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Hidden Ridge DGC reviews
24
0
Wow... just Wow! 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Aug 24, 2020
Played the course:once
Pros:
Design: 5
Beauty: 5
Tee Pads: 3
Amenities: 4
(re)Playability: 5
Personal rating of 4.4 ... I'm rounding up to 4.5.
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I preface this by saying, I have personally known Tim for something like 6 or 7 years now. We actually met in the VIP and course design forums here! Having said that, Is my review biased? Certainly. However, I really don't know how to remove that bias... and I don't think it is that far off.
I played this course yesterday with 6 kind of dinker/ birdie or die holes thrown in. I will try to discude those holes from this review... But I will say that they were fun. Some of them really went with the flow of the course, while others (Temp hole A and C) didn't really add anything other than help with flow and to avoid backup.
Design: What can I say that Sisyphus hasn't already said? This track in particular is great at weaving in and out of small (but fair) gaps, and then opening back out to the open. Often you are teeing off throwing wayyyy down hill through a tiny gap and into another slightly less wooded gap (5), or teeing off in the open trying to hit a tunnel gap 200 feet in front of you (17). If you are uncomfortable on the putting green, you better park the basket... which is typically perched on a knoll of some sort, or hanging, or with mega downhill or OB behind it.
My personal 2 favorites were the creek hole (not sure on the numbering on this... it is the tee with the carpet on the gravel driveway). Also really enjoyed the hole before that where the perfect shot is straight through the tunnel, and then a spike over the cedars (reminiscent of Charlie Vettiner course).
Beauty: Where to even start here! My buddy and I drove from Idlewild to HR. The drive is insane. Talk about running ridges. Just gorgeous country with lots of horse farms. It is almost an adventure just getting to this course. The driveway is pretty intense, and the first signal that you are going to need your big boy pants and hiking shoes. Tim's home is a mega beautiful modern farm home. I know this isn't part of the course, but defiinitely completes the Jelly factor. Again a great mixture of open and wooded. Beautiful Cedars. Finish throwing over a pond. This place has it ALL!
Tee Pads: Ok. This is maybe the one lower mark. But hear me out. Look at this property. One dude maintains almost all of this. Obviously with the course only being a few years old... this hasn't been at the forefront. I am sure that Concrete tees will begin going in in the next few years. Then this course likely hit the top 50 or possibly higher. The tees in place now are cedar chips or carpet. It worked great for me. I still managed to throw course par on 24 holes. I swear if you aren't throwing well... it isn't the tee's fault here.
Amenities: As of now, next tee signs are everywhere. It is possible to get lost if you don't open your eyes... otherwise I think the course is fairly easy to follow. Lots of nice benches all over the place. Innova baskets. There is a Port-a-John at the bottom of the hill. Still needs IMO a kiosk with a big course map etc at hole 1. Maybe a donation box there... Maybe attach a course store there.
re-Playability: We played Idlewild yesterday morning, followed up with a small tournament at HR. We wanted to play a second round after... but didn't have time. With letter holes... and another 20 acres in the future... and the interest in a putter course, I really believe this could become a Mecca type course. I'm honestly surprised at the low number of reviews. It must have something to do with Udisc uprising (and terrible Udisc reviews that are inflated by Newbs).
Beauty: 5
Tee Pads: 3
Amenities: 4
(re)Playability: 5
Personal rating of 4.4 ... I'm rounding up to 4.5.
_________________________________________________
I preface this by saying, I have personally known Tim for something like 6 or 7 years now. We actually met in the VIP and course design forums here! Having said that, Is my review biased? Certainly. However, I really don't know how to remove that bias... and I don't think it is that far off.
I played this course yesterday with 6 kind of dinker/ birdie or die holes thrown in. I will try to discude those holes from this review... But I will say that they were fun. Some of them really went with the flow of the course, while others (Temp hole A and C) didn't really add anything other than help with flow and to avoid backup.
Design: What can I say that Sisyphus hasn't already said? This track in particular is great at weaving in and out of small (but fair) gaps, and then opening back out to the open. Often you are teeing off throwing wayyyy down hill through a tiny gap and into another slightly less wooded gap (5), or teeing off in the open trying to hit a tunnel gap 200 feet in front of you (17). If you are uncomfortable on the putting green, you better park the basket... which is typically perched on a knoll of some sort, or hanging, or with mega downhill or OB behind it.
My personal 2 favorites were the creek hole (not sure on the numbering on this... it is the tee with the carpet on the gravel driveway). Also really enjoyed the hole before that where the perfect shot is straight through the tunnel, and then a spike over the cedars (reminiscent of Charlie Vettiner course).
Beauty: Where to even start here! My buddy and I drove from Idlewild to HR. The drive is insane. Talk about running ridges. Just gorgeous country with lots of horse farms. It is almost an adventure just getting to this course. The driveway is pretty intense, and the first signal that you are going to need your big boy pants and hiking shoes. Tim's home is a mega beautiful modern farm home. I know this isn't part of the course, but defiinitely completes the Jelly factor. Again a great mixture of open and wooded. Beautiful Cedars. Finish throwing over a pond. This place has it ALL!
Tee Pads: Ok. This is maybe the one lower mark. But hear me out. Look at this property. One dude maintains almost all of this. Obviously with the course only being a few years old... this hasn't been at the forefront. I am sure that Concrete tees will begin going in in the next few years. Then this course likely hit the top 50 or possibly higher. The tees in place now are cedar chips or carpet. It worked great for me. I still managed to throw course par on 24 holes. I swear if you aren't throwing well... it isn't the tee's fault here.
Amenities: As of now, next tee signs are everywhere. It is possible to get lost if you don't open your eyes... otherwise I think the course is fairly easy to follow. Lots of nice benches all over the place. Innova baskets. There is a Port-a-John at the bottom of the hill. Still needs IMO a kiosk with a big course map etc at hole 1. Maybe a donation box there... Maybe attach a course store there.
re-Playability: We played Idlewild yesterday morning, followed up with a small tournament at HR. We wanted to play a second round after... but didn't have time. With letter holes... and another 20 acres in the future... and the interest in a putter course, I really believe this could become a Mecca type course. I'm honestly surprised at the low number of reviews. It must have something to do with Udisc uprising (and terrible Udisc reviews that are inflated by Newbs).
Cons:
See above
Other Thoughts:
Again, I look for this course to go high on DGCR. It might not be as refined as Idlewild. There aren't 20 people mowing this place or working on every facet. It isn't even on the DGPT! Honestly though, it already makes my top 10. I rate it over Lincoln Ridge. I rate it over Holler. I rate it over Harmon Hills. Maybe I'm biased? But, that's OK.
