Brookhaven Country Club - Championship Course

Review of Brookhaven Country Club – Championship Course

Brookhaven Country Club has been a very popular country club since it opened in 1957.  With 3 18 hole courses, a top rated tennis facility, great amenities, and reasonable initiation fees and monthly dues, it's not surprising that Brookhaven was voted "Best Country Club – $10,000 or less," "Best Value Club," "Best Family Club" and "Most Improved Club" in March 2009 by the  Avid Golfer magazine.

Owned and operated by Club Corp, Brookhaven has three very different 18 hole courses:

• the Masters which only has three tee boxes and yardages ranging from 6158 to 6879 is regarded is the most difficult test of your game
• the Championship Course is more women and higher handicap golf friendly and slightly more forgiving
• the Presidents course is a par 70 short course (4027 to 4790 yards) and is excellent to practice your short game or seniors, juniors and beginners

Brookhaven Country Club's Championship Course's tree lined fairways meander through the Brookhaven community providing you with a great golf experience – somewhat scenic, excellent conditions, good pace of play, small challenging greens, and some fun holes, some of which will test your game. 

Some of what makes playing Brookhaven Country Club's Championship Course enjoyable includes:

• several very good risk reward opportunities to try and fly the trees to shorten the hole for a birdie opportunity
• tight to forgiving fairways off the tee box and many cases where you might consider leaving the big dog in the bag unless you have an excellent under the trees worm burner shot
• a good combination of dog legs left and right, some uphill and downhill shots, and some holes that require some strategic shot making
• challenging approach shots to small guarded greens that will test your putting skills

When we played in February 2013, the fairways were dormant but you could tell that during the season they would be in near perfect condition (which was also verified by a member) and the same would hold true for the rough.  The fairways are all tree lined and trees are spread out enough that you can typically worm burn your way toward the green or at least back to fairway.  If you really spray the ball, you'll be in one of the other side by side airways with a tough shot requiring you to carry the trees.  The fairways range from tight to wide enough to "let-er-rip."  You'll also encounter some uphill as well as downhill shots and some sloping fairways that can take your ball into some real trouble.

The greens at Brookhaven Country Club's Championship Course are tiny and dangerous and raised and guarded – putting a premium on your approach shot and putting f you want to score well.  Most of the greens have a left and right front bunker that are easy to hit because the greens are so small.  Once you're on the green, you best study them carefully because there is plenty of slope and undulation plus some tiers and ridges – pin placement can be a killer!  When we played they were in near perfect condition, ran true and fast, and held the ball well.  A joy to putt on, once you got on the green.

The bunkers have been redone and some of the sand is fine, soft, and thick while other bunker has thin and gritty/gravely sand.  The faces are manageable, but don't expect to roll out of the bunker.  All but a couple of the bunkers are guarding the greens.

Bottom line – a very good quality course with active and friendly members and excellent amenities – all at a good value.