Stonebridge Country Club

Stonebridge has A very well laid out course that starts off with confidence boosting holes which allow you to set into a nice rhythm. And then once you’re comfortable and confident the challenge begins where you best be on your game ! Throughout the course some relief is provided, if you’re willing to lay up. Overall I think Stonebridge is as good as any other public course for its price point. You will lol have a fun day there providing you allow yourself to do so.

So I've played here usually once a year because of it's s location from my house, and its usually in great shape,

Well the course from the tongreen on just about every hole was in horrible shape, fairways were burnt out, around the green there was no grass, greens were decent!

I understand that they had a lack of water issue, but every other course that I've played was k owhere near as bad as the shape this course was,

And to top it off there was no discount, and the staff was rude, kicking us off the course at 615 with only 2 holes left to play, VERY DISSAPOINTED! to say the least, will be a long time before I go back if ever

Sadly, the course is in pretty bad shape, and I can’t blame this on weather. It looks more like lack of care. I play courses all over the state and this was probably the worse so far this year. Not worth the money asked, not even close. However, that isn’t the worse part. The ranger was rude and a complete jerk. We had 4 players in our group and one of the players is a beginner. After our tee shot on the 7th hole he stopped us and said we needed to play faster because the group in front of us, was far ahead. At this point on the 7th we had averaged 12.1 mins a hole, just below the average 13 mins a hole. We didn’t hold up the group behind use at any hole, not once did they have to wait. To add insult to it, the ranger followed us around the remaining holes. We finished in 1 hour and 50 minutes. I will never suggest or recommended playing this course….ever!!!

Playing Stonebridge is not just another round of golf, but instead feels more like a stirring golfing event: it gives us what's worthwhile in first-rate, modern layouts. Facing a course that mixes British Isles roots, several difficult holes, and a stream of shotmaking challenges, you’ll need your A-game here—from driver to putter. I found Stonebridge nothing less than riveting to play. It’s also visually pleasing. Not rare but still quite unusual on public courses, Stonebridge boasts a certain, carefully crafted 'look': there appears a collection of settings I might otherwise envision at pricier country clubs or even TPC layouts. The architects, Phil Wogan and George Sargeant, were clearly paying close attention to aesthetics when they created this stunner.

Beyond that, the course is as rock-solid as New Hampshire granite. I never felt a respite on either the front or back side, and as for pure challenge, no stretch of holes here is less than satisfying. Hole variety, especially on the array of fine par-4's, impresses greatly. Although playing mostly on the short side, the par-3's are testing. And three of the four par-5's (1, 10, and 15) are nice strategic tests, while the fourth of these, number 17, was a beauty, rolling gracefully uphill through the tall pines. The layout looks gracefully eclectic, not unusual for a late-eighties design. On the first, for example, I felt faintly like I was playing Dooks again in Ireland; by the third and fourth, it was typical New Hampshire parkland. Eleven and twelve both reminded me in appearance of the fairways and surrounds at Bethpage Black (we walked it fully last year at the P.G.A. Championship) with their tall, wispy grasses set a short distance off the fairways, along with large, intermittent patches of snarled rough.

Almost all fairways and greens here are generous. Because the greens are quite sloping and fast, however, it’s none too easy to stop the ball in the proper sector of each one. One myth about rigorous layouts is that to play them well, one must be the golfing equivalent of Wyatt Earp or Doc Holliday, steely-nerved and in possession of an uncanny accuracy on every shot. But at Stonebridge, unlike the O.K. Corral, shots can be missed somewhat and you'll survive. And being a bit wide of the mark most times won’t lead, automatically, to a triple-bogey. But driving here calls for some planning and a realization that, in general, one side of the fairway will tolerate a miss better than the other. Yes, the tighter holes may often mean putting away the driver. Truth be told, many strategically-oriented icons or exemplars like Augusta National or St. Andrews are still reasonably forgiving, with their wider fairways and carefully managed—but not overdone—hazards. That’s what happens here.

That said, how tough is this course for the typical golfer? For some perspective, consider first that Hartford-TPC River Highlands—home of the Connecticut Traveler’s Championship--slopes at 131 from its back tees. The famed Donald Ross classic Aronimink, one of the courses he intended as a “supreme test” (Ross’ own phrase), tops out at 138. Then again, the slope at infamous Bethpage Black from its deepest tees reaches 144. Stonebridge, at 136, fits securely in the upper echelon, then. Still, I don’t consider a single hole here too tough or unfair. The tee shot at fifteen felt extreme, but I’ll chalk it up to first-time play.

Today I was part of a group comprising my cousin (who lives in southern New Hampshire), my son, and a fourth player, another friendly resident of the Granite State, who joined up with us. Our pace of play was smooth and unforced.

