Pomperaug Golf Club

It's flat with lots of water and somewhat short, but worth playing 9 holes. If you go around twice you will be rewarded with knowing what not to do!

I was reminded again today of how course architect Ted Manning created this coherent, disciplined layout, by and over the banks of the Pomperaug River. Drawing on the inspiration of Robert Trent Jones, the course is mostly centered on a pair of large ponds, the first coming into play on holes three, four and five, the second on seven and eight. With water—including the Pomperaug River—in play somewhere on every hole, this is a course about precision play, as a couple of my playing partners, both of whom play it regularly, commented today. Yet only on the seventh (and perhaps nine) does the water really intimidate; elsewhere it seems to hover on the margins. Manning also designed a near-perfect set of putting surfaces, most sloping more with subtlety, only a couple tumbling a bit more. This course is an exercise, then, in restraint, though it certainly challenges someplace on every hole. The par-3’s stand out as paragons, and Pro Dave Cook has ingeniously incorporated a third, to be played alternately on one nine at hole three, which may be the most scenic of these three-pars. And it’s nearly all carry—a beautiful tee shot—over the first big pond.

Pomperaug followed an ever-upward conditioning trend since I first played it three months ago, having suffered, like most Connecticut courses, the effects of a brutally dry summer. Now the fairways, the only remaining question mark, are all back to green and playable condition, though a few are still spotty in areas. The tees have recovered fully—they look great—and the green surrounds are very good as always. Today these always excellent greens were aerated, which certainly affected play, but they should be back in form shortly. I expect the conditioning to rebound fully by next spring. Given this, I would call it, then, a ‘five-star’ experience, especially on the merits of the genial and accommodating staff here, along with one of the best pure nine-hole layouts in the state. One example of staff accommodation today was how my son and I were quickly paired with a second twosome on our second go-around of these nine. We didn’t have to ‘wait in line’ and continued play seamlessly.

Speaking of that, we met four great playing partners today, both couples—one from nearby in Southbury, the other from Bethel. We all enjoyed interesting, engaging and cheerful conversation throughout each nine. There is a certain, indescribable charm that most Western Connecticut residents possess, almost making me wish that I lived back in this part of the state again. In four trips to this Southbury course, I’ve yet to encounter a rude or impatient person anywhere; to the contrary, everyone has been quite affable or simply friendly.

Mr. Brandon Tucker, Senior Managing Editor for Golf Advisor, wrote a fascinating piece on September 29, entitled “There’s No Golf Trip Like Going Home.” In it, he argues that the negative aura we’ve experienced in 2020 may make a golfing road trip, back to where we were brought up, just the antidote for our mild miseries. So he made the trip home to Michigan with his family. It turned out that Mr. Tucker, who has reviewed 600 golf courses now around the globe, found that playing the courses of his youth to be completely enjoyable.

Until this year, I had not played here, my old high school course, for 45 years. Each time I made the trip, I tried to figure out why I felt almost compelled to return to Southbury this year, and return four times, putting up with the one-hour journey, enduring the hassles of the I-84 Waterbury mixmaster. Was it nostalgia? Yes, perhaps a touch of this. Wanting to really see my old hometown? Not really—I had done that anyhow last year.

And then I read Mr. Tucker’s article.

The most friendly staff and players

One negative either there was a tournament or they overbooked so the pace of play was very slow

Greens are in good shape..... I think. But can't judge the entire course because I walked off after three holes. I waited for the group in front of me - a collection of 5 questionable golfers - to clear the first hole before I teed off. When I reached the third hope, they had stopped halfway down the hole and must have been on a beer or some other form of break, because no one was playing golf. After waiting 5 minutes, they proceeded to drive toward the green.

There are no rangers here to enforce rules, etiquette, or pace of play. The course has removed its dress code, and the staff embraces that decision. If you're serious about golf, and enjoy the structure around the game, be prepared.

With an 8:15 tee time, I expected to play my nine at a reasonable pace ahead of an 18 at another course I had booked for a 12:30 tee time. The tee time was more or less a confirmation of payment, as time apparently did not matter at the course. After checking in with the starter, we were basically put in a long line of golfers based on time of arrival and not tee time. Our group teed off at around 8:30.

The first three holes took an even hour to play. The foursome in front of us were giving first time lessons to two of the group - full instruction on the fairways, multiple balls played and an almost impressive amount of time chasing down bad shots and hunting for balls at the edges of the water. We all have to learn somewhere, but the first time a person holds a club may be best reserved for a driving range. Sadly, the groups in front of this group were not advancing ahead either. It was a full on traffic jam with lots of cross-fairway traffic throughout the round.

