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Description

Straight from their web site: "Verdict Ridge was designed in the tradition of famous North Carolina golf courses, maintaining the natural layout of the land. But what truly makes Verdict Ridge interesting is that our golf course feel is similar to a cross-state drive through NC. You can actually see different areas of the state represented as your round progresses. The first few holes give the feel of Pinehurst as the area pine trees outline each hole. As you continue to the low-lying areas of the property, you find holes that meander along creeks, streams and natural wetlands, giving a North Carolina coastal feel. Finally, you come to the final four holes that have dramatic elevation changes and spectacular views." The club is now closed to the public on weekends. So you'll need to find a member to play with Friday-Sunday.

Notes

Verdict Ridge has a large, luxurious clubhouse that would put some private clubs to shame. It includes a popular restaurant called Guilties that has live music and events on the weekends.

B-Man's Take

One of the top courses in the area, though it can be quite a haul from Charlotte, up Hwy 16. If it weren't for the drive, I'm sure I'd play here frequently. It is a very unique course with several gorgeous holes. You will find it plays almost like a mountain course, with steep hills and valleys. You're likely to have some sidehill and uneven lies throughout your round. My favorite hole is the 347yd par 4 9th hole -- one of the most beautiful in all of Charlotte. With water all along the right side, it's best to play an iron from the tee off the left slope. Then you have short iron approach into a green guarded by a small creek on the left and the pond on the right -- with a waterfall behind the green offering a nice backdrop. There are several difficult holes that may require a veteran of the course to give you some tips -- the long 461yd par 4 4th hole and the difficult par 5 18th hole with several hazards to navigate. Overall, this is a fun course to play due to the variety and beauty of the holes. Conditions are typically pristine and the Bermuda greens are kept slick and smooth.

Links

Most Recent Reviews

• 3/3/22 - Review by B-Man

  "Best of the best"

  Still the best public access course around Charlotte. This is a semi-private course with private club conditions and amenities. Greens are in fabulous shape. The fairways and rough are dormant, of course, but will be ready for Spring. They are using tee mates for the par 3's during the winter months, but the turf mats are top quality, even allowing you to put a tee in them. So they actually play as good or better than the natural teeing ground right now. The work done on the bunkers last year has paid off. The sand is fluffy and consistent and does not get washed out during big rains. They have also made improvements (or have them in progress) to several holes with marshes and penalty areas like hole #7 – where they are clearing the wooded part on the low right side and will fill in with dirt to guarantee good lies for balls that roll down the fairway slope into the rough. On other holes, they've significantly cut back the brush in the marshy hazards – on #15 you could even walk in there and search for your ball – and that has made a few shots less intimidating (e.g. the par 3 11th as well). The course's affordable memberships have been popular over the past year or two. Saturday and Sunday tee times are reserved for member play only (since last Nov) and Fridays may soon be as well. The course is definitely worth taking off early to play during the week. So get out there when you can. You won't be disappointed.

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• 10/4/21 - Review by Critter

  "Worth playing"

  This use to be a nice course several years ago, however now it pretty worn from the excessive amount of play in the past 2 years. Good luck even getting on the course since membership totals here have ex’s,oded in the past 24 months. It so busy now they are in the process of going Private in early 2020. No non-members now on the weekend as of October. The course is defiantly different than most with al sorts of side hill fairways, and un level greens. For the conditions is way over-priced vs all other area course outside Charlotte. Greens in the summer are so quick they are borderline unplayable by summers end. They did spend several hundred thousand $ last winter redoing (and removing numerous) the sand traps.

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• 3/30/21 - Review by dischydo

  "Worth playing"

  Greens were slow compared to what they usually are, but they are letting them grow in I believe. Was not able to play #5, due to bunker repair. Still many holes have bunkers under water and maintenance doesn't seem to be touching them until they re-do them, but the ones that are complete, look great. Aerated fairways. Still waiting for some >70 deg weather at night along with the rest of courses in the area to green everything up. Not bad for this time of year

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• 10/13/20 - Review by B-Man

  "Great course"

  Introduced a good friend of mine from SC to Verdict Ridge on Tuesday. The course ate him up, despite all my advice (ha). Conditions were good despite the heavy rains over the weekend. It was cart path only but we didn't really encounter any trouble with casual water or muddy lies. Bunkers were okay as the sand had dried out. Tees, fairways and greens are all very lush. The greens were in great shape and rolled quick but not lightning or unfair. It was a beautiful day to play and the trees around the course are changing colors. So the course looks spectacular right now. Check out my Instagram (@charlottegolfer) for pics and vids from my round.

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• 6/2/20 - Review by RT

  "Great course"

  Verdict Ridge always delivers. Course is in excellent condition everywhere. Great layout. Quick pace of play.

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Updates From the Forum

• 05/03/23 - B-Man posted "The 10 Best Golf Courses in the Lake Norman Area"

  I wrote this article for The Best of Lake Norman Podcast and will be on the show later this month to talk about it. I rank the 10 best golf courses in the Lake Norman, public and private. This article serves as a preview to my Top 10 list for Axios Charlotte of the Top 10 Public Golf Courses in the Charlotte area, which is coming out later this month. Spoiler Alert: 3 of the courses on the Lake Norman list also make the Charlotte Top 10 list. Here's the article: 10 Best Lake Norman Golf Courses (Public and Private)
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• 05/27/20 - B-Man replied to "Top 10 Public Golf Courses in Charlotte"

  I updated my Top 10 list for Charlotte Agenda and the new list was published yesterday. I use a lot of the feedback I see on my site here as well as my own experiences. A few changes since last year has Rock Barn shooting up to #3, Skybrook in at #8, and Red Bridge (conditions) / Stonebridge (Skybrook moving up) falling out. Verdict Ridge is still #1.
  
  Thanks for the support everyone!
  
  B-Man Ranks the Top 10 Public Golf Courses in Charlotte for Charlotte Agenda
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• 04/04/13 - twoputt posted "Green Aerification"

  Verdict Ridge is in great condition and will not have any Spring aerification because of their new Champion Bermuda Greens. I played the other day and they said they will aerate in the summer one time. BTW The greens were rolling great!! Great pace both on the course and on the greens....
  
  
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• 08/16/12 - Wulfpack posted "Rocky River and Verdict Ridge Set To Open With New Greens"

  Check out the Charlotte Observer post below. Rocky River opens on the 20th with special rates and Verdict Ridge follows on the 25th. Good stuff.
  
  http://green-side.blogspot.com/2012/08/rocky-river-verdict-ridge-open-with-new.html
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• 06/04/12 - DrSchteeve posted "Verdict Ridge & Rocky River"

  Rocky River has started green replacement with Bermuda; they will have 9 holes available for about 10 days, then temporary greens only until reopening approximately August 15. Verdict Ridge will start replacement June 25, limited temporary greens then available until reopening approximately September 1.
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