Leroy Springs runs Springfield, Fort Mill, Lancaster and Chester Golf Club and offers a 4-course membership with privileges across all of their courses. They sent this email recently advertising the waitlist to join: "If you are interested in a Four Course Membership please act promptly as the waiting list will be processed on a first come first served basis as space becomes available for our Four Course Memberships. The Leroy Springs Golf Four Course Membership waiting list is now open. There is a $500 non-refundable payment required to join the waiting list. When your spot becomes available this payment will be used to cover the first month of your dues and a Leroy Springs Golf welcome package." Here's the link to the Waiting List.

The hits are coming fast and furious now... all Leroy Springs golf courses have shut down effective today. That's Springfield, Fort Mill, Lancaster and Chester Golf Clubs.

Statement from Leroy Springs:

"Despite the precautions we have taken, many of our staff positions conduct transactions with the public which have been difficult to isolate. As a result, we have made the difficult decision to suspend operations at all four Springs Golf courses, effective the end of the day today (April 1, 2020). Maintenance operations will continue."

Got this email from Springfield Golf Club today: "We have experienced severe winter kill on several of our greens due to the past winter. We have closed the golf course until May 26th to address these issues. At that time, the back nine of the course will reopen with two temporary greens. The front nine will remain closed to allow the greens to heal and the new greens to establish.
We greatly appreciate your understanding and patience while we work diligently to restore the course to the standards we all expect."

Both Springfield and Fort Mill allow pushcarts. All over the place at Fort Mill as it is a walker's course. Fort Mill is very well layed out for walkers - not far at all between green and tee. Springfield is a bear to walk both from a distance standpoint as well as elevation. I like the front nine at Fort Mill (Donald Ross) but the back isn't all that bad and there are a few neat holes on the back. I think a dual membership will give you variety and the best of both worlds for a very reasonable price. Happy golfing!

Not walking friendly. Actually, just not friendly - greens very nonrecptive with the angles required for many shots. If you play it all the time, you probably could figure out the angles of the fairways and greens, but to play occasionally, very difficult.

is punching greens this week / running a reduced greens fee special

Verdict Ridge should be perfect in 2 weeks. You need to play this course. You will love it and remember it. Springfield is interesting: almost Augusta like, greens too fast and silly shot angles into those greens, recommended but don't expect to score well.

Yep I played Springfield on 10/18. Good course generally, but I have only played there once this year. Once they built the new clubhouse, the rates went up, and have been noncompetitive since then. I went through the same issue with Emerald Lake. I like the course, but I also have a golf budget each month. Olde Sycamore is a great course, but same issue. But, there are few courses along the fringes of the metro area that are great, and have more reasonable rates. Stonebridge in Mineral Springs is one of them. Another one is Fox Den in Troutman.

I decide to play Springfield this past Saturday and when I am driving to the course, it is raining hard. I get to the course and it is still raining, but decide to wait and see if it clears up. It lets up to a light drizzle, but I am still not sure we are going to play. Here's my issue....I go in and ask the guys in the pro shop if we stick it out and decide to play will they give us a break on the green fee's due to the rain. They say NO....CAN'T DO IT! What kind of logic is that? You can either lower your fee's by 20 dollars (and still make money) or get ZERO!!! How can that math add up?? Not only that, but they were charging 65 dollars for a course that has 1 green non-playable with a temporary pin that is un-playable? Are you kidding me? I mean, it is not like there was a waiting list of golfers, the place was ! empty. I guess I just don't understand the thinking of the area golf courses in this economy? Really DUMB people if you ask me.

Played Springfield yesterday afternoon (10/18) for the first time this year. Surprisingly not very crowded. There are just too many other courses in south Charlotte that are as good and are a better deal. Fairways were in good shape. Greens were mostly in good shape, some were a little spotty. #16 had a temporary green, which makes for a visually weird 100-yd tee shot to an unputtable ground surface. Just hit a sand wedge, take two putts and go to 17. A lot more home construction going on there. Overall still a good layout, but their green fees are noncompetitive. Same issue with nearby Regent Park, so they must be competing with each other.

Sadly, the greens at Springfield have degraded to the point where the course isn't worth the money. A shame, because all other parts of the course are fantastic.

Those damn, enormous bees have ruined at least 3 greens and about 8-9 others are in just general bad shape.

Played Springfield yesteday. Very good conditions with two items of note: 1) Those enormous bees have taken nest by burrowing into 4-5 of the greens again, same as last year. I hope they get on top of this, those buggers really damaged the greens. 2) Despite promises to the contrary, the course STILL hasn't added white/red/yellow stakes around the course. Slows down play dramatically.

