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- "Great course"
This continues to move up my list. Everything is coming together. Course knowledge helps on a few of the tee shots. Especially 10, feet here you need to play the tee shot further right than you think it the slanted fairway will push the your drive into the trees. The greens were tiling great, but a little slow. You need to land in the correct areas or you’re three putting. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Background: First time in 5 years posting a review; 6 month's since playing following a year of health issues; and 3 years since last (recorded) play at Skybrook.
Observations: Addition of two, new restrooms on the course is a BIG improvement; trap's and bunker's conditions (previously a failing grade for the course) are very much improved with no obvious problems; and changing the Green Tee locations on some of the holes (lengthening in all cases) increased the challenge, but not unfairly, for this senior golfer.
All-in-all, I agree with, and support, B-Man's recent elevation of Skybrook in Charlotte's top 10 rankings. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Skybrook is one of my favorite layouts in the area and I've played it a ton over the years. The improvements to the whole experience with the clubhouse upgrades in particular as well as the Bermuda greens make it worth the higher price of golf in Charlotte nowadays. On this day, we were cart path only and the fairways were indeed still a bit muddy. The walking to and from the cart made for a longer round but we were still able to finish before sunset after teeing off at 1:30. The greens were all in good shape, not super fast but a good true roll helping my group to hole some decent length putts. I still struggle with the 3rd hole and the 10th hole due to the trouble on both sides of the tee shot. The closing stretch 15-18 is one of my favorites in all of Charlotte public golf. Once Spring hits and the dormant fairways and rough come back to life, Skybrook is set for a great season. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Better than good, but not perfect. Fairways are like carpet. It's just a real pretty course from the tee box. Greens were recently aerated but roll true and are not slow and not overly fast. Another week and they should be perfect. Traps had sand but many look liked they just suffered from a pretty bad storm. Rakes were out, but looks like not many are using them. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Skybrook is in great shape. Bermuda is still waking up in fairways and rough but looks like it will pop out full soon. Greens were very nice, as always - smooth, full, consistent. Course is very well maintained. Post-round lunch at the clubhouse restaurant was great. More people out, but pace of play was fine. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Nice course. Greens were in excellent shape, rolled fast and true. I like all of the elevation changes. Course was a bit wet but not unexpected and not a negative. Pace of play was good. If you don't mind all of elevation changes, would be relatively easy course to walk. I really like the layout. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Nice leisurely afternoon round at Skybrook with my Dad. We were paired with two other singles for a 3:18 tee time and finished in the dusk. Greens were fantastic. Super slick and smooth. They have really grown in after a year so they can cut em low and fast. Coupled with the slopes and the size of the greens, they make this course much more difficult than it used to be. Now one of the toughest public course tracks in Charlotte, in my opinion. Rough was not bad, very playable, in stark contrast to my round at Ballantyne (see my review from last week). Like most courses, the lack of bunker rakes and all the stormy rains have left the sand traps in rough shape - I nearly got swallowed up by the quicksand bunker on #2. With lift, smooth and place rules, though, you can usually find a playable spot. The staff here is great and take feedback to heart. This course should be in your regular rotation. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
They punched about two weeks ago (Monday following the 4th of July) and greens have recovered nicely so far. They had top dressing, and holes were still affecting putts but not as bad as I would have imagined. They held the club Member-Member there this weekend, so they have the course in pristine conditions. the only issue I have run across is the bunkers still arent draining great, and several were closer to hardpan than they were to sand. That is going to be in the next phase of renovations going on at this place (including the range and working to get some better short game practice area). Overall, worth it if you can get a tee time. Read The Review
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- "Best of the best"
Skybrook is BACK! This course is in perfect condition. The new greens look great (Little fast/tough to figure out as first, evidenced by my +7 start on first 5 holes with several 3-putts) but once you get them figured out they roll smooth and true. Just cut everything in half and hit less club in.
There is a reason it's virtually impossible to find a weekend tee-time here without booking well in advance. Read The Review
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- "Best of the best"
Data on Skybrook is very much out of date. Troon is no longer involved with the course. It was purchased by original owner together with Pinnacle Golf. Brand New Bermuda Greens, roll exceptionally well. Tremendous amount of work done to entire course including tee boxes fairways, bunkers, drainage systems etc. Redesigned clubhouse. Homeowners are contributing annually towards maintenance. Right now you would be hard pressed to find a course in better condition, paying attention to detail. You won’t regret playing here. Staff is friendly and accommodating, great Ranger their too! Read The Review
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- "Great course"
What a great surprise. First experience at Skybrook. Superb layout. Course is in fantastic condition and very obviously well-maintained, tee-to-green, including rough and sand. Greens putted perfectly, with consistent speed throughout the day. Well organized operations during coronavirus, and really good pace of play. Read The Review
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- "Best of the best"
First time I have played in a very long time. The course has matured into an unbelievable course. The staff took great care of us. The condition on the golf course was country club condition. Lush fairway, greens were very true and quick. If you haven't played it before or played over fifteen years ago you definitely should Read The Review
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- "Best of the best"
First time playing Skybrook in a few years. Upgrades to the clubhouse look great. Completely new look in the bar/dining area. Money well spent. I’m nitpicking here but some of the par 3 tee boxes could be better but with the amount of play right now and being early April it’s almost expected. Fairways were well cut and in really good condition especially for this time of year. Greens looked great, they were rolling true but not overly fast. Overall had a great experience out there. Holes 15-18 are a lot of fun and great way to close out a round of golf. Staff was extremely nice and helpful. It’s definitely worth the trip and I know we will be back soon. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
