Portland Golf Course West

In my book, still the top executive course in Connecticut–measured against other worthy contenders (see earlier review from this August).

Conditions were good but not outstanding. Greens had been aerated and were a little erratic on putts inside ten feet, while bunkers pretty well walked over from the tournament that had just ended when I started the back nine. Some tees were beat up, but–let’s face it–this is November.

The pro here, Gerry D’Amora, is excellent. I’ll gladly recommend this course to anyone, and many times have done just that.

Portland West, tucked on the side of a country road just off Route 66, provides a quiet and relaxed atmosphere for a casual round of executive golf. Today it proved again to be a popular (but not, thankfully, overcrowded) course, especially for a category that is sometimes thought less desirable by “serious golfers.” I used to be one of them and was, of course, mistaken. The atmosphere here benefits from a nice separation between nearly all of the holes. The views comprise mainly the peaceful and mainly open Connecticut countryside, along with the dense woods around the course’s perimeter.

Clubhouse
Friendliness was excellent today in the person of the young lady I met at check-in. She was personable and considerate, an excellent representative for Portland West.

Conditions
Good overall. Right now effects of the recent rains have Connecticut courses and their fairways very wet. Roll was minimal on the fairways. Understandably, the course is not being cut frequently–it should not be. The bunkers and tees were decent but fringes were on the weak side. Greens were excellent and ran smoothly. With better summertime conditions, PW will no doubt be fully back on track within a week or so.

Pace
Average but could have been better. Typical for a Saturday afternoon.

The Layout Itself
For a short course of only par 3s and 4s, this one packs a definite punch. While making pars is a task usually of moderate difficulty, you must still earn them through careful shotmaking. What can I write that I haven’t mentioned in many previous reviews? Here are some further comments:

The par-4s are balanced on front and back sides: three per nine. Relatively flat on the front side, they undulate to varying degrees on the back. They also tighten up on the ninth, tenth and seventeenth, where wild drives will spell severe trouble. The signature sixth hole rates highly for its drive and approach shot, on which hitting over a pond and to a raised green will challenge the best golfers. I’ve always thought it could fit properly on a list of best par-4s in the state.

The back nine gives you several inspiring shots, but a cleverly-designed set of back to back to back par-3s present the kinds of challenges that should wow first-time players of Portland West. These are 12, 13, and 14. Greens are varied in size, though they tend toward the larger, modern scale, making most of them optimal for a variety of pin positions. Their slopes, too, are varied enough to create interest. Deep and large bunkers edge many of these putting surfaces; their high quality is unexpected for a reasonably-priced executive track.

It’s worth noting that all of the holes are varied and intelligently designed, which also may surprise those who are expecting typical executive fare. Al Zikorus was a thoughtful architect and his capable work clearly shows up throughout the eighteen. Here, he seems to have borrowed a thing or two from his counterpart Geoffrey Cornish, as there are minimalist aspects to holes like the eighteenth (where you can, fittingly, run the ball onto the green), well-balanced shot values on the par-4s, an avoidance of simplistic runway fairways on the par-4s, and the neat double-green for 9 and 18. Zikorus, a bit like Cornish, remains underrated–in my opinion–and his designs, including this one, show a distinct professionalism. In short, you can’t ask for much more here given the designer’s objectives.

The routing will keep you on your toes, even though four or five of the holes (or maybe more like nine of them, depending on your level of skill) should be straightforward pars. The final five holes begin by playing alongside a small marsh, then by sidling up to a barn, a cemetery, and a suburban street, before returning you to the handsome 1980’s-style clubhouse, which is perched on a knoll next to the parking lot, practice green, and driving range.

It’s a pleasant, scenic and short round of golf, and one that always keeps me entertained. A good walk–but typically unspoiled.

It felt great to get back into the swing, literally and figuratively, of playing golf today. This was my first round of golf in Connecticut for 2024. I did play seven rounds in Scotland some five to six weeks ago. My reticence to play resulted from a health condition that is now almost cleared up. My swing, it would seem, has not deserted me.
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For late fall, Portland West was in respectably good shape–not the shape you’ll find “in season”--but still comparatively good. Only the traps and some of the greenside areas fell well below the usual standard. The greens were still smooth enough to impart a consistent roll on nearly all putts.

