East Hartford Golf Club

Ok conditions, and a fairly decent test of skill. Course gets very water logged with a clay rich soil. Pace of play is normal for a municipal.

The fairways are burnt out, the greens where recently aerated. Like I said before the course needs some work. I play every week first time at East Hartford this year, and last time.

The course was the perfect difficulty for beginner/moderate players. Greeted by a friendly staff member and paired with two great guys for 18. The only downside was the group in front of us was moving at an extremely slow pace but played just fast enough to not let us play through. Added about 40 minutes to our game, but overall fantastic. Course was in rough conditions but it was clearly visible that they were working on improving it.

This course has made strides the last year or two but I was a little disappointed in the conditions. The area needs rain, I understand that but some of the tee boxes here are unacceptable. Almost can't tee it up on a few of them. Greens were decent but this course still needs some work. It was trending in the right direction but I was a little disappointed with the overall condition of the course. Same trouble areas. But for $20 with cart its still a deal.

This course is an old lay out. Some nice holes. The tee boxes are ok, some are in good shape, some are worn down. The fairways need water, lots of brown spots. The greens were in very good shape and putted well. The staff was very friendly.
Google maps brought us to the driving range about 2 miles away.

Being a 90 degree day, aside from a few beginners, only serious players were golfers were on the course. Newbies need to understand letting people play through. Once past, I enjoyed an open golf course. Some trees have been removed from tougher holes making the course more forgiving. Played 18 holes in just over 3 hours, which was a record for me. Haven't played here much, recently, but really enjoyed this round and will try to visit more often!!

Its a good course, wide open. Really good place to be aggressive. But the time it takes to play 18 holes is absurd. It took us 4:30 to play as a twosome.

Today I played at the East Hartford Golf Course, formally the Long Hill GC, for the first time in two years. I was itching to play here again because it’s a nice course and I always had a great time whether alone practicing or with a group.

After five years of negligence and miss-management by MDM Golf, this municipal course was rescued by Billy Casper Golf in 2013. Located in the East Hartford suburbs, the course is box-shaped, quiet flat and open. Trees line most fairways with tall old trees at the eastern end and short evergreens towards the western, clubhouse end. Missed the fairway? No problem, just pitch back in or continue down the adjacent fairway until you find an opening.

As for length, at 6208 yds from the blues, the course is short and rated at 69.1/124. From the whites it’s 6076 and red’s 5072. Being flat and without much fairway rough or deep rough on the fringes this course is not too difficult. But it is a great course to grove your game. I rate it high up as one of the best courses to play in the Greater Hartford area to practice on. Not to say this isn’t a good course for steady play as their daily rates are very affordable. With about fifteen leagues now playing, I’d say East Hartford finally has their act together and it will only get better, I’m sure.

“Twenty Dollar Tuesdays” was the theme the day I played. Each Tuesday, for $20 you can play 18 holes, with a cart, and also get a hot dog or burger to eat. That’s a great deal and the course was full of players taking advantage of it.

Upon arrival it poured for 30 minutes, so by the time I teed off, play had stopped and there was standing water everywhere, but most was gone in two hours. I walked but was paired up with two young players who took a cart. We had a great time.

At each tee box there is a granite column with the hole information engraved in them. A classy touch. However, most of the tee boxes were beat up and needed seeding and sunlight to bring them up to snuff. There are a lot of old-growth trees that could be removed to open up the course. Another nice touch at each tee box were the cute boxes for broken tees that had golf balls for legs.

As mentioned before, the course is flat. The fairways were well-groomed except where winter killed the grass in some low spots and it had not grown in yet. All the rather flat greens were is tip-top shape. No complaints there. There are no difficult holes and very little water, only one pond to hit over at the par 3 eighth, and a very small brook that affects eight holes.

Once everyone got moving, after the rain, the pace of play was good. A few holes were backed up on the back nine, but that’s expected when it pours and everyone hunkers down until it stops raining.

Upon finishing I hit the clubhouse for a beer and burger. There is a large indoor seating area and another larger outdoor patio overlooking the 18th green but I opted for the cool AC inside as it was very humid outside. I found the food excellent and the staff friendly and wanting to please.

East Hartford GC a very easy course to walk and I recommend it for everyone, walking or riding. Overall, I rate the course a 3.5 which is not bad considering where it was a couple years ago….a one. There is not much that can be done to the layout but with a few promotions here and there, some more league play and with a little TLC on the fairways, rough and some tree removal this course will be back, just like Arnie said.

Last time played, 2 years ago. Condition greatly improved, also, some old trees removed. Fairway are a little rough at places. I will enjoy going back in the near future.

I have played here off and on for years and at least management is trying to improve course conditions

Two years ago I said I would never play here again but it has gotten much better. The greens are very true and putt well.

First time playing this course was very skeptical about this place since it was closed for a while but I must say they have done a lot to the course and it's getting there. Very wide open and not that challenging perfect for a friendly outing

Enjoyed this course again and it is getting better as the greens grow back in.

Billy Casper Golf has really done a great job getting this course off of life support. MDM decimated it from 2012 through 2013 (the same way they did Keeney Park and Goodwin; Keeny is still closed). The greens are is very good shape. Yes, they were aerated recently, but they HAVE to be aerated at some point. The tee boxes were decent, but could still use some TLC. The fairways are coming along. Still some dirt and weed areas around the fringes and rough of the green, but 80% playable without issue. Great staff.

Is this a five star course right now? No, more like a 3 star course, but all the bad reviews are over the top and I'm not sure what the reviewer expected or if they know any of the history.

If no one ever plays here it will close and we will have even fewer options of where to play. Play some rounds there, have a drink on the patio after, give the course your support and in a couple of years it will be a 4 or 5 star course.

The greens are not good, in fact bad. They aerated the greens but never said anything to us. The sand they used had big stones in it so the green was covered in them. It was very bad putting for all. I had played a week earlier and the greens were so so, but good enough to play again. I was wrong.

Played here last season course was in great condition
This year greens coming along pretty
Good.overall all needs another month or two and will be better than last year.
All courses behind do to weather but here they are working hard.

Dave D

It's still early in the season so the tee boxes were a little overgrown and there were a few rough spots on each hole. It looks like these issues are being addressed and time is all it will take before everything grows in nice and full. Overall I liked the course but the price seemed a little high considering the condition.

EH is my new favorite course. Billy Casper Management has taken over what used to be "Long Hill Country Club" and has brought it back to life. It is still early in the season but the conditions have improve dramatically and will get better as the weather turns warmer.

I usually walk 9 holes from $10-15 depending on the day. Riding 18 would put you around $30-35. Great course with excellent staff. Perfect place to play 18 and grab a nice lunch and beer in the clubhouse on the turn.

A good value overall, especially with a discount. The course is still a little wet, limiting bounce and roll. The greens are in very good condition. Traps are in great condition, with new sand and well raked. The staff are professional and customer service oriented.

Very friendly staff, course is in much better shape since new management took over , very please with the course condition . Green fees are very reasonable with the area . Haven't had a chance to rate the food there , I would rather just play golf .