My "home" course, as I play it more than any other course by far. The course is still in great shape. The tee boxes still show some overseeding from winter, so they are green and plush. Bunkers are good (a few fairway bunkers that arent in play off the tee still hold standing water i.e. 11 fairway). Fairways have spots that are getting patches of weed grass, but nothing that is unplayable. More of an eye sore than anything. Greens were baked out and FAST Sunday. Tee times are spaced out every 20 minutes, everyone in their own cart unless you live in the same household, walking is allowed, grill/bar is open for takeout only, and pro shop is open but they are discouraging interaction by putting the card chip further out from the counter. Range is still shut down, but chipping green and putting green were "open" with no flags out. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
New greens are in great shape. Some of the tee boxes and a few of the fairways were a little thin but overall the course was in good shape. 2 triple bogies ruined an otherwise decent round. I blame them on the clubs or the ball, or the nice sunny weather, anything but me. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Got invited to see the new Skybrook -- it just reopened last week after closing for renovations for 2 months. The new Bermuda greens are awesome -- I was very impressed with how they rolled and how receptive they were. With so many Charlotte courses going Bermuda, I've gotten used to the nuances of the grass and these were excellent. They were surprisingly quick too for new greens. They are still growing in the collar Bermuda which will be slightly different than the greens. It should be a nice touch. With 2 months to grow in the new greens, the staff also resodded and fixed some fairway issues. Holes #1 and #6 were typically cart path only but are now good to go. No changes to the layout or the contours of the greens. So it's still the same course, which I've always liked. The clubhouse renovations included a redo of the restaurant with all new big screen TV's and also outdoor patio seating. These changes should make it a great place to hang out after your round. Skybrook is well on its way back to the Top 10 public courses in Charlotte. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Really very good conditions, but not perfect. Some spots in the fairways that didn't make much, if any, difference. I think an earlier review mentioned a lack of sand? Traps were well sanded and full. Greens were in fantastic shape as were teeboxes. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Skybrook is coming around. Definitely putting in the effort to make the course great. They are suffering from the same issues as most public courses right now, thin fairways, dead in some spots like on 1 fairway and 5 fairway, but the greens are really good, no poa and rolling true. The fast pace of play may have had to do with sneaking out on Mother's Day morning and the 95 degree forecast, but Skybrook usually isn't a slow round. They look to be completely over their bunker issues of the past, I was in 2 or 3 and felt very confident in the sand each time. They are trying (watering diligently during the day) and that's all you can ask for when searching for a public course in Charlotte right now. Not many others can say the same. Should be in really good shape this summer. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Played here this past weekend in a charity event, going to give it a 3.5 stars but trending towards 4, greens are starting to come around and should be pretty good with some isolated issues in the next week or two with some warmer weather, little bumpy but still played really well. Fairways still pretty patchy and need the Bermuda to grow thru, could stand a few weeks of 80 degree weather! Tee boxes pretty decent overall. They have done a huge renovation to the bunkers and most are in great shape now, the course has isolated issues but I expect this place to be superb before the year is out if they keep working on it at the rate they are going! Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
The layout is still a favorite of mine, pretty much a mountain course with elevation changes on almost every hole. The course conditions were okay and certainly playable. However, most of the fairways have serious issues that remind me of the winterkill that Rocky River suffered a couple of years ago. The impacted fairways (I lost track but it's easily half) are basically bare dirt with no grass. In some cases, we gave ourselves a better lie on the few blades of grass we could find near our ball but that was a challenge. I didn't get a chance to chat with the pro shop about what was going on. Greens were good. Speed was good even though they were just a bit bumpy. I didn't notice any major problems so I'd expect the greens will be in good seasonal form very soon. The bunker issues of the past 2 years seem to be resolved. I didn't have a problem with any of the ones I visited. Tee boxes were mixed but no issues affected play. It's just those fairways -- they are an eyesore and you're better off being just off in the rough. Also, if anyone ever figures out how best to play the tee shot on #10, I'm all ears. I despise that hole! Read The Review
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- "Average"
Good news and bad news. The good news is that, now, carts are permitted on Nos. 1 and 6 holes where such access was desperately needed. The bad news is that the course renovation/rejuvenation has apparently stalled, and several issues that had been addressed earlier in the year have regressed somewhat. The biggest disappointment is that there has been no improvement in any of the bunkers contrary to what I was led to believe was in the offing back in June - no evidence of any work whatsoever - and the only improvement was no standing water (but we haven't had rain for over a week, so that's not saying much). Several greens were stressed either with bare spots and/or mower scrapes, and the ball didn't roll exactly true. The fairways were good-to-average, but my biggest complaint remains: too many uneven lies. Finally, I was playing as a single, and soon ran up against another single who was playing behind a foursome which was playing behind a fivesome! This made for an extremely slow second nine that ruined any playing rhythm, or momentum. I likely will not play Skybrook again until next year in order to give the new management one, last chance to make the course worthwhile. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
