Sleeping Giant Golf Course

Sleeping Giant is found just off Route 10 in a semi-rural area that is about halfway between the downtown areas of Hamden and Cheshire. While it’s not quite an oasis within the suburban sprawl of western Connecticut, there is a sense, at least, that you’re out in the countryside. A serene-looking piece of farmland, for instance, sits adjacent to the fifth hole. While the land on the golf course itself is flowing rather than rugged, the backdrop of Mt. Carmel towers over these holes: nearby, it rises 739 feet to its apex.

This golf course isn’t called “Sleeping Giant” for nothing–it’s situated quite close to the base itself of Mt. Carmel. This small mountain, as I understand it, represents the head of the Sleeping Giant (this description was given in a legend created originally by American Indigenous people based on a spirit named “Hobbomock”). The entire profile of the slumbering behemoth is visible farther away from the golf course at various vantage points.

Giants aside, the course has been constructed on a far more human scale, and was originally laid out a century ago by a talented architect named Ralph Barton. Barton, who designed many excellent courses in northern New England, was nonetheless most notable for work he did with both Seth Raynor and C. B. Macdonald on the Mid-Ocean Club in Bermuda (1921). Sleeping Giant was completed in 1924. Over the intervening years from then until now, modifications–including the addition of some holes and subtraction of others–have been made more than once to Sleeping Giant.

The Layout and Its Challenges:

The most impressive challenges among these nine holes strike me as two and five. The former features a beautifully undulating fairway that dips down in the landing zone, then back up to a double-bunkered, mounded green complex perched on a flat zone after the uprise. The fifth, a short par-5, starts from an elevated tee, its fairway scampering out for a couple of hundred yards until it descends to a lower level. This provides a lengthy runway for what may be your second shot; on the other hand, you may choose to go for the green in two by flying the stream–a cross-hazard–some fifty yards prior to it.

The sixth, a distinctive dogleg-right, is the finest short hole on this layout. It’s a drive and pitch hole intensified by a risk/reward element for those who strike it hard enough to reach the green. To do that, they’ll have to carry the hill at the corner of the dogleg. Another strong short hole is the closing ninth, which caps things off with a nicely contoured green that slopes back to front.

The greens here are typically of average size, a far cry from the ultra-small greens often found on many early Donald Ross courses.

Conditioning:

Excellent overall. Except for a few greenside areas that had some sparse or bare grass (these were a minority), everything else was about as good as anyone could expect from a public course.

A minor point: Regulation par-3s, according to the USGA, run as long as 260 yards. It’s also true, however, that the par-3s of most courses seldom exceed 215 yards. Does that mean that Sleeping Giant should make their 4’s (at 228 and 207 yards) into par-3s? Not necessarily. But I like the idea because doing so would bring the inflated number for par here (70) down closer to the current, much-lower rating of scratch versus par (65.4).

Some Conclusions: The combination of good variety in hole design and of compelling, rolling terrain makes this a course that’s fun to play without once feeling overwhelming. It may not be the darling of single-digit players, yet Sleeping Giant should still engage a wide range of golfers. Always the greens and their surrounds have enough complexity to make chipping/pitching interesting. Always the greenside bunkers are large (probably the work of William F. Mitchell, who remodeled this course in 1951). And always, in the times I’ve visited Sleeping Giant, the conditioning ranks with the best I’ve seen on Connecticut nine-hole tracks. Value, too, is good for a course of this quality. If you live within thirty minutes or so of Hamden, this is a course worth a visit.

To be quite blunt, I had my worst golfing experience at this course and for good reason. Some of my friends and I, who are in college decided to book a tee time at this course on a Friday afternoon. I know you may see "college" and have a preconceived notion but we were a respectful group of young men trying to enjoy our Friday afternoon. After arriving a half hour early, we saw that the first hole was backed up and our tee time would be delayed. This was fine, and we patiently waited for the group in front of us to finish. This was on a 130yd par 3 so there is no way to begin the whole without the other group finishing. This did not stop ownership from coming out to tell us that we needed to hurry up on our hole, which clearly is not possible when the hole is only 130yd. On the next hole which was a 400yd par 4 we waited until the group in front of us was at least 200 yards out until we drove off the tee box. It should be noted that when we finished the first hole we the next group had not even teed off on the second hole. Despite this, the owner came out again and asked us to leave the course because of how backed up the groups behind us were and offered us a refund. Being young college students we did not want a huge confrontation and were unsure if we were doing something wrong so we left the course, but asked for a better explanation afterwards. He then kept fumbling his words and kept changing the reason everytime we asked for a better explanation whether it was overbooking, seeing too big of a "gap" on the cameras or whatever else. It was clear that they had overbooked their tee times and now seeing the angry groups behind us they decided to exploit our youth and inexperience and ask us to leave. What should have been a fun afternoon with friends was cut short due to the incredibly unprofessional nature of the staff. I will certainly never return to this course whether it's a round of golf or the driving range.

Sleeping Giant starts with a short but clever par-3 that gives you a warm-up, but only an inkling of what is to come: a course that seldom emphasizes distance but rather precision and, as a general rule, options on how to play any of its holes. The terrain here furnishes the foundation for good golf, and notably Ralph Barton, the course’s original architect and later Albert Zikrous, its remodeler, made the most of it. Gentle hills and pronounced knobs, ledges, vales, mounds, depressions, small plateaus, some big slopes over the fairways: these are the stuff that breathe life into the layout and that dictate how the holes can be played strategically.

