Golf Course Review: Turf Valley (Hialeah), Ellicott City, Maryland

 

TURF VALLEY (Hialeah)

Ellicott City, Maryland

November 30, 2022

OVERVIEW

FACILITY TYPE: Resort

YEAR OPENED: 1959

ARCHITECT: Edmund Ault

PAR: 71

LENGTH: 5,353 - 6,525 yards

USGA RATING: 68.0 - 72.0

USGA SLOPE: 124 - 138

TEE OPTIONS: 4

WEBSITE: www.turfvalley.com

PHONE: (410) 465-1504

 

With two courses on property, the Original Course, and the Hialeah Course, Turf Valley Golf Resort is one of only a handful of 36-hole facilities in Maryland. I had played the Original course three times in the past but they were all years ago and before the recent renovations. When I had an opportunity to play the Hialeah course for the first time I jumped on it.

Turf Valley is a semi-private resort, which means it has both private membership and public play. As a top 100 club fitter for 2nd Swing just down the road from Turf Valley, I often get to meet the members of Turf Valley. Over the last year, I’ve heard a lot of promising feedback about the renovations. And while I can’t say for sure what the Hialeah course was like prior to the renovations, I can tell you the conditions we experienced were a nice treat, especially for the time of year.

COURSE CONDITIONS RATINGS

FAIRWAYS: 3.5

GREENS: 4

BUNKERS: 4

SCENERY: 3

LAYOUT: 4

–

OVERALL: 3.70

At first glance, the course doesn’t seem overly difficult. With a course length of only 6,525 yards from the tips with a course rating of 72.0, it doesn’t seem like it would be that hard. Yet the undulating terrain and tight tree-lined fairways place a premium on accuracy.

The first few holes were visually intimidating. Having only played the Original Course before, the Hialeah course is quite a different golfing experience. Once I was able to get over the visual intimidation of the first few holes, I was able to better settle into the round.

Both courses at Turf Valley have recently undergone renovations to create better and more consistent conditions for players. Tee boxes were re-built or re-shaped. Some were elevated, some were lowered, and some were moved altogether. Certain sections of the cart path were re-paved to create smoother and safer driving surfaces. Greens were re-seeded and the edges were redefined on some holes, making slight changes to the size and shape of the greens. And the bunkers were renovated using the Better Billy Bunker system which improves drainage and retains ideal sand conditions.

The day we played, the fifth fairway had been aerated. At the time of playing, they had just finished aeration and the fairway was covered in thousands of core plugs. I expect this was likely cleaned up and topdressed later that day, but just keep in mind that while the course is still open, they are investing time and energy this off-season to making it even better and setting themselves up for next year.

ACCESSIBILITY

COURSE DIFFICULTY: 4

WALKABILITY: 3.5

The only reason I rated the course as a difficulty of 4 was because of the cold and breezy conditions we had which is to be expected at the end of November in Maryland. On a warm summer day I’d expect to lower the difficulty to 3.25 - 3.5

While the course certainly does have some tricky shots, especially on the opening few holes, there are plenty of holes with a lot of room that are less visually intimidating. The visual intimidation comes from the tree lined fairways and the slopes and hills the course is built on. Unlike the Original Course which is flatter and more open, the Hialeah course twists and turns through winding hills, up and over wooded knobs, and across ravines, creeks, and ponds.

This is not a course you want to try and overpower although you do want to take your opportunities when you can. Finding the fairway off the tee is essential if you want to put up a good score and avoid losing balls. 

Many of the holes have some kind of elevation change and slope. Whether you’re going up and over a hill, or along the side of one, there are few flat places on the course. This makes the course both fun and challenging as you have to position the ball properly and estimate how the elevation changes are going to affect your shots.

AMENITIES

GOLF SHOP: 4

PRACTICE FACILITIES: 4

COMFORT STATIONS: 3.5

FOOD & BEV: 4

As you’d expect from a resort facility, Turf Valley has everything you need for a restful and relaxing stay. The golf shop is fully stocked with anything you could need from balls and tees to apparel and footwear, clubs, headcovers, and more. 

There is a large putting green outside the clubhouse that acts as a great representation of what you’ll find on the course. You might be thinking, shouldn’t all practice greens represent the course? The answer is yes, but unfortunately not all practice greens do. What’s nice about the one at Turf is the size of the green and the undulation. There are plenty of sections with flatter putts with less slope and there are sections with large slopes. This gives you the ability to try a variety of different length putts with various slopes.

The driving range is moderately sized, with 35 mats and 2 grass stations for members, as well as a practice bunker. It’s larger than many ranges but not overly large and easily accessible without having to drive a great distance to get to it. If I had one complaint, it’s that they’re in need of some new mats, which I wouldn’t be surprised if they get next year. What is really nice however is that balls are included with your greens fee so be sure to get there early and warm up.

Turf Valley also has an indoor/outdoor allweather learning center on the south end of the driving range. This allows players to work with one of Turf’s PGA Professionals year round.

Once on the course, you will run into a central comfort station that you pass a couple of times. Keep in mind that the 9th hole of the Hialeah course does not return to the club house and the day we played there was no snack cart so be sure to eat before you head out and stock up on snacks before you go.

Speaking of food, Turf Valley is known for having great food at and near the resort. While the restaurant was closed when we played, I know from past experiences that there are plenty of great food options on site or within a couple of minutes of the resort. 

SUMMARY

Centrally located in the heart of Maryland, with easy access from i70, and less than an hour away from Baltimore, Washington DC, Annapolis, and Frederick, Turf Valley and this 36 hole facility is worth seeking out. With two very different courses to choose from, each round is going to be a unique and memorable experience.

After the round grab a bite to eat, relax in the spa, and get ready for the next day! If I had one piece of advice for navigating the Hialeah course, it’s find the fairway. If you need to take less than driver to keep it in play, do it! It’ll be better to have a longer shot into the green from the fairway than a shorter shot from trouble where you may not even be able to save a good score. Put your ego aside, keep it in play, and good scores will follow.

MOVE BETTER - PLAY BETTER

COACH BLAINE ⛳🏌️‍♂️

For more, visit www.TourShotGolf.com