Course Recommendations for Leeds, ME area?

[Jon H]

There is one course in Leeds, Springbrook G.C. Anyone play it? Any other courses in the area?

 

Thanks.

[Titleist 670]

Depending on how close you need to be, Fox Ridge in Auburn is about 1/2 hour from there and is a great course.

[Jon H]

Perfect, I am going to play Spingbrook and Fox Ridge next month when I am up there.

Thanks for the help.

[Titleist 670]

[quote name='Jon H' timestamp='1402495222' post='9472967']
Perfect, I am going to play Spingbrook and Fox Ridge next month when I am up there.

Thanks for the help.
[/quote]

Will be interested to hear how you like Fox Ridge. They offer pretty good afternoon rates if I remember correctly. For the price, I think it's one of the best deals around, and has a good mix of holes. Two grip and rip par 5's on the back nine. There are some quirky holes here and there (VERY short downhill par 3 on the back), but overall it's a great combination of fair and difficult. It's usually very well maintained, but I'm not sure how the winter treated them.

The island green on #5 is a lot of fun.

[Titleist 670]

Oh and you'll also have a reasonable amount of blind shots now that I think of it - mostly doglegs. Obviously after you play it once it's not a big deal, but I know some people who play it the 1st time are a tad frustrated with that.

[Jon H]

[quote name='Titleist 670' timestamp='1403060490' post='9520545']
[quote name='Jon H' timestamp='1402495222' post='9472967']
Perfect, I am going to play Spingbrook and Fox Ridge next month when I am up there.

Thanks for the help.
[/quote]

Will be interested to hear how you like Fox Ridge. They offer pretty good afternoon rates if I remember correctly. For the price, I think it's one of the best deals around, and has a good mix of holes. Two grip and rip par 5's on the back nine. There are some quirky holes here and there (VERY short downhill par 3 on the back), but overall it's a great combination of fair and difficult. It's usually very well maintained, but I'm not sure how the winter treated them.

The island green on #5 is a lot of fun.
[/quote]

I'll let you know next month. The fam vacation isn't until the 2nd or 3rd week in July.

[Jon H]

[quote name='Titleist 670' timestamp='1403060580' post='9520557']
Oh and you'll also have a reasonable amount of blind shots now that I think of it - mostly doglegs. Obviously after you play it once it's not a big deal, but I know some people who play it the 1st time are a tad frustrated with that.
[/quote]

Hopefully I can hook up with some locals to help me out.

[Jon H]

Playing Springbrook Monday, Turner Highlands Weds and Fox Ridge Friday (if it holds water with the wife).

[Titleist 670]

[quote name='Jon H' timestamp='1405816266' post='9737835']
Playing Springbrook Monday, Turner Highlands Weds and Fox Ridge Friday (if it holds water with the wife).
[/quote]

I played Fox Ridge 3 weeks ago - some of the greens were a little rough, so hopefully it's better by now. Usually they're in great shape but they had a rough winter like everyone else.

Just as an FYI - I always walk, and Fox Ridge is pretty tough to walk on the back 9. There is one par 3 that's only about 110, but it's straight downhill and you have to walk down to the green and back up.

If it's really hot and humid that day, might be best to take a cart.

[MadGolfer76]

If you want to drive a little north, you could try Belgrade Lakes CC. Nice course, though I haven't been there recently. If I wasn't on vacation in northern Maine right now, I would come down and play.

[Jon H]

Played Springbrook this am. Nice enough course, walked the front rode the back. Shot okay, if I played there again I would play much better. Little gotchas around that course. Nice people running the place and it is in good shape.

Too bad Mad, would have been fun to catch a round with another on this site.

[Titleist 670]

Mad is right - can't believe I didn't think of Belgrade. It's a great course, though the rates this time of year might be really steep ($125 I think)..........they offer spring passes for $50 which is the way to go if you're in the area at that time.

[Jon H]

I was paired up with a member at Springbrook who recommended Belgrade, said it was nice, but really expensive. I am playing tomorrow and Friday, maybe I will go up there Friday.

[Jon H]

[quote name='Titleist 670' timestamp='1403060490' post='9520545']
[quote name='Jon H' timestamp='1402495222' post='9472967']
Perfect, I am going to play Spingbrook and Fox Ridge next month when I am up there.

Thanks for the help.
[/quote]

Will be interested to hear how you like Fox Ridge. They offer pretty good afternoon rates if I remember correctly. For the price, I think it's one of the best deals around, and has a good mix of holes. Two grip and rip par 5's on the back nine. There are some quirky holes here and there (VERY short downhill par 3 on the back), but overall it's a great combination of fair and difficult. It's usually very well maintained, but I'm not sure how the winter treated them.