The name “Sleeping Giant” is derived from the 739 foot tall mountain that is part of the course’s backdrop. The layout itself is hardly gigantic but instead rather short. This shouldn’t be a liability for most golfers, who will likely find it both playable and engaging. While the course can’t be called difficult, it would seem a poor cliche to call it a track only for short hitters, seniors, and beginners.

The most compelling holes at Sleeping Giant come in a stretch over the second through sixth:

Second hole: Terrific long par-4, playing straight away, that provides a generous fairway with a rolling landing zone, lined by woods to the left (OOB), which protects the backyards of those living on Garvin Road, and a row of mature trees on the right. Green two features flanking bunkers left and right, the latter hugging the putting surface.

Third: A gorgeous and classic par-three, dropping from a high tee to a tricky, punchbowl green guarded by two large, frontal mounds and further, hemispherical mounding around the back. Chipping and pitching here challenges the short game, while putting is no less difficult.

Fourth: Short yet trouble-laden par four. Miss right and you’ll find a lateral hazard--the woods; miss left and a hill with scattered trees will likely make your approach a difficult one.

Fifth: Impressive short Zikorus par five. Start with a blind drive to a landing zone that includes a downslope, which, if you hit it, adds an extra fifteen or more yards. But the subsequent approach becomes the key shot. I mistakenly hit a 7-iron to lay up 50 yards short of the green, before the wetland/cross hazard, when I could have gone for it. The green, however, sits on a plateau some fifteen feet above the fairway, and the steep frontal slope renders the finesse wedge (as a third shot) a difficult chore.

Sixth: A clever little four-par that doglegs right around a small hill. This is similar to one of the Raynor/MacDonald template holes, the Leven, though it’s a tad long at 345 yards. From the shorter fairway position on the right, the hill obscures any view of the green: to see it directly requires a longer shot leftward or, for the more daring player, a tee shot launched over the hill; thus the Leven’s added risk/reward element.

Conditioning: Little or nothing to complain about; quibbling about imperfect tees would seem petty. It’s amazing for a heavily-played public track.

Playing/Service Experience:

On my fist play here late last month, I partnered with two like-minded players (initials P. and S.) who play here often. We had an excellent time and they clued me in to the intricacies of playing SGGC. When their cart, by the way, incurred a flat tire by the seventh tee, the SG pro delivered a replacement within five minutes. On my second play today, I enjoyed the company of and competition with a young man (initial R.) who also likes Sleeping Giant; he is already an excellent golfer who I think has the potential to lead his high school golf team. Today I also met one of the club pros, Frank, a very friendly gentleman who enthusiastically caught me up on some of the course’s long history.

Some Conclusions:

Before playing this course, I hadn’t heard much about it, either positive or negative. In truth, the only way to experience a golf course is to play it. On both occasions, I found this course to be a nice short track. The scorecard par could be beefed up by making seven (and possibly eight) a par 3--as these holes can’t be lengthened to genuine par-4’s because of land restrictions. The late Mr. Zikorus (an inscribed stone commemorates him near the clubhouse) gave the three new holes the same kind of spunk and quality he did at Portland West or Topstone. And although the course isn’t brim full of trouble, there’s enough challenge here for most.

In the end, the layout offers variety, interest, balance, good terrain, solid bunkering, fine conditioning, excellent value, and a pleasing setting. Calling it a “hidden” gem seems a bit of a misnomer because it had so many customers both times I’ve played it. But Sleeping Giant seems underrated.

Overall I just had a really bad experience at Sleeping Giant GC. This is a great course to go play with your buddies and have a fun, non serious round, but the staff does not allow for this. The greens are awful, so slow. Basically the same speed putting out of the fairway. 28 dollars on a rainy weekday is extremely over priced for this golf course. Only people who go to play this course seriously are just bad at golf because it is the shortest course I have ever played. Two holes are 200 yard PAR FOURS. The one par 5 is basically a good drive and a 8 iron into the green. On the 9th hole the staff came out and rushed us off the course because they wanted to go home (use bad language with us). Management and course are just terrible. Never going back.

Despite the heavy stuff that started coming down while we were on the 7th hole, I really enjoyed my first round here. It's short and easily walkable, with a great backdrop of the mountain.

The first and third are par 3's and a few more holes later on are marked as par 4's, but could easily be reached in one shot. You still can break out the driver on a few holes, but many can reach the green in two without it. Mostly I was impressed with the quality of the course. It seemed like it was pretty well maintained in most parts.

Had it been a nicer day, I'd imagine that the course could get backed up a bit with the lack of length. Still, $20 for nine holes on a Saturday is a great deal anywhere.

I live near the course and gotta say it's a far cry from the old pitch and putt, fairways drier than a desert of a dozen years ago. While not long, it does give you a chance to use quite a few clubs. Odd layout - a par three to start- and two holes fairly identical back-to-back (7 and 8#- the two newer holes 4 and 5 are longer but unimaginative. The good news is that there is a large driving range- quick access for food and drink #Aunt Chiladas) and the price is fair. The course presently is plush- and the greens smooth and well mainured. Maybe best of all is the walker freindly aspect -very level and not at all rugged.