My first time back at Skybrook in over a year. I use to play here more often (5-10 years ago) when it was one of my favorites. I just really like the layout. Outside of Verdict Ridge, no course plays more like a mountain course than this one with its dramatic elevation changes and rolling hills. I had a nice chat with the superintendent, Dino Psaroudis, before the round. He's been at Skybrook since last Fall and has helped bring the course back from the brink. Conditions today were good with a few notable exceptions. The bent grass greens rolled really well and despite lots of ball marks from frequent play there were no other issues on the putting surfaces. Tees and fairways were in good shape too. The further you get off the fairway, the more weeds and brush take over. So rough lies can be dicey. The biggest issue right now is the bunkers and as my father has noted in his previous reviews (aimtobreak80), they are working on that. We basically played bunkers as a free drop outside the bunker. At a minimum, play them as rake and place. Most were overwhelmed with water or were dried up riverbed quality. Bunkers aside, the course is still a great layout and once again I enjoyed the closing 4-hole stretch that I think is among the best. I'll be back soon. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
I last played Skybrook about 9 months ago when it had seriously deteriorated, and was in ghastly shape. I had only had one golf outing so far this year, and decided to give the course a look, because it was under new management and I wanted to see what changes, if any, may have resulted. I am glad that I did. I entered the community from the eastern end, and had a good view of the No. 12 fairway and green – they both appeared lush and green from the road. The parking lot at the clubhouse was moderately full, which was somewhat reassuring, because it suggested that a lot of golfers were playing the course and conditions couldn’t be as bad as they had been in August of 2016. Checking in, I discovered that new management wasn’t exactly entirely “new”, because a former teaching pro was in the partnership that had taken over in February, and we talked at some length about what had already been done to restore the course, and what was in the immediate, future plans to continue the restoration. Those plans include a complete overhaul of the 61 bunkers on the course which were in very poor condition (and, he honestly and readily admitted, had been a big problem throughout the 5 years that I have played the course.) The plans are to start with the green-side bunkers, excavating to remove the clay that currently prevents drainage, and installing what I refer to as “the fluffy white sand” that (in my experience) is sadly absent from most public-access courses in the Charlotte area. He estimates that it may take a month-and-a-half to complete the process. My estimate, maybe naïve, is that it is such a major undertaking, it may not be completed before the end of this golfing season. Now to the playing experience – the green fee was $25 because they had just aerated the greens the day before, but that turned out to be a bonus because they had only punched small holes, and I noticed NO EFFECT upon putting (balls rolled smoothly and true). The fairways and tee bases were in good condition, although there were a few wet areas due to the recent rainstorms. The bunkers are a total disaster (just as we had discussed) and are in critical need of the planned attention. Probably 50% of the bunkers had standing water in them, and those that didn’t were severely caked and eroded (One bunker on the No. 6 hole contributed to a lost ball – I never saw the ball enter the bunker, but I never found the ball outside of it either, and repeated dredging with a rake produced no positive results, but the water was so deep I could not reach the center of the bunker). I read the most recent review by “dad4204” before posting this, and concur with his opinion. The course has rebounded from the disaster of last year. I hope that the bunker restoration will be completed in the foreseeable future. If it is, I believe that Skybrook could be one of the better courses in the Charlotte area. It is limited by topography, and will always have drainage problems, uneven lies, and cart-restricted holes, but good fairways, greens, and bunkers can make for a very enjoyable round in spite of these limitations. I wish them luck. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
I hadn't ever played here, but will definately be coming back. Tees good, fairways OK but coming in, greens really good. I couldn't read them, but they putted really true. Not too fast. It is a difficult up and down course and you don't want to stray away from the fairway, but some are really wide. Several blind tee shots. I liked it a lot. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
I moved to the Charlotte area about two years ago, so maybe my fascination with this course is based on the fact that I didn't play it back when it was "in its prime" according to several people I have spoken to. With that said, I think this course is playing great right now. There are spots where if you miss the fairway, the rough will eat your ball up and you could lose it (we found 15 balls in the rough on 5). The greens are fast and true, and soft to hold approaches. The only knock I have is that its nearly impossible to get spin around the green because of the bent grass greens being so slick. I would recommend anyone play it right now. For the price, I don't know many in the area that are more fun to play. Read The Review
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- "Below average"
“What happened?”
Those of you familiar with the movie, ‘The Sand Pebbles’, will remember these to be the dying words of the protagonist, played by Steve McQueen. In the movie, the character, Jake, has just suffered a mortal gunshot wound while effecting the rescue of a Christian missionary from the hands of Chinese Communists, and has sat down with his back to a wall as the full realization of the events sinks in. He repeats that phrase once more, in disbelief, just before a second bullet, the coup de grace, ends his life (and the movie).
But that is what I kept repeating to myself when playing the Skybrook course – WHAT HAPPENED??? I had seen the reviews posted in July, and couldn’t believe the course could be in as poor condition as was described. Sad to say (very sad for me, personally, because I had repeatedly praised the improvements and general course conditions during the previous year), it is true! I found the course conditions to be almost exactly as described by MrSlims in his review posted about a month ago. Even the practice green had several, large bare spots, and it is probably a tie between No. 1 (estimated at most to be 40% “green”) and No. 12 (of which I have photos) as to which of the greens is the worst. Another poor condition reported in July was the lack of mowing, in particular, the rough. The same was still true, today, and indeed, it caused a lost ball when I was unable to find mine in the “short” rough around the greenside bunkers on the Par 5 No. 4 hole. The copious amounts of lengthy, cut, (dead) grass around some of the tees are testimony to infrequent mowing. I did see one mower in operation during my round, but the amount of wet clumps in the fairways made me wonder if it weren’t a rare appearance. Finally, we have had sporadic, heavy rainfall in the area recently, and it has taken its toll on the bunkers – generally wet, some standing water, and a few bunkers that were more gravel than sand.