Charlotte National: Continues to be in good shape off the tee, fantastic greens and decent fairways. Bunkers have 1/2 inch of nice fluffy sand that covers a crusty, angry base. (Don't follow my lead -- use the leading edge of your lob wedge and DIG IN.) Some of the toughest rough I've played this year led to my worst round of the year by far.

Springfield: Very good conditions all around, with the exception of 1-2 greens that are just starting to get chewed up (worms?). Highly recommended.

Charlotte Links: The staff continues to be some of the most ornery people around...they need attitude adjustments. 4-5 greens were recently punched and are really soft, and you need a pick-axe to get your tee in the teeing ground!

But the rest of the course is in fine shape. Seems like they're content to keep mowing down the rough -- making this course easier and easier. (Tom Doak would be horrified at what they've done to his design.) All that said, I shot my lowest-ever round of 79 (white tees...we were just having a practice round) so it's tough for me to be too angry.

Just played Springfield and from tee to green the course is in great shape. I can only remember 1 green that had some brown spots but the flag was on the opposite end so no problem. Check there website as they have some special rates, I for one will play more than once this year.

Just some comments on some of the courses I've played in the last couple of months.

Renaissance - completely disagree with the comments earlier. The only issue I had with this course is that it's sometimes hard to find a flat spot on the tee.

Emerald lake - completely agree with the last comment. Not going back.

Regent Park - played there Wednesday. Greens were a little fuzzy and slow but the course is in great shape.

Springfield - Always in great shape.

Cleghorn Plantation - made the drive and was dissapointed. Course is gorgeous. Great views, elevation changes, etc. Tees, fairways, bunkers all in great shape. Greens were terrible. They have something growing besides grass. It made them virtually unputtable and ruined the round.

Olde Sycamore - always in great shape.

River Oaks - greens were very good. Tee to green, not so much. Needs some work, Not worth the drive unless you're north of town.

Glen Oaks - I really liked this course. They seem to take a lot of pride in this course. Some really pretty holes and at least one where you tee off across a road. Worth the drive.

Deer Brook - I wasn't all that impressed but I was out there after some bad weather. I'll try it again before passing judgement.

Rock Barn - Played the Jones course and it was great as you might expect from a course that is a Senior Tour stop.

Charlotte Golf Links - It's horrible. Don't bother.

Moorseville Muni - You hear different things about hhis course but I liked it. A few of the tees needed a lot work but I thought the fairways and greens were very good. They seem to do a lot of 1st Tee/ Junior golf up there. There were lots of kids walking the course Mother's Day.

Have played Eagle Chase, Fox Den and The Warrior also. All were in good shape and worth going to play.

Playing Edgewater in the morning. I'll update my last comments about it.

A comment about Ballantyne Resort. They really aren't interested in attracting local golfers over there. It's all about packaging rounds with rooms and corporate outings.

Just some general course updates from a long weekend of a lot of golf...

Springfield is in great shape, but the practice green is rolling a heckuva lot faster than the real greens, so don't be fooled. (There's also a little bumpiness in 2-3 of the back 9 greens.) One more thing -- this course should have a lot more red stakes than what's out there. It amazes me that they spend so much money on course maintenance, but forget to put down $1 stakes. Frustrating.

Carolina Lakes is in great shape, with one exception. NOBODY seems to rake bunkers or fix ball marks here (except me and my playing partners). A shame.

Eagle Chase was in very good shape and a great value. I do think the course is a little gimmicky, though, with nearly EVERY shot on the course factoring in elevation.

One more note -- I've heard amazing things about Edgewater but have not yet played it. Several local golfers are saying "best public course in Charlotte area" so I'll have to check it out soon.

Played 9/17. Had not played Springfield in a few years. I was surprised at how the development is giving the course a true country club feel for a public course. When you play this course plan to lay-up, almost every hole has obstacles in front of greens. Fairways were great. The greens were inconsistent- some fast, some slow. Played 9 holes for $19 because of maintenance- cart path only.

Played last week and have good/bad news. Good: Fairways and bunkers. Bad: Greens -- eaten up and there's some strange looking, large bee that is digging holes in several of the greens...which means it may take a while for the greens to recover.

Played Springfield yesterday. It's in pretty good but not great shape. The greens were a little slow and rough, likely due to too much play and not mowing. I've never seen the greens there that slow. Some looked like they had recently been aerated. I'd give it a B+.

