the staff would take care of the details and allow our group to concentrate on just the golf.  It has a private club feel, and that certainly begins and ends with the customer service.

This private club atmosphere extends inside the clubhouse to the bar and grill.  It has an impressive indoor and outdoor dining facility with several big screen TVs.  There are views of the practice area and first tee making it a perfect spot to relive every shot from our round.  They even have premade hot food items if you need something at the turn or are in a hurry to start the round.

Beauty & Scenery

Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club is located directly next to the Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve and it was apparent with how much wildlife we saw throughout our round here.  We encountered multiple alligators, snakes, and different types of wild birds.

It is easy to see why the wildlife stays here.  The streams and ponds that bisect many of the holes create an oasis for these animals as well as a visually stunning backdrop for anyone who gets to play here.

Find two gorgeous Arnold Palmer designs at Craft Farms HERE

Tee Shots

Like many coastal golf courses, there is not a lot of elevation changes at the Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club, particularly off the tee.  The trouble off the tee is typically water or sandy native areas with a few wooded areas throughout.

The sandy native areas presented a harder shot than on a fairway, but they weren’t severely punishing.  Aside from that, most of the landing zones are wide and forgiving.  Course designer Earl Stone also utilized mounding along the edges of the fairways to help kick balls back into play which helped our group’s drives on more than one hole.

Approaches

While many of the tee shots are straightforward, the approach shots are where you have to think a bit more.  The green complexes are the defense of this course so approach shots have to be on the correct tier or below the hole.  Being below the hole, however, is tricky and may be short, long, or left or right.  If you’re above the hole, 3 putts will be the standard.  The positive is that there are wide fringes around most greens and no severe drop offs.  If you can get the right yardage, you’ll have some looks at birdie even from off the green.

From the fairway, most lies are lush because of how well manicured the grass is here.  The ball almost sits up on a small tee which provides lots of forgiveness on approaches and yet another reason to put a premium on finding the fairway.  The rough isn’t terribly punishing, but it will reduce the amount of spin.  Considering the speed and difficulty of the greens, that makes it hard to stick it close.  In many areas, there are run up sections to the green, so landing balls short with some runout is also an alternative way of scoring here.

Greens & Surrounds

The greens at Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club are anything but straightforward.  They are probably the most difficult part of the course, for a few reasons.  The greens are fast and smooth but have a lot of grain in them.  Even though a slope moves one way, if the grain is in the opposite direction, it can be deceiving and make for a long day with the flatstick.

In addition to the speed, the second reason these greens are so tough is because of their severe undulations.  Find yourself on the wrong tier or on the wrong side of the hole with quick grainy greens, and your putting stats could get inflated really quickly.  Despite these tricky greens, the surrounding fringe and rough are easier to navigate but still require some creativity to end up close to the hole.

Overall Design

Course designer Earl Stone followed the tried and true method of resort courses when designing Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club.  The long game isn’t overly punishing while the greens can still pack a punch when it comes to challenging the better golfer.  There is enough variety between holes that keeps it interesting, but if the layout isn’t what keeps you wanting to play all 27, then the scenery and conditions will.

Favorite Holes

#6 – Par 4 – 278 Yards – Marsh

As always, a drivable par four is going be one of my favorite holes.  This was not originally designed to be a drivable par four as it used to be a dogleg left.  However, the houses that run up the left side of the fairway were getting pelted by players trying to cut the corner and something needed to change.  All the tees were moved to the corner of the dogleg, which was a fantastic decision.  Now, there is a ton of room to drive it close and even a decent run up area if you have some roll out.  An excellent chance at a birdie.

#2 – Par 5 – 486 Yards – Cypress

This par five was one of my favorites as it is a perfect birdie hole.  The hole gently bends to the left with a wide creek that runs up the left side of the tee and initial fairway area.  Although the prevailing wind can make it play quite long, there is ample room to get a ball onto the green in two shots if you have the distance.  Our group had multiple birdie looks and even a long eagle try which made it stand out in my mind as one I would like to play more often.

#7 – Par 4 – 376 Yards – Cypress

The par four seventh hole is a perfect microcosm of Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club.  The tee shot is not too demanding but you’ll need to be in the fairway to have a chance at holding the green to get anywhere close to a front pin.  I went long and left and three putted, while my partners came up short of the green and still made par.  Why did it make my favorite holes?  It rewards the shot that was on the correct side of the hole while it makes par almost impossible when you aren’t.

Conclusion

The Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club is 27 holes of well-manicured, fun, scenic golf.  While the entire property is beautifully maintained, the greens are some of the best in the area.  Combine these green complexes with a forgiving layout and private club atmosphere, and you get the perfect course for any golfer looking to play on the Alabama gulf coast.

Visit Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club HERE 

The post Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

Kiva Dunes Golf Course is a challenging test of golf that has just the right amount of forgiveness and variety to make it fun for any level of golfer.  Its remote setting allows for undisturbed views of the natural gulf coast.

Find out why the Alabama Gulf Coast is a great choice for any golf trip HERE

Introduction

When you make the trek out to Kiva Dunes, you quickly realize that it sits on some of the most remote and untouched land on the Alabama Gulf Coast.  There are very few residential areas and even fewer stores and strip malls.  It is a stunning area and a bit surprising considering how much of the gulf coast is developed with resorts, condos, and beach front properties.  Many would agree that this is exactly what makes Kiva Dunes so special.