I have reached out to the course Superintendent for his explanation, or reasons, for the sorry conditions of the course, and what steps are being taken to restore it. I will post any comments here when I receive them. The bottom line – I cannot recommend playing the course at this time. Sad, so very sad, compared to previous days. Read The Review
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- "Never going back"
Played here Saturday 7/30. While there have been improvements since new ownership, it is presently in terrible shape. STAY AWAY. They are in the process of losing their greens with some sort of fungus. Most greens are over 40% ruined and brown. Fairways are decent but lots of weeds. DONT GO OFF THE FAIRWAY. Rough was over 12-inches deep in some places. Granted it has apparently rained but it appears they have not cut the rough in a LONG TIME. Hit a ball in the rough and say goodbye. It was hard to understand what exactly is going on there today. Plenty of people standing around and even one guy cleaning the windows to the clubhouse. Put that guy on a mower and get that grass cut!! One green had a tractor on the side of it without a driver just idling with the fan blowing on the green. Nice effort but that green was already gone. Put some mower blades on that tractor and get cutting. Went to the mens room which feels like a sauna - either they had the AC off or it was broken. Seems they have some sort of black mold growing in the vents in there as well (?). At least six of the guys I played with said they will not be back for years. Very disappointing. On the bright side, the beer is cold. Hope this helps some of you out there. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
I hadn't played this course up to this point of the season, and noticed that no one else had posted a review in a very long time, so decided to give it a try. Talked to the course superintendent before playing, and he indicated that it would be dry because of the mini-drought in spite of watering every evening. Truth be told, other than the actual greens being a little faster than the practice green, and the tees being a little narrow (probably to restrict wear and tear?) I didn't notice any detriment to play - the fairways were green and didn't obviously contribute to a disturbing number of errant shots. The latter may have more to do with my, one real grievance with the course - an abundance of uneven lies, even in the middle of the fairways. I realize that there is not much that can be done to address this situation at this point in time, and any alterations would likely change the course's "persona" and challenge. However, personally, it does become a little tiresome and irritating to have to constantly deal with it. Beyond this, minor pet peeve, I heartily recommend the course as a good golfing value. The greens fee ($30 Senior rate, $39 standard) includes a lunch from their "Turn Menu" - sandwich, chips, and fountain drink (posted $7.50 value, and they don't skimp on the amount of sandwich meat). I challenge anyone to find a better deal in the Charlotte area. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Course is in great shape. Wasn't too water logged considering the amount of rain it had gotten in recent days. Only issue was the slow 4-some playing in front of us causing us to wait a while between shots.
The course is great, and greens are starting to play true. Look forward to playing here more this summer. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Skybrook continues to provide good/great golfing value, so I encourage you to take advantage of the next bit of unusually good winter weather and play this course. Their Winter Rate Special for Seniors was $30, and included a sandwich/chips/soda lunch (Normally $7.50 over the counter base rate, and the turkey-cheese sandwich was of generous proportion with lettuce and tomato included) and complimentary replay. If you're not into all of that, there apparently are even lower rates available through on-line booking (or so I was told by a couple of Fort Mill residents whom I caught up with on the course and finished the round). The course was a little wet in places - 90 degree rule - because of rain on Monday, and that did affect a few iron shots but, all-in-all, the course was in good condition. If you are tempted by anything contained herein, you may wish to check out their Christmas Eve Special - temperatures are forecast in the 70's (with a chance of rain)! Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Another week - another Wednesday Marathon at Skybrook, which continues to be a good golfing value. Course conditions were not quite as good as last week due to the lack of recent rainfall -fairways were obviously dry, but nowhere near parched - but tee bases and greens were in excellent condition. Discussions with course personnel confirmed that the 10 days-to-two weeks of rainfall at the beginning of the month had really helped to combat the effects of the summer drought. I was told that the recent low, overnight temperatures are beneficial to the greens, and that must be true, because I found them to be unusually fast even with a heavy dew upon them at 9 AM in the morning (my scoring suffered because I never figured out the right combination of speed and break). I voiced my personal wish that the bunkers be made better/fluffier, and was told that such is on the "to do" list, but that it would require a significantly large investment to improve drainage, and is currently considered as a lower priority by the managing partners. In the meantime, stop-gap measures will be taken during the winter season to address the issue. Perhaps an increase in the number of players enjoying the course (I had the course virtually to myself in the morning) might sway senior management to elevate that priority, and Skybrook can evolve from a good, challenging golf course to a great one. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
This is probably the highest rating I've given a golf course considering the price I paid. Tee to green this course was in awesome shape. The last I played this course was over 3 years ago and the Trail had almost but killed it. I really liked the concept of their dynamic pricing where they price the slower moving tee times less than the sought after ones.
Tee boxes were lush and well maintained, bunkers were raked and were in decent shape and the fairways were very evenly mowed and maintained. There was actual rough so it made the course a bit challenging. The best part about the course was the condition of the greens. There were in immaculate shape except in areas under repair and probably had the the most true roll I've seen in the area. I would definitely recommend playing here. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
I think the B-Man needs one more rating category for the course conditions - I don't deal in superlatives, and am uncomfortable in giving the "perfect" rating to anything, but Skybrook's current course conditions are certainly better than "good", if not truly perfect. First of all, I must, once again, highly recommend the 'Wednesday Marathon' fee special that allows one to play essentially all day for just $45 - I played one round in the morning, stopped for a leisurely lunch in the clubhouse, and played a second round in the afternoon - that is a very good golfing value. The course apparently escaped flooding from the recent, extended, heavy rainfall, and possibly benefited from it to overcome the summer drought conditions. To put it succinctly, the tee bases are lush and green, the fairways good and green, and the putting greens are not only "green", but almost carpet-like in texture and uniformity. I would recommend to anyone who wants to enjoy the best course conditions that Skybrook has had in (my) 3-year experience to rush out and take advantage of the current situation. Read The Review
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- "Below average"
