Golf Shop 860-827-8570
Tee-Times 860-827-1362
Whinstone Tavern 860-827-0022
Stanley Golf Course
245 Hartford Rd.
New Britain, CT 06053
http://www.stanleygolf.com/
It's approaching the end of the golf season in Connecticut, but pleasant golf can still be had with little luck in the weather department. I was fortunate enough to get a great day for a scramble tournament at Stanley Golf Course in New Britain, Connecticut.
Stanley is one of the better public courses in central Connecticut. On this beautiful September day the conditions were excellent. The course was green all around. Fairways and greens were in good shape.
Stanley is a good course with challenging and score-able holes, but what sets Stanley apart are the carts. The golf carts at Stanley are equipped with GPS units. The units tell you everything about the golf course. All you have to do is drive up to you ball, and the cart tells you how far your drive traveled, how far to the pin, how far to the front of the green, back of the green, sand traps, water, etc. It even gives tips on how to best play the hole. When you first hear about the GPS it sounds like something unnecessary, and perhaps to some extent it is. We've all been playing golf for years without GPS. However, it is definitely a fun feature. Even without the GPS, Stanley would be a fine golf course, but I would recommend checking out Stanley Golf Course to try the GPS.
Showing posts with label Golf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Golf. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Quarry View Golf Course -- East Canaan, CT
Address: 30 Allyndale Road, East Canaan, CT 06024
Phone: (860) 824-4252
Cost - Weekdays: $11 for 9 holes, $17 for 18 holes
Cost - Weekends: $14 for 9 holes, $20 for 18 holes
Par 31 (should probably really be a par 28)
9 hole course, executive
www.quarryviewgolf.com
You don't always want a Cadillac. Sometimes the Chevy will do.
Quarry View Golf Course is a small executive course tucked into the side of a limestone quarry in the far northwest corner of Connecticut. This course will not be confused for Augusta National. The greens are in decent shape, but other than that, it's pretty much a nice lawn which allows golf. I don't say that as an insult because Quarry View has adjusted their prices accordingly. They are charging a fair price for their services, and they are not trying to fool anyone. When you visit their website, you see that they are catering to families and beginner golfers.
Quarry View is a great place to take a youngster to learn the game of golf. It's short and unpretentious. The advanced golfer may be a little disappointed. The course claims to have a par 5 and 2 par 4s, but even those are questionable. The par 5 is less than 400 yards, and the par 4s are both under 250 yards. However, if you keep expectations in check, Quarry View is a good alternative to grab a quick and cheap 9 holes. If you have the time and cash, go to a full course. Otherwise, Quarry View can be fun.
One note: Quarry view does not have grass tees on every hole. Some holes have thin mats for teeing off. These mats require special tees, which they sell for a cheap price in the club house. I strongly recommend grabbing a few of these tees before heading out.
Phone: (860) 824-4252
Cost - Weekdays: $11 for 9 holes, $17 for 18 holes
Cost - Weekends: $14 for 9 holes, $20 for 18 holes
Par 31 (should probably really be a par 28)
9 hole course, executive
www.quarryviewgolf.com
You don't always want a Cadillac. Sometimes the Chevy will do.
Quarry View Golf Course is a small executive course tucked into the side of a limestone quarry in the far northwest corner of Connecticut. This course will not be confused for Augusta National. The greens are in decent shape, but other than that, it's pretty much a nice lawn which allows golf. I don't say that as an insult because Quarry View has adjusted their prices accordingly. They are charging a fair price for their services, and they are not trying to fool anyone. When you visit their website, you see that they are catering to families and beginner golfers.
Quarry View is a great place to take a youngster to learn the game of golf. It's short and unpretentious. The advanced golfer may be a little disappointed. The course claims to have a par 5 and 2 par 4s, but even those are questionable. The par 5 is less than 400 yards, and the par 4s are both under 250 yards. However, if you keep expectations in check, Quarry View is a good alternative to grab a quick and cheap 9 holes. If you have the time and cash, go to a full course. Otherwise, Quarry View can be fun.
