Ledges Golf Club

Course had received a good amount of rain the day before so there were a few damp spots which also made the greens roll a bit slow. Overall good to excellent, great day weather wise, 81 from the blues, not bad.

At first glance, Ledges Golf Club may seem like a “modern” golf track, and in a few ways it is. It’s a course whose style is hard to classify. But with only one water hazard, no forced carries, no greens set on peninsulas or islands, no monster bunkers that are horrendously elongated or elaborately shaped, few ultra-large greens and few narrow fairways, it seems that Course Architect Howard Maurer simply eschewed many modern design staples.

What kind of track is it? Ledges certainly isn’t reminiscent of modern icons such as Pete Dye’s Harbour Town or Jack Nicklaus’ Grand Cypress courses (to cite two standard-bearers whose creations exhibited the kind of 70’s modernism that has dominated for decades). Here, instead, the scattered bunkering–with an emphasis on fairway traps–looks more like what is found at a links course like Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s in England. Positioned hundreds of yards from the ocean, not next to it, Lytham is also similar because, atypically for a links course, it has a fair amount of trees. Unlike Lytham, though, Ledges rolls over some huge hills, not just dunes; it is far more rugged than the vast majority of British linksland courses. What it adds, though, especially on holes one and nine, along with most of the back nine, is a further links-like feel: many wide fairways, some seventy bunkers, and an underabundance of trees on many holes which creates an openness that gives your drives more airspace.

What I found at Ledges on my first play, as well, was an original, varied, great-looking hybrid-styled layout, sweeping over the upper, western side of the property with drama, its landscape looking like the kind that a Hudson River School artist might paint–especially from the clubhouse and certain other vantage points.

The course is short even from the blue tees (6,110), but Maurer made a potential weakness into a strength. Each of a short quartet of par-4’s (300 or fewer yards) is cleverly designed and encourages tactical play, allowing for birdie opportunities where players are willing to take the risks. On the front side, a pair of very short three-pars (96 and 123 yards) add to the list of holes where accuracy with short irons may lower your score. Holes two through eight are also immersed in woodlands, so spraying the ball around on the fairways or over the greens will spell trouble.

So the front side is no slouch, and you’ll have to play careful golf to score, especially on approach shots and around the greens. Then Ledges finds a higher gear on the more arduous back side: not only do three longer par-4s toughen things up, but the par-3’s average 196 yards, and a pair of challenging par-5’s will also keep you on your toes.

There are many top-notch holes on this outstanding layout, but I’ll describe some of the best, as played from the blue tees:

FOUR OUTSTANDING HOLES

Nine, Par-5, 528.

Playing uphill to a wide fairway off the tee, doglegging left, it will tempt big hitters to cut the corner, where three bunkers lie in wait for misses. After the bend, the hole progresses straightaway to the green, with the second shot guarded by another trio of bunkers some 60 yards from the green, designed to catch sliced or pushed shots. The #3 index, nine is open all the way down the right side, but it will punish severely most leftward misses.

Eighteen, Par-5, 500.
The finisher possesses similar rigor to the ninth. Playing uphill from tee to green and doglegging a bit right, the hole puts another premium on the second shot, where this time a hook or pull will be snared by a nest of leftward bunkers positioned to catch the overambitious. The well-defended green narrows down in the front; it’s a tight target for running the ball onto the surface.

Eleven, Par-4, 405.
Maybe the best four-par on the golf course. Uphill from the tee; doglegging-left; three big traps defending the inside of the dogleg. The second shot is even tougher to an elevated green angled to the fairway, and most of its front protected by a yawning bunker. A terrific challenge, and the #2 index.

Sixteen, Par-4, 273.
One of the drivable holes, and oh-so-tempting from the tee. Many will want to slash a driver at the green, a green defended like Fort Knox. Two bunkers lie 30 yards short of the putting surface to catch hooks; another pair flanks the front of the green. The actual line of approach for bouncing a ball on this green is angled and narrow, so to make this a one-shotter your drive must be near-perfect.

CONDITIONING:
Outstanding for a public course (and amazing for a muni), this is the best-conditioned track I’ve played since Wintonbury Hills early last fall. Only a few fairways on the front side had patches in places. The greens ran fast and, although sometimes hard to read, were ultra-smooth.

PACE of PLAY:
The one fly in the ointment, though a big one. Four and ½ hours, no course marshals. Perhaps it was the holiday?

OTHER STUFF:
The clubhouse is very neat, attractive, and spacious enough, with a good restaurant, from what I’ve heard. The friendly and professional staff didn’t disappoint. Three great playing partners kept things interesting (two of them just getting into the game but more than competent) making for a nice foursome.

SOME CONCLUSIONS:
The layout is so good here that I’d rate it six stars if that were possible. It’s strategic and challenging, and playing it as a whole is just sheer fun. The value, too, is very strong. A minor criticism: I was not crazy about the extremely narrow fairway at the fourth, as with even a well-played shot I missed it by a couple of yards. Unfortunately, slow play diminished the full experience today.

But a must-play golf course? That would only be understating it.

The course is in good shape, greens are a little slow, fairways are good. There is a couple of wet spots, no matter the time of year. Some slow players for the front nine, but after playing through, smooth sailing. Overall good.

The # 2 hole is still very wet, they need to address this as it was wet all the times I played before. However the rest of the course is in great shape. Look forward to playing again soon!

Great course only down side is it is a bit hilly but to each their own. Loved the course would definitely play here again course is in great shape. Keeps neat. Friendly staff hreat pace of play atleast in weekdays

This is a course I would highly recommend and would play again in the near future.

The course is in good shape, some wet areas, greens are a little slow, tough to judge the speed. Overall good and plays long, fun to play as it will challenge you with a variety of different shots.

What a great course! Great condition.and friendly staff.. Looking forward to playing again.

Great variety of picturesque fairway/hole layouts

Really liked it. For this area public courses it’s right up at the top. Not long but critical to get off the tee well if you do you can score. Risk and reward. Pub was good too.

The starter was mixing up tee times and no Marshall to check pace waited 15 minutes and every tee box before we could even tee up.

The course layout is good but the course is very wet, most holes is path only. Given the time of year you can expect lots of leaves, slows you down looking for your ball even in the fairways.
Seems they are not too happy with people being on the course, they can't wait to get you off their course, even on a cold day with 3-4 groups max out there.