| Review by: Richard Varall |
Quail Brook offers a great variety of challenges either from the blue or white tees.
The par fours mix long lengths and short lengths. The average golfer can expect to have a few birdie chances on both nines and he can also feel fortunate to walk off some of the par four greens with bogey. The expert golfer will have to consider risk/reward when selecting a club to use on many of the tees.
From the white tees, the par 5's are not too long but have trouble on both the right and left. The par 5's are very challenging for expert golfers from the blue tees and can't be considered birdie holes.
The par 3's are a test as well, especially #4 from the blue tee. A wide but shallow green that is well bunkered makes club selection critical. Errant tee shots on any of these holes will make par extremely difficult.
Generally the greens present unique challenges with very few straight putts from distances outside ten feet. Sand comes into play in front of the greens on all of the par 3's.
There are a few weak holes such as #9, a short and straight par 4 without much distinction and # 15, a short par 3 that is a somewhat blind shot. But those weak holes are more than made up for by the challenges presented by #1 and #4 on the front nine and #17 and #18 on the back. On #17 and #18 (both long par 4's that could be found on top courses anywhere), long and accurate tee shots are required since short balls will leave most golfers with much more than 200 yards left to the green. And there are no bail out areas off these tee shots with woods and OB on both the right and left.
Quail Brook is a golf course that challenges golfers at any skill level and its layout is certainly the most imaginative of all the Somerset County courses. When the greens and fairways are in good condition, this course is a gem and a bargain at county greens fee rates. |
