Sounding like a French dessert is a nice mid length 9 hole course in Colchester. You start out with a long par 3 who’s tee box is resting on  the edge of a pond. The next 2 holes are short par 4s that bring you to their signature island green par 3 4th. This island green is in great shape which is hard to maintain due to moisture and goose poop ha.  My favorite hole is 6 which is  a slight dog leg left with water in front of the green and trees forming a wall behind it. The staff was great and overall it gets a 7 as one of the best nine hole courses in the state.

Sidenote- thier logo reminds me of Lil Jerry Seinfeld.

Tee times can be made on their site via an email and on golf18network

http://www.chanticlair.com/

• layout-7
• condition-7
• food-NA
• staff- 9

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Cedar Ridge is an 18hole par 3 course located right off I-95 in East Lyme. The first tee box is also the same box for #10 so do not be alarmed if it is super crowded(happens again with 11 and 18).  You will only be using mid to high irons on the front but will need hybrids and woods on the back. Its a good course for beginners or if you are ever stuck in traffic on 95 and want to play a quick round. Overall it gets a 5.

• layout-5
• condition-5
• food-NA
• staff- 5

http://www.cedarridgegolf.com/

Candlewood is a very flat 18 hole course located in New Milford CT.  Hole one will set the tone for the day with a reachable par 5 that will get your confidence up or make you want to start over. There is a river that winds through the course that makes for a water hazard of some sort on almost every hole. The course is not too long and not that difficult as long as you stay out of the water(easier said then done). I enjoyed holes #3 and #4,both par 3s, but wish they were not back to back.  I played with a local who said the format was changed recently(some holes on the front went to the back etc) which makes for eight par 4s and one par 3 on the back.  Power lines and a couple forced in doglegs take away from this very nice fairly priced course.

They offer specials on their site and are on EZlinks. Overall I give it a 6.5

http://candlewoodvalleygolf.com/

• layout-6
• condition-7
• food-NA
• staff- 7

Cedar Knob, located in Somers CT, is a Geoff Cornish 18 hole course carved out of, who would have guessed,  tall cedars. The pro shop and grill room themselves are surrounded by cedars with needles lining the walkways which make you feel like you are in a state park. With many doglegs, its imperative that you bring your A game with your driver. The best hole is the 400yd par 4 18th that requires you to carry a large pond on your approach shot. Overall I give it a 6 and with its great rates would play it more if I lived closer.

Tee times can be made by calling the proshop.

• layout-6
• condition-6
• food-5
• staff- 6

www.cedarknobgolfcourse.com/

Canaan is one of three courses located in the very quiet Northwest corner of the state. This is the first line on their website and I can’t say it any better.  “The Canaan golf community features scenic, relaxing landscapes and unmatched values and service.” The staff loved my story and we talked for almost an hr before I teed off. I had to cut it short because I was playing all three 9 holers up there that day.  Hole one sends you straight out with a wide open short par 4. I liked hole 7 the best as it brings you back to the clubhouse with Canaan mountain in the background. Should be the closing hole but instead they have 8 and 9 jammed behind the clubhouse near an  old trail yard. I played Canaan with a very friendly talkative retiree, who wrote his initials PAR on his ball which is pretty funny, and who bought my lunch. Overall its a decent course to play if you are ever doing a B&B weekend up there and get the itch. It gets a solid 6.5 and is an above average 9 hole course.

http://www.canaancountryclub.com/          Tee time specials on their site

• layout-6
• condition-6
• food-7
• staff- 9

Beuna Vista is located just minutes away from  trendy downtown West Hartford. This is another 9 hole course but has a hockey rink on the grounds so that makes it acceptable. It is a par 30 1800yd track but is relatively hilly so makes for a decent workout. The layout is confusing and  needs  more signs telling your where the next tee boxes are esp between holes 2 and 3 and  the long walk to hole #4.  After hole 7 there is a good chance you will skip 8 and play 9 in error(I did). Tee times are not required and they accept cash only.

Overall its a decent course to kill time or as a date spot before a lunch or early dinner in West Hartford. Another option, if you keep your clubs in your car, is to play 9 while your child does suicides for an hour in the rink. I give it a 5

http://www.golfrockledge.com/buena_vista/

• layout-5
• condition-5
• food-NA
• staff- 5

No this course is not located in Bed-Stuy(home of Biggie Smalls) but rather its in the northeast corner of CT home to no rappers at all.  Brooklyn CC is a 9 hole course with a small driving range and even smaller pro shop.  The  course sees little play and is more of a “thing to do when you are bored” than a golf course.  I played it in an hr and only saw one other person out there, who was playing 2 or 3 balls. The fairways are just mowed down below avg lawns and the greens play like fairways so are super slow. I did like the par 4 9th hole as the tee box is elevated above a pond and surrounded by trees. Like I said before if you are ever around this area for some reason and want to kill time you can play it in an hour for $10 so why not.

Tee times can be made by calling the pro shop or using their website or on golf18network for as little as 10$ with a cart. Overall a 3

http://www.brooklyngolfcourse.com/

• layout-3
• condition-3
• food-NA
• staff- 3

Gaynor Brennan aka Hubbard Heights aka Helmet Heights is located in Stamford and is one of two in that town. This is the lesser of the two and is real compact as land in Stamford is not cheap. The first tee puts the pressure on you as the tee box is just outside the starter’s shed and pretty much on the grill room’s deck. The nickname helmet heights is suiting as you will often have balls flying one or two fairways over. Wish I had more to say about this place but there really isn’t anything worth mentioning. The course is over priced if you’re a non resident.   The layout is somewhat out of order and pace of play is slow here. Overall I give it a 4 and is a last resort last minute booking for Fairfield county

Tee times can be made  by calling the pro shop or online.

