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IBM Research Triangle reviews
1
0
rwgatorfan
Experience:
3.9 years
29 played
18 reviews
Decent, mostly open course 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Aug 29, 2020
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
All baskets are in great shape. Course is well maintained. It's mostly open with a few tree holes. Water comes into play on the left on 3 holes. Good tee boxes for the white and blue tees.
Cons:
Red tees not marked on most holes. Back nine is very open and not as interesting as the front nine.
Other Thoughts:
This course is for IBM employees, retirees and their families.
6
0
Well done Corporate campus course 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Dec 16, 2018
Played the course:once
Pros:
Good baskets, Blue tees are well marked with signs, good flow of holes.
Probably one of the most open courses in the Triangle area. Only about 5 holes where trees are major obstacles. Several others have trees for shot shaping, but not heavy woods.
Good mix of left, right and straight holes. Not a lot of elevation available since it is their campus athletic complex, but they did use what is there. #6, #7 and #10 are some of the best.
Good mix of hole distances also, 210 - 400, and everything in between.
For the most part, the course stays away from other uses on the property. #1,2 and 8 cross a walking path, but one that is probably not used frequently. Most of back 9 are on remote parts of the property.
Probably one of the most open courses in the Triangle area. Only about 5 holes where trees are major obstacles. Several others have trees for shot shaping, but not heavy woods.
Good mix of left, right and straight holes. Not a lot of elevation available since it is their campus athletic complex, but they did use what is there. #6, #7 and #10 are some of the best.
Good mix of hole distances also, 210 - 400, and everything in between.
For the most part, the course stays away from other uses on the property. #1,2 and 8 cross a walking path, but one that is probably not used frequently. Most of back 9 are on remote parts of the property.
Cons:
MANY signs posted that the facility is for IBM staffers and families only. Kind of disappointing since its in a great location in the middle of the Triangle and it doesn't look like the outside facilities get a lot of activity. I didn't have any problems playing on the Sunday morning I was there.
The Blue tees are a rough gravel and a little tough to deal with. Had to tee beside them on a few holes.
The Blue tees are a rough gravel and a little tough to deal with. Had to tee beside them on a few holes.
Other Thoughts:
Overall a fun course to play. As I mentioned in the Pros, thinking back, and thinking about all the courses around the Triangle, this is probably the most open course. Lots of chances to bomb on holes, others that just require shot shaping and the adreniline rush of two pretty large water carries. Both of those are pretty open as well, so you don't have to carry the water, then hit a gap.
Its a fairly windy course also, especially the open holes on the back 9 (10-13) and the two water holes. Since those two go in opposite directions, you will probably have to deal with different wind conditions.
As I understand it, the course was developed over a few years, they started with tone poles (and probably just 9 holes) and just marked tees, now they have added good DISCatchers and formal tees. Next, I understand they want to put in cement tees, that will greatly enhance this course, especially from the Blue tees.
I have not played all the Corporate campus courses in the area, but this is definitely the best I have played and also the only 18 hole course. Good job Big Blue!!
Its a fairly windy course also, especially the open holes on the back 9 (10-13) and the two water holes. Since those two go in opposite directions, you will probably have to deal with different wind conditions.
As I understand it, the course was developed over a few years, they started with tone poles (and probably just 9 holes) and just marked tees, now they have added good DISCatchers and formal tees. Next, I understand they want to put in cement tees, that will greatly enhance this course, especially from the Blue tees.
I have not played all the Corporate campus courses in the area, but this is definitely the best I have played and also the only 18 hole course. Good job Big Blue!!
3
2
Best corporate campus track in the Triangle 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:May 11, 2018
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
The IBM RTP track is easily the best corporate course in the Triangle. That said, it has some room for growth and could be a great course, corporate or not.
Here are my rankings of the 5 corporate campus courses in RTP:
1. IBM - 3.0 (only 18-hole track of the bunch)
2. SAS - 2.0
3. LORD - 1.5
4. RTI - 1.5
5. Cisco - 1.0 (aka Marcom Woods)
6. Lenovo - 1.0
+ 18-hole course with nice, new baskets and three sets of tees: red (very short rec layout), blue (probably more intermediate than advanced), and black (playing the course in reverse).
+ The blue tees are long enough to give intermediate to advanced players room to really bomb drives. If you can throw 350+, you'll destroy this course.
+ Good use of the property: elevation, a pond, well-placed guardian trees, fair layout.
+ The campus is well-maintained: grass is cut, no trash anywhere, looks nice.
+ Excellent, descriptive tee signs. Navigation is pretty easy, despite some criss-crossing fairways.
