08/04/09

TITLE: REVIEW - HIGH BRIDGE HILLS - FRONT NINE (pics)
DESCRIPTION:
Time: 09:26:45

ARTICLE

Before we start his review we want to give a nod to assistant pro Jeff Marx who set this adventure up for us and was accommodating, professional and quite simply friendly to deal with, and we give our thanks to Jeff, who is playing for his pro status this Wednesday and we wish him great luck in his pursuit of 156 strokes or better in the 36 hole marathon.

To the course -

 High Bridge Hills, located just off of route 31 North between Clinton and Glen Gardner, is a tough golf challenge for any skill  level. On Wednesday July 29 and Monday August 3, 2009 The HC NEWS ventured our for our annual golf review and what we found was links like rough, with its flowing wheat like grasses, was three feet tall in places and thick on ground level.  The greens were rolling as good as they have been since the course opened, quick and true and the fairways were tight and allowed one to spin the ball back on the greens if a proper shot was applied.

The other interesting thing we were allowed to observe was how the course reacted to weather. On Wednesday our front nine was delayed by a huge downpour and yet an hour later the course had drained in amazing fashion and we were able to continue, for about two hours before the next rains came and scared the digital camera away.  Then we played on Monday after Sundays deluge that left the town of Clinton completely under water. Once again the course was in excellent condition a mere 24 hours later, so the bottom line is, on those border line days when you are thinking about playing but not quite sure due to weather, take a trip to High Bridge and if any place will be playable it will be here.

The course plays 6640 yards from the back tees, mostly due to several short par threes, so don't be confused by that number. Holes like number 5, which plays uphill at 462, and number 8, a 230 yard par three over a ravine, are a bear from the back, so be wise and choose the right set of tees. For the short hitter looking to keep the ball in play the white tees are enough of a challenge to allow for an enjoyable round.

Overall this is a very good golf experience. The staff is nice, the carts have GPS, and there is usually a young lady running around providing beverages on the course and make sure after the round you go see Shelly at the 19^th hole.

During the week pace of play is wonderful. We played 27 holes in 5 hours and that was with a lot of looking for balls in the rough. However when this course gets busy on the weekends it can be a slow play nightmare. The aforementioned par three hole number 8 sometimes has three foursomes on it which can get a bit tedious and the high grass has some people looking for 20 minutes for that 1 dollar ball, Drop One Please, so don't expect to race around the track on a Saturday mid morning. It just won't happen, but that is not uncommon in a lot of places. Get there at 11 a.m. during the week and you will sail through. Do call ahead as it is a popular place for scramble tourneys and also be aware that the local high school team uses this as home base and you don't want to get behind them or one of the local afternoon leagues which typically go off around 4 p.m.

Overall rating for public golf, 4 out of five, with the length of play when it's busy being the lessening factor.

http://highbridgehills.com/view.asp?id=74&page=845    scorecard

http://highbridgehills.com/view.asp?id=74&page=844   - rates

http://highbridgehills.com/view.asp?id=74&page=853    directions

http://highbridgehills.com/view.asp?id=74&page=842   the generic home page  

Clubhouse and putting green

  Tee Box on One -

Number one, or ten as it should be called, is a par five, green blind from the tee. Right ends you up in the three foot grass and a pull off the tee might place you in the pond guarding hole number nine. If you can get to the 250 stick you have a chance to get to the green in two, but beware, over the hill the fairway turns slightly to the right and anything left ends up in a large waste area where the ball will be difficult to play, if you can find it.

On hole two you can't see the pin so aim for the yellow house, the green is right in front of it. You can take as much as you can on the left but if you are short that grass will prevent arrival on the green in regulation. The green is flat and is receptive to shots flying in high or low.

The approach down on the corner

looking back up from greenside

Hole three is an uphill par five. Play left of the fairway bunker off the tee, place a second shot to the 100 marker and take an extra club for the uphill approach as the wind blows across and knocks a lot of balls into the hill just short of the green.

second shot over the bunker

Behind the green looking down

Hole four is a beautiful view of the Spruce Run Reservoir.  A moderate par three, a flag on the left of the green is a sucker pin. A high risk shot played perfectly will reward as evidenced by my playing partners birdie, but more times than not people get stuck in the front side bunker or worse yet go cascading off the hill on the left which is dead. Play to the middle. Take one less club than the yardage indicates unless the wind is straight in your face, then it’s anyone's guess.

Bunkers make 3 very difficult if you are hacking out

Hole Five is the arguable the hardest hole on the course. You have to hit a long way uphill to reach the 200 yard mark. It’s a blind shot with route 31 all the way down the left side. If you stay to the right enough to avoid the row of trees that jut out on the left your second shot should be played to the left side of the green as the hill allows balls that are bouncing to funnel back into the green nicely. This green has two tiers so take that into consideration.

Looking back toward the tee, which is way down the hill behind the cart

And the opposite view down to the green

Hole 6 is the easiest on the course. Clearly running out of space this par three was added to make up an 18th hole. It plays about 90 yards from the white tees, has a green that runs back to front slightly and should provide little challenge. Cheers to past playing partner Dale Kempf and his lovely hole in one. This shot is looking back at the tee box

With a side view of the green

Hole 7 climbs back up the hill. Bunkers to the left are in play. Laying up just past the 150 stick with an iron is a smart play leaving an uphill shot from about 130. Take at least one extra club up the hill or you will be woefully short. This is also a two tiered green that breaks left a little more than you think front to back.

Looking back down toward the tee

And across the green with the reservoir in the background

Hole 8 is a beast, simply stated. With the white tees playing back you need a 190 club to reach the green over the ravine. Playing from the back tees at 240 into the breeze and you better swing at least 3 wood. There is a drop zone just below the stairs, use it if you're in the ravine, the grass at the bottom is really thick, you will have a hard time finding your ball and you will back the course up if you take to long. Don't be surprised if you  have to wait on the tee, this hole takes the Mickey out of a lot of players. for some reason the dig camera didn't pick up this hole, we will get it in shortly, and if you read between the lines that really means that I had to concentrate so hard trying to get to the green and get up and down for par I forgot to take the picture, its that hard a hole.

And number 9, also now known as eighteen, is a great finishing hole. You can't see the green from the tee, but if you aim at the left edge of the white tent that is a good line. The second shot has visual intimidation with the pond and a lot of people bail out to the right bunkers, but be warned, a misplayed sand shot out of there has just as good a chance of going in the water as your approach shot so bear down in the fairway and put the water out of your mind. The green is enormous so use enough club and let it rip.

A nice view from behind, except for those dark clouds coming our way.