The Hunter Golf Club in Meriden, Ct. offers a well-rounded test of golf, with great views of surrounding trap rock ridges and Castle Craig in Meriden’s Hubbard Park, which can be seen while playing the fifth hole.
The course has in the past been named the number seven public golf course in the state by Golfing Magazine, and has been named a top 10 course by Connecticut Magazine. The track played host to the 2001 Connecticut Women’s State Amateur, as well as the Senior New England Public Links Championship, and the yearly City Championship for Meriden residents.
The layout has one of the most challenging and perplexing opening holes you will find anywhere. It’s only 368 yards from the back tees, but a stream dissects the fairway a little over halfway to the green, so the dilemma is to take driver and risk hitting it short or right and into the water, or lay up and be left with a long approach to an elevated green.
The 10th hole is a demanding 587-yard par-five that bends to the left and has water hazards on the left side of the fairway and near the green, which makes the second shot and approach tricky.
Water again complicates matters on the 182-yard par-three 11th, with ponds flanking the putting surface. Choose your club for the tee shot wisely because if you wander even a bit left or right you will find trouble.
The 513-yard par five 18th is a truly superb finishing hole. You will want to hit your drive as close as you can to a stream that runs across the fairway about two thirds of the way to the green. Then it’s a decision on whether to try for the putting surface in two shots or lay up and have a wedge for your third shot. The hole can make or break a round and decide a match.
The course plays 6,604 yards from the tips and has four sets of tees to meet the talent of any player.
Hunter Golf Club
Meriden, CT
203-634-3366
www.HunterGolfClub.com.