As for the course itself, I played both nines this time, especially enjoying the somewhat better inward half. Although the front has two of the best holes on the course (six and eight), the back delivers one challenging hole after the next. The standouts are twelve and thirteen, sixteen and eighteen. The back side also features both more ground movement and more consistent elevation changes. So club selection, hole for hole, is typically more critical and the margin for error generally smaller when you miss a green. Pitching to the green can be difficult on most of these holes when you miss the putting surface by more than a few yards. Greens themselves on the back nine are mid-sized, with only the fourteenth, sixteenth and eighteenth providing larger targets. The hardest par for most players will be the long par-3 eighteenth: it threatens the tee ball with water to the right, and the slightly elevated green means you’ll have to play a precise approach–not so easy to pull off from over 200 yards. The most complex hole has to be ten, mainly because the fairway climbs up a hill while twisting a bit to the right; moreover, a pond guards its right flank–although the water is mostly obscured from view at the tee by a screen of trees. Both slicing and hooking can prove deadly off the tee at the tenth, but you’ll also have to hit a sharp approach to a perched green.

Sloppy play on any of these holes may well lead to quick double bogeys, the kind of score that better players don’t expect to make on executive tracks.

I’m not sure there are any executive courses in Connecticut that offer this much challenge while retaining a sense of fun. That seems to me an ideal combination when the object is to do some serious work on your game as you play a brisk round.

Today I played the Portland West’s front side, which is usually the case for me as I typically have time for just nine on my way home. But it was still satisfying, especially because in late October this course is in excellent shape. Still, that’s never a surprise, since the greenkeeping staff here tends to this layout as well as any does in the entire state—not bad for an executive layout!

Conditions are excellent on the greens and around them, excellent on the fairways, excellent on the tees. One shortfall, if slight, is the bunkers, which simply do not have their usual smoothness, though the sand is both good and consistent in them.

Portland West invariably looks good, too, and the parkland nature of the course, which allows you to look across the middle of it several times over longer vistas, keeps the small scale from feeling claustrophobic. A hemmed-in feeling can be common on other, more woodsy executive tracks with too many trees. The setting itself is classic Connecticut, and though the outward half is mainly flat (with one hill to ascend at eight, then descend from tee nine), the inward is quite rugged, moving up and down almost rhythmically from the tenth hole to conclusion.

The front opens up with a trio of similar par-3’s, yet the second, a bit shorter than the other two, also ascends a small hill to reach the green, a green protected by a large left-side bunker and tree. Hole four is best played with a drive down the left side–ideally a cut shot–that will leave you with a straightforward pitch into the green.

Hole six presents a firm challenge by any standard, involving a big left-side pond that threatens the drive but also the second shot if it is played sloppily. Your approach into an elevated and bunkered green must be a good one. Eight and nine are both demanding holes, and the former may just be the best par-3 on the entire course among twelve total. Nine is the course’s toughest driving hole among the five. I’ve found the best bet is to draw the ball down the fairway’s left side, where it’s possible to reach beyond the pond.

The clubhouse here, though not large, is pleasant and neat, as is its attached restaurant. Upon check-in, the gentleman I met was friendly and welcoming.

After another positive nine here where I scored pretty well, I felt good as usual. This course is certainly not hard, but it makes up for that by being great fun to play. The par-4s are rigorous enough to demand straight hitting, and a few of the greens have enough pitch to challenge your putter. Portland West remains at the top of my list for short courses across the state.

(Front Nine)
Although an executive course, Portland West is challenging enough for the good golfer, with gaping bunkers, large ponds and contoured greens. The latter are not extreme, however, as their slopes tend towards the subtle. The front nine, comparatively tame in light of what is faced on the back, nonetheless still sports a pair of tough par-4s at six (a classic) and nine. The third four-par–the fourth–is basic. The golfing terrain on the front side, too, is flat, save for the lone hill at the terrific eighth hole–among the best par-3s found on any course statewide.

Conditioning, always outstanding at PW, far outpaces that of the “average” public course.

A fairly powerful thunderstorm broke today, which briefly interrupted my round at the sixth tee. Fortunately, this hole is close to the clubhouse. When, fifteen minutes later, play resumed, it was clear that the storm’s strong winds had knocked the flagstick out of the hole.--a restrained exercise of Mother Nature’s power. But there’s nothing that should restrain any golfer from playing this executive course.

