Saturday, April 08, 2006
Augusta Ranch Golf Course
3799 Yards, Par 61, Slope 88Golfweb
Mr. Science Reports:
This is a very well-done and well-maintained executive course. It winds in and around the streets and houses of the neighborhood, but they're not ever in any danger. Mrs. Science took advantage of the backup at the 3rd tee to visit three garage sales, but we still finished in 3-1/2 hours. The holes are wide, and the difficulty is the contours on and around the greens, which were not lightening fast, but could give you some trouble. I must admit some bias, because of my score.
The front nine was unremarkable, but I started the back with 3 pars and then a 3-putt bogey on 13. On 14, a 190-yard par 3, I hit my 4-wood just past the flag, and off the green, but only about 20 feet from the pin, and chipped in for birdie. On 15, a par 4, I sank a 25-footer for birdie. On 16, after a bad chip shot I putted in from the fairway for par. I was still -1 for the back 9 on the 18th tee. I won't recount all the ugly details, which involve a cart path, a tree, a maintenance building, a fence, and a free drop. The denouement was a 1-putt bogey for even par 31 on the back. 10 putts in all on the back 9.
Mrs. Science likes this one better than Mountain Shadows, because it isn't so narrow. I give it a 1 among the executive courses, it has as much interesting design and staff TLC as you can ask for in a full-size course, and the price is certainly right. It was a very enjoyable Masters Saturday morning, and the $3.50 hot dog cooked outside on the grill after the round was excellent as well.
