Review: Flatbush Golf Club (Part 2)

Here's the back nine at Flatbush, and here's the front nine if you haven't seen it.

The tenth hole is a short par 4, and you should get used to that particular phrase. This hole, and two of the next three, are all par 4s less than 375 yards. This one is just under 360, and doglegs left between a pair of fairway bunkers. There's an empty field right that is also OB, but it's very easy to get your golf ball back if you do go over there. The second shot is a little wedge, preferably from the left side to give yourself a better angle at the green, especially when the flag is tucked behind the greenside bunker.

The back nine starts off with a short par 4.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is a medium-length par 3, just under 190 yards. It plays over level ground, and is guarded by bunkers front left and to the right. The par 3s at Flatbush aren't the most thought-provoking or interesting holes in the world.

The eleventh hole.

The twelfth hole is the shortest par 4 on the golf course at 340 yards. So, not quite reachable, and a pair of fairway bunkers around the length a good drive would go mean that the smart play is to lay up with a wood or long iron down at the bottom of the hill. The second shot is a wedge back up the hill to the green, which is guarded by two bunkers. Also, there's a neat little windmill thing by the green, which I thought was kind of nifty.

The twelfth hole.

The twelfth green.

Here's the little windmill.

The thirteenth hole is 363 yards, and doglegs to the right. There are no fairway bunkers, but the road that separates 12-17 from the rest of the course is to the left. You'd have to hit a big hook to get there though, the native area to the right is much more of a threat, considering the shape of the hole. The green is fairly undulating, and there are two bunkers short left and one short right.

The thirteenth hole.

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is a bit longer than the previous three par 4s at nearly 400 yards. The pond in between the tee and the fairway really isn't much of an obstacle, but this hole is pretty narrow. There are dense trees left and a native area right. So the driver still may not be a good idea. The green is once again pushed up above its surroundings, and there is a single bunker to the right.

The fourteenth is not an inviting driving hole.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is the only par 5 on the back nine, and at 510 yards, it's not a particularly long one. However, this is most definitely meant to be a three shot hole. The fairway runs out after 250 yards and the hole bends significantly to the left over a narrow stream. Should you be able to sling a draw around the treeline, you can carry it, but there isn't a huge reward for doing so. The hole is a double dogleg, and there are trees in between the second shot landing area, wherever that is, and the green. Unless you can summon a big draw and then a big fade, you'll be laying up on this hole. The green is at the top of the hill, and has bunkers left, right, and behind. This is a hole to play patiently.

You'll probably be laying up off the tee on 15.

We'll see the fifteenth green at some point...

Here it is.

The sixteenth hole is just under 390 yards, and for whatever reason, there are five bunkers clustered in the corner of the dogleg. Now, Flatbush isn't quite as bereft of fairway bunkers of some of the other courses I've played, but there hasn't been anything of this magnitude, and it struck me as being a bit strange. There isn't even any great benefit to carrying the bunkers, sure, you get a shorter second, but that's it. The angle to the green isn't any better, and if anything, you'll have less green to work with. I think it's better to play this hole with a 3 wood and then a full wedge.

The sixteenth hole with its large collection of fairway bunkers.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is the last par 3 on the course, and while it's slightly shorter than the eleventh, it plays a bit uphill. If you can hit a draw around the front-left bunker, you have a definite advantage. Right isn't a bad place to miss though.

The seventeenth hole.

The eighteenth hole is about 420 yards, and this is the only par 4 on the back nine that is over 400 yards. It plays uphill the whole way, but it's a slow, steady climb. There really isn't much in the way of obstacles on the drive, so it's one last opportunity to pull out the driver and see how far you can get. The green is guarded by bunkers front right and back left, and is angled to best receive a fade. It's a long enough hole that it isn't easy, but it's definitely easy enough that you can see yourself being able to finish with a birdie. And that's a good thing in a finishing hole.

The eighteenth is very wide open.

The eighteenth green.

Looking back down the eighteenth.

Now, to be honest, Flatbush isn't the most exciting golf course in the world. But it definitely wasn't a bad golf course. I'd definitely put in the middle of all the golf courses I've played. Also working in its favor is the price. It cost $22 to walk on a Saturday afternoon, which is a thoroughly reasonable price for the golf that you get. I've spend more money on less enjoyable golf courses. It's a better golf course than Glade Valley, which I was reminded of more than a few times while playing Flatbush. 

One interesting thing about Flatbush that I didn't notice when I first looked at the course is the disparity in length between the two nines. I saw a course that was a bit under 6,700 yards from the back tees, which is pretty much ideal for me. However, the front nine is just over 400 yards longer than the back nine. This is a little strange, but I think I preferred the longer front nine to the shorter back nine. There was a bit more challenge and interest to the front nine.

Now, for the big question: Would I play this course again? And the answer is yes, but I wouldn't go there again in the height of the summer golf season. I think this is a good course to play on a particularly warm day in the winter/late fall/early spring. It's very wide open, not particularly long, an easy walk, cheap, and while I obviously don't know what the course is like on a day-to-day basis, it was thoroughly unbusy when we played there. My brothers and I got around in less than 4 hours quite easily. I would travel the extra half-hour and pay the extra $5 to play here over slogging through a 5 hour round at Glade Valley. And that's all a course of this quality can reasonably ask for.