Westminster National Golf Course

(cart included), played on Sunday, October 2016 at 10:30 AM

I've avoided this course because there are too many blind shots without sufficient information to know how far to hit it.

$21 (cart included), played on Wednesday, July 2012 at 10am

Kind of a hidden treasure. Layout make you work your shots carefully. Well worth the money and time.

Guest (cart included), played on Friday, May 2012 at noon

The condition of the greens is pretty bad ... lots of bumps and unfixed ball marks. Somewhat unfair for a public course. You need local knowledge to know where to hit balls so they don't run 100 feet off the green. This isn't conducive to visiting golfers. Some interesting, challenging holes -- 200-yard par-3 (from the whites) over a ravine/valley; a large fairway bunker that two holes share -- but even decent shots can turn into disasters. If the course was in better shape -- and the greens weren't crowned like bowlers' hats -- it might make for a better experience. About two-thirds of the holes are amid the trees, but some are out in the wide open with an unbearable sun.

$26 (cart included), played on Thursday, July 2009 at 8am

Target golf at its finest - a couple of unfair crowned greens

$16 (cart included), played on Tuesday, July 2009 at 10am

Westminster National changed hands about two years ago, and changed names in 2008. It is now Westminster National, formerly named Bear Creek Golf Club. New owners have improved a number of things about the course, so they get an A+ for effort.

Having said that, I personally do not care for the layout and design of the course. There are some nice holes, but there are also many more poorly designed ones, and some major redesign will be required to make it more playable in my view. But it is cheap... Our group of travelling seniors played here 7-14-09, for $20 with the Tee Time book, which is a good deal.

The course is only 20 years old, but feels much older, since most of the greens are quite small, and most are crowned, a la Donald Ross: very common to land a good shot on the green and watch it trickle off. Fairways range from wide open to very tight, bunkers are reasonable in size and number, and there is enough water to keep it interesting. Very few holes run parallel, although it is a compact course, and cartpaths frequently cross over each other...it can be confusing to someone who hasn't played here before.

A few exceptions to the small greens are #9 and #18, which were recently rebuilt to provide a better landing area, as both are carved into sides of hills, with water between them. Also, #16 is a HUGE green, at least 100 feet deep and about 40 feet wide.

Aside from the design issues, the course is in excellent shape, so the new owners are doing very well. Tee boxes were well-maintained, and level. Fairways are very nice, and the rough is not too punitive. Greens are pretty good, but I thought, a little slow, although with the slope on them, I suppose we should appreciate that. Bunkers were in poor shape with LOTS of rocks. Pace of play today was painfully slow: took us 5 hours and 20 minutes, and there was no Ranger, so we just had to suffer.

Pro Shop staff was very nice and got us in and out quickly. Snack Bar attendant was also very capable.

Overall, Westminster National is an OK neighborhood course, but not as good as it could be.