Clifton Park NY

[KevinE]

This another course I wrote about in Clifton Park NY.

 

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EAGLE CREST: A GEM IN THE NEW YORK CAPITOL REGION

AUGUST 8, 2016  KEVIN WONOSKI 0

 

 

The greens are the talons of the “Eagle.”

Eagle Crest is located in Clifton Park, New York between Albany and Saratoga. It is readily accessible from all directions of travel.  Coming from the Bay State traveling west through the Berkshires, then north through the Hudson River Valley into the rich farmlands of New York was an enjoyable ride.

Eagle Crest has been owned and operated by the Paulson family since 1991.  The pro shop is well stocked, and the Staff onsite were very helpful to a first time player at the Eagle. For your pleasures after the round, there is a spacious lounge and restaurant. Sorry to say, we didn't eat at the course. We ate in town at the Delmonico's Italian Steakhouse. Which if I decide to delve in the food review business, would be another positive article on its own.

On the property is a spacious driving range.  It also, has multiple putting and chipping greens. The practice greens run the same speed and difficulty as the on course greens. It annoys this writer to no end when the practice green and the playing greens are like two different animals.  The green fees are Monday thru Thursday $30.00. Fridays $32.00 and the Weekends are $39.00. If you choose to rent a cart it is $30.00 for a pair or $20.00 single. For this writer, usually paying upwards of $70.00, for the better tracks I've played, the fees were beyond reasonable.

We teed it up from the Gold tees which measure a formidable 6,565 yards. The set up of holes is pretty interesting. The outbound nine, runs inside the acreage, while the back nine takes you around the outer part of the property. Everything, is pretty much right in front of you. With the exception of 7 and 16 which entertains you with a dogleg left and right, respectively.  The fairways are generous. If you whack the driver well enough, bring it, use it. If you stray slightly, you won't be punished into double bogey land. Well, you may, but that part of the story comes later. If you are a stat master, electronic record keeper, which this golfer is not, and you are hitting the ball well, your fairways hit and greens in regulation stats may just be off the charts.

The course has trees, but small groves, not forests. The course has bunkers, but not many to impede your progress to the promise land. Water is basically a non issue, except on the Par 5, 466 yard 13thhole. I am going to ramble for a sec for the 13th was my favorite hole by far. Not that any hole on this track wasn't enjoyable, I just loved the look of 13.  The 13th is a slightly downhill Par 5 with the pre-mentioned wide fairway, some trees on the right, and high, tall fescue on the  left. If you can manage a 250 yard drive, which is doable considering the downhill and a pretty good rolling fairway, you are left with about 215 yards to the putting surface. One, would think, it could be possible for a go in two.  Well. yes and no. It seems, that the course that was relatively tree, water and bunker free, now has changed its complexion. This ominous group of 3 hazards all gathered around the 13th green, and me , with my sometime, not so smart, go for broke, Arnold Palmer mentality, would have challenged the 215 yards and multiple troubles.  But a wave of sensibility came over me, and I laid up in front of the water and faced the perils of the Eagle's greens two shots later.

 The greens are the talons of the “Eagle.”  They are very large, hence the greens in regulation stat bump. Undulating would be the word to describe them, although I think undulating isn't enough. They have numerous uphill putts that crest, and spiral downhill 15 feet toward the hole. They run sideways, left and right. They have double breakers twisting towards the hole. They are fast. Don't know about Augusta fast. I never played Augusta. But, they may be the quickest greens I've  ever seen on a public golf course. They come from the same gene pool as a corkscrew roller coaster at Six Flags. I know after a few times playing The Eagle, I would realize that keeping all shots below the hole is a must. When I play golf, one of my main pre-round goals is not to 3 putt. Well, at Eagle Crest it would be not to 3 putt too many times. Out of my 7 bogeys and 2 double bogeys, the doubles and 5 bogeys were 3 putted. Putts of 4 feet down hill/side hill turned into 10 footers back up hill. That being said, the greens were pristine, rolled like linoleum, and held a true line.

With all my putting and chipping woes, I must say this course was the highlight of my golfing summer so far. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, it was a 4.7 to me. I don't give 5, since I think perfection is a reason for not striving to improve at all.

In closing, having played Eagle Crest July 23,2016 and a lot of Northeast summer left, to date, it was my best golfing experience of the year. I find it hard to believe it could be topped, but if it is, I can't wait. If anyone is ever in the Capitol region of Albany, I highly encourage you to give the Eagle a go. Also, if you are looking for a steak to die for, do yourself a favor, you won't regret, and stop at Delmonico's Italian Steakhouse. If I ever get in the food review business, I may just have to break my steadfast rule and hang 5 stars over Delmonico's entrance.

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