Check out more Alabama Gulf Coast golf at Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club HERE

Practice Facilities

The Kiva Dunes practice facilities have everything needed to get you prepared for your round.  Or, if you happen to be staying at the Kiva Dunes resort for multiple nights, it is a great place to practice in between your golf days.

The driving range is wide with multiple pins for target practice.  Several are guarded with bunkers to simulate on course shots.  Adjacent to the range is a small chipping green with multiple pins and a bunker for sand shots.  Finally, just next to the first tees is a 50 yard long practice putting green that has lots of undulations to prep the flatstick for any putt you could see during your round.

Customer Service & Amenities

Kiva Dunes Golf Course is not just a golf course.  It is a full resort, complete with private beach, pool access, and amenities the entire family can enjoy.  The resort boasts large, two story condos with up to four spacious bedrooms, suited for buddies trips, families, or a combination of both.

While Kiva is in a remote section of the Alabama Gulf Coast, everything you need is right on property.  The resort has a full service restaurant on the first floor of the main resort as well as access to the incredible Kiva Beach Club for anyone staying on property.  This club includes a zero entry pool, hot tub, and the Kiva Dunes Beach Club Restaurant which serves up some five star meals.  I highly recommend the pecan cheesecake.  Enough about cheesecake though, let’s get to the golf.

Beauty & Scenery

When you step on the first tee at Kiva, you immediately notice both the natural sand terrain and water channels that meander throughout the course.  While the water only comes into play on about half the holes, it adds quite an impressive aesthetic to the Kiva Dunes golf course.  The second thing you see is the mostly undeveloped surrounding area that creates a stunning natural backdrop.

Of course, this natural backdrop doesn’t come without hazards of their own as Kiva Dunes is home to quite a few alligators that sunbathe on the banks of the fairways.  The remote setting of Kiva Dunes allows quite a bit of wildlife to roam the property so don’t be surprised when your ball comes to rest near an alligator.

Tee Shots

When Jerry Pate designed Kiva Dunes, I imagine he wanted to create a unique challenge for every different skill level.  He used the tee boxes to accomplish this by not only adding distance but more challenging angles to the fairway the further back you go.

No matter what tees you play at Kiva Dunes, the fairways are wide and playable.  Many even have bail outs on one side or the other.  There are a handful of forced carries off the tee with most of them coming on the par threes.

Approaches

Approach shots at Kiva Dunes allow golfers to be more creative.  Kiva Dunes has a lot of run up areas with the exception of hole nine and the par threes.  Some are more accessible than others, but they are designed for a variety of players.  If you prefer to play the ball along the ground, you can certainly do that.  With the amount of wind that this course gets, keeping the ball low may be the way to low scores.

The fairways themselves are mostly flat and sand based, so when it dries out, the ball can jump on approach shots.  Even though the majority of the course is cut to fairway length, there is rough around certain holes but it is not all that punishing.  The most intimidating approach shots were ones that involved water like number two, nine, or seventeen.  Thankfully, there are also more forgiving approach shots with plenty of chances to hunt pins and setup birdie opportunities.

Greens & Surrounds

The greens here are anything but straightforward.  They are moderately quick in speed and often feature massive undulations that make two putting difficult.  The greens are large and surrounded by tightly mown areas.  I found these tightly mown areas were tough to chip from but easy enough to putt any ball that didn’t hit the green.

There are strategically placed bunkers around most greens that I found myself in a few times during the round.  I loved the bunkers here.  The sand was ultra soft, and no matter how hard I swung, the ball came out high and landed close to the pin.  Overall, there are a lot of places to miss around the greens as long as you avoid the water.

Overall Design

Kiva Dunes is a step up from your typical resort course.  There is a ton of variety and challenge without being so tough that it loses the fun factor.  Most of the holes are right in front of you, meaning you don’t need to spend hours looking at your GPS or yardage guide before deciding which club to hit.  This is a fun golf course meant to challenge you based on the tee you select.

Favorite Holes

#9 – Par 4 – 412 yards

This hole is the exception to what I described previously, but that is why it made my favorite holes.  Off the tee, you have a decision to make on how close you want to get to the water.  The closer you get, the shorter the approach.  The second shot is long and over water at an angle.  It is intimidating, especially with a mid-long iron in your hand, as you can see below.

#8 – Par 3 – 148 yards

Featuring one of the few forced carries over a massive waste sand area, the par 3 8th hole is downhill and plays a few yards shorter than the scorecard says.  The waste area gets in your head as all you can see from the tee box is that sugar white sand.  Avoid the sand and this semi-flat green is prime for birdies.

#4 – Par 4 – 280 yards

A drivable par four will always make my list of favorite holes.  It isn’t overly difficult from the tee, but the green is very narrow and sits propped up between two sand traps.  If you can manage a baby draw with your driver, this is your hole to score on.  Either way, we had a blast trying to swing big to land it close and have an early chance at an eagle putt.

Conclusion

Kiva Dunes Golf Course has everything you could want in a coastal golf experience.  A challenging but fair test of golf with enough variety to make you want to play it over and over again.  The natural beauty of the water channels that integrate seamlessly into the course not only provide impressive visuals but challenge golfers of every level.  The only golf resort directly on the gulf coast, Kiva Dunes provides the highest level golf experience for buddies trips and families alike.

Visit Kiva Dunes Golf Course HERE 

The post Kiva Dunes Golf Course Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.