There are many thorough reviews for East Roswell already on this site. However, with the continued relevance of this course and its prevalence in tournament, league, and casual play, I feel like a more specific approach is warranted. I would calculate course relevance by this equation: (intrinsic value of course) x (number of rounds played on course by player population) x (sanctioned representation). By that logic, I feel like the only courses that measure up in the Atlanta area are Oregon Park, Little Mulberry, and Perkerson. East Roswell has been here a while, and it's consistently popular. It's here to stay. It's always going to be a challenge. Why not arm yourself with information?
Background: At the time of this review, I am a 935 rated player with 400 golf distance backhand and a weak forehand. I have played 80 different courses, located mostly in the American Southeast. I am right-handed and will write this review from such a perspective.
Hole Breakdown (from the backs):
Note: I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I mentally separate this course into three distinct stretches.
1-10- try to keep it 2 over or better. 10 is the last hard one for a bit.
11-15- try to get 3 of the 5 birdie holes.
16-18- hang on tight. Try to keep it 1 over or better, and finish at par.
I try to take holes one at a time, but I can't help checking the scorecard at these checkpoints.
1. A long, long turnover shot up the hill and to the right. I think backhand is the way to go here- I feel like the fade on the forehand would be difficult to control. The tricky part is that if I throw a midrange, I still have work to do on the approach, but do I really want to throw a driver that nose-up? The silver lining on this hole is that it doesn't have the big-number risk of others; the drive is relatively open and if you miss too straight, it's relatively easy to pitch to a spot where you can get up and down. There isn't much of a gap to hit; the issue is executing the precise shape with a good bit of power. I feel like I always take a four here, but that won't kill you.
2, A short downhill shot over the valley. Barring thumber/tommie chicanery, the only real available gap is throwing a left-right shot through the gap between two trees on the left. Forehand is better, since the shot needs a quick bite at the end. Miss is left/long, not short right. Due to the valley, a tree kick could send your disc very far away, but the rough isn't really that dense, especially on the left. This is one you want to get, especially if you started by bogeying 1. Probably averages around 2.66 for MA1.
3. Relatively open turnover bomb. You probably need around 450 to get there due to the elevation change. Miss is definitely left/too straight- right can be dangerous, as there's a place to get stuck if you overturn. There is a tree around 350 ahead, right in the middle of the fairway. Usually, I chuck it and pray I miss. Better players may want to actually aim. Green is harmless. This is a weird scoring hole, as deuces are unlikely, but you really, really don't want to take a 4 here.
4. Probably the most open hole on the course. It's farther than you think due to the uphill, and most players will need to go driver here. I think the play is to aim at the left tree side and throw something that will turn and fight back at the end. Crashing it into the trees around the basket isn't the worst idea, as you'll probably have SOME sort of a putt. Probably the lowest bogey potential on the course- just don't be too far right or left, because you'll be behind the tree wall. Still, not easy to screw up. Probably want to birdie around half the time or a little less.
5. Downhill power shot through a reasonable gap.Left is the miss here, as it can still get through. Griplocked shots will be in kudzu jail on the right. Speaking of kudzu, this gap gets MUCH tighter during the summer months due to overgrowth. As someone with around 400 distance, I tend to go for this with a control driver in the colder portions of the year and just try to make the gap with a flippy midrange in the summer. This green looks quite innocuous, but it is much more annoying than it seems, as the slope is enough to where you can't see the bottom of the basket, which messes with your depth perception. Additionally, the green is downhill, and very skippy. The amount of times I've had a stock approach here and left myself a 25-30 foot putt is way more than I'd like to admit.
6. A blast over a valley with one tree to miss and a moderately protected green. Again, hyzer flip to turn with a controllable driver is the play here. A harsh truth: that tree on the right side of the fairway, you know the one….you are going to, at some point, throw a good shot down the pipe that turns a little soon and hits it. You will not save par. It's okay. It happens. I actually think the miss is right instead of left here- left shots don't make it up the hill, while right shots can potentially get lucky through the foliage. If you don't make it up the hill enough and have an obstructed shot, it's very hard to save, though not impossible. I have never saved or seen anyone do so after nailing the one tree, though. You probably need about 425 or so to reach this one, and more advanced players will likely consider trying.
7. One of the best holes on the course, you have to punch a midrange or control driver through a gap around 200-250 out then get some leftward fade. Danger lies on both sides: right is OB beyond the walking path and left will send you down a ridiculous gulch where you will almost certainly not save par. Get on top of the plateau and you're in the driver's seat for par, though some trees up there can force a funky approach. To get to the green for the deuce, you'll have to get through the gap, then get something to flip up and REALLY push that right side of the fairway.
8. Softer par 4 that's an obvious forehand hole. If you've got a solid forehand, you should get this most of the time.Forehand hyzer, skip, approach. Backhand can work, but you really have to drop it in the bucket with a soft landing putter flip-up. There are two lines where you can get right towards the green: a shorter one, right in front of the short pad, and a longer one, maybe 30 feet ahead, that is much wider. I think forehanders should aim for the short gap (it also sets up another forehand) and backhanders should go for the wide one- it's farther, but there's more space. The approach and green is relatively tame once you beat the trees on the corner, but there is a bit of a drop behind the basket if you putt hard.
9. Long downhill flex forehand tunnel shot. As a backhand-dominant player, I throw a push hyzer, trying to get as close as I can to the tree denoting the right side of the fairway. Left and deep is safe- it's an easy pitch over. For forehand, I'd get something stable, crank it over through the gap, and let it fight back. There's a bit of a plinko aspect to this fairway. Not making it out of the initial tunnel could be a very big number, and it's not easy to save par if you're in the fairway but 100-150 feet short.