One note: Quarry view does not have grass tees on every hole. Some holes have thin mats for teeing off. These mats require special tees, which they sell for a cheap price in the club house. I strongly recommend grabbing a few of these tees before heading out.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Westwood Golf Course -- Farmington, Connecticut
Address: 7 Westwood Drive, Farmington, CT 06032 (off Route 177)
Phone: 860-675-2548
18 hole course - Executive
Cost: $17.50 for 9 holes, non-resident, weekdays
$20 non-resident, weekends
Westwoods is an executive course. The par on the front nine is 31. However, there is one par 5, and the front nine ends with a 200+ yard par 3. Many of the par 3's are long, so the course does offer some good challenge even though it's an executive course.
The course is in good shape. Above average for a municipal course. Greens are slow, but well kept.
One significant plus for Westwoods is the top notch practice facilities. The course has a huge practice green, and an excellent grass (not mats) driving range. If you're looking for a place to work on your game, the Westwoods practice area is a great choice.
I thought the course was a bit on the expensive side considering it's not a full par 35 or 36. However, my overall experience at Westwoods was positive.
Phone: 860-675-2548
18 hole course - Executive
Cost: $17.50 for 9 holes, non-resident, weekdays
$20 non-resident, weekends
Westwoods is an executive course. The par on the front nine is 31. However, there is one par 5, and the front nine ends with a 200+ yard par 3. Many of the par 3's are long, so the course does offer some good challenge even though it's an executive course.
The course is in good shape. Above average for a municipal course. Greens are slow, but well kept.
One significant plus for Westwoods is the top notch practice facilities. The course has a huge practice green, and an excellent grass (not mats) driving range. If you're looking for a place to work on your game, the Westwoods practice area is a great choice.
I thought the course was a bit on the expensive side considering it's not a full par 35 or 36. However, my overall experience at Westwoods was positive.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Crestbrook Park Golf Course -- Watertown, CT
Address: 834 Northfield Road, Watertown CT 06795
Phone: 860-945-5249
What: 18 hole municipal course
Cost: $37 weekday mid-day 18 holes walking
Crestbrook is known as one of the top municipal golf courses in Connecticut. I took advantage of the nice weather and a day off from work to walk 18 at Crestbrook. This was my first time playing Crestbrook.
I liked the course. I will certainly go back. We teed off on a Friday at about 11:30 AM, and the course was not crowded. I'm not sure how the crowds are on the weekends. If it's like any other course in Connecticut it's likely quite crowded. We did not need a tee time during the week.
The course is generally wide open with large greens. Many of the holes are long, but there is a variety of hole types, both long and short. As far as difficulty, I would rank Crestbrook as easier than average. Course condition was above average. It's still quite wet, but that's certainly to be expected for this time of year and for the recent weather conditions. Layout and course design was above average. Facilities were average. Although the greens are large, they add challenge by having a lot of break.
Crestbrook is a little on the expensive side for a muni course, but in this case you get what you pay for. Considering the overall course, it's a fair value.
Phone: 860-945-5249
What: 18 hole municipal course
Cost: $37 weekday mid-day 18 holes walking
Crestbrook is known as one of the top municipal golf courses in Connecticut. I took advantage of the nice weather and a day off from work to walk 18 at Crestbrook. This was my first time playing Crestbrook.
I liked the course. I will certainly go back. We teed off on a Friday at about 11:30 AM, and the course was not crowded. I'm not sure how the crowds are on the weekends. If it's like any other course in Connecticut it's likely quite crowded. We did not need a tee time during the week.
The course is generally wide open with large greens. Many of the holes are long, but there is a variety of hole types, both long and short. As far as difficulty, I would rank Crestbrook as easier than average. Course condition was above average. It's still quite wet, but that's certainly to be expected for this time of year and for the recent weather conditions. Layout and course design was above average. Facilities were average. Although the greens are large, they add challenge by having a lot of break.