• layout-3
• condition-4
• food-6
• staff- 6

Blue Fox Run is a 27 hole facility in Avon CT. There are 3 different 9 hole tracks that allows for 3 distinct 18 hole layouts. The blue and the white nines are much longer(combined 7025yds) while the red requires more accurate play and leaving your driver in your bag. The white nine is my favorite due to its fescue lined bunkers and lack of trees. Hole #3 on the white has a picturesque backdrop and is one of my favorite views from a non elevated tee box in the state. The Blue nine rests low in the Farmington Valley and is prone to flooding. When I played it some of the fairways were totally dead. #5 on the blue is a tough par 5 and I suggest laying up as there is water right and OB left. Hole 8 on the blue offers a great island green and makes you wish they could drain that side of the river better as it would make an excellent 18 holes paired with the white. The cart girl was a 9 and her blonde hair brightened the somewhat overcast day.

Tee times can be made on EZ links and on their site and they have frequent specials. I recommend making sure you play the white 9.  Overall it gets a 6.5

• layout-7
• condition-6(blue course brings it down)
• food-7
• staff- 9

Blackledge Country Club is a 36-hole public golf course nestled in the scenic Connecticut countryside. It offers two distinct 18-hole layouts: Anderson’s Glen, known as “The Old Course”, was designed by architect Geoffrey Cornish and opened in 1963. Gilead Highlands, known by many as “The New Course”, was designed by architect Mark Mungeam and opened in the Spring of 2000. The entrance way is a narrow road totally surrounded by water and the Glen’s 10th tee. The picturesque par 3 #13 is my favorite hole on the Glen, while the signature par 5 #12 is the best on the Gilead. The course logo is pretty cool and worth buying  a ball or ball mark at least.

Tee times can be made on their site and they  have coupons including food. They are also on GolfNow with hot deals. Overall I give it a 6.5 and suggest you play them both and spend the day there.

• layout-7
• condition-6
• food-6
• staff- 6

http://www.blackledgecc.com/

Birch Plain is a par 3 18 hole course in Groton. My par 3 reviews will be brief, somewhat fitting no? While every hole differs in length, the layouts are all similar with a greenside bunker or two on each of them.  I enjoyed the 5 really short holes nestled back in the woods furthest from the clubhouse the best. The best thing offered here is the massive range which plays off of mats AND grass. I suggest stopping here on your way to Shennecossett to warm up at their range or tighten up your iron game.

Tee times are made by calling and they also have coupons on their site. Overall I give it a 4

• layout-4
• condition-4
• food-NA
• staff- 5

http://www.birchplaingolf.com/par3.html

With only 2 courses that begin with A, we are on to the Bs. Fist up is Banner Country Club, which is located in Moodus, which is located in the middle of nowhere with no highway near by. The clubhouse is upkept and clean, wish I could say that about the course. The front nine pretty much goes back and forth and is pretty boring. The back nine’s layout is better with tree lined fairways and some water. The par 3 #15 is the best hole there.  The condition of the course is very poor. Some of the fairways had big patches of dirt that you couldn’t even find relief from.  The course is managed by a real estate company that I feel is concentrating on the home sales and throws the golf in as a perk.  The greens fees are very low so was not all that bummed leaving here. Overall it gets a 3 out of 10 and I don’t see myself playing there again.

• layout-3
• condition-3
• food-NA
• staff- 3

http://bannercountryclub.com/

Next up is Alling Memorial Golf Club, aka “muni” to the locals.  Located minutes from downtown New Haven is a very good municipal course. It is the only 18 hole course between New Haven and New London(Shennecosset)….the shoreline is lacking  public golf.  The view from the pro shop walkway is very welcoming and is the best you’re going to get that day. Alling is a decent layout and can be challenging for the low handicapper.  Hole #5 plays only 256yds and slightly downhill. I suggest going for it but staying left…. friend of mine, John Kim, aced it!  My favorite holes are the closing 4 which lead you back home hungry.  Being a muni and fairly priced the pace of play on weekends is slow so expect waiting. Overall the course is very average and a no brainer for New Haven residents or any shoreline residents of Branford,Madison, Guilford, Old Saybrook, etc.

• layout-6
• condition-6
• food-NA
• staff- 6

Tee times are made by phone only

http://www.allingmemorialgolfclub.com/greens_fees.html

First on  the list is Airways Golf Course in West Suffield.  As the name suggests its a long par 5 away from Bradley International airport. I didn’t expect much as the course only plays  5845yds from the back tees. They offer a weekday rate of $23 for 18 w/cart, which is hard to pass up. It is family owned and everyone there was friendly. The course was full of a lot of regulars who are there just to enjoy a day with their foursome. The fairways and roughs were not maintained well but the greens were decent. The  course is pretty tight and you often see people playing from each other’s fairways. Hole 3 is the sharpest dog leg in the state and looks like it was done so just to cram in the par 3 7th.  To book tee times you need to call or just walk on.

• layout-3
• condition-4
• food-NA
• staff- 6

Overall the course gets a 4 out of 10 from me and is for beginner golfers or the leisurely golfer looking for a deal.

Let me know if anyone agrees/disagrees or has any additional comments.

http://www.airwaysgolf.com/index.html