Review: Mount Pleasant Golf Course (Part 2)

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

The tenth hole is the second of only two par 5s, and while it's almost identical in length to the first, and both are essentially straight holes, the tenth is a much more interesting proposition, thanks to the terrain. The same valley that comes into play on the ninth hole is back, this time cutting across the hole about 275 yards from the tee. You have two options off the tee, either keep your drive short of this valley, turning the hole into a definite three shot affair, or go for the driver, using the downslope to get as much distance as possible. I went for option 2, and I only had a 5 iron into the green. However, odds are that you'll have a very awkward stance, so it's not as clear cut a choice as you might think. A long iron uphill of a downhill lie is not an easy shot to pull off. The green is like a lot of the others at Mount Pleasant, reasonably sized and flanked by sand.

The tenth hole.

The valley from the ninth makes another appearance.

I imagine that bunker is usually drier.

Looking back down the tenth hole.

The eleventh hole can stretch as long as 200 yards, but the tees were up when we played. And honestly, I think this hole might be better at the 130 yards we experienced. There are bunkers right, left, and long, and if you're short, you'll be left with a sharply uphill chip. If you miss the not particularly large green, par is going to be very difficult to achieve. I don't have a problem with that sort of challenge when I have a wedge in my hands, but at 200 yards, I imagine this hole gets pretty tough.

The eleventh hole.

The twelfth hole is a mid-length par 4 at 380 yards. There's O.B. running down the entire left side of the hole, but the right side is pretty wide open. In addition, if you go left, you'll likely end up with a blind second shot, as there's a pretty big dropoff right where drives might end up. In addition, the whole fairway slopes from right to left, but the effect is less drastic the farther right you go. The bunkers right of the green definitely factor in, considering that approaches will likely be coming in from the right. The green runs away if you draw your second in, so being able to hit a fade from a draw stance will do you a lot of good.

The twelfth hole.

The twelfth green.

The thirteenth hole is another mid-length par 4, this one about 10 yards longer than the last. The drive is hit down toward an unseen fairway, while there's plenty of room, going too far right leaves you stuck behind big trees, and too far left or too long puts you off the golf course. If you've hit the fairway, the second shot is a wedge or short iron back up to the green, which has quite a bit of tilt to it and is surrounded on three sides by bunkers.

The thirteenth hole.

The main portion of the fairway is well below and to the left of the green.

The thirteenth hole.

The fourteenth hole is the longest par 4 on the back nine at Mount Pleasant, weighing in at an uphill 440 yards. The tee shot needs to long and preferably hit down the left side. Too short or too far right means overhanging tree will likely block out your second shot. That shot is up the hill to a semiblind green with bunkers front left and front right. Definitely not an easy hole, but as we'll see, it isn't the toughest hole on the back nine.

The fourteenth hole.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is 20 yards shorter than the previous hole and plays downhill, but it is significantly harder. The O.B. left is definitely a factor on the drive, but the second shot is where things get really tricky. The green is perched above a stream, and most shots ending up left or short will kick into it. The green is big, but there's a fair amount of slope within it, so even if you hit the green in regulation, a par isn't guaranteed. This is a hole you want to hit a big drive on to give yourself a shorter approach, I can tell you with some authority that nothing good will come from hitting a 210 yard pop up off the tee.

The fifteenth hole.

15 has the toughest second shot on the course.

The sixteenth hole is very confusing the first time you play it. Let me show you a Google Maps image of the last three holes to better illustrate my point.

When you're standing on the sixteenth tee, you really can't see the sixteenth green. What you can see is the seventeenth green, and a fairway of sorts in between. You can also see a small little green directly to the right of the tee, through a few trees. It took my brother and I a couple minutes to realize that the seventeenth green was actually the seventeenth green, not the sixteenth, and that the fairway and small green didn't actually belong to any hole. Also, there were a fair number of pedestrians milling about in that area in between 16 and 18. I'm guessing that area is some sort of public place where people can come with their kids, letting them hit golf balls around for free, while doubling as a park. It was a bit strange.

Anyway, the sixteenth hole. It's a mid-length par 4 at 385 yards, and the drives plays over a valley and the stream from the previous hole. There's a lot of room to work with, but if you try taking the direct line at the green, you'll probably end up either with a dramatic sidehill lie or down at the bottom of the valley with no view of the green. Or some combination of the two. Bottom line, keep your drive to the left, at least a little bit. From the fairway, it's a fairly standard wedge or short iron to the green, which is guarded by bunkers left and right.

Trust me, the sixteenth is over there somewhere.

Approaching the sixteenth green.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is the last of the three par 3s at Mount Pleasant, and at just over 200 yards, it's marginally longer than the eleventh, though it does play downhill. There was no escaping the mid iron this time, we played the hole as it was meant to be played. And this is a tough par 3. The green is small, and there is no good place to miss. Miss left or long, and the chip and/or bunker shot will be to a green that runs away. Miss short or right, and you'll have to negotiate that big upslope the green is perched on. Simply put, do your best to hit this green.

The seventeenth hole.

The eighteenth hole is an interesting finisher. When you step up to the tee, you're greeted with a big hill. The fairway climbs up over that hill, and then bends almost 90 degrees left. If you want an unobstructed view of the green, you need to clear the hill, and while that carry isn't hugely far, it is something to think about. The second shot is a lot simpler, just a wedge to a fairly big green. Once again, there are bunkers left and right, but they're not a huge issue. Really, provided the drive gets over the hill, this is an excellent opportunity to finish with a birdie. Considering how tough some of the last few holes have been, that opportunity is very much appreciated.

The steep uphill drive on 18.

The eighteenth green.

I can sum up my experience at Mount Pleasant in two words: Pleasant surprise. It's not at the same level as Keney Park or Shennecossett, but it's not too far behind. There are some very strong holes here.. The third is probably my favorite, but the fifteenth is also very strong. The par 3s are also pretty strong in general. But what really makes the course is the terrain. Interesting topography can elevate any course, even if it doesn't use that topography in the best way. But Mount Pleasant does utilize its land well. It rests gently upon the surprisingly rugged landscape, never fighting it. The course is completely walkable, with the only sizable green to tee walks coming when you have to cross a road after the first hole, then when you have to go back to get to the ninth hole.

To be honest, Mount Pleasant is a little bit on the pricey side. It was 40 dollars to walk 18 on a Saturday afternoon, which wasn't bad, but it's definitely not cheap. I wouldn't want to pay too much more than that for a round here. I'll call it appropriate for what you get, but it's not the best value in the world. The pace of play was also on the high side of acceptable, it was a bit faster than I was expecting, considering it was a nice June afternoon (don't we all wish for a day like that right now?) in the middle of a big city, but 4 and a half hours definitely isn't quick. That said, I still recommend playing here. It's a good course at a fairly reasonable price, and Baltimore is fortunate to have it as a municipal option.