St. Anne Country Club

St. Anne Country Club is a pleasant place to play golf, featuring, as it does, a mature, good-looking and well-manicured course that is both enjoyable and challenging. It’s not a long course but should, for a variety of reasons, appeal to a wide range of players. The holes themselves range from decent–there are a few easy ones–to excellent, and it is those top-notch holes that will both challenge and linger in the memory.

The layout is punctuated with a solid array of hazards, not overdone to the point that the stroke rating is high (in fact, it’s moderate: 70.9 versus par of 72, but much of that comes from a bevy of short par-4s). Yet there is enough bunkering and water and strong ground movement–especially hills–for a challenging experience. Accordingly, the slope is 124 from the deep tees. In general, you’ll pay a price for errant shots here, especially after finding the thick rough, which thickens further around the greens. The fairways are also pretty consistently tree-lined, although an equal sense of openness takes over on holes seven through fourteen.

The greens, well contoured as a group and sometimes strongly titled, will certainly test your putting skill. Seventeen and eighteen are so sloped that three-putting is likely the norm–from what I’ve witnessed. They are very well conditioned and roll beautifully, yet do not forgive any break of concentration. And reading the actual breaks in them may be elusive, as the often subtle slopes play tricks. Here they are well-watered, too, and will hold your approach shots dependably.

Some outstanding golf holes at St. Anne:

Fifth: Playing longer than the card’s 398 number, this par-4 twists and undulates uphill to a green blind from the fairway, with a pair of large traps flanking the green. It may be the course’s best hole.

Sixth. The follow-up hole, a par-4 of 415 and just as rigorous, plunges downhill off the tee to a doglegging fairway. What defines how you play the tee ball is a brook which crosses the fairway some 230 yards from the tee. Many will lay-up using a three-wood. Even more demanding is the approach to the faraway green, a narrow, elongated rectangle, which is slightly elevated above grade.

Fifteen: Excellent, straightforward par-3 of 198, with a pond situated in front of the tee. OB lurks right.

Seventeen: Par here is tantamount to birdie. A mere 350 yards but playing straight uphill, seventeen’s drive should be, ideally, a fade to the curving fairway. The bigger tee-to-green task is hitting the plateau putting surface, and harder still is putting the green, with its steepest tilt, among others, being back to front.

Eighteen: Demanding, 569-yard, doglegging par-5, whose second plays over a book as the hole starts to move uphill. The largest, steepest hill on the course is saved for your final approach shot to this green, and those who play to the right side of the fairway (or find the right rough) will face a massive sentinel tree guarding the green’s right side. I’ve seen John Daly (at Hartford) hit shots reaching a height that would fly this tree, but no one else. With the pin positioned in front of this green, the hole is doubly difficult to par.

Conditioning:

Excellent mid-summer conditions. Outstanding greens and fringes, lush fairways although a bit shaggy, good roughs and tees.

Other:

Enjoyed my round today with four fun companions (one was along for the cart-ride). They shared their course wisdom. Alas, my marginal play made for a tough scoring day–I hit three wild and costly tee shots (push-cuts).

Service was good in the clubhouse, which impresses as a friendly environment. The course was busy for a Tuesday morning. Pace of play was good.

Some Conclusions:

I had not been to St. Anne for nearly two years prior to today’s round, and realized that I’ve missed playing this solid layout. I’m still not sure which course in the greater Springfield area rates as THE best value–as several very strong options exist–but St. Anne should be, certainly, in that conversation.

I have been playing St Anne's for many years. The course is in the best condition i've seen in over 10 years. The maintenance team has put in a tremendous effort this year, making St Anne's one of my go to courses.

If you like tee boxes with grass, fairways like carpet, roughs cut at about 3 inches, and great greens, this is the place to play your next round of golf.

The club house and pro shop are aged, but clean. The carts are functional, but have seen better days.

I recommend playing St Anne's, you won't be disappointed.

For the first time playing the course, it has a great layout and is overall very nice place. The greens do run a bit slow as most public courses do. The staff was very friendly and overall a good experience. I would recommend this course to a friend.

Of all the times I've played St. Anne's, this time the course was in magnificent shape. The staff is doing a great job keeping it looking good.

This course is in great shape. It can be wet at times, but fantastic conditions and value. Challenging and fun course, with a great clubhouse atmosphere and without a lot of the pretentious vibes of other local clubs. Other than on the scorecard, I’ve never had a bad day here.

I absolutely love St. Annes. This day had a slow pace of play due to over bookings of tee times but it was a beautiful Saturday so everyone wanted to be out there.

This was the first time in 15 rounds at the course I have ran into slow play, other 14 times have been smooth sailing!

No beverage carts on a 90+ degree day, almost a 6-hour round on a short course, but well kept.

My only real complaint is that the sand traps are like mud. They desperately need to be redone. Luckily I didn't land in any. The rest of the course is nice. I would appreciate a bit more landscaping around the rivers so I can find my ball when I mishit, but that's my own fault for hitting it there to begin with.

Don't go out alone if it's your first time. The hole layout is not marked at all, the first few holes have you guessing which way to go next.

The only thing that needs improvement is the golf carts are old and there are a bunch that need work.