10. Uphill tunnel shot with a plateau-like landing zone at the top of the hill. Straight to slightly flippy mid should get you up there. While it's better to be on the fairway, there are some scramble opportunities if you get up there but are in the schule. The plateau is longer than you think, and the basket is, of course, on a slope. It's ideal to be able to jump putt the approach, because things can get skippy otherwise and leave a scary putt. If you're under 970 rated, I probably wouldn't try to birdie this. Just make the gap.
11. Short and straight putter shot through a double-mando gap with an open green and slightly elevated pin. Relatively standard hole. It's preferable to throw something that drifts a bit right, as that's how the green filters shots. The mando isn't scary, but is definitely missable. One of the easiest holes here.
12. Probably the easiest hole here, the line is a turnover putter shot that comes back a bit at the end. The only real risk is hitting a late tree dead-on and landing in the hazard rock pit, but you'll still probably be inside 45 if that happens. Not much to say here, really. There is a hyzer line on the right during the winter months when things aren't so overgrown.
13. This is the best and toughest of the "birdie five". A very, very tight 210 foot tunnel shot that narrows and narrows as you go. How straight can you throw? There is a right gap that's a bit more of an open hyzer, but you really have to push first available to get there. It's an easier shape, but the gap is very scary and bogey-inducing. Finesse players will dig this. Basket is tilted to the right off the pad, and being over there can lead to putts spitting.
14. Downhill, and about 250. Another straight shot, but this time there's another (and I think better line); a soft putter flex out to the right. Throw a disc with some stability high and on anhyzer and let it fade back. There is also nothing wrong with straight or hyzer flip right up the gut. Not much threat for bogey. The basket is at a low point and you'll likely be putting down on it.
15. An interesting sort of hyzer line over a hill to a blind basket. One tree in the middle of the fairway dictates your decision. A bad left miss has bogey potential, so tread carefully. I prefer going to the left of the main tree because it's a straighter, more forward-pushing shot; if you get through, you'll probably be on the green. Going right is an easier shot shape, but you really have to push the trees on the right side of the fairway to get down to the green. Or, just chuck a stable putter at the tree and hope you miss, since that's exactly where you were aiming.
16. This is the beginning of the final three, the three most difficult holes on the course (maybe there's an argument for 1 or 10 over 18?). The first shot is the touch shot to end all touch shots; an uphill, drifting right midrange/putter with trees all along each side. Definitely a "drop it in the bucket" shot. The miss isn't really left or right, though I tend to miss left; the closer the shot is to the fairway, the better. If you're a decent bit off the fairway after the first shot, I highly recommend swallowing your pride and committing to the bogey. I have seen people take huge numbers here trying to be a hero. General rule on the second shot is to try and get to the open area at the end of the initial tree tunnel. If you haven't made it here by the second shot, you likely aren't going to get up and down. I personally like to be at the bottom of the depression on the left side. Left side depression is going to have less elevation change on the approach but some trees to contend with; right side is more open, but you'll have a downhill upshot to a skippy green. Green has some protection, but generally nothing intermediate players will struggle to deal with. While this is an awesome, intimidating hole, if you really lace the tee shot, attacking for the trey isn't a super high-risk play.
17. Bar none, the hardest hole on the course; I genuinely have no idea how you get into the circle here. Maybe a huge skip forehand off the pinestraw? It's just so far to the right. Step up to the tee and you'll see it right away; forget about par if you don't get down that tunnel. I actually usually go midrange here, you can't be short of the end. If you don't make it out of the tunnel, immediately shift your focus to saving bogey. A rightwards kick may lead to even bogey being difficult. Forehand is the play here to get down the gap and then get right. I don't have that, so I aim a flippy mid at the last tree of the tunnel on the left and get it to flip up and go. It's pointless to give much advice on the second shot to the green; it's straight up scramble mode, and players should prepare to have to improvise. Get it down there any way you can. (I like this as a design feature.) Functionally a par 4. One more thing: if your tee shot goes short and way right, there used to be a "back way" through the woods over there, likely a deer trail of some sort. I don't know if it's still there, or if it's grown back in. But as a beginner, I remember taking it a few times.
18. I feel that humanity, as a species, has shared values, thoughts, experiences and feelings that unite us. One of those experiences is standing on the tee box here and thinking "stupid tree." Yes, there's just that one stupid tree. Yes, it's right in the middle of the fairway, Yes, you've laced countless shots into it that would have been perfect. Yes, they all took horrible kicks and you never saved par. I personally like to throw a control driver right at that one tree with a little flip and hope it'll turn enough by then to dodge it. Whatever way you want to get past it is fine. But I really hope you do. Once you beat the initial obstacle, there are paths to the basket on the left and right. I personally like to hyzer off left, then there's a little tunnel to lay up through. Right side is a little more improvisational. Of course, the last basket is on a very steep hill, so be careful on the green.
Other thoughts/tips:
- I feel like this course rates very hard, considering how tough it is. This is a sign that it's well-trafficked: the local MA1/MPO population has made significant progression in shot execution/course management over the last couple years.
- I don't consider this a very putting-intensive course compared to others in the area. If your shot is errant, you'll hit a tree instead of having a chance to save with a 30-45 foot putt.
- Distance helps here, but isn't mandatory; if you can throw 300 feet straight, you'll have success.
- I think the language on the new tee signs is a little milder now, but the old tee signs used to be so condescending and it would crack me up. "You need to be under par by this hole to shoot a good score" yeah, whatever. Don't tell me what to do!
- If you can CONSISTENTLY shoot well here, that's a really encouraging trend in your development as a player and is something you should be proud of.
"God bless America, and God bless the backhand turnover."