how sad - this is a potentially beautiful course with a lot of potential - neat layout with fun elevation changes - a Carolina Trails course that continues to be neglected - Troon folks managing the course are very nice and professional, which suggests they are being starved by the private equity owners and can't do routine upkeep - weeds all over the place - just depressing - lots of the fairways just plain dirt - did not see one maintenance person the entire round - I had high hopes this place would come back, but I don't see much difference between the old owner that attracted such negative attention and the new owners who seem to be neglecting the course - dudes, just send somebody out with a weedeater and some clippers - driving range ball dispenser surrounded by weeds - again my guess is that the owners are running this place on the mega-cheap, and running it into the group - can't imagine the folks in this subdivision are happy about having a course with such potential being a garden of weeds, weeds, and more weeds Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
The main reason for posting this review is to advise potential players to wait at least one more day to play Skybrook. The course really suffered from 2+ inches of rain on Sunday, and several heavy showers the following Monday, and play is "cart path only" and likely to continue that way through Thursday. There were isolated fairways with standing water, and almost all of the bunkers had water in them. The greens were fine, and seem to have grown in fully following the aeration several weeks ago. If you are up to the extra walking necessitated by the cart path only restriction, then go ahead and enjoy, but it was very tiring while taking advantage of their Marathon Wednesday special. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Mission accomplished! I broke 80 on the afternoon round of Skybrook's Marathon Wednesday wherein one can play all day for $45. At my age, 36 holes is sufficient, and I still consider the special a good golfing value. The greens have just about grown in from the aeration on March 16 with some holes still noticeable, but the ball rolled pretty evenly on every green, and the speed was consistent throughout. The fairways are still brown, but were in good condition otherwise. I believe the bunkers still require some work, because each and every one I encountered was damp (I realize that it rained Monday morning, but the sun came out by noon, and Tuesday was sunny all day, so I believe that should have been sufficient to dry out the sand by Wednesday.) I get the impression that poor drainage may be the issue, but it might also help to replace the existing sand-clay mix with the white, fluffy sand extant at many other local courses. Still and all, Skybrook is a challenging course that can provide enjoyable rounds at economical prices. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
The sunshine and temperatures were great, the wind a little less so. The fairways are still Winter-brown, and the one bunker that I found was damp/wet, but I somehow managed a very good shot to have the opportunity of a sand-save. Such was not to be the case because of the greens - they had been aerated yesterday and were covered with sand. I am not complaining - I had been warned when calling to make the tee time, and was intent upon playing regardless of course conditions - I just want to alert potential players for whom it might be an important consideration. The greens fee was a good bargain because it included a drink and hot dog when making the turn. Today's weather was a very welcomed foretaste of things to come (Spring officially begins on Friday). Read The Review
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- "Great course"
I chose a 9 AM tee time thinking that the sun would have been up for 2 hours warming things up for play - WRONG! The temperature was in the high 30's, and there was considerable frost on all of the fairways when I teed off. However, the course conditions were good in spite of the weather (excepting bunkers - see earlier reviews). The greens rolled very true - I made five putts from outside of 10 feet including a 36-footer to score my first birdie ever on the Par 4 9th hole, a much more difficult hole than even its No. 7 handicap would suggest. The Winter Rate green's fee of $35 includes a complimentary replay option which makes it a very good golfing value. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Skybrook management continues to improve the overall course condition, however the bunkers are not all in equally good condition - some lacking fluffy sand and good drainage. The greens were very fast - early on I decided that, under the conditions of starting temperatures in the 40's, what I assumed to be dew on the greens was actually ice! I was later informed that the greens had been intentionally speeded up for the Member-Guest Tournament the previous weekend. Hopefully, they will return to "normal" in the next week or so, but be aware and be advised! I still consider the Marathon Wednesday special (all day for $45) a good, golfing value, and easily completed 36 holes in less than 8 hours time including a sit-down lunch break. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
The greens have really bounced back here. There might be 2 greens that are not perfect. I love this course in the fact that the layout isn't bad, troon does a wonderful job, bent grass greens are great and cut low, and its not that far from charlotte. No issues in the bunkers. Fairways are coming back, but could be a little better. Can't beat it for $20 Read The Review
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- "Average"
Maybe a lesser rating due to all the fairways just being plugged. Even then, better than Carolina Trail days. It will take a while to get this course back to the shape it should be in. Greens were in pretty good shape for the most part, but many had large patches of sandy issues, one a 3 inch deep, 3' x 3' or so hole. Some teeboxes were just crabgrass, but it does look like they have been working on the weeds. Certainly working on traps with many showing new samd and well-raked, but others just mud and dirt. What was strange was that there would be a nicely re-done trap next to a trap that was a total wasteland hole after hole. Perhaps they are going to fill some traps in? Otherwise, why not have entire holes fixed?
Like the layout and can see improvement, but not there just yet. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Skybrook is really coming around since Troon took over! I played this course a month agao and the greens had some issues. I didn't think they would come back as they were bent grass and its the summer, but damn was I wrong. The greens are in damn good shape for being bent and in August. There were a couple fairway spots that werent as thick in grass, but I really don't think that was due to neglect, but the amount of rain we have had. Also, the bunkers were horrible. Though again it rained like a mofo on Thursday and Friday. They said due to the rain play lift clean and place in the bunkers. Overall this course is coming back and the cart people also will clean your clubs and take back the cart at the end of the round. Kudos to you Troon and Skybrook! Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Don't be shocked at the green fee - $45 was for a "Marathon Wednesday" (play all day) promotional offering. My goal was to do just that - play all day - so I started at 7:20 in the morning. I learned many things from this experience, some of which are: (1) my stamina is not what it once was, and I could only make it through 45 holes (2) as the B-Man has recently noted, Skybrook is a very challenging course, and (3) the new management appears to be intent upon making this a first rate course, paying attention to many details both on and off the course. Course conditions were near excellent. Greens started out rather slow due to a heavy dew, but quickly dried and became quite fast - balls rolled very true under both conditions. Almost all of the bunkers (at least the several that I visited) were fluffy sand, but too many "golfers" (I use that term loosely and begrudgingly)that preceded me neglected to rake them. The one, poor course condition was that about half of the fairways had been recently aerated (primarily on the back nine), and I was frequently penalized, rather than being rewarded, for hitting the fairway. I stopped for lunch after 27 holes, and enjoyed a tasty sandwich platter with chips and fountain drink for $7.50. I heartily recommend the course and promotion to all who are interested in a good golfing value. I just hope that not many will take advantage of it such that it will become difficult for me to get a tee time. