Gillette Ridge

I witness this course being built on the grounds of Cigna Insurance. I believed it was going to be a top notch facility. For the greens fee and its association with Cigna (although I know Cigna has nothing to do with the course!)I expected a top notch facility. Was I wrong. The traps were all hard packed...the greens were horrible with 4 different shades of grass...looks like it wasn't maintained...leaves were all over the fairways and greens....did not see one maintenance person or moving machine...rest rooms were in a great building at the turn, but were out of order! I have played only a few courses in the greater Hartford area and rank this one as the lowest. Looks like they're having financial problems from the condition of the facility.

Having played this course previously several times, it was a different and more laid back atmosphere. There was no starter or ranger visible nor anyone loading clubs or taking them off the carts. Course was in better shape than what I had heard.
I heard the course was closing which would be a shame.

Overall, we were very impressed by this course. The course is cut into the natural landscape and offers some of the most challenging and beautiful holes in New England. Many holes have forced carries where you must land your ball on the fly or pay a price. Lies are often uneven due to undulating terrain further challenging the player. Overall, the course is expertly maintained with one major exception - the bunkers! Virtually all bunkers have apparently been abandoned of any upkeep, often devoid of sand and chock full of weeds and mud. This could be due to financial woes facing GR, but if you can avoid these pits, there is much to enjoy. Grab a tee time on Golf Now or enroll in Golf New England for best value. Good luck with that approach shot and stay below the hole.

COURSE PLAYS OUT VERY NICE TILL U SEE A SAND TRAP THE SAND TRAPS NEED A LOT OF WORK OTHERWISE COURSE WAS NICE. SAND TRAPS EXTREMELY HARD DIRT DONT APPEAR TO BE RAKED MUCH WOULD BE NICE WITH SOME BETTER GRADE OF SAND

The course was enjoyable but work is needed in some areas including the bunkers.

I was stunned but the expansive layout of this course. Frankly, I was almost speechless and thrilled to be there. Fortunately, I was with a golf professional who knew the course and it's "intimacies" which are too numerous to mention. Were he not guiding me with excellent and precise advise, I would still be there wandering around talking to myself. For example, I butchered the front, putting a 9 down on the 5th hole which is only 283 yds long featuring a critical drive and very precise approach shot which I failed to produce till my 3rd ball. With only 1 par on the front I was rattled after 9 however, I am thrilled to announce that with my trusty navigator and the help of a beer at the turn, I produced 5 pars on the turn and a 41 for the back for which I am so proud to have calmed down and not given in to my disappointing front. I cannot wait to return to that truly magnificent course which has a extraordinary and grand maturity especially for a public course. NOW FOR THE SAD NEWS...I know it's near the end of a long golf season however, it appears to me that management (MDM Golf Enterprises), has not been putting any money back into the course and basically sucking it dry of income and I say this from observing what I can only describe as completely neglected traps (which are huge and numerous), and multiple tee boxes which are in very poor condition. I do know that the turf bottles on both carts were empty when we teed off which is evidence of their neglect. I fell in love with this course yesterday and can't wait to return some day and find it cared for with the love it was designed with by Arnold Palmer G C Design.

Beautiful course. Holes 11, 16, 17 and 18 very challenging. Condition was very good except for the bunkers. Bunkers need work.

Greens and tee boxes were not in very good shape. I realize its near the end of the season, but other courses are in much better shape.

I had heard that the bunkers were not in good shape but that is an understatement. There is not one grain of sand in any of the bunkers - they are all dirt and in some cases mud puddles. Other than that, the course is not in horrible shape. The fairways are okay, the tee boxes are fair, the rough is okay, the cart paths are in fair condition for their age (I think it's like 10 years?). Could use some yardage markers - how difficult would it be to put a red stake at 100 yards? The only other complaint is the gas carts - noisy and no gps. So without good yardage markers on the course and no gps, many shots are a guess. Maybe they figure everyone has a range finders? But be sure to bring one if you play.

The course is difficult as they do not have enough yardage signs. Also, the greens aren't in the best shape. I liked the layout as you have to know where to place each of your shots.

But it was worth it. Played from the blues and it played all of the yardage. Challenging.