I've added Carolina Lakes Golf Club (Indian Land, SC) to the roster. I've still got to get out there and post my review, though. Let me know if you've played there and how you liked it.

Also, I received some quick updates from J.D.:

Waterford -- Greens are in good shape and lightning quick as usual. But the fairways could be a bit better, even with our drought conditions.

Carolina Lakes -- Probably one of the best courses in South Charlotte. Excellent condition. Good luck trying to hold the greens on anything more than a PW.

Emerald Lake -- Good greens, but the course was in better condition earlier in the year.

Springfield -- Fantastic condition and still one of the toughest off-the-tee courses around.

1) The Divide was in decent condition, though the greens were long and slow. I always considered this a straightforward course, but on closer inspection, there are a handful of interesting holes here. But they keep the course in fine shape -- better then CLT Links (although Links finally improved the greens).

2) Stonebridge had everyone starting on the #10 hole and I'm convinced that is a better experience than normal (despite two back-to-back Par 5s). Conditions were okay -- greens were recently punched and also showing signs of wear.

3) Springfield was in very good shape, but the greens were long, slow and bumpy. Understandable, given our current drought. Bunkers were in perfect condition.

Played Springfield in Fort Mill last week very nice price alittle high for winter. Was wondering anyone have opinions on which package to purchase the carolina trail three courses to play south over 250 for the year all you pay is cart fees or ratcliff Golf service $79.95 and play Charles meyer,Sunset Hills & paradise valley. Any other recommendations would be appreciated.

I played Charlotte Golf Links on 8/26 & agree w/ Springfield that most of the greens were in rough shape; a case of too much rain in combination with all the rounds that club attracts. Some of the greens looked like they had trouble recovering from the last aerification. Also, it looked as if the grounds crew didn't bother mowing grees that morning, but that's my opinion. Overall, I enjoyed the lay-out & would like ly come back...after some dry days.

Greens are in terrible shape. Give them a month to recover.

Great shape and good people running it! Worth a look. Best deal is with last minute golf!!!

For those visiting Charlotte this fall, please know that this summer's conditions were very hard on local area greens - very wet and humid early and very, very dry for an extended period only now starting to come back. My opinion on those asked about in earlier posts:

Springfield - tough tough, forced carries and truly unique place - just now developing real estate on/around course. Play it now as it is one of the best premium courses in the area. I played last week and greens were so so - having just been punched and suffering a bit from the bad summer - great value durring the week and unique.

Eagle Chase - kind of a long drive, I call this a bubba course. I mean it in a nice way - more like a muni look and feel it is low end but really good layout, not in great shape - almost like a mtn course with elevation change.

Olde Sycamore - Probably best greens around right now - very playable and tough layout. typical Charlotte style course in a housing development.

Regent Park - great layout and usually great shape - i have heard greens were lost earlier this year and have stayed away but will defer to earlier posters and go back on their rec.

Waterford - in Rock Hill SC - 30 min from Charlotte. A gem, and a Hale Irwin Course very fun and some unique holes (#3 has you drive thru a "chute") Good shape

Charlotte Golf Links - scottish style layout with lots of Gorse, bunkers and elevated greens - good shape and right off 485

Stonebridge - good shape for the most part and forgiving layout

Larkhaven is a muni that is not in the same tier as above but fun/fair and cheap

Verdict Ridge is TIGHT and LOTS of houses but very nice and good shape last time I played

My top 4:

Waterford
Olde Sycamore
Springfield
Charlotte Golf Links

Played Olde Sycamore today 09.22.05. It was great. Conditions were excellent. You can find a coupon in the paper here for $35 per person or at www.golfholes.com.

Played Springfield last week 09.15.05 and the greens were in very poor condition. I've always enjoyed Springfield but would not play there again until the greens have returned.

My friend and I played it this past Tuesday and the greens were coming back, not all of the way, but definitely worth the price. The rest of the course was in typical top condition. Don't forget to check lastminutegolfer, Springfield is offering a $16 weekday, 9-hole rate with cart!

GOT to play Springfield. Located a little past Waterford, this is one nice course. The clubhouse is a trailer (temporary) but the staff is friendly and knowledgable. Have seen wild turkeys the 2 times I've played it this yr. Each hole is seperate, no golfers coming the other way. Tees/fairways/greens & sand traps all good. They were surveying for 700(?) homes last time I was there so it'd be a good idea to play this course soon. Be advised - they have clocks every 4 holes or so to pace your play (4 1/2 hr round). Pay attention to the in-cart hole cards; they'll keep you out of trouble.