OT: 3 favorite public CT golf courses

[Beowulf]

Nobody picking Minnechaug?

 

[mauconnfan]

I usually play a couple of tournaments a year at Torrington. I took a membership at Canaan with their Special rate and the new owner is already doing a lot of work. Put in a couple of collection ponds. Cut A drainage brook through the seventh fairway an they are making a double green on 2. A lot of ground under repair but it will be worth it in the end.
Ferrarotti’s daughter bought Stonybrook. They are gutting the clubhouse to make a restaurant and new pro shop.

That’s the Fairview owner right? I mean you look at the grounds at Harwinton and he made sure it was beautiful in many ways. If he’s putting his print on Canaan I expect it will eventually be as nice as he can make it!

 

[8893]

I am almost certain Mill River and Ellington Ridge are not public courses

Mill River definitely isn't. I was a greenskeeper there for two summers.

 

[AD DB Burner]

The hopyard is not public anymore

This must be the first year because I have played there about a half dozen times over the last few summers with tee times booked through secondary apps.

 

[aburks41]

Does anyone have any recommendations for courses around Boston? I'm playing at the Newton public course today and I've been to Brookline's public course. Not sure if there are any hidden gems I should check out though

 

[mrl2016]

Great River
Lake of Isles
Richter Park

 

[MJKI]

Does anyone have any recommendations for courses around Boston? I'm playing at the Newton public course today and I've been to Brookline's public course. Not sure if there are any hidden gems I should check out though

Newton Commonwealth is a great track. Short, eminently gettable if your approach is on. Tough greens, a classic Ross design

 

[Umami Zen]

Keney Park
Quarry Ridge
Simsbury Farms

 

[storrsroars]

Does anyone have any recommendations for courses around Boston? I'm playing at the Newton public course today and I've been to Brookline's public course. Not sure if there are any hidden gems I should check out though

IMO, Braintree is your best bang for the buck on munis in the South Shore. Played it many times when I lived in Quincy. It's been 20 years since I left and there was a lot of new course construction being completed then, Granite Links wasn't finished yet. While the daily fee courses down the shore looked nice, the few I played weren't anything memorable, or even worth the price.

If you're comfortable with target golf, Widow's Walk in Scituate is a good course. Narrow fairways, lots of water and marsh, but it plays fair if you can keep to the short grass.

If you ever feel the need to get a quick nine in after work, the slag heap that doubles as President's in Quincy will do the trick. It sucks, there are no flat lies, but you'll get a fix for your jones and you'll usually end up with some interesting partners if no solos are available. You have to do Ponky in Canton once, just to see how a classic Donald Ross layout can be ruined by decades of neglect.

 

[uconn1999]

For 20 years, Manchester CC was my home course. Still a fave along with the Knob.

 

[Hoophound]

Of the ones that I have played-

Simsbury Farms
Wintonbury
Cedar Knob

For 20 years, Manchester CC was my home course. Still a fave along with the Knob.

Cedar Knob is an awesome place. It’s a little off the beaten path from the busiest parts of CT, but it is well worth the drive to Somers for. My favorite public course.

 

[Umami Zen]

Cedar Knob is an awesome place. It’s a little off the beaten path from the busiest parts of CT, but it is well worth the drive to Somers for. My favorite public course.

Play in a League out there.. Great burgers on the 19th hole

 

[J187Money]

This must be the first year because I have played there about a half dozen times over the last few summers with tee times booked through secondary apps.

They went private this year - got like 100 emails to join.

 

[Pawsox]

Broke it down into 2 categories.
Expensive -
Great River - very good track, but at $155 on the weekend?
Lake of Isles - love the layout. Like the feeling that you and your foursome are the only ones on a hole a lot of the time. Great combination of tough holes and scoreable holes.
Mohegan Sun Golf - don't like it as much as the two above. As the pro at my home course said, "these are the greens where they buried all of the dead elephants." Decent layout, but not worth the money.
Normal Rates -
Connecticut National - good track. Kind of unknown to a lot of golfers in the western part of Ct. Was in great shape when I played there and it didn't take 5 hours to play.
Rockledge - haven't played there this year due to surgery, but was in great shape last year. We play during the week, so rounds are usually in the 4 hour range. Weekends there are another matter. Can be slow.
Topstone - like the layout. Greens were very good last year. Good mix of holes. Large men's club, so getting out on the weekend can be a challenge.

 

[superjohn]

I usually play a couple of tournaments a year at Torrington. I took a membership at Canaan with their Special rate and the new owner is already doing a lot of work. Put in a couple of collection ponds. Cut A drainage brook through the seventh fairway an they are making a double green on 2. A lot of ground under repair but it will be worth it in the end.
Ferrarotti’s daughter bought Stonybrook. They are gutting the clubhouse to make a restaurant and new pro shop.

Amy bought Stonybrook?

 

[uconnfan68]

Mill River
Lake of Isles
Ellington Ridge

Key word was public. I thought Ellington and Mill River were both private. Lake of Isles is a resort course (semi-private).

1. Lake of Isles North
2. Lyman Orchards Jones (? If condition is ok)
3. Simsbury Farms

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I live in Salisbury, so I really haven’t played many in Fairfield County or in eastern CT.
1. Fairview Farms, Harwinton
2. Gillette Ridge, Bloomfield
3. Richter Park, Danbury

Favorite 9 hole course: Stonybrook, Litchfield

The South Pine Creek Par three course down by the beach in Fairfield.

