Review: Fore Sisters Golf Club (Part 2)

We're back with the back nine at Fore Sisters, go here if you haven't seen the front.

The tenth hole is a short but not quite drivable par 4 at 340 yards. The fairway is sloped from left to right, and there's a noticeable dip in the fairway about 200-225 yards from the tee. The second shot is back up to a small green guarded by two bunkers. Going long leaves you a tough downhill chip to a green that slopes away.

The tenth hole.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is a downhill par 3 over a small pond to a severely tilted green more closely guarded by two bunkers. There's quite a bit of break on putts here, and it can be easy to race putts by if you're going downhill. It's a decent hole, I just wish it wasn't the same length as all the other par 3s at Fore Sisters.

The eleventh hole.

The twelfth hole is a fairly short par 4, less than 350 yards, though it plays uphill. The fairway rises and falls as it heads up, and there's a noticeable tilt from left to right. The green is guarded by a single bunker front right. This hole actually returns back to the clubhouse, I'm guessing that not a lot of people stop at 9, and instead play up to this hole if they don't want to go all 18.

The twelfth hole.

The twelfth green.

The thirteenth hole is the longest par 4 at Fore Sisters, though it's not even 400 yards. This isn't a long golf course. Interestingly, the distance between green and tee is probably not much more than 200 yards. If it weren't for the dense forest, the green would be easily drivable. That's because the hole is shaped like a big U. You hit your drive about 225 down the fairway, make a more than 90 degree turn, then go over a small native area to the green with a short to mid iron. The green is bunkerless, but it is quite small and has a noticeable back to front tilt. This is the sort of goofy hole I like seeing on courses like this. It helps give Fore Sisters a certain quirky charm.

The thirteenth hole. The green is pretty much straight to the right.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

Looking back down the thirteenth hole.

The fourteenth hole is a fairly unique proposition in the world of golf. You don't see par 6s every day; in fact, it's the first I've ever come across. 740 yards, uphill the entire way. Okay, the current management has placed the tees at a more reasonable 580 yards, but the far back teeing area, the one at 700+ yards, was in better shape than pretty much any other tee on the course, so my brother and I couldn't resist giving the full hole a try. Shockingly, 740 yards is lot. The hole is kind of a slog, to be honest. It's dead straight, there are no hazards save for the trees lining the fairway, and it's pretty much straight. The green, once you get to it, is guarded by two bunkers. Is this a good hole? Of course not. But it was fun giving it a try once.

You're in for a long journey on 14.

The uphill tee shot on 14.

Trust me, the green's out there somewhere.

Getting closer...

The fourteenth green at long last.

Looking back at the long trek up 14.

The fifteenth hole is yet another par 3 of roughly 170 yards, but this is easily the best of the bunch. The green is angled away at a 45 degree angle, and there's a big drop-off short and right. Long and left isn't much better. It's not a particularly easy hole, and since apparently this is the only length that Fore Sisters can manage from its par 3s, it's nice to get a little bit of variety.

The fifteenth hole.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is a par 5 of roughly 500 yards, playing back down the mountain. The uphill climb is finally over. The most obvious issue on the tee is the tree sitting in the middle of the corridor between the forest lines. There is not a lot of room to work with. If you manage to negotiate the trees, the hole is pretty easy. It's easily reachable in two, and the green is only guarded by one bunker. It's a great birdie opportunity.

The sixteenth hole, complete with inconvenient tree.

Approaching the sixteenth hole.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is a mid-length par 4 at 360 yards. It's a slight dogleg left, and the fairway is tilted from right to left. The green is small, but shots can be run up from the right side. Definitely not the most challenging penultimate hole in the world.

The seventeenth hole.

The seventeenth green.

The eighteenth hole is a thoroughly underwhelming finish. It's technically the longest par 3 at Fore Sisters, but it's still under 200 yards, and that distance is further mitigated since the hole plays downhill. There are no bunkers, and the green is reasonably sized, though it does slope slightly away from the tee. That's the most interesting part of this hole. Considering some of the goofiness we've seen, it was disappointing to end on such a bland note.

The eighteenth hole.

As far as golf courses go, Fore Sisters is a less than impressive example. There are some fun and quirky holes, but the course is so narrow and tree lined it's difficult to appreciate them without feeling claustrophobic. You have to be accurate here, or you will not have a fun day. It's not a particularly thorough examination either, no par 4 tops 400 yards, and the par 3s are all pretty much exactly the same length. A big chunk of the course's 6,200 yards comes at that par 6.

However, despite the shortcomings, I would consider Fore Sisters worth at least one round, for no other reason than its location. You're in the mountains of western Maryland, and it is deep in the wild. Honestly, playing Fore Sisters feels more like a hike than a round of golf, and if you approach it like that, the course starts to make a lot more sense. The course traverses rugged terrain, and you'll have plenty of scenery to look at. It only costs $20 to walk 18, a price I would consider worthwhile. If I played the course regularly I'd probably spend the extra $12 to get a cart, but I doubt I'll be coming back, and I'm glad I got the experience of walking around Fore Sisters. It felt like a real adventure, and that's not a feeling you get all that often playing golf.