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Skybrook was fantastic! I absolutely love the layout here reminds me out playing a mountain course with many elevation changes. The course conditions were a lot better than i expected. Tee boxes were great, fairways great, bunkers good but need more sand in a few, greens looking good but you can see a few summer stress marks. The maintenance crew was clearing out a lot of areas around the course while i was playing and the place is really coming back to its glory! This course is a must play! Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Course is really starting to come around. Fairways and rough were excellent. Bunkers looked great, but had standing water from the storm the night before (on a dry day they would be perfect). Greens had a few burnt out spots but much improved from what it was like a year ago. For $20 on a Sunday it was a fantastic deal. New management is doing a great job. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Course was in pretty good shape, but the pace of play is ridiculous. I had not been here in awhile and I suddenly remembered why. Took about 5 1/2 hours to play with three groups on a hole most of the day. Still, a decent course but not worth the regular $60 price. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
My first time back at Skybrook in probably 5 years or more. Man, it was nice to be back. I used to love this course and it's great to see it come back into its glory. I was very happily surprised to see the greens in great shape. There were a few with a couple of bad spots, almost like washed out mud holes, but they were sparse enough and the greens big enough where it didn't come into play. A few bunkers could use some more sand (I saw fringes of the plastic lining showing through on some edges), but overall tees, fairways and bunkers were in good shape. We got a $35 twilight rate so that wasn't bad. I did look ahead and see weekend morning tee times in the $60+ range. It's not quite in that price territory yet, condition-wise (very few local courses are). So make sure you get a deal (Clickit gives you a $49 weekend rate). This is a great layout with lots of challenges. I still love the closing stretch of holes. I still despise the 9th and 10th holes (mostly because of my performance on them). This course is now back in my rotation. Go check it out. Read The Review
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- "Below average"
I think this course is a year or two away from getting back in shape. The course was obviously neglected during Carolina Trail ownership, which caused all of these issues. The course is very, very dry, the greens look to have a fungus on them and they are extremely bumpy. The layout of the course is nice and there are some great views, but in order to be worth $40-60 to play here on the weekends, Troon is going to need to improve conditions considerably. Still worth playing the course if you have not, but not worth anything over $40. Read The Review
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- "Below average"
Hadn't played here in a few years but based on some of the reviews I've seen I thought I'd give it a another try. It's pretty obvious that the course has seen some major neglect but it's also clear that the new Mgt. team is working on it. Everything was "just ok" except the greens which are truly horrible... patchy, bumpy, & basically unputtable.
They are candidates for a Bermuda make over SOON.
Bottom line: if you can play here for under $40 then go for it otherwise... not so much. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Skybrook I believe will be back to its old “BEST” self this time next year, but it’s worth playing now simply because of the lay out. I was one of the original 100 or so members of Skybrook when it first opened, and remained a member for almost 4 years. I left a little bit before Carolina trail took over, and when I went back about 2 years ago, it was in horrible shape. In the month or so Troon has owned the course it’s made some big improvements. Fairways and Tee boxes are about a 7 out of 10, while the greens hovered between a 4-6, some spots and a little thin in places. Thankfully I can say I did not get a up close look at any bunkers that day, but from a far they looked in very good shape. Hope more of us get out to play to support a great local course, and depending on the summer and how much rain we get we should see a steady improvement. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Skybrook is coming around! The layout is fun and for the back nine seems a little more challenging than the front. Tee boxes, fairways, and sand were all in decent shape. Only problem is the greens are bumpy. THis isn't the new ownerships fault as they inherited a lot worse. Also, i don't see the greens really coming back to fall due to them being bent grass and I am expecting a hot summer. THough, greenskeepers were out watering holes between big gaps of groups. Unless these greenskeeprs are awesome.
Workers at the course pick you up from your car in the cart and drop you back off which makes it feel like a real nice course Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
This course is in a lot better shape then the last time I played here. Greens have small spots which caused putts to be bumpy. No issues with any of the tee boxes, many of them were in good condition. Fairways are still brown but they are playable. Teeoff.com had a special for 28.00 and that morning I received a 15% off coupon in my email so for the price of the round it was well worth it. Overall the course is probably about a month away from being back to great shape. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Will just say this course has made some great strides. Greens have gotten better since I played in Nov. Casper Golf has turned this golf course around. If it continues like this Skybrook will the place to play again...Fairways still brown and not in too bad of shape considering all the weather we got this winter. Also they have some great membership deals going on, I'm really thinking about taking advantage of them since the course is close to my house. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
First time out in awhile. Skybrook is near my house so I decided to try it. For how much trouble it was it and the reviews it got in the past, I wasn't expecting much. I'll start with the greens. They do roll true and were receptive. There are some dead spots on the greens but with some TLC watch out. Fairway were brown due to the Bermuda which was expected since everything but the greens are Bermuda. The only complaint about the fairways was all the leaves on there. Rough wasn't to bad, bunkers had sand and most were raked. I got to talk to an employee and he said that there are 3 bids for ownership and all 3 seem to be a major upgrade over the previous owner. Overall if they can put a few more bucks into that place, skybrook could return to a top notch course. I would go back there again and play. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Skybrook deserves a current review, and the news is good - the course has improved tremendously this year, and there are excellent deals available on GolfNow and EZLinks etc. The main thing - the greens get an A, most were perfect, 3-4 had small dead spots but they all rolled true. As per a recent complaint about the thick unmowed rough - today the rough is a decent height and you can find your ball, still better to hit the fairway of course. Love the layout, first class clubhouse. Kudos to the new management team! Take advantage now before the secret is out, while rates are good, fall weather is mild, and the crowds are staying away. I hope to see the rest of the Carolina Trail courses show similar improvement, although I understand Skybrook and Charlotte Golf Links are the only ones currently under new management. Read The Review