Although Stonebridge’s first four holes are all solid citizens and five a bit roguish, the course's personality shines through starting with six. A visual marvel, the hole was a test today of a well-placed short iron into this narrow but long green fortified by a stone wall and edged by a dark, frontal pond. The par-4 seventh is a short trek through the deep woods requiring a hybrid followed by a short iron. Its dramatically contoured green will test your command of the putter. Eight, a downhill beast of a par four which doglegs left, demands a moderate to long approach which traverses a brook.

The ninth, a classic long par-4, is my favorite hole at Stonebridge. Ken Venturi used to say that certain holes just "fit your eye." This is one of them for me; it has that indefinable but inviting look. The landing area clearly visible on the drive, I throttled a 300-yarder past the left-side FW bunker, leaving a nine into the green. Not to be outdone, my cousin, seemingly launching the ball into the stratosphere, blew it 25 yards past me. Had Cameron Champ been in our foursome, he would have driven the green. Unlike my cousin or Champ, most golfers will hit mid or short-iron approach shots into nine's nicely contoured green, set before the sprawling, Post-Modern clubhouse.

The back nine at Stonebridge, relentlessly more intense, had me doggedly grinding out every shot. Ten, for example, a sinuous uphill par five requiring a straight drive, also demands a precise strike into the green. Various hazards pester you along the way. It culminates with an undulant surface on which one cannot rule out a quick three-putt. The twelfth has a fantastic green complex: two bunkers, one of them long and humongous, protect the shallow green on this 349-yarder. Miss your approach long or short and you'll pay a visit to either bunker or woods.

Fourteen, the course's number one index, pounds downhill 526 yards to an artfully contoured green. The green is reachable with two powerful but controlled blows. The fifteenth (369-yard dogleg-left) provides a choice to drive the green or play the conventional, longer, right-angled route. Seventeen is a daunting-looking, well-bunkered, uphill five-par of 521 yards surrounded by massive pines. It's straightforward and beautiful, but stray too much and it will punish. A fine closing hole, the downhill par-4 eighteenth will require a good drive and better approach to its elevated, bunkered green.

By the end of the round, I felt that I'd played an original course, one that drew on some of the 80’s trends it absorbed but, by its subtlety, outstripping them.

As always with great courses, neither descriptions nor slope ratings can capture the essence of what makes them great or difficult: we have to actually set foot on them and experience them first-hand, judging for ourselves how they look and feel and play. I'm going to make an easy prediction and say that most golfers who’ve yet to play here will judge favorably when they set foot onto Stonebridge. It's just that good.

Other opinions, facts, & comments:

(a) Conditions: Outstanding greens and fairways. Dry conditions create minor patchiness in some areas of rough; yet good overall. Tees were generally good, a few mediocre from heavy play. The head greenskeeper clearly knows his job, but the dry spell has taken a small toll.

(b) Staff: professional, courteous, friendly. Excellent, quick service in pro shop.

(c) Other: Very hot conditions left us wilting in the summer sun by the 13th hole or so. This affected our play in the final stages, though my cousin had blitzed the front at 1-over. The fourth member of our group who joined up with us had a rather amazing game for only about a year of golfing experience. I hope that more young and patient players like him get into golf.

(d) How this compares to modern N.H. tracks: Deserves comparison to fine ones such as Country Club of New Hampshire, Bretwood, Canterbury Woods, or Passaconaway.

(e) Course distinctions: among Golf Digest magazine's top-rated N. H. golf courses for New Hampshire, 2005-2006; ranked #1 N.H. golf course by Manchester Union Leader "Reader's Choice Awards" in 2018 and 2019.

Stonebridge is a hidden gem in NH that has a lot of great holes with wonderful views. The course is very well-maintained and the course is pretty challenging which makes it fun. This is one of my favorite golf courses to play. The only weakness about this place is it's in a location that is far off the highway, which makes it inconvenient.

Stonebridge is out so the way and somewhat off the beaten path which is great. Great layout with par 35/37 - pay attention to the pin guide they provide on the score card. This course is a monster of a test from the back tees. Most everyone plays from the gold tees and hence the unfavorable rating I gave the conditions: the 6300 yard gold tees are very chewed up to the point of embarrassment. Coupled with a couple varying speed greens makes SBCC suspect with its overall conditions. This was not always the condition with the course. Maintenance is becoming a issue I hope it's just short term. This course is surprisingly walkable but a cart is recommended for most- it's not like Crotched MTN or Canterbury woods where you need a cart. Nice deck and 19th hole. On our regular tour we have SBCC is currently out of the regular rotation of courses we play due to the condition of the tees and greens.

Course was in great condition cranes rolled great the 18th hole had a few burn spots. Call the house was well stocked no we will try to arrange to speak of a place where you can hit the ball but only short irons putting green by the first hole. Variety of teas to choose from great layout.