Black Birch Golf Club

Greens in very good condition. Fairways are mostly crabgrass.

My home course was closed for the afternoon so I found a tee time at Black Birch and decided to head out and play. The staff was friendly and the only thing dragging this course down were the conditions of the fairways, tee boxes, and rough. All of which are uniformly crab grass, despite a distinct lack of fairway lies anywhere on the course I truly enjoyed my round the routing of the back 9 was very engaging and the front 9 had a few great looking tee shots and a few gettable par 5s as well. The greens were the highlight of the course and even they had their issues a few had burnt out dead patches but overall they rolled well and the pin placements were mindful of the burned out areas. I hope in this course receives the care it deserves I truly believe it has great potential and it would be a shame were it to trend in the wrong direction.

First time playing this course and it was a bit of a letdown. Fairways are mainly crabgrass and sometimes it is even hard to find your ball in the middle of the fairway. Bunkers are a mixture of dirt and sand and I stated before there is even patches of crabgrass on the greens. Front nine is a lot more open than the back nine but apart from one or two holes it is mainly fairly straight with only one real dogleg. Pace of play was fine and the players there will let faster players play through which is nice.Not a bad experience but I wish the fairways were maintained a lot better.

As always , BB didn’t disappoint. The only gripe I have with the course is the amount of crabgrasss there is on the course. Including the greens.

The course is starting to shape up. Several of us try to get there a couple times a month.

I can not say enough about the staff, they are just great people.

If the greens were a little better, it would improve the experience. Otherwise, thoroughly enjoyed it.

The course conditions, from being closed all last season(2020) , have become terrible. Crabgrass has taken over most fairways and starting to pop up on greens.

I had another enjoyable day on this course: my typical experience as a member here for three years (in the past). The conditions have improved since my last play two months ago, even though the fairways are mainly overrun by crabgrass and the greens bumpy by comparison to how they were putting in 2019. Ironically, it is these greens, even though puttable enough now, that lack the smooth excellence they once had. This much is sure: the course is again covered in grass, no matter the variety. It’s playable again.

The interesting layout and fine setting in the countryside make Black Birch worth a visit. The big difference today--as opposed to early June--is that the ball is rolling out on the fairways and finding about the same spots I used to hit. With adequate fairway roll, for example, I reached or got close to a couple of the par-fives in two.

It was nice to play, again, excellent and engaging holes like the third, eleventh, twelfth, fourteenth, and sixteenth as they’re meant to be played. Doubtless Al Zikorus knew what he was doing on the ‘added nine,’ the back, and for me that alone is worth the price of admission; the well-balanced but slightly less dramatic front seems like a bonus. And on most holes, you have plenty of airspace to work the ball to your heart’s desire.

In 2019, Black Birch was noted as a hidden gem in at least one Connecticut-based golf publication. I’d love to see it regain that status, but it’s still got a ways to go. The greenskeeping staff has done a heroic job this summer in reviving this course, seemingly back from the dead. Maybe ownership will give them the necessary grass seed to bring it all the way back; the situation is pretty much that simple.

Friendliness and service, as always, were excellent, in the person of one of the course managers, Dave. I’ve known him for ten years now and can attest that there’s no better individual I’ve met in the industry.

By all means, this is a value proposition. If a good deal is your objective or you want to work on your game, or play a friendly match in a nice setting, don’t hesitate to go to Black Birch.

Finest Hole: Fourteen, par-4, 420 yards.

A true classic with strategic emphasis. With mature, huge trees lining the hole’s right side, the play is down the left, leaving a clear opening to the bunker-flanked green. Yet this optimal route is not without risk: go too far left and you’ll drop down over the falloff, leaving a much harder shot over the bank to the green, with a set of huge trees now obstructing the approach.

Toughest Hole: Twelve, par-4, 377 yards.

Plays downhill, then up to the green, but the tee shot may well determine your score on this dogleg-right. Unless you can loft a seven-iron as high and long as Brooks Koepka, forget about trying to clear the towering right-side trees off the tee. Play left and go at the green with a longer club. Another card-wrecker: the green complex itself, with a big bunker and two-tiered putting surface.

What a great find! Ya , it has crab grass fairways but the greens are in very good shape and the course has a good lay out and is challenging.

It was not crowded as every other course is now a days. Restaurant looks very classy and has an outside deck over looking the driving range.

Its worth the drive and the price is right!

The course went downhill during plannedemic and the crabgrass took over the fairways and roughs. Greens were still OK, with a few spotty areas of damage. Overall it was a good layout with some challenging holes. Will come back since it was a great deal for the money

Better course conditions than a few weeks back. Staff and restaurant are terrific. Good value and scenic.

Course was a bit challenging and fun to play. Fairways have too much crabgrass and a few of the greens need some work but this course is great place to tune up your game.

I have been playing this course at least once a week since it opened this year and the improvements are incredible. If you played here earlier in the year, I suggest you come back and see how much it has improved. The greens are in very good shape, however, they certainly could be rolled out. There is a distinct difference from fairway to first cut to rough and the tee boxes are in good shape. The rain has certainly helped, but you can see the amount of effort that has gone into bring this course back. Keep up the great work!