I didn't plan on doing a review of English Turn Golf & Country Club this week, however, when friends ask if you want to play golf and suggest English Turn you just say yes. It was as good a day as any to do a video and review of the golf course, especially with the recent rains we had.
Speaking of the rains, I was expecting the golf course to be wet and possibly cart path only. I was pleasantly surprised to not only see that the golf course was not path only but also that the entire golf course was dry. There was very little roll in the fairways and the ground around the greens was softer but it was dry. You could still see areas where grass clippings had gathered as a result of standing water at one point but it just hadn't dried enough to blow away in the wind. I'm sure by today they will have those areas cleaned up from the mowers.
The entire at golf course drained very well, even the bunkers. The first bunker I was in the sand was still a bit damp but, as the day went on, the remaining bunkers I was in the sand was normal and dry.
Tee Boxes 4 out of 5
The tee boxes were beautiful. The only minor issue was the aesthetics from divots that hadn't grown in yet. This is typical this time of the year, especially with overseeded tee boxes. The areas where the tee markers were, was good and I was always able to find a good spot without needing to tee the ball on any of the par 3's.
Fairways - 4 out of 5
The fairways were not cut tight like you see during the summer but they were cut low enough that your ball sat up on top of the grass. The fairways were all the same height as the fringe around the greens that you putt from. Sometimes when a golf course overseeds the grass can get a bit long where your ball may sit down in the grass ever so slightly. This was not the case yesterday and I don't think they mowed the fairways in the morning.
Rough 4 out of 5
This time of year the Bermuda grass thins out so you wouldn't expect it to be thick but it can still be tricky. It was thick and deep enough in most areas you would have to consider a possible flier or it would sit down enough you would have to consider hitting it a little harder. Around the greens, the rough was very consistent and gave you a variety of shots to play based on the pin location.
Greens 4.5 out of 5
I was pleasantly surprised at how firm the greens were. I was really expecting them to be softer than normal. Softer where the golf ball would leave deep pitch marks after landing. The pitch marks were actually very shallow and the ball would take a hop, or two depending on what club you used, before the spin could stop it. The speed was also good. Although the greens weren't as fast as they usually are they were still quick enough and rolled very true.
This time of year can always be tricky for golf courses in the south. If they overseed and it stays warm, or if they don't overseed and it gets really cold, it becomes a challenge to get good quality playing conditions. English Turn maintenance got the timing right for their overseed this year. They also did a great job having the golf course so playable after the recent rain.