Crestbrook is a little on the expensive side for a muni course, but in this case you get what you pay for. Considering the overall course, it's a fair value.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Late Season Golf at Gillette Ridge Golf Club
The Facts:
What: 18 holes with carts
When: October, 2008
Cost: Not exactly sure because I did not directly pay, but it was not cheap. This is not the course to play if you're looking for a bargain.
Where: Gillette Ridge Golf Club, 1360 Hall Blvd (Route 218), Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: 860-726-1430
Tee times highly recommended
I will get right to the point on this post.
Gillette Ridge was the most challenging golf course I have played in Connecticut.
I have heard others compare it to Lake of Isles (the Foxwoods casino course) in level of difficulty, but I have yet to play Lake of Isles myself to offer a first hand comparison.
The course is also one of the nicest courses I have ever played. This is a high level course. This is not your local muni course. The price will reflect the quality of the course and facilities.
The protection of the greens is demonic. The areas around the greens are covered with traps, cliffs, and impossible rough. The landing areas of many of the greens are also very narrow, requiring a perfect shot to hold the green. If you end up in the sand trap off the edge of one of these narrow greens I might predict that your chances of going over and into the sand trap on the other side of the green are nearly as high as your chances of holding the green.
In addition to the highly protected greens, the holes are long. The tee boxes offer white, blue, and black tees for regular men's play. We played the blues, which were considerably more difficult than the white tees. Many of the tee shots require significant carry over high grass or hazards to reach the fairway. If you are a shorter hitter I would suggest playing from the white tees. Several of the guys in our group that often tee off with irons had difficulty reaching the fairways.
Although the tee shots require some length, the most forgiving aspect of the course is the openness of the tee shots. Once you get the ball out there, the landing areas for tees shots are relatively wide open. The course design gives an advantage to the long hitter, but requires accuracy as you approach the greens.
The challenge of Gillette Ridge made for a fun and unique day of golf. I would jump at the opportunity to play Gillette Ridge again.
What: 18 holes with carts
When: October, 2008
Cost: Not exactly sure because I did not directly pay, but it was not cheap. This is not the course to play if you're looking for a bargain.
Where: Gillette Ridge Golf Club, 1360 Hall Blvd (Route 218), Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: 860-726-1430
Tee times highly recommended
I will get right to the point on this post.
Gillette Ridge was the most challenging golf course I have played in Connecticut.
I have heard others compare it to Lake of Isles (the Foxwoods casino course) in level of difficulty, but I have yet to play Lake of Isles myself to offer a first hand comparison.
The course is also one of the nicest courses I have ever played. This is a high level course. This is not your local muni course. The price will reflect the quality of the course and facilities.
The protection of the greens is demonic. The areas around the greens are covered with traps, cliffs, and impossible rough. The landing areas of many of the greens are also very narrow, requiring a perfect shot to hold the green. If you end up in the sand trap off the edge of one of these narrow greens I might predict that your chances of going over and into the sand trap on the other side of the green are nearly as high as your chances of holding the green.
In addition to the highly protected greens, the holes are long. The tee boxes offer white, blue, and black tees for regular men's play. We played the blues, which were considerably more difficult than the white tees. Many of the tee shots require significant carry over high grass or hazards to reach the fairway. If you are a shorter hitter I would suggest playing from the white tees. Several of the guys in our group that often tee off with irons had difficulty reaching the fairways.
Although the tee shots require some length, the most forgiving aspect of the course is the openness of the tee shots. Once you get the ball out there, the landing areas for tees shots are relatively wide open. The course design gives an advantage to the long hitter, but requires accuracy as you approach the greens.
The challenge of Gillette Ridge made for a fun and unique day of golf. I would jump at the opportunity to play Gillette Ridge again.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Morning Golf at East Mountain Golf Course, Waterbury, CT
The Facts:
What: 9 holes, walking
When: 7-26-2008, 7 AM
Cost: $20
Where: East Mountain Golf Course
171 East Mountain Road
Waterbury, CT
203-753-1425
Tee times accepted.