+ While every hole is very wide open, there is variety in terms of distance, straight, hyzer, and anhyzer lines.
+ Good use of guardian trees and large bushes on several holes. There is also a mando hole that forces a straight drive on an otherwise wide-open hole. They've done a good job adding some technicality to an otherwise open course.
+ Nice risk/reward elements on the couple of holes near the pond. There are shorter tees for players who do not want to throw long water-carry drives.
Here are my rankings of the 5 corporate campus courses in RTP:
1. IBM - 3.0 (only 18-hole track of the bunch)
2. SAS - 2.0
3. LORD - 1.5
4. RTI - 1.5
5. Cisco - 1.0 (aka Marcom Woods)
6. Lenovo - 1.0
+ 18-hole course with nice, new baskets and three sets of tees: red (very short rec layout), blue (probably more intermediate than advanced), and black (playing the course in reverse).
+ The blue tees are long enough to give intermediate to advanced players room to really bomb drives. If you can throw 350+, you'll destroy this course.
+ Good use of the property: elevation, a pond, well-placed guardian trees, fair layout.
+ The campus is well-maintained: grass is cut, no trash anywhere, looks nice.
+ Excellent, descriptive tee signs. Navigation is pretty easy, despite some criss-crossing fairways.
+ While every hole is very wide open, there is variety in terms of distance, straight, hyzer, and anhyzer lines.
+ Good use of guardian trees and large bushes on several holes. There is also a mando hole that forces a straight drive on an otherwise wide-open hole. They've done a good job adding some technicality to an otherwise open course.
+ Nice risk/reward elements on the couple of holes near the pond. There are shorter tees for players who do not want to throw long water-carry drives.
Cons:
While I think the course is well designed, good layout, and well maintained, I do think there is some rating inflation here. In my humble opinion, this is not a 4.0-level course (i.e. one of the best courses in the Triangle). It's a good course, but not a destination course. As I said, it's a great corporate course and the employees and guests of IBM are lucky to have it, but we shouldn't get carried away. I probably had it underrated for too long. (I updated from 2.5 to 3.0.)
- Natural tees. For a long course where you can bomb drives, it stinks to have natural grass tees. Hopefully, this is something that can be added.
- Goose poop. A gaggle of geese has claimed this property. Watch your step.
- Hole 6, while a fun change of pace (slight downhill, short, tunnel shot), is way too close to a secondary road.
- This course has lots of tweener holes, in my opinion, for intermediate throwers. The red tees are way too short, so most people will play the blues. Yes, blue tees are meant for advanced players (and I'll admit, I'm not an advanced player), but the advanced players I know would tear this course up. It's just so open and doesn't throw too many challenges at that level of player. So, if the target audience is intermediate players, I go back to my assertion that there are lots of tweener holes: 325-400 foot holes that are pretty wide open. But if you can only drive it 300 feet on a good day, you're looking at legit birdie tries here and there, but lots of holes where birdie is out of reach, but par is a cinch. In other words, lots of easy pars, little scoring separation on each hole for a good drive and a bad drive. (With my review, consider that I can only throw it about 300 or so. If you can throw farther, you might like it. But then again, I think if you can throw it farther, you'll probably think this course is too easy.)
- Natural tees. For a long course where you can bomb drives, it stinks to have natural grass tees. Hopefully, this is something that can be added.
- Goose poop. A gaggle of geese has claimed this property. Watch your step.
- Hole 6, while a fun change of pace (slight downhill, short, tunnel shot), is way too close to a secondary road.
- This course has lots of tweener holes, in my opinion, for intermediate throwers. The red tees are way too short, so most people will play the blues. Yes, blue tees are meant for advanced players (and I'll admit, I'm not an advanced player), but the advanced players I know would tear this course up. It's just so open and doesn't throw too many challenges at that level of player. So, if the target audience is intermediate players, I go back to my assertion that there are lots of tweener holes: 325-400 foot holes that are pretty wide open. But if you can only drive it 300 feet on a good day, you're looking at legit birdie tries here and there, but lots of holes where birdie is out of reach, but par is a cinch. In other words, lots of easy pars, little scoring separation on each hole for a good drive and a bad drive. (With my review, consider that I can only throw it about 300 or so. If you can throw farther, you might like it. But then again, I think if you can throw it farther, you'll probably think this course is too easy.)
Other Thoughts:
If you get a chance to play with an IBMer, go for it. (NOTE: this is a private course and you are not allowed to play without permission.) This is a good course with the potential to be better (with tees). And if you like wide open layouts where you can rip, you'll really like it.
