Pleasant Valley Golf Club

$16 (cart included), played on Thursday, July 2016 at 10:50 AM

Our group of seven seniors played here 7-7-16 for $18.50 with the Tee Time book, and that's exactly what the course is worth. Certainly no more. I reviewed this course in 2009, and nothing has changed. Still no irrigation, still sloping tee boxes, especially Seniors and Ladies, still very slow and inconsistent greens, still rock hard fairways. Tee boxes so firm that we broke tees on almost every hole. I also think the course is dangerous, in that many tee boxes and greens are quite close: need to be very alert for incoming! Some modest rerouting would be helpful. Cart paths are quite rough, and a chiropracter's dream. Conditions today were OK, but the greens were slow and grainy; very slow up-grain MUCH faster downgrain. Possibly this is because they had not been cut in a while. Having said all of that, staff is excellent; very welcoming and cordial. Overall, it's a low-end course, so keep expectations low, too. Better courses nearby for similar rates.

$31 (cart included), played on Thursday, April 2009 at noon

Our group of travelling seniors played here Thursday, 4-16-09 for $32. There is a "Special" available to seniors for $36, which includes breakfast and lunch: some of us heard about it, others were not aware of it. The "Special" makes it worth the price, otherwise at $32, it is overpriced, as there are better courses nearby for the same fee.

The best thing about PV is the staff: they are jovial, welcoming, and reflect the family-run atmosphere that the ownership prides itself on. Very nice people, and they do a nice job.

The course itself is another matter. Layout/design is not too imaginative, especially on the back, where four holes run parallel with each other, with balls flying everywhere. The front nine has some very hilly terrain, which heavily influences #2 and #9, and somewhat less the other holes. I do not think the front nine is walkable by the average senior. Fairways are wide and welcoming. Greens tend to be small, and most have a pretty severe slope on them, although not much contour. Several holes have false fronts on the greens, just like a Donald Ross design (be prepared to watch your ball roll back off the green to you!). Many tee boxes are not flat, and so provide an interesting set-up. Bunkers are minimal, and water only comes into play on a few holes, and is easily avoided there. The design is very compact, resulting in holes being packed in more closely together than is probably safe in several cases, where the distance between tee and adjacent green is about five yards (#1 tee box and #9 green are close enough for a handshake). The White tees measure 6318, with four par 4s over 400 yards. including one of 454 yards! There is also the closing hole, a flat par 3, measuring 238 yards, into the prevailing wind...can you say PGA Tour?? Slope and rating is 69.7/115, which I think is low, given the yardages involved.

The conditions today were pretty good. Tee boxes and fairways were in nice shape. Greens were very good, putted true and smooth, with only a very few bad spots from winters touch. The only negative was the bunkers: they were in terrible shape today.

Overall, Pleasant Valley is just that...pleasant. Worth a trip for a try, but probably not a course you will frequent regularly.