3 friends and I picked a great morning to take in 9 holes. The weather was perfect. We teed off at 7 AM, so the dew was still on the greens.
East Mountain Golf Course was a challenging course. Although the course is tucked into a residential neighborhood, there is plenty of length to the holes. The layout was not filled with imagination, but it was acceptable. The par threes were especially tough, measuring 188, 203, and 137 yards respectively. The greens were in excellent condition, but the sand and fairways could have been a little better. Not unusual for a municipal golf course.
The course appeared well run, with friendly, unpretentious staff. We teed off right at our tee time. The course was busy, but definitely not too crowded.
Although I did not partake, the facilities did include a small restaurant and bar.
I would definitely go back to East Mountain Golf Course, and I recommend it for anyone looking to grab a round in the Waterbury area.
What: 9 holes, walking
When: 7-26-2008, 7 AM
Cost: $20
Where: East Mountain Golf Course
171 East Mountain Road
Waterbury, CT
203-753-1425
Tee times accepted.
3 friends and I picked a great morning to take in 9 holes. The weather was perfect. We teed off at 7 AM, so the dew was still on the greens.
East Mountain Golf Course was a challenging course. Although the course is tucked into a residential neighborhood, there is plenty of length to the holes. The layout was not filled with imagination, but it was acceptable. The par threes were especially tough, measuring 188, 203, and 137 yards respectively. The greens were in excellent condition, but the sand and fairways could have been a little better. Not unusual for a municipal golf course.
The course appeared well run, with friendly, unpretentious staff. We teed off right at our tee time. The course was busy, but definitely not too crowded.
Although I did not partake, the facilities did include a small restaurant and bar.
I would definitely go back to East Mountain Golf Course, and I recommend it for anyone looking to grab a round in the Waterbury area.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Rolling Greens Golf Club -- Rocky Hill, CT
The Facts:
What: 9 holes, walking
When: 7-16-2008, 5:30 PM
Cost: $17
Where: Rolling Greens Golf Club, 600 Cold Spring Road, Rocky Hill, CT
One key word describes Rolling Greens: Tight. Rolling Greens is a 9-hole public course. The course includes a small pro shop and restaurant with bar. The course is totally surrounded by condos. Some of the condos are so close that they must get regularly pelted with golf balls. This makes for a tight, and challenging course. Rolling Greens is not short. It is standard distance. However, because of the narrow fairways and frequent, sharp dog-legs, the driver can not be hit off the tee on many holes. If you like to haul off and whack your driver, this is not the course for you. If you enjoy the challenge of course management, you will appreciate Rolling Gree
ns.
The course was in good shape overall – nothing out of the ordinary for a small public course in Connecticut. The tees and greens were in good shape. The fairways were ok, but hard. The sand traps were a little hard. Because of the condo roads meandering throughout the course it was at times difficult to locate the next tee. Some of the holes required a significant walk from green to next tee. Not a big deal, but a minor annoyance. One negative I did notice was the lack of water in some of the ball washers. That’s a pet peeve of mine.
We arrived at the course at about 5:20 PM. We were on the tee by 5:30. There was absolutely no wait. It was as if we had our own private course.
Although the course will never be mistaken for Pebble Beach, the low crowd, fair price, and decent shape will bring me back to play Rolling Greens again.
ns.The course was in good shape overall – nothing out of the ordinary for a small public course in Connecticut. The tees and greens were in good shape. The fairways were ok, but hard. The sand traps were a little hard. Because of the condo roads meandering throughout the course it was at times difficult to locate the next tee. Some of the holes required a significant walk from green to next tee. Not a big deal, but a minor annoyance. One negative I did notice was the lack of water in some of the ball washers. That’s a pet peeve of mine.
We arrived at the course at about 5:20 PM. We were on the tee by 5:30. There was absolutely no wait. It was as if we had our own private course.
Although the course will never be mistaken for Pebble Beach, the low crowd, fair price, and decent shape will bring me back to play Rolling Greens again.
