Barrington Golf Club (Aurora, OH)

I played in my first Northern Ohio Golf Association (NOGA) event and I was absolutely delighted with Barrington. This is the first Nicklaus course I’ve seen that is both playable and enjoyable for all levels of golfers. 

It’s hard to believe Nicklaus designed Barrington, especially after playing Harbor Shores this past summer, and even North Palm Beach CC  a few years ago. The greens are beautifully tilted or sloped, with maybe a ridge or mound to disrupt one’s read, compared to multi tiered putting surfaces. Many even have an opening in the front or fairway on the side to allow a run up shot or bail out. 

(The 427/392/362 par four fourth illustrates the playability of Barrington. There’s plenty of short grass for those looking to play safely.) 

(The 492/458/390 yard par five fifth has one of the more scenic tee shots on the course. A pond short of the green will temper most people reaching this in two, but a good pitch should leave a makeable birdie putt.) 

Barrington is a long hitters dream. The fairways are wide and there’s a lot of short grass beyond the fairway bunkers to play aggressive off the tee. Personally, I love the low-key look. There’s no mounding and the holes flow naturally through the trees. 

(The 194/179/135 yard par three sixth plays over water to a green angled left. Nicklaus is often accused of favoring a fade, but Barrington has several shots over water where a draw is the preferred shape.) 

(The reverse c water hazard on the 186/155/140 yard par three twelfth wraps around most of the green except left. Chasing a rear pin is most dangerous as the hazard is hidden from the players view. An overzealous approach can easily find it.) 

I’ve been pretty brutal in my opinion on Nicklaus’ architectural style, but this time, I can only give kudos and accolades. The tournament I played here was a mix couple alternate shot, and the ladies were never over matched and had options to safely play the ball. I felt very comfortable playing to the greens, and knew the safe shot allowed a reasonable chance for par. It was the perfect venue for our tournament. It’s also why Barrington is a highly regarded  invite. 

(The 453/423/388 yard tenth is my favorite hole. The way it doglegs should take the water out of play, and the focus turns to the green and it’s beautiful bunkering...
...I love the flat bottom and the steep sides that give the bunkers their clean look. I also like how the grass between the bunkers is maintained. A couple times my playing partner and I benefited from the ball sitting in the grass.) 

(This is another view of the bunkering but this time on the thirteenth. Note how well maintained the grass fingers between the bunkers are kept. The sand is excellent too and good recoveries can be played from them.) 

Don’t be lulled by my praise into thinking this is an easy course. It plays close to 7100 yards from the tips and is well bunkered throughout. The last three holes will challenge you to keep any momentum you may have built on the first fifteen. A long par three followed by two monster par fours close out the round. 

(The 445/431/395 yard par four eighteenth demands a confident well struck drive over the water. OB lines the left so picking a good line is key. Playing it like a three shot hole is also  a viable strategy. A par here will win most matches and games.)  

An opportunity to play Barrington should be accepted greedily. It is one of the better private courses I’ve seen in the past five years in the area. If I had to compare it to the courses in the ICPGA, it would challenge Silver Lake as the best course in that group. It’s good to see a playable Jack Nicklaus course. I give Barrington a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play). 

(The 449/432/405 yard ninth is a strong par four. This is the view from the parking lot over the water to the green. During the round, the water is left on the approach but is only in play for a truly rank shot. It’s open in the front and will accept a running shot easily.)

[Regarding the mix couple alternate shot stableford tournament, my partner and I came in a respectable third place, winning $100 for our effort. The first place team won by two points, but the second place team was in position for the win until they double bogeyed the last two holes to lose it.]

Harbor Shores

http://golfingwithshawn.blogspot.com/2020/06/harbor-shores-golf-club-benton-harbor-mi.html?m=1

North Palm Beach Country Club

http://golfingwithshawn.blogspot.com/2017/01/north-palm-beach-country-club-north.html?m=1

Blackheath Golf Club (Rochester Hills, MI)

Blackheath was designed in 1998 by Kevin Aldridge six years after his award winning design at Lakewood Shores. While the Gailes imitates a links, Blackheath is meant to resemble a Heathland course. 

(The 380/341 yard par four tenth shows off it’s rolling green complex with the two bunkers on the left higher than the putting surface. The dark area just beyond the flag in pic must be avoided at all costs...

...otherwise it’s a long walk down the steps to hit from this sand pit.)

Blackheath is mainly on a treeless piece of land. A hill in the middle of the property is the defining feature. Aldridge’s routing takes the golfer to it several times as multiple tees and greens make their way to some part of the hill. 

The two par threes that access it are really good! 

(Like all good heathland courses, the par threes are strong holes. The 214/164 yard twelfth is all carry to a well defended green. The deep bunker on the left and pot bunker on the right make hitting enough club the primary goal.) 

(While the twelfth tees off from the hill, the fifteenth green sits on a corner of it. It’s a short par three playing only 149/143 yards, but it’s over the valley with a large bunker guarding it. There’s plenty of fairway after the trap, so players should feel confident and make an aggressive swing.) 

The hill offers nice views and engaging shots, but Aldridge revolved a little too many holes around it. One has to be aware of golf balls being hit. Plus the first five holes play along the perimeter and the slice side is toward hill. Several times during our round we had balls hit towards us. A better routing could have alleviated this issue. 

(The tee shot on the 314/293 yard second hole is partially hidden by the hill and tall grass...

...the green is pitched right to left while falling away to the rear. It’s very difficult to hold, and controlling the spin is vital to keeping it on the putting surface. It reminds me of Riviera’s tenth hole. Long hitters will be befuddled chipping or pitching from the right. Multiple plays is the only way to decide the best mode of attack.)

