About
Gillette Ridge Golf Club in Bloomfield, just outside of Hartford, is an Arnold Palmer Signature course. It is one of the toughest rounds in all of New England. The course sprawls across a beautiful landscape covered with natural wetlands and forests of towering maples, oaks, and elm trees. There are strategically placed bunkers in addition to the natural challenges but they are not excessive. The wetlands come into play on almost half of the holes at Gillette Ridge Golf Club. The approaches to the greens are seemingly intimidating but as long as you don't hit short there is always bailout area on one side. Since each hole presents a unique challenge, there is not just one signature hole, but one of the most memorable holes is the par-5 second, a true risk-reward test that requires both length and accuracy.
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Golfer Photos
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I just want to play Photo submitted by Jamesbrianlow on 10/27/2025
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Golf is life Photo submitted by Jamesbrianlow on 10/27/2025
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Photo submitted by u000005787699 on 08/23/2023
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Photo submitted by u000005787699 on 08/23/2023
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Photo submitted by u1732467322 on 05/12/2023
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The sixth, 173, 3-par: The long slender green, obliquely set to the tee, is a common feature at Gillette. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/28/2021
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The ninth green: par 4, 405, but the blues were set at 440 today. A murderously tough golf hole. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/28/2021
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Eleven: par 5, 500. Another strong driving hole, with the Heublein Tower as part of the backdrop. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/28/2021
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Eleven again, at its well-defended green. My playing partners prepare to putt. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/28/2021
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16: One of my playing partners, a scratch golfer and club member, praised the quality of the three finishing holes; this is the first of them. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/28/2021
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The 424-yard 18th, a sound tee-to-green test, finishes the exam well. Photo submitted by AptlyLinked on 08/28/2021
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Photo submitted by Mldtina1 on 05/31/2021
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Photo submitted by u000008034144 on 11/10/2020
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Photo submitted by psppete on 10/21/2020
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Photo submitted by psppete on 10/21/2020
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Photo submitted by psppete on 10/21/2020
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Photo submitted by u241990994 on 07/29/2019
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Gillette Ridge Golf Club, hole 3 (former 12) Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 07/13/2018
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Gillette Ridge Golf Club, hole 14 (former 5) Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 07/13/2018
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A welcome sight: kids and locals of all ages pack the range at Gillette Ridge on a June Tuesday evening. Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 07/13/2018
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Gillette Ridge's drivable par-4 13th is an excellent hole. Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 11/08/2017
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The 16th green at Gillette Ridge shows the course is consciously shrinking the putting surfaces, presumably for ease of maintenance. I wish they wouldn't do this - it makes an already hard course even tougher and will slow pace of play. Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 11/08/2017
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The quirky 17th green at Gillette Ridge juts out over a stone bridge. Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 11/08/2017
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Gillette Ridge's closing hole is a fair but seriously tough long par four. Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 11/08/2017
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Photo submitted by Bullguy on 09/01/2017
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"Really"? Photo submitted by jfeliciano103 on 06/11/2014
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Photo submitted by u000005387859 on 04/30/2013
Golfer Reviews
Closed in 2015. Opening 2016?
The course closed at the end of 2014, stayed that way throughout 2015, but is scheduled to re-open in 2016 according to newspaper reports.
If anyone has any updated information, kindly share it with the golfing public.
Last chance !!!
I set a t-time through Gol;fnow.com at 11:40 and was playing at 12:10pm. Being late in the year the course was in pretty good shape. I think I got out for the last time this year !!!
BE AFRAID
I have been to this track several times and every time I wonder why I came back. The course is in horrible condition and is not well maintained in any way, shape or form. The greens are always a mess and there is more duck dung on the course than you could possibly fathom. Save yourself the pain and go elsewhere.
Gillette is back
This course has come back considerably from two years ago.
Either fix the course or sell it!
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.
Player of many courses
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.
A rewarding round, but those bunkers...
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.
VERY NICE LAYOUT BUT AVOID SAND TRAPS
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
Excellent layout. Parts of the course need some work.
The course was enjoyable but work is needed in some areas including the bunkers.
Extraordinary course but sadly...
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.
Course in great condition except for bunkers
Beautiful course. Holes 11, 16, 17 and 18 very challenging. Condition was very good except for the bunkers. Bunkers need work.
Good features, but not so good condition.
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.
No sand
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.
This is a challanging course
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.
In my top 5 courses...
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...
fairways were in excellent shape
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.
Needs work
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!
Gillette Ridge
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.