Candlewood Golf Club | Candlewood Golf Course

Member (cart not included), played on Monday, August 2011 at noon

I occasionally played Candlewood years ago but became a member in 2003. Last year I played 711 holes there. I live about 35 minutes away and go to it by way of 128. I consider it a little bit of heaven on earth. The father of the owner created the course from farmland in 1933 so the owner, David Whipple, grew up on it and was in his day a very fine golfer. The membership price is only $550 a year. There is a tiny clubhouse with clean toilet facilities. Water, orangeade, root beer, cola are available, along with cookies, Snickers and Milky Ways. This is simple golf (we use preferred lies every year, but they are less needed this season).

The distances for the holes apparently may be listed as longer than they are (presumably the distances were listed originally in 1933). The course is par 32, with 3-4-5-9 the par 3 holes.

First hole - 350 (probably about 295) straightforward par 4 with Route 133 on the right above the fairway level.

Second - 350 (also about 295) straightforward but coming out of chute on tee with woods on both sides. OK to go over. Green trickier than on 1st.

Third - 120 good hole to birdie but don't go over. Two tiered green, the last few feet the lower segment. If you go over the green by a couple of feet, the ball will fall down a six-foot cliff. A sand bunker on the deep left side of the green helps at times.

Fourth - 130 woods on both sides and fairway is often soggy.

Fifth - 135 what I call the signature hole. A blind shot but an extra tall flagstick helps. Hit well left of the directional flag so the ball won't roll right into the woods. If hit strongly enough the ball will roll down the other side of the hill near or on the green.

Sixth - 235 as a par 4 an easy birdie for long ball hitters. Don't go over as there is a nasty lip to come back over.

Seventh - 290 a difficult hole as the natural terrain of a hill causes the ball, if not hit hard enough to near the green, to roll left and possibly go into the pond. This is a two-tiered green, the back part being the lower segment. As with the 3rd, you don't want to hit over.

Eighth - 285 OB woods to the right all the way, water to the left of the tee. Once over the hill, go for the green, but don't hit so hard that the ball goes over the green and out to Candlewood Road.

Ninth - 180 wide open fairway so go for it. For some a very difficult hole because a shot landing on the green may skip over.