(This is the view of fourteen green from fifteen tee. It’s a short par four measuring 341/312 yards. The water comes into play from the tee and on the approach, but overall it’s a good birdie opportunity.) 

I choose Blackheath because I wanted to see Aldridge’s work. He only has four courses to his name, and they are all owned by family. His father Stan bought Indianwood in the ‘60s, and it’s considered one of the best in the country. Playing there and being familiar with the links style layout surely had an impact on Aldridge. 

(The 468/424 yard eighteenth hole plays to a large punchbowl green. Using the side slopes to feed the ball towards the flag is advisable. Note the hill in the background. That’s the seventeenth playing up it.)

I thought Blackheath was an enjoyable round of golf. Aldridge’s greens had a lot of variety to them.  The first and tenth were in the base of the dunes; two had its Riviera -esque angled green; eighteen ended with an immense punchbowl. A half dozen of them were small shaved down putting surfaces with fairway encircling them. A couple even sloped away from the line of play. I loved the bunker work when he decided to be bold. This was done sparingly as more than half the greens are bunkerless. 

(The short par five eighth is not toothless as this bunker can attest. Golfers looking for an easy birdie must deal with this hazard first.) 

There’s a good supply of courses in the greater Detroit area , and Blackheath offers something that many cant, which is open fairways where it’s hard to lose a ball. Beginners and high handicap players gravitate here. (My girlfriend had one of her lowest rounds) I’ve already discussed the routing problems. That said, there’s enough good architecture to make me put the Gailes on my list for next year. I give Blackheath a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play).  

Harvest Hill Golf Course (Orchard Park, NY)

I find myself in Buffalo at least once a year to enjoy Niagara Falls during the summer, and now that I have a passport, there’s even more reason to wander up that way. Harvest Hill is just south of Buffalo in Orchard Park and is in the perfect location to play golf on the way home. 

(This striking view from the eighteenth tee greets players as they emerge through the trees. The uphill 514 yard par five finishes short of the clubhouse where a massive patio overlooks the green.)

Harvest Hill was designed by Dr Michael Hurdzan in 2007. It plays mostly among the wetlands with streams crossing the property. It has five par fives, five par threes, and eight par fours. Only twice will one play the same par in a row, and both those times are on the front. On the back nine, par changes at every hole. 

(The 463 yard par five second is very reachable but the approach must carry over a gully. For those who take the gamble, the slope will gather the ball and move it close to the hole. It’s a treacherous green, so bailing out long or to the upper left fairway will leave a precarious pitch.) 

(The 149 yard par three fifth has an open green that allows aggressive play. The back left pin is the only location where being conservative is the best option.)  

(The 414 yard ninth requires two strong shots to scale this long climbing par four. A rise in the middle of the green will test your short game if you have to chip or putt over it. A par is a great score.) 

The par fives are considered the class of the course. Each one will make you think about your second shot, and ask you to make the correct decision to set up an attacking third shot.  Hurdzan varied the lengths in them so the player doesn’t get complacent. The second hole is a great example. It has long par four yardage to entice players to take the risk to reach the wonderful green complex. At the thirteenth, the hole is stretched so the player must hit two wooden shots to set up a mid to short iron.  

(The 385 yard eleventh doglegs right with water guarding the inside. The approach is from a slight sidehill lie. Anything leaked right will find the hazard. A par is a very fine score.) 

(Not a single bunker guards the green at the 544 yard par five thirteenth. With rough, sand, and wetlands challenging the drive and second shots,the final hundred yards opens up for an aggressive approach.) 

Harvest Hill has various yardages for its five par threes. A few of them are decent birdie chances. There’s room to move the ball into pin positions and plenty of fairway short to use to one’s advantage. The seventeenth is the best par three at Harvest Hill. Hurdzan did not shy away from making the most demanding shot on the penultimate hole. 

(The 200 yard par three seventeenth is an intimidating shot. Visually it looks like it plays on a narrow spit  of land but it’s actually a huge area. The green slopes away so gauging the bounce and roll is vital to get close. Three putting is a legitimate concern especially if you bailed short. Par is a great score.) 

With eight par fours, I was pleasantly surprised to see a four of them play over 400 yards. My favorites were 9, 11, and 16. Each of them are long par fours that demand strong shots into the green. They set Harvest Hill apart and give it a championship feel. 

(The 420 yard par four sixteenth has a terrific green site on the other side of the wetlands. There’s room to run the ball on but a left pin will require a higher shot. It’s vital to be in the fairway otherwise the hazard is in play for a bad lie in the rough.) 

Harvest Hill is home to the First Tee. It has a wonderful driving range and short game facility plus three extra holes next to the range to give the youngsters a chance to put into play what they’ve been practicing. Such a commitment really adds to the presence and atmosphere Harvest Hill is developing in the community. 

For those who value a grand clubhouse and patio, Harvest Hill has a great one. It was designed to pay homage to the farmland that is verdant throughout this area. The silo and barn like structure make an impression, especially as you’re playing up the eighteenth fairway. Huge square boulders backdrop the green and people are able to kick back with food and drink while watching the action. Commentary is optional. A great restaurant is inside, adding to the experience. 

(The 475 yard par five sixth is another favorable hole to gain a stroke back. The second shot needs to be moved from right to left to feed into the green, but plenty of short grass to layup.)

I’ve played multiple Hurdzan courses and they  are always solid designs. They are visually appealing and playable for all golfers. Harvest Hill fits this profile to a tee and the lack of housing just adds to its popularity. Many people consider it one of the top three public courses in Buffalo. I’m looking forward to seeing it again. I give Harvest Hill a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).