It has been a while since I have done any type of review. If you follow our social media or subscribe to our emails you will understand why that has been the case. I have heard some good things about Timberlane Golf and Recreation and yesterday seemed to be a good time to get out there and check things out for myself.
The biggest things I had heard about were the renovations to the clubhouse, pro shop, the restaurant (Cafe Hope), and the pool. These areas did not disappoint. Cafe Hope is very large and spacious with views overlooking the 9th green and practice putting green. There is even a new outdoor seating area as well. It gives the entire clubhouse a fresh new look and a welcoming atmosphere.
The staff is the golf shop and the starter were great. I was also made aware of some other upgrades planned for the property. Things such as adding TopTracer to the driving range in the future as well as the possibility of redoing the greens in a year or two. All signs that Timberlane Golf and Recreation wants to improve the overall property and give golfers a golf course that is more than just golf. My only disappointment from a staffing perspective was that there was no beverage cart out there on a hot Friday. I grab enough drinks before starting and there are water coolers on the golf course so it wasn't that big a deal for me but I think it is an amenity every golf course should have every day of the week, June thru August.
As for the golf course it looks worse than it plays. The playability of the golf course was very decent and fair. From an aesthetic standpoint, the golf course honestly does not look well. It looks like there are many areas of dead grass or dirt areas but surprisingly even if your ball was in those areas you had a pretty good lie and could play from anywhere.
Overall: 3.5 out of 5
Tee Boxes: 2.5 out of 5
The teeing areas were the only somewhat bad places on the entire golf course. They had plenty of grass on them but due to the slopes and humps, the grass was not quite cut evenly. It was still cut well enough you could just drop a ball and not use a tee on the par 3 holes but it was a challenge to find a level spot to tee off while also finding the most level spot. Although the grass was cut to a decent height when you did use a tee it would appear to sit lower in the ground due to the height of the grass. Not so much to affect a golf swing but it did mentally get in my head on the first few holes.
Fairways: 3 out of 5
Although there were many areas in the fairways that looked like they had no grass or were brown I did not experience any spots that I would consider an unplayable lie or ground under repair. The majority of the lies you would find in the firways were plush with the ball sitting up on the grass nicely. I personally would prefer if they were cut a little tighter/lower but they were a good height to not burn out while the course is waiting on some much-needed rain. The cut was low enough to get some spin on while not being to high where the ball may not spin. The fairway cuts around the greens were cut perfectly giving you options to putt or chip the ball.
Greens: 3.5 out of 5
The greens just like other areas of the course looked worse then they played. Some areas had the appearance that the greens would be bumpy but they were surprisingly smooth. They were a little slow but very consistent. The ball rolled very well and stayed online for just about every putt I hit. Even if putting over some of the brown spots that looked like the ball may hop it would stay online and roll right through them. Because the grass was slightly longer and the greens were slower it made them very receptive to a lot of shots. Even a 5-iron from 195 yards stopped within a few feet.
All in all, I was very impressed with Timberlane Golf and Recreation. It is nice to visit a golf course and have a sense of feeling like you are on a property that wants constantly improve and give golfers a quality product. Also, the green fees are priced well for the conditions. Timberlane may be the only true mid-tier golf course in the area. Meaning less than $80 but not less than $40 while having the conditions and amenities to go along with that price.Who knows maybe one day we will see Timberlane continue to imporve and become a one of the premier golf courses in the area. Only time will tell.
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