The 19th hole was better than expected. The bar was well populated for a Wednesday night. It appears as though a lot of the condo residents patronize the bar separate from golf. Just be prepared for $4 bottles of beer.
Monday, June 30, 2008
9 Holes at Tunxis Plantation Country Club -- Farmington, CT
The Facts
What: 9 holes walking
When: June 30th at 4:30 PM
Cost: $21
Where: 89 Town Farm Road, Farmington, CT 860-677-1367
Tunxis Plantation offers 45 holes (two 18 hole courses and one 9 hole course). It is a fully public course, but it can get quite busy on weekends so tee times are recommended. I am quite familiar with the course since I play in a weekly league that meets there every Monday. Tunxis offers a full service bar and restaurant, a full pro shop, a grass driving range and 2 very large practice greens. It's a behemoth of central CT golf.
The course is primarily known for three things; being in great shape, being flat, and being relatively forgiving to spray hitters. The conditions today lived up to Tunxis' reputation. The greens, fairways, and sand traps were all in impeccable shape. The course is quite flat and wide open. However, the greens are generally well protected to help make up for the forgiving fairway layout. There are also several "decision holes" in which you have to make the decision to go-for-it or lay up.
This course is indeed flat. There is hardly much elevation on any of the 45 holes. This can sometimes make for a boring golf experience if you play Tunxis often, but on the plus side it makes it an easy course to save some dough by walking instead of springing for the cart.
Tunxis is one of the most consistent courses I have ever played. It's a workhorse that always puts out a good golf experience. I recommend the course. Conditions are excellent right now, per usual.
As for my league match today; I certainly did not have my A-game. However, I did a good job scrabbling and got out of there with a 45. Good enough for a 2-up match win. It was a good win against a strong, trash talking opponent.
What: 9 holes walking
When: June 30th at 4:30 PM
Cost: $21
Where: 89 Town Farm Road, Farmington, CT 860-677-1367
Tunxis Plantation offers 45 holes (two 18 hole courses and one 9 hole course). It is a fully public course, but it can get quite busy on weekends so tee times are recommended. I am quite familiar with the course since I play in a weekly league that meets there every Monday. Tunxis offers a full service bar and restaurant, a full pro shop, a grass driving range and 2 very large practice greens. It's a behemoth of central CT golf.
The course is primarily known for three things; being in great shape, being flat, and being relatively forgiving to spray hitters. The conditions today lived up to Tunxis' reputation. The greens, fairways, and sand traps were all in impeccable shape. The course is quite flat and wide open. However, the greens are generally well protected to help make up for the forgiving fairway layout. There are also several "decision holes" in which you have to make the decision to go-for-it or lay up.
This course is indeed flat. There is hardly much elevation on any of the 45 holes. This can sometimes make for a boring golf experience if you play Tunxis often, but on the plus side it makes it an easy course to save some dough by walking instead of springing for the cart.
Tunxis is one of the most consistent courses I have ever played. It's a workhorse that always puts out a good golf experience. I recommend the course. Conditions are excellent right now, per usual.
As for my league match today; I certainly did not have my A-game. However, I did a good job scrabbling and got out of there with a 45. Good enough for a 2-up match win. It was a good win against a strong, trash talking opponent.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Keney Park -- Hartford
The Facts
Place: Keney Park Golf Course, Hartford
Date of Play: 6-25-2008
Time: Teed off at 6 PM
Cost: $15.50 walking
My buddies and I grabbed 9 holes after work this past Wednesday. This was my first time playing Keney Park Golf Course. The course is nestled in the back of a public park in north Hartford. The park is quite large and continues on both sides of the street, so finding the golf course can be a bit tricky since you have to travel quite a distance through a park road before the course comes into view. I eventually found it. The club house is small, but gets the job done. The course was short, but interesting. It featured numerous hills, swales and contours not always typical in central CT golf courses. Definitely not a flat course. Most of the holes are short but the greens are fairly well protected to make up for the lack of distance. Fairways and tees were in good condition. Rough was short and forgiving. My primary criticism with the course was the condition of the greens. Naturally soft and slow, they were uneven with many pock marks. Getting a true roll was a crap shoot. Considering the amount of rain we've received this spring-summer season, the greens were not in the best of shape. They were not terrible, but there was definitely room for improvement. However, overall the course provided the standard municipal golf course experience. If you are in the area it's worth a try, but I would not consider traveling any distance to play this course. Certainly a public or muni course in your area would likely be on par or better than this course. The scores in my foursome included something in the neighborhood of 2 44s a 54 and a 55.
