Review: Black Rock Golf Course (Part 2)

It's time to check out the back nine at Black Rock, go here to see the front.

The tenth hole is 375 yards and plays over slightly rolling terrain. The fairway bends right around some trees, then drops slightly toward the green, which is medium sized and protected by a large bunker left. There's also a steep dropoff left and past the green, so really the key on this second shot is not to miss left. A pretty simple way to start the back nine.

The tenth hole.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is the longest par 4 at Black Rock, playing nearly 440 yards. It's not as tough as the yardage might indicate though; while the fairway does sort of do a double dogleg S shape, the corridor is pretty wide and there are no fairway bunkers. A good drive will leave a short or mid iron up the hill slightly to a slightly punchbowl-like green with a big bunker front right.

The eleventh hole.

Approaching the eleventh green.

The eleventh green.

The twelfth hole is a mid-length par 4 that really could stand to be a little shorter. As the hole is currently, the back tee is about 10-15 yards away from the fourteenth fairway, and while there are trees blocking the tee from incoming shots from that hole, you do feel rather in the line of fire. There's no particular reason this hole needs to be 390 yards, it could easily have been a shorter drive-and-pitch par 4. Anyway, the hole is straightaway, and while there aren't any hazards on the tee shot per se, the hole runs along the top of a small plateau, so beyond the containing mounds on both sides, the land does fall away on both sides. This is a fairway you want to hit. A solid 3 wood will leave a short iron into a medium-sized green flanked by bunkers.

The twelfth hole.

Approaching the twelfth green.

The twelfth green.

I think the architect was in a real bad mood when he did the thirteenth hole, a 430-yards par 4 — at least when it came to the green. The tee shot here is quite wide and inviting, though the fairway does bend pretty sharply to the right. You do need to be mindful that the fairway ends about 275-300 yards out, so longer hitters definitely need to reel it in. A good 3 wood will leave a short or mid iron over a pond to a small, very shallow green wedged between three bunkers. It's easily the toughest iron shot on the course, made even more so by the extreme back-to-front tilt of the green. You miss the green long, and getting the chip to stop on the green is a tall order to say the least. It's a tough hole, made even more so by the fact that no other hole at Black Rock comes close to this level of difficulty.

The thirteenth hole.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is the longest hole at Black Rock, playing 540 yards to a semi-blind fairway. The fairway is more open than it perhaps looks, with nothing to worry about on the tee shot other than a few trees. And while most people wouldn't be going for this green in two anyway, the decision is made for you, as the green is cut off from the fairway by a large front bunker. Actually, this is one of those holes where it's best to be conservative and leave yourself a full wedge third, as not only does the green demand an aerial approach, it's also quite shallow. You really do need spin on the ball to get an approach close to the hole.

The fourteenth hole.

Approaching the fourteenth green.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is 185 yards, though that length is mitigated somewhat by the fact that the green is 40 or 50 feet below the tee. While the pond in front is obviously something to think about, it is easy enough to avoid. The green is long and fairly thin, with a bunker (sort of) wide right. 

The fifteenth hole.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is 515 yards, but it's more reachable than you might think since the tee shot plays significantly downhill and you can easily shave some distance off by cutting the dogleg. That first tree in the corner can be hit right across easily enough, and doing so will leave a long iron or fairway wood slightly uphill to a small green with a large bunker front left. If you can hit a draw, that will help quite a bit at getting the approach close.

The sixteenth hole.

Approaching the sixteenth green.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is 170 yards, and while that's a bit on the long side for a par 3 with a shallow green and a gigantic bunker in front — no ground game on this hole — somehow I don't mind this one. This may be a case of a hole that's specifically more difficult for higher-handicap golfers, people who struggle to carry irons consistently. The green is at least receptive and quite wide, so as long as you cover the right yardage you should have an easy time making par, even if your aim isn't great.

The seventeenth hole.

Approaching the seventeenth green.

The eighteenth hole is a fairly long par 4, almost exactly the same length as the twelfth at 435 yards. The fairway is wide open, but driver is not something you necessarily want to reach for. For one thing, a pond cuts across the fairway about 325 yards out, which is a long way, but when you pass the 250-yard mark the fairway runs significantly downhill toward the water. That's really what you're contending with if you hit driver, a second shot from a steeply downhill stance. Laying back leaves you a mid or long iron into the green, but you'll have a flat lie. The green is medium sized and backed by three bunkers, with the pond present but not really an issue unless you hit the world's largest chunk. Not a hugely difficult finisher, but one of the tougher holes on the course.

The eighteenth hole.

Approaching the eighteenth green.

The eighteenth green.

Black Rock is a pleasant place for the average Hagerstown golfer to spend a nice afternoon, and that's pretty much the limit of its ambition. And that's honestly okay ... or it would be if not for a small caveat that I'll get to in a second. This is not a difficult course in any way, shape, or form. It will flatter you about as much as a golf course can. I hit six greens in regulation and still managed a score in the low 80s. And while the architecture isn't really designed to provoke thought, the fact that Black Rock traverses distinctly non-flat land is enough to give it some strategic interest. I honestly don't mind this golf course in isolation.

What I do mind is the price. $70 is way, way too much for what you get. And that's walking, too; they don't give a discount for not taking a cart. Then again, the tee sheet is almost always pretty full. The only way I was able to get out by myself was playing just before the twilight rate started ($50 if you're curious, which is still too much). If it were $30-$40, sure, I'd maybe throw Black Rock into the rotation once or twice. But at $70? Not a chance. It's really not that good a golf course.