Review: Macoby Run Golf Course (Part 2)

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

The tenth hole is a mid-length par 4 with a fairway that's sloped hard from left to right for the first 300 yards. There are no bunkers, but there is a tree directly on the line between the green and tee. If you're a long hitter, you can get past it with a solid drive, but if not, you'll need to play out to the right a bit. The second shot will be a wedge or short iron up the hill to a large and undulating green.

The tenth hole.

Approaching the tenth green.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is 185 yards and plays slightly downhill to a green angled from left to right. It's a relatively tricky green to putt, and it's also got a fair amount of left-to-right slope to it. There's a bunker left as well, which is not a spot you particularly want to end up. 

The eleventh hole.

The eleventh green.

The twelfth hole is the final of three par 4s at Macoby Run that measure precisely 392 yards. It's also quite a strange hole. Like the third, trees play a big role in that oddness. The fairway is cut through a big group of trees, then turns hard right about 225-250 yards out. Obviously, the trees in the corner can be carried, but there's another tree-related issue with this hole that makes that not the greatest idea. The green here is guarded by a very large sycamore tree planted just a few yards short that dominates the entire right side. You simply cannot approach this green from the right side of the fairway, not without coming up with some sort of knockdown shot. I suppose in the absence of bunkers, a tree can be used, but there's a reason you don't see trees protecting greens in this manner — it's very annoying.

The twelfth hole.

Approaching the twelfth green.

The twelfth green.

The thirteenth hole is, at 540 yards, the longest hole at Macoby Run. Practically though, it plays much shorter, as the hole bends hard left at 225-250 yards; the inverse of the previous hole. The fairway also slopes significantly from left to right, so the more aggressive the line you take, the less your drive will bounce in the wrong direction away from the hole. You do need to be careful not to cut the dogleg too much though, as there's internal OB running down the entire left side of the hole. If you're laying up, the second shot is simply moving the ball forward, but the green is probably the toughest on the course. It's small, it's wedged between mounds left and sand right (along with a big dropoff into trees), and it's got a lot of tough slope and undulation to it. For a golf course generally as easy as Macoby Run, this green presents a big challenge. 

The thirteenth hole.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is 345 yards and plays to a blind fairway that turns left sooner than you think. Trees line the entire right side, and it is extremely easy to hit driver straight through the fairway into them unless you hug the left side. Since the hole is short, a wood or long iron is plenty to leave yourself a wedge second shot. The green here is quite large and open, though it does have some challenging internal contours. There is a greenside bunker left, but it's barely a factor in terms of presenting a challenge.

The fourteenth hole.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is barely over 100 yards and plays nearly 50 feet downhill over Macoby Creek. The water doesn't really come into play, but honestly, the distance and elevation change provide this hole with a decent challenge. Distance control is very tricky here, and seeing as the green is long, thin, and angled 45 degrees from the line of play, actually hitting this green is tougher than you'd think.

While I do like this hole, I also can't let it go, as we have yet another entry into my favorite long-running series: "Oh no, we've run out of space and we're only routed 17 holes." In this case, the fourteenth green and sixteenth tee are right next to each other. This hole starts nearby, but then heads across the creek (parallel to the second, which you can actually see through the trees in the upper-left corner of the image). You play out the hole, then immediately head back across the creek and up the hill you just came down, walking right past the fifteenth tee and fourteenth green to reach the sixteenth hole. If you're taking a cart, it's whatever. If you walk like I do, it's quite annoying. 

The fifteenth hole.

The sixteenth hole is 525 yards, and I'll be honest, this is not a very interesting hole. The tee shot is mostly blind and the hole does bend a bit from left to right, but there's very little elevation change here. Since Macoby Run depends on that elevation change to provide any sort of strategic challenge, when you take it away there's really nothing left beyond hitting the ball as far as you can. A couple of bunkers in the lay-up area and by the green would do wonders. The green itself is okay, but a mildly interesting putting surface can't make up for 500 yards of boredom.

The sixteenth hole.

Approaching the sixteenth green.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is 360 yards, and like the previous hole, the drive presents very little challenge. These last three holes play parallel to each other over pretty flat ground, which does make for an anti-climactic finish for the most part. The green does have some protection in the form of a bunker, and it's also on the small side (and oddly shaped), so it's not quite as easy to hit as the previous green. Still, not exactly a hole to get the blood flowing.

The seventeenth hole.

Approaching the seventeenth green.

The seventeenth green.

The eighteenth hole is the longest par 4 at Macoby Run, coming in at 420 yards. Much like how the back nine started, it ends with a big tree coming into play on the tee shot. This particular tree sits on the left side, just before the fairway starts, and obviously dominates the drive. There isn't much punishment for bailing out right beyond a slightly longer approach, but even so, it's just nice to have something to think about. The green here is quite tough; it's small and has multiple bumps and sections to it. There are no bunkers, but there is a pond lurking right which isn't quite in play, but neither is it completely out of play. 

The eighteenth hole.

Approaching the eighteenth green.

The eighteenth green.

So, my initial assessment of Macoby Run was largely correct — it is by and large an unpretentious, mildly interesting golf course. The land helps give it some strategic interest and there are some decent greens, but I can't really say anything more than that. It's a pleasant place to play, and I do like that it has two short par 3s (I especially enjoyed the fourth hole), but it's not going to leave any lingering memories if you only play it once or twice. 

However, while Macoby Run is clearly inferior in terms of design compared to Manor or even Walnut Lane, the actual playing experience was much better. As of late June, I've played Macoby Run three times, and it's always taken less than 4 hours to get around. Even on Father's Day and in mid-April when all the golfers were out. It's a little pricy ($60 to walk on a weekend), but honestly, it's kind of worth it to not have to sit around an extra hour waiting for drunk foursomes to lurch about the course. Sometimes I just want to play golf. That's what Macoby Run is for.