We don’t always have time to do 18 holes of golf. 18 holes can take as long as 4 to 4 ½ hours. Sometimes we don’t have the time or energy to walk around for that long. There aren’t many 9 hole courses around, but there is one that is located in Enfield, Ct called Grassmere Country Club. It’s one of the few golf courses that is 9 holes. Nine holes will only take about 2 to 2 ½ hours to complete so if you’re tight on time, this course is a good one to play.I’m from the town of Enfield, Ct and Grassmere is where I pretty much learned how to play golf. They have a nice putting green and chipping area where you can practice your short game before you hit the course. I played my high school golf at Grassmere and most of my recreational golf there also. It’s an open course but some holes can play very hard if you don’t hit the ball to the right location.
Let’s start our r
ound at Grassmere. The first hole is a par 4 that is a dog leg right. Driver is ok to hit here as long as you stay down the right hand side. If you go left you’ll end up out of bounds, if you hit the drive left but not ob then you can end up driving through the fairway into the rough. The green is set off right to the fairway with bunkers on the right and left sides of the green. If you hit a good drive then your approach shot shouldn’t be much more than 130 yards. This is a good hole to open with, it’s an easy birdie or par. The second hole is a par 4 uphill hole that is straight out to the green. Driver is safe again on this hole but again stay away from the left side it’s ob. If you don’t hit the fairway and end up going right you’re not in trouble but will be hitting out of the rough or 3rd fairway. The fairway is uphill so you can’t see the green when standing at your ball all you can really see is the top of the flag stick. It’s a wavy green with a hill coming off the back left and front right of t
he green. The green slopes from back to front so try to keep the ball below the hole. The 3rd hole is another par 4 straight out. Again driver is safe here and the first hole where it is open on both sides of the fairway. If you go right or left you’ll still be able to play this hole fine. This hole is a little longer measuring 404 yards. This green has no bunkers to worry about so go right for the green with an aggressive shot. There are hills on the right and left side of the green so if you want a straight putt stay towards the middle of the green. The fourth hole is another par 4 and is uphill and slightly bent to the right. You can’t see the green from the hole because it’s up the fairway to the right. Again driver is safe here, stay down the left side of the fairway because you have a water hazard and ob right. Also staying down the left side gives you a lot better shot to the green than if you were on the right side. The right side gives you a blind shot over trees to the green and that’s not how you want to play this hole.
There is one large bunker on the right side of this green and extends out into the fairway, so on your approach stay to the right side of the green and you’ll be safe. Hole number is the first par 3 on the course coming in at 167 yards and plays severely downhill so take a lower club than what you would usually hit. For example I would probably hit an 8 iron here but because of the downhill I would probably end up hitting a 9 iron or a pitching wedge. You need accuracy on this hole because if you go right you’ll end up in the woods and right you’ll end up in a water hazard. Accuracy with your irons is very important on this hole. The green has no bunkers around it but it is a tough green to hold since it slopes off the middle ridge to the right and left. Hole 6 is the only par 5 on the course; it is a very short par 5 and can be hit in 2. Driver will be to long off this tee and is kind of a blind shot to the fairway. I recommend hitting a long iron like a 4 or 3 iron or a 5 wood, those clubs will put you in perfect position to get to this green in 2 and have a chance for eagle. There is a little creek that separates the first part of the fairway from the second but if you strike the ball well on your second shot it won’t come into play. Again accuracy is important here with your iron or wood, even though you can hit this green in two you don’t want to go right or left, both sides have hazards. I recommend to go for it, it’s 
worth the risk and can really help your round, for all the years that I played there I don’t think I laid up once, I’ve always been a person who goes for that green in two. Hole 7 is another par 4 and is a short 301 yards but has a tough green to hold. Driver is no good off this tee, because the fairway is short and if you go to long you’ll be in trees and rough and not have a shot at the green. I’d say a 5 iron or 6 iron is sufficient enough to get you in prime position to hit to this green. Again stay away from the left woods it’s a hazard and off the fairway to the right is a creek that separates the 7th and 8th holes so be careful of hitting the ball far right. There’s one bunker set about 10 yards in front of the green so make sure you have enough club to reach the green. This green can be very difficult because it slopes from right to left and downhill, leave your shot below the hole so you have an easier putt for birdie or par. The 8th hole is the last hole where you can really give your driver a good rip. The fairway slopes left to right so a good drive will be to play it down the left side and let it run down the fairway. Playing your drive up to the left and letting it go with the slope of the fairway can add an extra 40 yards to your drive. With a solid drive you shouldn’t have more than 110 yards to the green so the approach shot is easy, but make sure you get it to the green so you have a chance for birdie. The 9th hole is an uphill par 3 so make sure you take an extra club. You are hitting over a little creek so don’t chunk your shot. This is probably the most difficult green on the course, it has a sever slope from left to right and downhill. If your ball stays on the top of the slope your putt is going to be extremely difficult and could end up 3 putting. Stay below this flag and you’ll be able to 2 putt your way to par.
