B-Man’s Review of Emerald Lake Golf Club on 7/26/24

Emerald Lake Golf Club

Date: 7/26/24 Fri Afternoon
Overall Rating:

"Worth playing"
Conditions: Good - normal wear/tear
Pace: 4 1/2 Hours
Cost: Not entered
Username: B-Man
Profile: Golf Addict (more than once a week)
Handicap: 6
Today's Score: 85
See All Reviews by this user

I made it back to Emerald Lake, where I was a member for 2 seasons over a decade ago, and it was very nostalgic. The layout has not changed much and it felt like going back home.

First, re: the conditions: greens were in good shape with very few issues that affected play. The course was very soft due to recent storms and even pitch shots were leaving considerable marks. While there were tons of old ballmarks on each green, most were recovering and I didn’t notice any of our group’s putts bumping off line because of them. The speeds were a little slower due to the soft conditions. Only one green was noticeably different (No. 10) with some crabgrass and a few had some bare spots around the edges.

Tees have recently been aerated (I’m guessing within the last month) and so there were aeration holes and sparse grass on several of them. While it affected the aesthetics, it was easy enough to find a good spot to tee it up. Fairways and rough were lush and in good shape. The bunkers were packed mud due to the recent rains, but they seemed like they’d be fine once they dry out.

A few other notes: the fairway on No. 1 has been narrowed with the left side now mowed as rough and two trees planted in what used to be the left half of the fairway. Supposedly they did this to make the hole tougher and prevent players from cutting the corner of what used to be a short dogleg left par 4. I’m not a fan of this change as my tee shot normally would have been center cut fairway and now it settled down in rough height grass.

They did a similar thing with the fairway on No. 4, leaving grass cut to rough height about 75 yards short of the end of the original fairway. However, I was told this is a temporary change to allow new grass to fill in the fairway. In my round, I was once again center cut of what was supposed to be fairway but instead had a ball sitting down in rough.

The rest of the layout is the same as I remember it. The par 5 5th, 14th and 18th holes are still my favorites, with the 14th and 18th running along the namesake lake. The par 4 9th is still one of the more difficult holes around town.

Logistics note: the front entrance off Lawyers Rd is currently blocked due to construction of a roundabout. You have to go the back way and enter the neighborhood from Rock Hill Church Rd for a few more weeks – I’m guessing through Labor Day.

If you enjoy this layout like I do, it’s worth getting back out here to play. Just plan ahead so you can find a good deal online. Rack rates can be anywhere between $65-$80 but you can get $15-$20 less for a non-peak time.