This par 72 is one of those courses that you will like, right from the start, as you stand on the tee of the 1st hole, admiring the nice wooded and open scenery around the left dogleg par-4, with an uphill tee shot landing onto a rollercoaster fairway and a second shot downward to the undulating green.
You will then move on to the scenic par-3 2nd hole, with a tee shot over a small lake (with a fountain in the middle) and a small bunker in front of the green to watch for, before heading later on to the straight par-5 4th, uphill all the way, with a rollercoaster fairway and a long and blind second shot toward the steeply-elevated green.
If you liked the 2nd hole, wait until you see the very long (almost 280 yards, in tournament mode !) par-3 6th, with a blind and uphill tee shot over deep rough and small trees, offering a nice panoramic view as you reach the green !
Then, after the par-5 8th hole, uphill all the way, with a tee shot over some shrubs across (not far from the tee box), and some deep rough, splitting the fairway, midway (with a nice small lake on the left), and a blind second shot toward the undulating green (hard to reach unless you have a strong tailwind to help you out), you will face the pretty right dogleg par-4 9th, again uphill all the way, with a tee shot over some deep rough and a meandering path, crossing the undulating fairway, and an elongated lake, midway (on the right) ending near the green.
The back 9 has some nice holes too, starting with the gorgeous panoramic par-3 10th, with a tee shot over a wide lake, and continuing with the beautiful left dogleg par-5 11th, with an uphill tee shot and a very risky second shot downward to the green, set next to a small lake (on the left), with plenty of shrubs around.
After two par-4 holes (12th, 13th), with an uphill tee shot over plenty of deep rough, you will walk over to my favorite hole, the par-3 14th, looking like a postcard with a tee shot over a wide lake (with plenty of big bushes around and a fountain in the middle), landing onto a peninsula green, surrounded by more shrubs.
On the par-5 15th hole, uphill all the way, with a fairway winding its way to the left (starting midway), you might be able to putt for an eagle if you can reach the green on your second shot through a couple of trees, standing in the way, before finishing later on with two (mostly) straight and nice par-4 holes, the downhill 17th, with a tee shot over small bushes across the fairway, and the uphill 18th, with a big elongated lake, midway and ending in front of the steeply-elevated green (on the left).
With its wide open look, beautiful trees (in colors and shapes), and its steep elevation changes, this National Golf Club Bedminster New course is one of MSR’s best, and a definite keeper !