It’s hard to find the right balance in the field of golf course architecture. Too many of the short courses I’ve played, although well designed and furnished with some interesting holes, lack a sound enough challenge because there is no true emphasis on ball-striking. The best part about Portland West, an eye-catching and well-conditioned exec track set in the Connecticut River Valley, is that even though it delivers a relaxing and scenic round, it should apply some real pressure to the long games of most players. It’s telling, then, that the course rating from the blue tees is 60.5 against par of 60.

BACK NINE: LAYOUT SUMMARY
Portland West manages the clever and unusual trick of both fitting the “executive” category (it’s quite short) yet feeling equally like a standard golf course. The more rigorous back nine is mainly responsible for this, on the strength of a trio of par-4’s–all short but still tough enough–but also a couple of long par-3’s, the fourteenth and eighteenth, that play over hazards.

Most of the remaining difficulties come at twelve and thirteen, par-3’s that play to greens set on small hills. In each case, large falloffs punish shots that fail to reach the fronts or sides of these surfaces.

Four Key Challenges at Portland West, Back Nine:

Ten, par-4 of 368 (uphill):
The toughest par-4 on the back features a winding fairway with trouble both left (woods) and right (pond), and then plays further uphill to a plateau green.

Seventeen: par-4, 317:
Short but tight and lethal, seventeen requires that both drive and pitch be precise: the hole is laden with various problem areas and hazards.

Eighteen: par-3, 215.
A big forced carry over the property’s central water hazard. Still, you can land the ball short (there’s room enough) and roll it on the large green.

Twelve, par-3, 177.
Equally merciless as the 18th (if in different ways), this demands a 160-yard carry to reach the perched green. Most players will need mid-iron or hybrid to find the canted putting surface. Miss the green widely and you’ll likely visit the woods.

Conditioning Excellence:
The course succeeds in every respect, especially around the greens but also on the tees, roughs, and uniformly groomed fairways. The only minor weakness: a few of the tees were average; all else ranged from good to excellent. The green complexes, especially, were meticulously kept and the putting surfaces as smooth as can be expected at a busy public course. The last comparably coniditoned course I’ve played was Wintonbury Hills last October.

Some Conclusions
On most of this back nine, Portland West provides a firm challenge while still being a realistic one for a broad range of players. Top-notch conditioning and a friendly atmosphere add to the pleasure of playing this course, which earned a spot in the Golf Pass (2022) “Best Golf Courses in Connecticut.”

Was it a surprise to see virtually every parking space in the lot filled at 4:30, when I left? No.

Portland West derives its name, I’m guessing, from its location relative to Portland Golf Course: this executive course lies slightly west (on Gospel Lane) from the original, ‘full-length’ track, built eleven years earlier. PGC West is situated only about a mile east and uphill, however, from downtown Portland and a short distance from Route 66.

Overall, this is a stellar executive track, and it’s the best of its kind in Connecticut, especially when you play the full eighteen. The layout of back nine, situated at the northern end of the property, holds a definite edge over the front, mainly due to a pair of longer par-3’s and a trio of par-4’s that are all first-rate. The back also boasts a pair of clever short par-3’s: holes twelve and thirteen.

The front side, which I played today, has less of the ‘wow factor,’ as it’s mostly flatter than the back and not as tough. Still, there are three excellent holes that bear mention as this outward half closes out. Six, which for some will be the signature hole, is an outstanding mid-length four-par where your second shot must traverse a pond and a pair of huge green side bunkers. The green, by the way, is elevated and backed by a huge upslope. It’s no routine par. The par-4 ninth, even more problematic than six because of a pair of ponds lining both sides of the fairway, plays downhill from the tee, where the view of the landing zone may feel more than a tad intimidating. My favorite hole, nonetheless, is the short par-3 eighth, playing uphill to a fortress-like green complex. My one caveat continues to be the seventh hole, where, because of big overhanging tree limbs, I was again forced to play from the front tee and awkwardly slap a punched eight (really, a half-shot) into the green.