Second three holes took another hour, and we finished our nine at 11:15 - three hours after my “tee time” and 2:45 from our actual round start.

Course-wise, I could tell conditions had improved from a rough dry spell. There is water on multiple holes that doom a right-handed golfer with slicing tendencies. The staff and golfers I played with were very friendly, but the golf experience was below other comparable 9-hole options primarily because of the pace.

Should there be a three-group back up on the tee box of a par 5?

Should a 9 hole round take 2hr 40 minutes?

Should three groups tee off within 12 minutes?

If you answered no to any of these questions I think you should pass. Really one of the more frustrating rounds in recent memory - clearly overbooked.

Could be a fun course to play otherwise.

The staff was very friendly and loved the layout of the course. Very challenging ! Will definitely return again , Thanks!

This was my third visit to this fine nine-hole track in six weeks, and the last two times conditions have improved. This time, given some rain, the fairways looked markedly better. A few still lag behind the rest, but clearly all seven of them are now, at very least, decently playable. New pictures I’ve included should reinforce my points. The greens, as always, are simply superb in their smoothness, reliability, and speed.

As my previous reviews have detailed, this is a great layout. There’s nothing special to be added at this point. The course was quite crowded, the parking lot full—both when I arrived and left.

Once all of the fairways return to good condition, this will be the excellent golf course that I remember it to be (I haven’t played it for many years until this July). As always, I enjoyed my round again here today, because this golf course makes you work for pars; only the first hole feels like a routine one. To outthink the rest of them, you’ll need precision and strategy both.

Have played this course for several years. It's easy to book a tee time. Last 2 years the pace has been super slow. Group ahead of us were on 3rd when we teed off. Caught up to them on 5th.

The drought has really hit this course in a bad way too. Lots of dirt spots on the fairways.

Teebox and fairway needs Improvement

Greens or immaculate

Very enjoyable and challenging but flat

I love to walk when I play so this was really really a great course to walk.

Looking forward to playing there again.

Great staff

Today I played Pomperaug for the second time in about a month, once again enjoying my 9-hole round thoroughly. After last time’s extensive review, here’s a summary version:

1) Though not a long course, Pomperaug poses plenty of challenges, above all by the two par threes, 5 and 8, which are 188 and 205 yards, respectively, from the blues. I needed hybrids to reach their greens and struck the ball very solidly.

2) The two most interesting holes are the third, a short par-4 requiring precision to hit the fairway (it doglegs around a pond), and seven, a monster four-par from the white tees; it is lined entirely on the right by a huge pond.

3) Another pair of excellent holes are two and six, both mid-length four-pars. You’ll need to carefully gauge how you play the doglegs on both.

4) This is a course that generally emphasizes straightness, and can be brutal on those in possession of a habitual slice. Played on the ‘back side’ from the blues, holes four and seven —as five-pars this time—present excellent scoring opportunities.

5) Fairways are of average width, and the greens tend toward largeness. Purpose: to vary pin placements. Shotmakers have some advantages here, but straight hitting may be a more valuable asset in light of the numerous hazards.

All in all, then, this is an excellent test of golf and among the best nine-holers in the state.

The conditioning remains what I observed, for the most part, in early July. Clearly, the greens and their surrounds were being watered extensively as I was playing, but equally clear was that some of the fairways were still—over stretches—browned out and patchy. Nonetheless, some improvement has been made in this department, as overall they look greener. The putting surfaces are ultra-smooth and as good as I’ve played in 2020. I had no trouble gauging putting speeds: they rolled true and consistently.

Other facts, comments and opinions:

A) Met two friendly staffers in the clubhouse, one of them, again, the amiable Mr. Mitchell; service is excellent here.

B) Even on a hot, 90-plus degree day, this flat course is walkable provided you’re fit for it. My clubs came along for the walk on a push cart.

C) Solid Covid-19 response.

D) This is only the second time I’ve played Pomperaug since high school (long ago), but it helps to remember a course like the back of your hand, having played it about 100 times. It also helps to use today’s longer golf balls and to swing driver-heads that feel like tennis rackets—compared to the Wilson wooded-headed driver I used… way back when. Today I managed to hit all nine greens in regulation. I’ve got to bottle whatever the heck it was I was doing.

E) I want to come back here in the fall when conditions closer to optimal. Despite hot weather it was busy today even in the afternoon, though not packed—so pace of play was good.

F) Rumor has it that the private Heritage Village (which abuts this course) is going public next year.