This is golf…I like the PGA Superstore commercial emphasizing that the game is more than an 18-hole round on a pristine course. It’s about having a club in hand, and trying to get a ball into a hole in the ground. Whether its an 18-hole course; 9-holer; par 3; putt-putt; or just rolling the ball into a glass in your den, the sound of a ball hitting the bottom of the cup is…intoxicating. Of course in some instances its…thank goodness that’s over!
That brings us back to the community golf outing at The Golf Village that advertises itself as “The Short Game Shop”. Let’s examine the course, and share a few highlights about our round.
Shot Value: The holes range from 55-150 yards. Most holes are straightforward, however Hole #3 is uphill with a bunker guarding the front of the green (Jonathan?); Hole #4 has Sugar Creek meandering down its right side; and Hole #9 is the longest with a waste area to carry (Blade/Scott?). We were playing a 3-club challenge, so zeroing in on yardage required a clear head. We’ll discuss this later.
Design Variety: There is a lot of variety packed into 30 acres. Each hole is completely different and will create challenges for the high-handicap golfer. That being said, it is very beginner friendly with its oversized 8-inch cups. A few holes are very close to one another and a “hard hat” may be required at Hole #3. When hitting at Hole #9, your tee shot will fly over the tee box at #3. Please wait your turn and be considerate!
Memorability: To make a course/round be memorable, I believe it consists of three parts: the course; the people who played; and how you played. This course is somewhat quirky, which definitely helps remembering each hole and how you scored. Today with the community golf outing it was about having a good time with old and new members of our golf club. It was also about Jim M. scoring a hole-in-one at Hole #5. I’ll let Jim explain how he accomplished this feat. “I squared one up at the 78 yard hole and it soared a little long and right. It clipped a branch and hit the trunk of the tree behind the green. It proceeded to reverse direction back onto the green and into the 8-inch hole. Just the way I intended to play the shot!”
Aesthetics: There are a number of large trees on the course to keep you focused on the flight of your golf ball. As you work your way around the course, any wicked slice could find the dense wooded areas or Sugar Creek.
Conditioning: This is not a pristine layout, but as previously mentioned…this is golf! The greens and fairways are a little rough, but for 9-holes at the senior rate of $10, it’s a good place for a fun, leisurely outing.
Ambience: There is much to like here. The owner of the course is a PGA teaching professional and was very easy to work with in coordinating this outing. Besides the par 3 course, there are a number of hitting bays on the driving range to work out the flaws in your swing (along with Ted’s help). And then finally…
…there is Middle James Brewing which is located adjacent to the course. They were kind enough to donate four types of their beers for tasting at Holes #5 and #8. Since these two tee boxes were adjoining, double tasting was enjoyed during the round. Golf and beer is always a good combo on the golf links! We moved our outing from the golf course to the brewery for a few more local brews and a wide selection of brewpub eats. Their culture is about Great Beer/Better People. Both the course and the brewery were outstanding to work with and resulted in an excellent outing!
Rating – Uncategorized.
400 N. Pike St., Pineville, NC 28134; 704-889-5086; www.golfvillagecharlotte.com