Love this course. Hard, challenging, long, many par 5's, beautiful layout. Usually quiet due to people not wanting to take up the challenge. No one fixes their ball marks which is unfortunate, but overall def 1 of my top 5 courses ever played...

There was never a bad area in the fairways. They were working on a majority of the traps. The tee boxes were is some cases in need of some TLC.

Bunkers are clay, greens are so hard nobody bothers to look for ballmarks, let alone repair them. Some greens need a complete. Re-design.. They are so odly shaped there is no safe shot on some approaches!

Beautiful and challenging layout. Bunkers are a disaster...should be declared waster areas, not bunkers. No sand...dirt and mud only. Some tee boxes were pretty rough. Fairways and greens were nice.

First the positives..
The course is big, you get your monies worth, the greens were in good condition for the time of year, the course was challenging and wasn't crowded at all for a Friday late morning tee time.

The negatives...
The fairways were soaking wet and it hadn't rained in the area for days. Must be from a combination of over watering and bad drainage on site. The bunkers were dirt, not sand. This was actually an improvement from the last time I played there and the traps were overgrown with weeds. The woods were full of garbage. I know because I spent a lot of time in them looking for my ball!

Overall for the price ($35 for 18 and a cart, thanks to golf now) it's a good deal and I'd go back.

Every hole has it's challenge. I believe a good hole is a memorable hole. I can honestly say that Gillette Ridge has many of them... Looking forward to another round.

Great course for the money. Great atmosphere. Must play if in Hartford county looking for a good course. Bunkers need help that is the only con of the whole course.

I had a poor experience 7 years ago and had not been backk since. Long round, arrogant staff. But a friend and I wanted to try it again.

Labor Day Morning 9:00am arrival....One person at desk. Only person we saw all day. could not drive carts to car and they blocked path with 10 carts to ensure that. So, everyone had to carry their bags down around the jam of carts to get down to carts. And when I made a small comment when paying/checking in with my Golf Now reservation ("seems like there isn't aas much staff as their used to be"), the guy said "well, we can't when people don't pay full rate". I felt real welcome.

Kitchen not open (saw a guy jump in his car because he had not eaten and was counting on course)....No cart service on hot humid day...if they want to make some $ at course, put a cart out there, they would make a decent amount of $ on days like that

There was no starter and nobody on course to keep things moving or logically pair people up. rounds are long because there is 2some after 4some followed by 4some then 2 2somes. Makes for long round.

It is clear that they are hurting. But also clear that they are doing minimum to keep place going. No advertising, no staff, just mow and hope people show up.

It is too bad because course is decent track but this is hospitality industry now more than ever. Make people want to come back but Gillette just doesn't. Even thin staff can make someone feel welcome and make people root for the course. I am not rooting for them nor will I be going back.

Lots of choices and Gillette isn't one of them anyomroe. Close by, there are Wintonberry up the road. Rockledge down road. Will go to either of those 2 before Gillette. Better tracks AND service. They actually seem happy you come to play. What a concept!

Played an early round on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend with my son. Although our Tee time was for 7:30, when we arrived at 7:00, it was deserted. Clubhouse was locked up and carts were still parked away in the garage. Felt a bit odd, but the pro was friendly enough when he opened up shop and got us our cart key and a range bucket.
The range was fine, but a bit overgrown. There were some nice practice bunkers and the sand was in good shape.
The course is very attractive and interestingly laid out. It is fun and tough. There are plenty of forced carries and the greens complexes are pretty unforgiving. It's very possible to play well and shoot a high score.
Overall, unfortunately, the place had an air of neglect and desolation. The fairways were over watered and soggy, the fringe on the greens was patchy, there were unrepaired ball marks all over the greens and there were out buildings that looked half finished and abandoned.
For a busy holiday Saturday morning in perfect weather, there was no one behind us for several holes, and only two groups in front. Not that I would usually complain about this, but combined with the condition of the course and our surreal arrival, it just felt strange.
The course has a reputation for being merciless and a beat down. While I think its undeserved, perhaps this bad rep has hurt business. The course looks to hurting a bit. I'd play Wintonbury for a better value, with equally challenging holes and much better conditions.