OK, that's the standard write up, now for a little story:At the first tee, the course has an "Ambassador" apparently to keep order. As often seems to be the case, this starter was an older
gentleman, probably retired, working at the course for some extra cash. Well, give an old guy a cart with an "Ambassador" stamp on it and he suddenly becomes Idi Amin from The Last King of Scotland movie. The starter felt the need to show his power by yelling at me for "practicing" on his tee. I was just swinging the club back and forth to loosen up like nearly every golfer at every course does on the first tee. When I asked where I was supposed to practice, he replied "At home." I bit my tongue, but if you've ever played golf for any length of time, I'm sure you've run into the grumpy-old-man-starter-guy. The story continues...after the group ahead of us got sufficiently ahead, the first guy in our group teed up and hit. He was immediately scolded by the starter because he did not wait for his go-ahead. Fortunately everyone in the group was able to take a deep breath and let it go. We got off the first tee and had a fun round of golf, including a couple of cold beers. Players beware of the starter-Nazi if you decide to take a trip to Keney!
Place: Keney Park Golf Course, Hartford
Date of Play: 6-25-2008
Time: Teed off at 6 PM
Cost: $15.50 walking
My buddies and I grabbed 9 holes after work this past Wednesday. This was my first time playing Keney Park Golf Course. The course is nestled in the back of a public park in north Hartford. The park is quite large and continues on both sides of the street, so finding the golf course can be a bit tricky since you have to travel quite a distance through a park road before the course comes into view. I eventually found it. The club house is small, but gets the job done. The course was short, but interesting. It featured numerous hills, swales and contours not always typical in central CT golf courses. Definitely not a flat course. Most of the holes are short but the greens are fairly well protected to make up for the lack of distance. Fairways and tees were in good condition. Rough was short and forgiving. My primary criticism with the course was the condition of the greens. Naturally soft and slow, they were uneven with many pock marks. Getting a true roll was a crap shoot. Considering the amount of rain we've received this spring-summer season, the greens were not in the best of shape. They were not terrible, but there was definitely room for improvement. However, overall the course provided the standard municipal golf course experience. If you are in the area it's worth a try, but I would not consider traveling any distance to play this course. Certainly a public or muni course in your area would likely be on par or better than this course. The scores in my foursome included something in the neighborhood of 2 44s a 54 and a 55.
OK, that's the standard write up, now for a little story:At the first tee, the course has an "Ambassador" apparently to keep order. As often seems to be the case, this starter was an older
gentleman, probably retired, working at the course for some extra cash. Well, give an old guy a cart with an "Ambassador" stamp on it and he suddenly becomes Idi Amin from The Last King of Scotland movie. The starter felt the need to show his power by yelling at me for "practicing" on his tee. I was just swinging the club back and forth to loosen up like nearly every golfer at every course does on the first tee. When I asked where I was supposed to practice, he replied "At home." I bit my tongue, but if you've ever played golf for any length of time, I'm sure you've run into the grumpy-old-man-starter-guy. The story continues...after the group ahead of us got sufficiently ahead, the first guy in our group teed up and hit. He was immediately scolded by the starter because he did not wait for his go-ahead. Fortunately everyone in the group was able to take a deep breath and let it go. We got off the first tee and had a fun round of golf, including a couple of cold beers. Players beware of the starter-Nazi if you decide to take a trip to Keney!
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