The island green on #5 is a lot of fun.
[/quote]

Played Fox Ridge this am. Actually saw an adult fox run across a ridge on #9…weird.

The course was in great shape, a few greens look a little beat up, but other than that it was really nice. I was not overly frustrated with the blind shots; however, it did cost me a few shots just from never playing it before today.

The island green (#5) was pretty cool and one of the groundskeepers gave me all kinds of props for taking on the bunker on #11, drove it over the bunker, hit the downslope and rolled out nicely. It helped that my second shot was hit well, too.

I will say that #13 took it out if me, it started to become a bit of a hike on the back, after I climbed back up that hill I needed a few minutes to catch my breath, subsequently, my play steadily declined after that.

My only problem was the "dude" working the pro shop. It appeared he had zero local knowledge and really wasn't interested in golf at all. That and I was beat after the walk.

The upsides are it is a beautiful and challenging course. The course guide they give you is really useful as well. I would both recommend and play that course again if I am ever up that way.

Thanks for the recommendations.

[Titleist 670]

[quote name='Jon H' timestamp='1406326199' post='9786309']
[quote name='Titleist 670' timestamp='1403060490' post='9520545']
[quote name='Jon H' timestamp='1402495222' post='9472967']
Perfect, I am going to play Spingbrook and Fox Ridge next month when I am up there.

Thanks for the help.
[/quote]

Will be interested to hear how you like Fox Ridge. They offer pretty good afternoon rates if I remember correctly. For the price, I think it's one of the best deals around, and has a good mix of holes. Two grip and rip par 5's on the back nine. There are some quirky holes here and there (VERY short downhill par 3 on the back), but overall it's a great combination of fair and difficult. It's usually very well maintained, but I'm not sure how the winter treated them.

The island green on #5 is a lot of fun.
[/quote]

Played Fox Ridge this am. Actually saw an adult fox run across a ridge on #9…weird.

The course was in great shape, a few greens look a little beat up, but other than that it was really nice. I was not overly frustrated with the blind shots; however, it did cost me a few shots just from never playing it before today.

The island green (#5) was pretty cool and one of the groundskeepers gave me all kinds of props for taking on the bunker on #11, drove it over the bunker, hit the downslope and rolled out nicely. It helped that my second shot was hit well, too.

I will say that #13 took it out if me, it started to become a bit of a hike on the back, after I climbed back up that hill I needed a few minutes to catch my breath, subsequently, my play steadily declined after that.

My only problem was the "dude" working the pro shop. It appeared he had zero local knowledge and really wasn't interested in golf at all. That and I was beat after the walk.

The upsides are it is a beautiful and challenging course. The course guide they give you is really useful as well. I would both recommend and play that course again if I am ever up that way.

Thanks for the recommendations.
[/quote]

That's funny - any time I am there it's an older gentleman or woman working inside. I don't think I've ever seen anyone under the age of 50 working in there!

Yup, that 13th is a real bear to walk back up. Even though it's kind of a gimmicky hole, it's still fun and the green is challenging when you're on the wrong slope. I've three putted that hole more times than I can count, but I think I only hit an easy 56* down the hill.

I do enjoy that the back on 11 and 17 are just grip and rip, legit par 5s. Than bunker on the left side is definitely a good measuring stick for a well struck drive. For some reason 18 is always a bear of a hole that I rarely play well - it sets up terribly to my eye but is a nice challenge.

Overall I think the course is a stern but fair test. You can spray it around a bit and not blow up a lot of the holes. I really like #5 - even if you dunk it, the drop zone is right by the green so it doesn't slow up play and you still have a shot at a 4.

I'm like you - by 13 on the back my legs start to tire out and it's a fight to the finish. I just try to enjoy the course and realize that my game is probably going to slip because of the fatigue!

[Jon H]

Yeah, #13 was a 3/4 SW and it spun back 6 feet. I never get a ball spinning back. I made par on #5 as well, pushed a 6i just left of the drop zone.

The par 5's in the back were fun.

The course is a test. I like how it sets up to take driver out of your hand on more than a few holes and I did use my entire bag, as promised by the Facebook page.

I took penalty drops on the last three holes as I just couldn't force my lower 1/2 to get going and sliced all my tee shots. Still managed to stay under 90 though.

Of the courses I played up there, this one was head and shoulders above the others.