Public vs. Private

Public or private? Private or public? The contrasts, comparisons, and arguments go on and on. Yet, few of your public course players have the opportunity to experience the likes of both the upscale public course and the championship private course first hand. Well friends, the opportunity just fell into my lap. Wanna hear about it? Pull up a stool; grab yourself a cold one and I’ll break it down for you.

I was recently invited to play 18 on TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, home of the Buick Championship (formally the Greater Hartford Open). So of course, I’m now being asked the question: How did it compare to the state’s upscale public courses? At first, I thought the answer was simple. I figured: “This is TPC we’re talkin’ about, of course it’s better than any public course.” However, after a little more thought, I’ve concluded that it’s better than the state’s top public courses in some ways, but not in other ways. I have my opinions, but feel free to draw your own conclusions.

For those who don’t know (and until recently I was one of you), TPC (or Tournament Players Club) is a relatively new organization in the golf world. The first TPC golf course (Sawgrass) opened in Florida in 1980. Today, there are 23 courses throughout the United States – 15 private and 8 public (some still in the developmental stages) – that have earned the right to be recognized as TPC courses. So what sets TPC apart from the rest you ask? These are some of the top courses in the country, designed by the top course architects in the world and are exceptionally well maintained, some including nature and wildlife preserves. Understand though, they have to be this perfect. These courses are PGA Tour stops and you’re playing on the same course your favorite pro has played…there’s a certain feel to that like no other. You don’t understand? Maybe this will help: Try to imagine playing a game of football with your friends on Lambeau Field. How about a game of pick-up basketball in Madison Square Garden? Maybe a friendly game of beer-league softball at Fenway Park? Get it now? Before TPC Sawgrass came along, the opportunity to play a championship course (on which the pros compete for obscene amounts of money) was extended to only a relative handful of golfers. Thanks to TPC, that is no longer the case. But, is it inexpensive? Not a chance.

To get onto TPC River Highlands, you would first have to be invited by a member. If you’re lucky enough to get that far, you’ll then have to fork over $180. That’s right, $55 more than the most expensive public course in Connecticut (Great River in Milford at $125). So, what can you expect for that $180? I’ll give you the run down: As soon as I exited my vehicle, I could see a course attendant headed toward me. He politely welcomed me to the course, asked me my tee time, and then disappeared with my clubs. Now, I’d never been to this course before and had no idea where the other guys in my group were. I made my way into the clubhouse, found the pro shop and before I could get a word out of my mouth, I was being asked if I needed assistance. I told the guy I had never played there before (as if it weren’t obvious enough) and had no idea where my group was. He asked my tee-time and when I gave it to him, he knew the name it was under (which I didn’t even know) without even looking it up! Not only that, but he was able to point out a member of my group out on the practice range (and knew his name also, even though the tee-time was not under that name either)! So, I proceeded to meet the guys at the range, where I also found my bag (with personalized name tag attached) in the back of my playing partners’ cart. I spent a few minutes hitting the complimentary, unlimited range balls and then proceeded to the first tee where we actually got off about 10 minutes early.

Once on the course, I realized the true meaning of “exceptional maintenance.” The tee boxes were spotless, fairways perfectly defined, rough was thick and at an even length, and the greens were as perfect as I had ever seen on a course. Furthermore, all 18 greens played the same (fast) and did not have a single dead spot or blade out of place…it was nothing short of exceptional. The pace of play was as perfect as you could get. All throughout the course, we were never hurried and never had a wait at any tee. I guess if I had to find a complaint about the course, it would be the construction going on. New houses were being built along some of the fairways, and at times, the construction was a bit of an eyesore and even got a little noisy once. But, I understand that it’s only temporary, so I would be hesitant to take anything away from the course for this reason.

