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Hampden-Sydney College reviews
15
0
Woods, Water, Elevation, and Uncomplete. 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 3, 2021
Played the course:once
Pros:
-A 9-hole course with a variety of holes that meanders on the backside of a college campus. The center point is the athletic field house. The variety includes lightly and heavily wooded holes, two ponds, and elevation. The course shares space with the new Tadpole Course.
-The course is a par 27 with a variety of distances. Two holes #2 and #7 are greater than three hundred feet, and one hole #5 may be less than 200 feet or could be greater than 300 feet?
-Hole signs where present have hole number, par, distance, and a hole map. Baskets catch well! Hole 4 shares a turf pad, basket. and hole space with #1 on the Tadpole course, and maybe #5 turf pad only?
-Navigation is counter-clockwise with a few next tee signs. Since the course shares space with the Tadpole course there is flexibility to play both courses and eliminate extra walking. Best option is to start on #1 on the Hampden course thru #5, jump on #2 Tadpole, and after playing #18 Tadpole rejoin Hampden #7.
-The course is very scenic!
-From the bag on the tee mid's, fairways, and drivers.
-Beginners and Recreational players will find the Hampden course more open and manageable, College students as well. Intermediate and Advanced a few holes a challenge, but mostly good scoring opportunities.
-The course is a par 27 with a variety of distances. Two holes #2 and #7 are greater than three hundred feet, and one hole #5 may be less than 200 feet or could be greater than 300 feet?
-Hole signs where present have hole number, par, distance, and a hole map. Baskets catch well! Hole 4 shares a turf pad, basket. and hole space with #1 on the Tadpole course, and maybe #5 turf pad only?
-Navigation is counter-clockwise with a few next tee signs. Since the course shares space with the Tadpole course there is flexibility to play both courses and eliminate extra walking. Best option is to start on #1 on the Hampden course thru #5, jump on #2 Tadpole, and after playing #18 Tadpole rejoin Hampden #7.
-The course is very scenic!
-From the bag on the tee mid's, fairways, and drivers.
-Beginners and Recreational players will find the Hampden course more open and manageable, College students as well. Intermediate and Advanced a few holes a challenge, but mostly good scoring opportunities.
Cons:
-Since the installment of the Tadpole course, Hampden course had been pushed to the side.
-#4 shares hole space with #1 Tadpole course from tee to basket. The new hole sign is for Tadpole, #4 Hampden sign has been removed. Udisc map puts both holes on top of each other. Confusing for first time players on the course.
-No tee sign for #5 adding to confusion since Tadpole #5 short tee pad is installed in the same vicinity where #5 should be on the dam for Tadpole Pond. DGCR distance based on the old tee sign says 177 feet somewhere around the staircase to get up to the dam. Udisc distance since the installment of Tadpole course says 333 feet placing the tee at about the #5 Tadpole turf tee which skilled players will appreciate placing your shot right over the pond. So, I guess pick your poison.
-#6 basket has been pulled being that the #18 Tadpole turf pad has been place right over the location. An unknowing first-time player may be doing some looking after playing there tee shot on the wooded hole.
-The natural tee pads were soft on a fall morning. A round after some rain, likely to become muddy.
-The course is on a beautiful setting, on a warm day wouldn't be surprised to find walkers along the pond on holes 1-3, and 5. Or laying out closer to campus on fairways 1, 8-9 around the fieldhouse.
-Holes 2-3, and 5 involve water, so loss of disc will be high there, not so bad elsewhere on the course.
-#4 shares hole space with #1 Tadpole course from tee to basket. The new hole sign is for Tadpole, #4 Hampden sign has been removed. Udisc map puts both holes on top of each other. Confusing for first time players on the course.
-No tee sign for #5 adding to confusion since Tadpole #5 short tee pad is installed in the same vicinity where #5 should be on the dam for Tadpole Pond. DGCR distance based on the old tee sign says 177 feet somewhere around the staircase to get up to the dam. Udisc distance since the installment of Tadpole course says 333 feet placing the tee at about the #5 Tadpole turf tee which skilled players will appreciate placing your shot right over the pond. So, I guess pick your poison.
-#6 basket has been pulled being that the #18 Tadpole turf pad has been place right over the location. An unknowing first-time player may be doing some looking after playing there tee shot on the wooded hole.
-The natural tee pads were soft on a fall morning. A round after some rain, likely to become muddy.
-The course is on a beautiful setting, on a warm day wouldn't be surprised to find walkers along the pond on holes 1-3, and 5. Or laying out closer to campus on fairways 1, 8-9 around the fieldhouse.
-Holes 2-3, and 5 involve water, so loss of disc will be high there, not so bad elsewhere on the course.
Other Thoughts:
Yes, the Hampden-Sydney has been pushed to the side for the newer Tadpole course at least for the time being. I hope the course gets resurrected, it's a very solid 9-holer when all things are in place. Holes 1-6 very scenic play with some water looming mixed with some elevation. I like the distance of 7-9 but just a little too close to campus, and the least exciting of the course, it's a campus meadows setting. My biggest personnel con is the pulled basket on #6 its been at least 6 months as of this review, and is the biggest point deduction on my overall rating. Despite the one missing basket, overall, a fun layout. I would think the basket will eventually be placed somewhere on the fairway, and at that time will re-evaluate my rating.
My overall rating is anchored on the scenery of the course, holes 2 and 3 at this time, and that anchor is at a 3.5. The time to play was 25 minutes.
I normally like to pick a personnel Signature and Trouble hole. But with hole 5 and 6 unsettled at this time its going to be pushed to the side until later. If hole 5 is placed at 333 feet with a tee sign, its in the mix.
Notable Holes:
-No. 2 Par 3 at 354 feet is a straight away tee to basket on a sliding fairway right to left into the pond, which is all the way down the left side, from the tee also upslope. There is a splattering of trees on the line here and there with a clump of trees about 100 feet out from basket. The basket sits as a possible roller into the pond. Very scenic hole.
-No. 3 Par 3 at 289 feet is an open tee to a basket in a tree line downhill. The tee sits on a dam to the pond on the left, and the pond is all the way down fairway. The fairway is straight away from the tee with the basket right center in the tree line. To the right of fairway is downhill from the dam to a soccer field. A pump house sits right center fairway about 200 feet down. Another scenic hole, dangerous to the left, and to far right can be blocked by trees to the basket.
My overall rating is anchored on the scenery of the course, holes 2 and 3 at this time, and that anchor is at a 3.5. The time to play was 25 minutes.
I normally like to pick a personnel Signature and Trouble hole. But with hole 5 and 6 unsettled at this time its going to be pushed to the side until later. If hole 5 is placed at 333 feet with a tee sign, its in the mix.
Notable Holes:
-No. 2 Par 3 at 354 feet is a straight away tee to basket on a sliding fairway right to left into the pond, which is all the way down the left side, from the tee also upslope. There is a splattering of trees on the line here and there with a clump of trees about 100 feet out from basket. The basket sits as a possible roller into the pond. Very scenic hole.
-No. 3 Par 3 at 289 feet is an open tee to a basket in a tree line downhill. The tee sits on a dam to the pond on the left, and the pond is all the way down fairway. The fairway is straight away from the tee with the basket right center in the tree line. To the right of fairway is downhill from the dam to a soccer field. A pump house sits right center fairway about 200 feet down. Another scenic hole, dangerous to the left, and to far right can be blocked by trees to the basket.
