Litchfield Country Club Keeps Players Smiling

July 26, 2013

“If you can keep your drives in play on the doglegs, you are going score well,” Bodensteiner said. “You aren’t going to lose a lot of golf balls.”

The par 4s at Litchfield reward intelligent, tactical play. Players that attack each hole with a plan have a significant advantage. The challenge of making decisions and executing them are one of Litchfield’s charms.

Conversely, the par 3s require muscle. From the tips, two par 3s measure more than 200 yards, and the shortest is 184 yards. Even from the white tees the shortest par 3 is 165 yards, so players need to be prepared to bust a couple long irons.

The course offers a chance to score on its par 5s, the longest of which is 538 yards. All four par 5s offer long hitters the chance to get home in two.

In keeping with its traditional design, the greens at Litchfield are relatively small but more accessible than those on recently built courses. The greens, though typically flanked by bunkers, are open in front, allowing players the opportunity to run the ball onto the putting surface.

The ability to play the bump-and-run makes Litchfield a more forgiving layout, particularly for mid-to-high handicappers.

One solid piece of advice on the approach: don’t be afraid to take one more club than you think necessary because there isn’t a lot of trouble behind the greens.

“Litchfield will give people a feeling of what a real Southern style plantation course is like,” Bodensteiner said. “There are opportunities to score, because it’s not going to beat you up to bad.”

The Verdict: Built on the grounds of a former rice plantation, Litchfield oozes charm and stately maturity. The soaring live oak trees draped in Spanish moss set the stage for a memorable day of golf. Because of the timeless nature of its design, Litchfield has the ability to challenge low and high handicappers alike, making it an ideal destination for golf groups.

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