Golf Course Review: Hunt Valley Golf Club, Phoenix, Maryland

 HUNT VALLEY GOLF CLUB

PHOENIX, MARYLAND

NOVEMBER 14, 2022

OVERVIEW

YEAR OPENED: 1970

ARCHITECT: Edmund Ault & Algie Pulley

# OF HOLES: 18

TYPE OF GRASS: Bent

LOCATION: Phoenix, Maryland

FACILITY TYPE: Private

 

As a PGA Professional, I’m fortunate to play a lot of different golf courses including private golf courses. When I started writing course reviews, I didn’t want the fact that the club was private to prevent people from reading the review. I understand that in the private club world, it’s often difficult to find good insight into the layout of a course or conditions to expect on property. So whether you’re looking to join Hunt Valley, getting ready to play as a guest with one of your friends, or you’re just like me and nerd out over different courses, this review is for you

Please keep in mind that with all my course reviews, the review is based on the condition of the course the day it was played. With this round being in the middle of November, the turf conditions are obviously not as good as they would be in the middle of summer. None the less, I believe it’s important to know how a course plays not just during peak season, but year-round as well. I believe this gives a more fair and honest assessment for what to expect during your round.

The original 18 holes at Hunt Valley were developed in the late 1960s by architect Edmund Ault and were open for play in early 1970. Around 1976, architect Algie Pulley designed an additional 9 holes. 9 of the original holes were converted into a Par 3 course / practice area while the remaining 18 holes were left as the championship course.

COURSE CONDITIONS RATINGS

FAIRWAYS: 3.5

GREENS: 3.5

BUNKERS: 4.5**

PRACTICE FACILITIES: 3.5

SCENERY: 3.5

LAYOUT: 3.5

*Scores based on 5 point rating system

**These were the best bunkers I played in the state of Maryland in 2022

When I first stepped foot on the property, my initial thought was, Woah, this course is hilly! That’s because the clubhouse sits on top of a big hill that overlooks the rest of the property. Also on top of the hill is the practice putting green, driving range, first tee, tenth tee, and eighteenth green. Once you hit your tee shot on number one, however, you venture to the bottom of the big hill where you remain for the rest of the front nine before going back up the hill at the turn. The ninth green is slightly elevated. After completing nine you venture back to the top of the hill where you tee off number ten, a downhill par 3. You will again remain down in the “valley” until you play the eighteenth hole, an uphill par three that returns you to the clubhouse

When “down in the valley” there are still some smaller hills that will place a premium on your shot-making and distance control but are manageable and not overly penalizing. The greens were quirky but no more than what you’d typically find at a private club. That of course is the benefit of being at a private club; you’re able to practice and get dialed in

One of my favorite parts of the course was the elevation changes and the use of the natural slope and terrain. Nestled into a wooded valley with creeks and slopes everywhere, the key is placing the ball in position for your next shot. With plenty of room off the tee, keeping it in play isn’t difficult but giving yourself a good angle could be. For the most part, everything is out in front of you with the exception of a couple of semi-blind shots.

Because of the age of the course (1970s) and the land that it’s built on, it’s not long but that doesn’t mean it plays easy. Many of the greens are elevated, on the small to medium size, and have subtle contours that places a premium on your approach angles. I often found myself taking 1-2 extra clubs to navigate the hills, cold weather, and gentle breeze

ACCESSIBILITY

COURSE DIFFICULTY: 4

WALKABILITY: 4

PACE OF PLAY: 4.5 hours

Because the conditions were not favorable (high of 45 Fahrenheit with overcast skies and a nippy breeze) the course played more difficult than I assume it would play in the summer. While it’s not a long course, the approach shots can be demanding. Many of the greens are elevated and in the conditions I played in, I often needed to take 1-2 extra clubs.

With the exception of the big hill the clubhouse sits on, it’s an easy course to walk. Many of the members will take a cart on the first hole, drive it down to the beginning of the fairway, take their bag off, walk the front nine, and pick the cart back up when they reach the end of the ninth fairway. They then take the cart up the hill, tee off ten, drive the cart to the green, and leave it there while they walk the back nine and pick the cart back up when they return to eighteen so they can ride it back up the hill

Overall the cart paths were tricky to drive and required a lot of confidence as you often found yourself on tight paths with steep slopes and sharp turns on the sides of hills. If you’re walking the course, the distance from green to tee isn’t too bad other than a couple of street crossings through tunnels. Otherwise, each hole connects nicely to the next one

SUMMARY

OVERALL RATING: 3.75

Overall I’m really happy with the round at Hunt Valley. Despite being cold and windy in the middle of November, I was very happy with the conditions of the course. The fairways, greens, rough, and bunker conditions were better than most courses in the area this time of year.

The club itself is well established, great for the whole family, and the course offers enough variety and challenge that you could play it daily.

Thank you to Todd Dorsey, the Hunt Valley Head Professional for setting me up with a time to play the course. It was a treat and I look forward to coming back

MOVE BETTER - PLAY BETTER

COACH BLAINE ⛳🏌️‍♂️

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