 

[uconnfan68]

I usually play a couple of tournaments a year at Torrington. I took a membership at Canaan with their Special rate and the new owner is already doing a lot of work. Put in a couple of collection ponds. Cut A drainage brook through the seventh fairway an they are making a double green on 2. A lot of ground under repair but it will be worth it in the end.
Ferrarotti’s daughter bought Stonybrook. They are gutting the clubhouse to make a restaurant and new pro shop.

Used play a work league at Stonybrook. The clubhouse was built over the existing chicken coop in mid-late 80s. Watched the tornado drop down over the hill in Bantam center. Hail as big as golf balls embedded in the practice green. While everyone watched through the 20’ glass, I went down to the basement.

 

[Chasm64]

Mill River definitely isn't. I was a greenskeeper there for two summers.

This must be the first year because I have played there about a half dozen times over the last few summers with tee times booked through secondary apps.

First year it’s private

 

[aburks41]

Newton Commonwealth is a great track. Short, eminently gettable if your approach is on. Tough greens, a classic Ross design

Just got back from playing a twilight round. That was the hardest course I’ve ever played. It’s fairly short but holy crap those greens are absurd. Their pin placements today were borderline evil lol. Pretty demoralizing first round of the season. Finished with 3 bogeys though which I’m happy with.

 

[UConnJim]

Does anyone have any recommendations for courses around Boston? I'm playing at the Newton public course today and I've been to Brookline's public course. Not sure if there are any hidden gems I should check out though

Some of my favorite affordable publics in Boston area (Granite Links is best public)

George Wright (Hyde Park) Donald Ross design.
William J. Devine in Franklin Park Boston. One of the oldest munis in the country Donald Ross design, but renovated later (It‘s nicer than many think.)
Widow’s Walk in Scituate. Very tough course, 71.9/144 from blues even though only 6400 yards.
Braintree Municipal. Good track with lots of water. Blind drive on first hole.
Brookmeadow in Canton.
South Shore CC in Hingham.

 

[BattersonBoyz]

1. Wintonbury
2. Lyman Orchards-Players
3. Quarry Ridge

Love Wintonbury but I think you're the first person I've ever heard of who prefers the Lyman-Player over Jones. Player is all blind shots and hills.

I also suck so that may detract from the enjoyment

 

[aburks41]

IMO, Braintree is your best bang for the buck on munis in the South Shore. Played it many times when I lived in Quincy. It's been 20 years since I left and there was a lot of new course construction being completed then, Granite Links wasn't finished yet. While the daily fee courses down the shore looked nice, the few I played weren't anything memorable, or even worth the price.

If you're comfortable with target golf, Widow's Walk in Scituate is a good course. Narrow fairways, lots of water and marsh, but it plays fair if you can keep to the short grass.

If you ever feel the need to get a quick nine in after work, the slag heap that doubles as President's in Quincy will do the trick. It sucks, there are no flat lies, but you'll get a fix for your jones and you'll usually end up with some interesting partners if no solos are available. You have to do Ponky in Canton once, just to see how a classic Donald Ross layout can be ruined by decades of neglect.

The Newton elevation was insane. I had maybe 1 flat lie the entire round. The ball was constantly above or below my feet. I’m not a good enough golfer to deal with that type of shot lol. I’ll check out Granite Links and widows walk though. Thanks for the rec’s

 

[UConnJim]

Just got back from playing a twilight round. That was the hardest course I’ve ever played. It’s fairly short but holy crap those greens are absurd. Their pin placements today were borderline evil lol. Pretty demoralizing first round of the season. Finished with 3 bogeys though which I’m happy with.

Newton Commonwealth is a very quirky course with odd lies and you have to play it a few times to figure it out. You really don’t have to use your driver. I’ve never been a fan.

 

[BattersonBoyz]

Just wrapped up a round at Crestbrook, great course for the first time playing.

1) Lyman-Jones
2) Wintonbury
3) Raceway

Honorable Mention:

Cedar Knob, Hunter Memorial, Hawk's Landing, Keney Park and East Hartford

Also, Grassmere in Enfield is a hidden gem. A little 9 hole course with some of the best conditions and pretty cheap for what it is.

 

[BPT2Storrs]

First time ever hearing of CT National. For anyone who has played what can it be compared to in western CT? From the pictures it looks like a really nice course.

 

[EROCK CONN]

i am absolutely astonished that no one has mentioned Timberlin.

Public tracks in CT:

Wintonbury
Timberlin
Tallwood

 

[uconnfan68]

Amy bought Stonybrook?

I thought Tia was running Fairview now.

 

[coachn]

Simsbury Farms is my course. Senior membership weekdays town resident. Play 35 times and the rest is free. Great condition moderate difficulty.

 

[Deepster]

Simsbury Farms is my course. Senior membership weekdays town resident. Play 35 times and the rest is free. Great condition moderate difficulty.

Hidden gem. Not a lot of trap/water hazards. Not that tight a course. But the greens are surprisingly challenging. Not many straight putts and always in good condition. Part of the condition is that it is not a big tourney/scramble venue. The dining and drinking options are horrible so it's basically just a local, well maintained hidden track. I'd say almost like a less busy Rockledge?