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- "Average"
A difficult review to write. Basically, the course was not in nearly as bad shape as I expected. I haven't played in over 2 years, because I have a policy of not playing Carolina Trail courses (for reasons I assume are obvious). Since Skybrook is no longer a Carolina Trail course (still in receivership according to the clubhouse) and I have always loved the layout, I played 9 holes with my son. Teeboxes and fairways in good shape, bunkers all had sand and were raked. Rough cut, but still very difficult to find your ball (it was always like this at Skybrook, even before the decline). The greens were not good, but for the most part were playable - it looked as though they were carefully placing the pins in the best areas of the greens. There were other signs of neglect - piles of dirt, some cart paths in poor repair, but all in all, for the rates and deals now available, I will consider playing occasionally. At one time, I considered Skybrook the best daily fee course in Charlotte; hopefully, with new ownership, they can at least get back into that discussion. Read The Review
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- "Average"
The course is reportedly under new management, and is offering limited time specials on green fees, so I gave it another shot. The fairways were a little sparse, probably due to the lack of rain in the past two weeks, or more. The rough was recently cut (in fact, still in progress during the round), and clumps of cuttings were widely distributed. Even after cutting, the rough was thick and VERY penalizing, severely grabbing the club head and making it quite difficult to advance the ball. This was true even when in the rough immediately adjacent to the fairway. The greens were ratty, and heavily dimpled/pockmarked due to slow/poor recovery from aeration. I'm not sure that the conditions were solely responsible for poor putting (only two 1-putt greens and four 3-putt greens), but I will claim it as an excuse. A few of the bunkers appeared to be more hard, dry clay as opposed to fluffy sand. The course is in obvious need of extensive TLC for grounds keeping, and I hope the new management is offering the fee specials to encourage play and build cash reserves to be applied thereto. The recent, widely reported financial problems have obviously cut patronage - I only saw one twosome playing in addition to myself. However, I can't complain about the value ($25 senior special), and would encourage anyone for whom inexpensive greens fees are a priority to consider playing the course. Consider it to be an "investment" in the future of local golf. Read The Review
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- "Never going back"
Sad what has happened to Skybrook. From one of the better public courses in town to a total goat track. They aren't maintaining their bunkers, AT ALL. They have bushes growing in greenside bunkers. The carts died on the 18th hole. They pretty much aren't mowing anything but the fairways and greens. Multiple people who had not been to the course before commented this it was the worst golf course they had ever played. Read The Review
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- "Below average"
The course seemed to be in awful shape. Skybrook used to be one of my favorite courses. It was terrible. I'm not sure why, but it felt like I was playing in a cow pasture. I'm not the best golfer in the world, but I'm also not playing on the PGA Tour. I don't want to lose golf balls that are hit 5-10 yards off the fairway. By the end of the day I was sick of searching through golf balls in the long thick rough. Read The Review
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- "Below average"
We used to enjoy playing at Skybrook. Unfortunately it has slowly become as bad as the other Carolina Trail courses. The fairways were decent and that was the best part. Tee boxes have spotty coverage and what grass there was was not mowed. The rough is mostly weeds and hasn't been mowed in weeks. Very few bunkers had any real sand in them. Basically the bunkers were big holes in the ground and the dirt was scraped up a little. Some bunkers still have not been raked and are washed out from rain last weekend. The greens were terrible. Lot of bumps, holes, and even a few craters in them. There were no smooth rolling putts today. All putts bumped, bounced, and were knocked off line. Only reason we didn't leave and go home early was because of the potential of our wives saying "since you're home early why don't you cut the grass or go to the mall with me". Should have come home and got the grass cut and out of the way. Read The Review
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- "Average"
This is my first review and I have gotten so much from this website that I have decided to pass the buck and try to help others as well.
I played Skybrook because they had open availability for $29. It was a good deal. I got there at 11:20 for and 11:53 tee time. The course was quiet and I got right out as a single. We started on the back and the course was obviously, due to the season, quite dormant. The greens had just been punched and there wasn't much sand filling in the holes, which was a little disappointing because, to me, this makes a golf course un-puttable. I'm from up Upstate NY and I am used to bent grass. I'm not sure if this grass down here on the putting surface also goes dormant, but there were tons of dead spots on these greens. It wasn't fungal, as far as I could tell, but the grass wasn't alive. The bunkers were raked which was a surprise and only a few holes had mud. It's clear that course Maintenance isn't a huge priority, but it didn't affect the playability of the golf course. Bottom line- I think I got the value for my money. With that said I would not pay a single dollar more. It's just not in the condition worth of more.
I have been keeping up with the Carolina Trail drama and have to agree with the guys here. They don't seem to keep the golf courses in good condition. Birkdale and Skybrook have so much potential - they just need some TLC and money. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
I chose this course to play based upon Bman's recommendation and the fact that it is about 4 miles from the house. I went out on the only day of the week with decent weather forecast (66 deg and partly cloudy) and definitely enjoyed the outing. The only complaint is the greens were VERY slow and ratty which had a definite impact upon scoring. I intend to try it again in the spring, or summer, months and hope that the greens will have improved. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Skybrook is in good condition. Greens were soft but fast and true, a bit misleading at first. The rough eats balls. There is a lot of variance in reviews for this and other Carolina Trail courses, but my experience and from what I've read, in general the condition is improving. I plan to play Highland Creek on Wed and Birkdale in a week or two to complete the full circuit this year. Only negative was the weak battery on the cart, and when we switched carts at halftime, same problem - so we got golf AND cardio, pushing the cart up the hills. Lotta hills, too. First time playing Skybrook, definitely will play it again, but only for a good discount. Read The Review
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- "Bad, stay away"
Been a long time (2 years) since I last played Skybrook so I was really excited as I remember this fun layout always being in great condition.
Unfortunately what I found this time round was shocking. A lot of the greens are having big problems with crabgrass everywhere, and on many greens, it makes them un-puttable.
I know the old story that the "Trail is struggling financially" yada yada yada, but this is atrocious.
The disappointing thing is that on the par 5 fourth, the crab grass has completely overtaken the front of the green only, but the middle and back of the green are fine. So where do you think they put the pin? yep, in the front of the green, in the middle of the crabgrass patch.
That is my disappointment with the Trail, it's one thing to be struggling for money but there's no excuse for just plain not making an effort.
