Hop Brook Golf Course

Nice round today at a fast pace–virtually no waiting. But also: friendly service, strong value and very good conditions on the course for mid-autumn. Is Hop Brook the best public 9-hole golf course/operation in southern Connecticut? While such a question is always hard to answer with any real surety, it’s hard to argue against it.

I wouldn’t change any of the general, positive comments I made in my August review some forty days ago. This nine-hole test, revised and modified over recent years, offers carefully planned holes that are rigorous enough for today’s golfers. Every hole on this old-school layout is at least a good one, and most of them have a feature or two that departs from what we expect as the norm in golf design today.

That means, to me, that Hop Brook is a lot of fun to play, from holes like the rolling, field-like second (a handsome par-4) to the classic par-3 seventh, sporting a pitched and raised green protected especially by a fortress-like set of hazards before it. Some may call this a quirky course; I like to think of it as pretty conventional in the spirit of Golden Age golf courses, generally built from 1910-1930. All the more fitting that this course produced Billy Burke, way back when.

Conditions: About the same as last month, except for the fairways, which have endured a long hot summer with too much rain. But they’re still in good condition. The greens are simply excellent.

Some conclusions:

If you like a good, quick round on a nine-holer, this course should almost surely fit the bill. Service is both competent and professional here. Every time I walk into the pro shop, I meet someone knowledgeable, experienced, and friendly behind the counter. Today it was Brian, who seems to anticipate your needs almost intuitively–a great guy. It also seemed that everyone I met on the course was good-natured.

I had a rain check during a downpour. Came back to play someone and management by the name of Brian acted like I was trying to steal a golf cart. Should be Stewart for this game drive people away.

Overall, I thought the course was good. My main issue was the pace of play. Two Marshalls and I thought they could have enforced some rules. Maybe suggest to the lady group to let the group(s) thru. No cart/beverage person out, tjst was also a bummer. No water or beverages until you go to #5.

Hop Brook may startle players by opening with the number one handicap hole, a short but deadly par-5 that most golfers will play as a three-shotter, as they tend to lay up prior to a cross-hazard in the form of a small pond. The third shot is the toughest on this woodlined hole, mainly because it is aimed at a perched, well-defended green atop a high embankment. The first green slopes markedly from back to front, and three-putting is common here.

The other end of the nine–on the other side of Porter Avenue–ends on the narrow, tree lined par-4 ninth. Fortunately, the closing hole is not long, but the dogleg makes the drive more demanding and the green is set fairly close to the road.

Sandwiched In between the first and the ninth are seven other solid golf holes that culminate on the eighth, the course’s only long par-4 at 402 from the blues. Almost as tough as the opener, hole eight features a frontal, berm-like rise that makes the second shot blind, and, if you’re short on the approach, will snag your ball in its rough. As for the rest of the holes, I would be remiss in not mentioning the quality of the par-threes, which are both well-designed and tricky.

Conditions were very good here today, with outstanding greens (among the best I’ve played in Connecticut), excellent fairways, good roughs overall, and well-kept tees despite what seems relatively heavy play.

The gentleman I met in the pro shop was friendly and accommodating. He also imparted some interesting details about the course over the years, knowing that I have played here, actually, as early as the 1970s. I was a bit saddened to hear from him that the old and distinctive oak tree that guarded the center of fairway five had died, years ago. It was one of the more iconic trees I recall that beautified Connecticut golf courses.

Hop Brook is, for that matter, one of the top nine-hole courses you can play across the twenty full-length versions (excluding executive tracks) in the state today. This nine wasn’t always conditioned so well, nor were several of the par-4s as long as they are now by the addition of deeper tees. The level of challenge is clearly reflected in the above-average slope figure from the blue tees. The layout also benefits from a pleasantly quiet and secluded locale, in which the only hole where the outside world intrudes (a bit) is the seventh. Moreover, the value part of the equation from this reasonably-priced golf course is undeniable.

A few other notes:

--Scorecards are available in the mailbox by the bridge at the first if you’ve forgotten to pick one up in the pro shop.

--On the hilly fourth, when walking the course you may avoid having to cross the peak of the tall humpbacked fairway by veering left and walking along the right, tree lined edge of the rough.

--Also on hole four, be cautious that the group in front has cleared the hill before teeing off.

--On the fifth, I feel that it’s safer to walk down the steep hill by staying on the grass, not the tarred cartpath.

--The north end of the course is hilly enough that many players opt to use carts here.

--I like to warm up on the excellent practice putting green near the clubhouse.

--Proximity of course to Hartford: about 36 miles; to New Haven: about 20 miles; to downtown Waterbury: about 5 miles.

Course was in excellent condition. Starter was great. All around great time. Havent been for awhile. Be back soon!

Great course for the price. Everybody’s always friendly and the pace of play is pretty good.

I enjoy playing at Holbrook. Everybody’s friendly and the course has a wonderful layout. You can do nine or go around again for 18. I would not call this an easy course but it’s also not too difficult. It presents a unique challenge.

Nine hole course with a few longer, 400+ yards par 4s. Greens ran very smooth and true. The rough didn't seem too long but hid balls from view, even standing over them. Swinging through the rough and controlling the club face was a challenge. All in all, I'll be back for a mid-week change of pace.

Fun little course. A few holes where a little quirky but it’s golf play whatever is in front of you I would recommend playing it. Thanks