I was also pleased to see the MOFOBETE girl come by our group at least three or four times. I’ve played on some courses where I didn’t see a beverage cart until I had finished up the front nine! Speaking of refreshments, I purchased the greatest hot dog I’ve ever eaten at the turn! It was thick, juicy, and wrapped in some kind of crazy (but delicious) bun that looked more like a miniature hero than a traditional hot dog roll. Thinking back now, I should have gotten two. At the end of our 4-hour round, a couple more course attendants scrubbed down our clubs and left them in the bag-drop area while we took a trip inside and grabbed a large table directly in front of a big screen TV. We then proceeded to fill ourselves with beer and appetizers while catching the first round of the US Open. Speaking of appetizers, I believe I ate the hottest buffalo wing know to man. Note that was buffalo “wing” (singular) and not “wings” (plural). I was too afraid to pick up another one. So, all in all, this was a fantastic experience…one worthy of a comparison to the state’s top public courses:

Let’s start with the course difficulty. Using the aforementioned Great River as an example, I believe the public course is more challenging. However, I played Great River from the blue tees (where the slope rating is a ridiculous 141). At TPC, I played from the white tees (where the slope is a more manageable 128). So, had I played TPC from the blues, the case may have been different. I actually played relatively well at TPC, considering I am not (by any stretch of the imagination) a good golfer. TPC is a good challenge, but not unfair. It’s exactly what I would think most golfers are looking for. However, I’ve yet to play a course with more strategically placed sand traps in my life…more on that later.

How about the grooming? Well, TPC is immaculate. It’s easily the best-maintained course I’ve set foot on thus far. For comparison, Fox Hopyard in East Haddam, Great River, and even Sterling Farms in Stamford are very well maintained public courses here in Connecticut…but none of them match TPC in terms of consistency, definition, and lushness.

Layout? It was just right. A couple blind shots here and there add a good challenge. There is also a good mix of long and short holes as well as up and downhill lies. The sand traps (as I mentioned before) are very strategically placed, and I managed to find my way into them on on numerous occasions. What can you say? When you get a couple of the most well- known course architects in the country (the original Robert Ross course has been redesigned most recently by Pete Dye in ’84 and Bobby Weed in ‘91), you’re going to get a great design. However, one public course that I will give a slight edge to in the layout department is Fox Hopyard. I love feeling as though yours is the only group on the course, and at Fox Hopyard, you simply cannot see another fairway from your own. I would have liked TPC to be a bit more like that, but it’s probably not possible due to the tournament or stadium setup of the course.

Now, onto the scenery. This is one area of TPC that is truly beat by some of the public courses in the state. There isn’t any “bad” scenery or anything “ugly or out of place” at TPC, but some public courses feature holes that have something nicer to look at, such as the Housatonic River holes at Great River, or the Thames River/Long Island Sound holes at Shennecossett in Groton.

And last but not least, hospitality. Everyone (and I mean everyone) at this course was friendly and helpful…from the guy who took my clubs when I arrived, to the guy who cleaned them at the end of the round (along with everyone I dealt with in between). It’s a very friendly and very professional staff.

So, what’s the verdict? Bottom line, TPC River Highlands is amazing. It has most everything you would look for in a course: The friendliness, the challenge, the grooming and not to mention, the realization that you are playing the same course on which tournaments have been won by Peter Jacobsen, Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman, Nick Price and Paul Azinger, just to name a few. Taking all of this into account, I would venture to say it’s the nicest course in the state. However, this comes with a price: Firstly, you would have to be a member. If you’re not, you’d better get friendly with someone who is. Oh yeah, and bring $180 with you. Of course, membership has its privileges. Being a TPC member allows you access to all of the TPC courses nationwide. And, if you have the cash to be a River Highlands member (initiation fees start at $13,500 and can reach as much as $36,000), you probably have the bank account for a trip to all the TPC locations too. As for me, I like to travel around and play different courses in and around my state. I enjoy a new setting and a new course on a regular basis. If I were paying all that money to be a member of TPC, I would feel almost obligated to only play that course. Besides, many of the features and amenities of River Highlands are comparable to the upscale Connecticut public courses (such as Great River and Fox Hopyard), but at a significant discount.

So, after seeing how the “other half” lives, what it really comes down to is this: if you have the money, great! Join, play the course, play all the TPC courses! Or, if you’re lucky enough to be invited, don’t hesitate…it’s worth $180 in bragging rights alone. But, if you’re the average golfer who’s just looking to get out on a great course with friendly service at a reasonable price, you’ll do just fine visiting the eclectic mix of your state’s upscale public golf courses.