Round 52: CC of Halifax
Teed it up Country Club of Halifax as my 52nd course in my quest to play them all.
The course was a pleasant surprise. A round that likely wouldn’t have happened if the rain stayed away this past weekend. I thought it might be a bit of a throw away round, but it wasn’t.
The course as a whole is simply solid. The opening four holes are nothing special, then 5,6,7 all offer a solid challenge. Long par 4s that sweep from right to left. They’re the three hardest holes on the front for a reason. Each one has trouble off the tee in the form of bunkers, out of bounds, and water. Accuracy and shot shaping is a must.
The back, however, is the better set of holes. Winding around a more interesting bit of land with some hills to play up and down. The playing corridors are narrow, and the back also has some length to it.
The par 5 eleventh is a stand out. Probably the toughest drive of the day; it’s blind and the landing area is tight. Water in front turns it into a three shot hole for most.
The 13th is a monster par four requiring a mid or long iron into the most bodacious green on the course with a hard fall off on the left that rejects shots that hit the left third of the green.
The last three holes are an excellent finish. The 16th is a nice par 3, with a bit of elevation change. The 17th is a long dogleg left running slightly downhill. And the 18th is a long closer. I’m sure a lot of good rounds have skidded to a halt on those final three.
I’d say the thing that CC of Halifax lacked was interesting green sites. They were rather flat, and most of them were sitting on the ground. Not many approach shots up or downhill. I can’t recall any putts that pushed the imagination to find a line and speed that would secure a two putt from distance. Mostly straight putts on every green.
The only maintenance gripe I have is the bunkers aren’t great. A lot of rocks and pebbles. But on the bright side, the greens, even after all the rain we’ve had, rolled true.
For 45 bucks to walk, Halifax is a sleeper on the south shore.
THE FACTS
Date: July 2021
Playing Partners: Dan
Tees: Blues
Game: None
Birdie Count: 2 (57 total)