Today the course was slightly waterlogged after previous rains--courtesy of this week’s nor’easter--but still in excellent condition overall. As always, Portland West’s conditioning rivals that of private courses, with smooth greens and lush fairways. Another plus: this course looks spectacular in autumn.

A few brief comments from today:
1) Conditioning was, as always, top-notch here. PGCW was amazingly green and lush considering the summer we’ve had.

2) Still prefer the back to the front side, although holes 1, 6, and 8 stand out. Every hole on the back seems just about perfect. All in all, though, I’d call this the premier executive nine in Connecticut. Today I was able to hit driver three times, along with 3-wood and 3-hybrid once each. I’ve played a lot of golf this summer, but this remained one of my favorite courses: quick, pleasant, challenging, engaging around the greens. Value (best in state?) deserves six stars.

3) Pace of play: 3 and ¼ hours for 18, but could have been a bit faster on front side (which I played second). Course was quite busy. It’s an easier course to walk on the relatively flat outward half.

4) Good precautions taken against Covid-19.

5) Service was excellent. Both Gerry, the Pro, and the Assistant Pro Lou were friendly, conversational, and well-informed. Very flexible, as well.

6) Both inside and outside dining look tempting, with great 19th-hole views. I’ll have to come back soon, even if not playing golf—heard that the food is very good.

At first, playing Portland West may feel like the golfing equivalent of watching a light but highly entertaining movie like Harry Potter or Shrek. And the golf here is basically fun, without too many heavy demands to over-stress you. But this is not to say that it's a piece of cake: don't be deceived by the label "executive" at Portland West.

This track is rich in solid holes. Playing here, the only thing that reminds me I'm on an executive course is the sheer number of par-3's: twelve. And yes, there are a few routine holes, but the balance range from average to high in difficulty. While the par-3's on the front side are generally easier than those on the back, the two four-pars here feature big water hazards and will tend to get our full attention.

The front side's fairways undulate only mildly, but most of its greens are perched markedly. But only one of these holes—eight—could be called 'hilly.' So the bulk of the real drama at Portland West comes on the inward nine.

The most interesting front-side hole may well be #6, a mid-length four-par with a classic, serene look. Yet it's packed with difficulties: dogleg left with a large pond guarding this side of the narrow fairway; large stretches of dense rough; an elevated green, some ten feet above grade and well guarded by a pair of menacing bunkers with high lips. Suffice it to say that both the drive and approach shot will test your mettle, while chipping/bunker play around the green will reward sound short game skills.

TOUGHEST HOLE: Par-4 ninth; 376 yards; dogleg right. Starting from a high tee, the hole feels airy, but its driving area is stringent with two flanking ponds, the larger one lining nearly the entire right side of this fairway. Intimidating? Yup. For some, this ninth will be a Robert Trent Jones 'heroic hole': very long hitters can be tempted into flying the pond (over its corner) in hopes of being left with an easy, opportunistic pitch. For all others, the drive will be about accuracy—hitting this narrow fairway—or just plain water-avoidance. The 9th green is large and a bit benign, guarded mainly by a right-front trap.

COOLEST HOLE: The unique par-3 eighth. This exciting, steeply uphill one-shotter may only be 135 yards, making it a short-iron for many, but my overriding thought on the tee (besides "Please hit it solidly!") is to shape a draw. It's a hard shot to pull off, but should help here to avoid the Cyclopean, golf-ball-devouring bunker guarding nearly the entire front of this green. The narrow opening on the right seems just barely accessible. For those who miss long, there is a kind of 'backboard'—a steep hillside—behind this green, but it may not always deflect one's ball back down to the putting surface.

For an uphill hole especially, the eighth green is quite small, and putting it is no picnic. When the hole is cut on the front of this cramped surface, a birdie at eight may be about as unobtainable as a taxi when it rains.

OTHER NOTES, COMMENTS, & OPINIONS::

A) Unfortunately, slow play was a problem here today. We were 40 minutes over the time we expected to play 18. When, as a result of an excruciatingly slow front, my son and I unexpectedly had a problem continuing onto the back as a result--a league had arrived--the pro offered us a rain check (with an added bonus). This was quite thoughtful, we agreed, but we passed and continued on—instead replaying the front nine, a bit faster the second time.