The trail staff need to spend the day at Charlotte National to see how to squeeze the most out of a limited budget and how to truly CARE about a golf course and your customers.
DO NOT PAY MORE THAN $30 to play this course until they have sorted out their greens. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
Tees and fairways in good shape.The rough was very thick and deep.Miss hit one shot short ,left and saw it hit into the side of a hill and disappear.I noted a clump of different colored grass at the spot the ball entered the rough as a reference.I found the clump of grass but never the ball.I dropped a ball at the same spot and if I hadn't been standing over the spot I dropped it,I would have lost it! It buried completely in the grass.
Also ,the traps were inconsistant.Some nice and fluffy and others firmer,and others with a very thin layer of sand.
The greens were very bad with crab grass in spots and very pock marked up.
The price was too much for the conditions even for a holiday weekend! Read The Review
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- "Average"
I know this is nothing new, but it's a real shame what Carolina trail has done to most of the courses they own and operate. I am a bit biased in the fact I was a member at Skybrook when they first opened, and maintained my membership there for about 4 years, until my divorce caused me to cut some expenses. Well the course is a shell of what it was, it’s still ok for 35.00 bucks, fairways were a 6/10, greens had been punched, but rolled ok.
The real shame is the edges of the holes, more and more weeds, scrub bushes, traps in poor state, plus since most Tee boxes are elevated, you really see it all. I shot my best round of the year from the whites(81), and was still sad to see a course that I think can be, and use to be one of the better choices. Read The Review
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- "Average"
The course is in so-so shape. The greens are almost healed from aeration, but there are already dead spots on several greens. I wouldn't be surprised if they loose several this summer. The fairways are greening up nicely and the rough is starting to get rough. All in all, I have never been a fan of this course, but if you can find a deal, it's worth playing. I wouldn't pay the rack rate, though. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
First time playing Skybrook and still undecided. $69 is the normal rate for this time of year but clickit had a discount which made things better. This course is not worth $69 in March. Besides the normal winter conditions of the course; the driving range was closed and our cart died on hole 17. The service was great, pace was fine and the greens and tee boxes were in good condition. Cart path only made things harder on this soggy and very hilly course. This is definately not your normal Charlotte course. Read The Review
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- "Worth playing"
This is a nice course. At the moment it needs some work since it has been raining for the past 6 days. Some of the sand traps have standing water, some of them had dirt in them from water running into them, some of them had had trenches in them from water running through them and the rest just needed to be fluffed back up. The greens have a few divot markss on them but nothing to bad, just enough to be worth mentioning. These greens are fast compared to most of the public courses Ive been playing on. The course is little hilly on a few holes, and has yardage marked on cart paths, fairway blocks and a few sprinklers. I think they had water jugs on every other hole. Give them a couple days to get their sandtraps worked on and this course will be good again. Nice Course. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Almost a perfect course. We got the $39 special because the green were aerated, but it still wasn't too bad. Tee Boxes and fairways were in great shape. Roughs were cut a bit high but still in great shape. Looks like Skybrook took the advise of reviewers and sped up the pace of play. We passed about 5-6 marshals during our round. Even with a stop at the club house for food and drinks we still finished in under 4 hours. $62 might be a little steep for me, but it is definitely worth it. Read The Review
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- "Great course"
Good shape for April. Greens were still a little bumpy after a aeration within the last few weeks. The fairways were still mostly dormant (again, expected), but they weren't rock hard like a lot of courses right now.
Honestly, I am not sure if it is worth the rack rate of $49 on a weekday. We got the 'clickit' deal for $39, which was a fair price.
This was my first time here and I enjoyed the layout very much, I hope to visit Skybrook again (with a coupon!). Read The Review
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- "Great course"
I was thoroughly disappointed in the turn and how inept they were in getting playing golfers food. Seemed understaffed, waited 20 min on food and it was overpriced.
Maybe they need to rethink the turn here, but definitely would call ahead 20 minutes, to ensure that your round is without a snag like mine was. Read The Review
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- "Average"
Recent heavy rain noted; however here is what AI observed: FAIRWAYS - cut but heavy clumps of grass EVERYWHERE, we had to play lift clean and place, not because of wetness, but because partial maintenance; GREENS - slow, generally healthy, but terrible problem with weeds;
GENERAL MAINTENANCE - totally lacking....not sure what the deal with bunkers hear and at Birkdale is? It is like the superintendent prays for heavy rain so it can be an excuse for the sorry ass bunkers. 99% were TOTALLY WASHED OUT, CAVED IN, PUDDLED ETC. Without a single field crew anywhere near a single one of them. i call out Birkdale here too because they ceased caring for their's about 18 months ago.
What happened to the respectable $55 public round of golf? Am I asking for too much (greens with grass no weeds, bunkers with sand and raked and fairways cut and decently clean???? Read The Review
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- "Average"
B-man you are being too polite regarding the slow play issue. In my opinion the BIGGEST IMPAIRMENT to playing more rounds is the pace of play.
It is downright RUDE and arrogant for some hack shooting 105 to wait until the green clears (from 280 away) before hitting a shot. AND THEN circling a putt for 8 minutes from 45 feet for triple bogey.
I REALLY WISH folks would understand THEY are not on tour and we do not have 6 hours to devote to playing a round. I don't advocate rushing folks, BUT a REALITY CHECK IS CERTAINLY IN ORDER for folks who think it is OK to take 5+ hours for a casual round. Read The Review
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- "Average"
First time I made it up north to play Skybrook. I heard so much about the great layout, but I find the layout to be fairly unremarkable except for the 17th hole. When I called, I was told the greens were in "great shape." Lie. Bumpy and eaten up.
Fairways and bunkers are much less ready than other courses this time of year.
The Carolina Trail courses I've played continue to disappoint, with possible excpetion of Waterford (good greeens). I've been told that Birkdale is the possible exception, where they actually spend money and time to take care of the course. Read The Review
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