Grassmere is short fun course to play, it only takes about 2 hours to play, so if you’re tight on time and want to get a round in, head up to Grassmere and give it a shot. It’s a beautiful course and even though it’s fairly open it still challenges you to be accurate with your shots. Just like all golf courses if you’re not accurate your score will suffer.
ound at Grassmere. The first hole is a par 4 that is a dog leg right. Driver is ok to hit here as long as you stay down the right hand side. If you go left you’ll end up out of bounds, if you hit the drive left but not ob then you can end up driving through the fairway into the rough. The green is set off right to the fairway with bunkers on the right and left sides of the green. If you hit a good drive then your approach shot shouldn’t be much more than 130 yards. This is a good hole to open with, it’s an easy birdie or par. The second hole is a par 4 uphill hole that is straight out to the green. Driver is safe again on this hole but again stay away from the left side it’s ob. If you don’t hit the fairway and end up going right you’re not in trouble but will be hitting out of the rough or 3rd fairway. The fairway is uphill so you can’t see the green when standing at your ball all you can really see is the top of the flag stick. It’s a wavy green with a hill coming off the back left and front right of t
he green. The green slopes from back to front so try to keep the ball below the hole. The 3rd hole is another par 4 straight out. Again driver is safe here and the first hole where it is open on both sides of the fairway. If you go right or left you’ll still be able to play this hole fine. This hole is a little longer measuring 404 yards. This green has no bunkers to worry about so go right for the green with an aggressive shot. There are hills on the right and left side of the green so if you want a straight putt stay towards the middle of the green. The fourth hole is another par 4 and is uphill and slightly bent to the right. You can’t see the green from the hole because it’s up the fairway to the right. Again driver is safe here, stay down the left side of the fairway because you have a water hazard and ob right. Also staying down the left side gives you a lot better shot to the green than if you were on the right side. The right side gives you a blind shot over trees to the green and that’s not how you want to play this hole.
There is one large bunker on the right side of this green and extends out into the fairway, so on your approach stay to the right side of the green and you’ll be safe. Hole number is the first par 3 on the course coming in at 167 yards and plays severely downhill so take a lower club than what you would usually hit. For example I would probably hit an 8 iron here but because of the downhill I would probably end up hitting a 9 iron or a pitching wedge. You need accuracy on this hole because if you go right you’ll end up in the woods and right you’ll end up in a water hazard. Accuracy with your irons is very important on this hole. The green has no bunkers around it but it is a tough green to hold since it slopes off the middle ridge to the right and left. Hole 6 is the only par 5 on the course; it is a very short par 5 and can be hit in 2. Driver will be to long off this tee and is kind of a blind shot to the fairway. I recommend hitting a long iron like a 4 or 3 iron or a 5 wood, those clubs will put you in perfect position to get to this green in 2 and have a chance for eagle. There is a little creek that separates the first part of the fairway from the second but if you strike the ball well on your second shot it won’t come into play. Again accuracy is important here with your iron or wood, even though you can hit this green in two you don’t want to go right or left, both sides have hazards. I recommend to go for it, it’s 
worth the risk and can really help your round, for all the years that I played there I don’t think I laid up once, I’ve always been a person who goes for that green in two. Hole 7 is another par 4 and is a short 301 yards but has a tough green to hold. Driver is no good off this tee, because the fairway is short and if you go to long you’ll be in trees and rough and not have a shot at the green. I’d say a 5 iron or 6 iron is sufficient enough to get you in prime position to hit to this green. Again stay away from the left woods it’s a hazard and off the fairway to the right is a creek that separates the 7th and 8th holes so be careful of hitting the ball far right. There’s one bunker set about 10 yards in front of the green so make sure you have enough club to reach the green. This green can be very difficult because it slopes from right to left and downhill, leave your shot below the hole so you have an easier putt for birdie or par. The 8th hole is the last hole where you can really give your driver a good rip. The fairway slopes left to right so a good drive will be to play it down the left side and let it run down the fairway. Playing your drive up to the left and letting it go with the slope of the fairway can add an extra 40 yards to your drive. With a solid drive you shouldn’t have more than 110 yards to the green so the approach shot is easy, but make sure you get it to the green so you have a chance for birdie. The 9th hole is an uphill par 3 so make sure you take an extra club. You are hitting over a little creek so don’t chunk your shot. This is probably the most difficult green on the course, it has a sever slope from left to right and downhill. If your ball stays on the top of the slope your putt is going to be extremely difficult and could end up 3 putting. Stay below this flag and you’ll be able to 2 putt your way to par.Grassmere is short fun course to play, it only takes about 2 hours to play, so if you’re tight on time and want to get a round in, head up to Grassmere and give it a shot. It’s a beautiful course and even though it’s fairly open it still challenges you to be accurate with your shots. Just like all golf courses if you’re not accurate your score will suffer.
Remember hit it long and hit it straight.
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