B-Man’s Review of Monroe Country Club on 4/2/20

Monroe Country Club

Date: 4/2/20 Thu Afternoon
Overall Rating:

"Great course"
Conditions: Good - normal wear/tear
Pace: 4 Hours
Cost: $29
Username: B-Man
Profile: Avid Golfer (about once a week)
Handicap: 11
Today's Score: 78
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This review may be ever so slightly biased by the 2020 best 78 I shot, but the facts are that the greens were perfect. The Champion Bermuda grass is in great shape right now, rolling quick (but not crazy fast) and true. Tees, fairways and bunkers are all quickly getting into top season form. For the conditions and the price, this course can hardly be beat. I got my tee time online and called the pro shop when I arrived since it was closed — paid thru a card slot in the door and off I went. There was a starter regulating groups and pace of play. The putting green and driving range (which I still have never actually seen) were both closed, but no big deal. They were using foam fillers in all of the cup holes to make it easier to retrieve your ball without touching the flagstick. This works pretty well, but some putts that obviously would have fallen in will sometimes dive in and pop out. You count those as good but make sure you have common sense playing partners. Personally, I like the courses that have turned the cups upside down the best (e.g. Springfield before it closed), but at least they haven’t raised the cups (ala Ballantyne for one). This course is fairly easy once you get to know it. All of the par 5’s are reachable — #12 especially — but several of the par 4’s and almost all of the par 3’s are challenging and can even out those birdie holes. I shot my career best score of 73 here a couple of years ago. The course added a short game practice area between holes 1 and 3. Looks like you can hit 100 yard shots and in. Nice addition to help PGA Master Instructor Nick Jacobi give lessons. While the course does lack some amenities of other top courses around Charlotte, the golf itself is top notch and very inexpensive. This one may well show up in my Top 10 list.