B) Course conditioning here is outstanding. Greens are immaculate and rolled smoothly; rough and greenside areas are consistent; fairways are excellent; tees are typically very good, though these lag a bit behind the rest.

C) My son and I both really enjoy this course and will be back. After a second and third play now, I do see a difference between front and back nines. The decided edge, I would say, goes to the back, as it plays tougher and has several more exciting holes.

Portland, Connecticut provides more than its share of golfing options, as does the greater Middletown area. One of them is this executive course, just around the corner from Chris Cote's Golf Shop. You’ll find a nice clubhouse and restaurant, a country-suburban setting, a driving range, and a striking 18-hole layout featuring plenty of water, sand, and quality golf. The holes are populated with mature trees; they clad the landscape in scattered groups and line many of the fairways. The terrain tumbles, undulates, and heaves. Only on a few holes does it flatten or settle a bit, but on every hole you’ll find challenges, lying in the form of sizeable hazards alongside the greens or awaiting your tee shots on the strategically planned 4-pars.

Playing the back today, I again found the most demanding hole to be twelve, a 177-yard par-3 over a large gully, its frontal drop-off seeming like something out of Bethpage Black (minus the gargantuan scale). The hole nearly forces you to play to the back of the green—the safer choice—then manhandles you if you miss long, past the putting surface: from here, any downhill chip will be quite ticklish.

Carved from a similar mold is thirteen, another beauty, which sports a grass bunker coupled with a huge, magnetic sand trap that snares weak shots. I found, to my pleasure, that hitting the back side of the green induces the ball to roll backwards, perhaps leaving a still-decent birdie opportunity.

Another problematic hole is the uphill, par-4 tenth, with its rigorous opening tee shot like a summons to play, without delay, some careful golf: you’ll need to thread a drive between the watery hazards and large forms of vegetation that pester both sides of this fairway. Greenside, steep drop-offs punish weak approaches. Such elevated greens and their unsavory surrounds are this back nine’s dominant theme.

One of the norms for executive courses is their tendency to deliver—in bulk—an assortment of fairly dull, average holes. Not here. I like the two big, long par threes featuring prominent water hazards. Do you prefer real slopes on the greens? Speediness? Variety? Sometimes it doesn’t occur to us to ask these questions, but these features are part and parcel of the best courses.

Then there’s the first-rate stretch of closing holes. Sixteen is a terrific driving hole, its green opening up fully when you hug the right treeline with your tee shot (for which you can use, without fear, the driver). Seventeen, my favorite hole, is a classic short 4-par. But it begets severe trouble rightward, downhill and off-the-grid. The green’s right side, being a virtual abyss, is hostile to realistic chances for up/downs. And everything else about this golf hole will test you.

I enjoyed returning to the finishing hole on which this exam fittingly ends. This 220-yard 3-par demands a shot over a large pond and I needed a 3-wood. Aiming rightward and launching a slight draw, I watched with anticipation as the ball hurtled the water, touching down on the slight strip of fairway preceding green eighteen. A drawn shot here turns out to be the safer choice, tactically, because there is no bunker to fly coming in from the right. At the green complex, my ball was sitting on manicured grass a few yards off the surface. I was thankful to conclude this nine with an up-and-down punctuated by a tap-in. Parring the ninth left me with a sense of well-being, knowing that both long and short games had to be tuned well enough to handle some baked-in adversity.

On Portland West’s back nine, though, adversity is ongoing from the opening tee shot.

FRONT NINE REVIEW
Portland West may be ‘just’ (put this in air quotes) an executive layout, but it cuts a wide swath. I played the back first, on Tuesday, and the front on Wednesday—both for the first time—and came away impressed each time. Portland was designed in 1985, the work of the ubiquitous (in Connecticut) Albert Zikorus. This is a modern American course in its broad outlines, but in the particulars a more classical design, especially around its green complexes. The par-4’s are characterized by flattish, tree-lined fairways (for the most part), but some intermittent, large water hazards will influence playing strategies. A sizeable percentage of the holes, most notably among the par-threes, are enlivened by moderately hilly terrain. The greens are classically shaped, contoured, and sized, though a few range to the larger end of the spectrum. Around them are found sudden drop-offs and strategically placed, often deep bunkers. One can see the influence of Mr. Zikorus’ mentor, Donald Ross, in the design of the slopes on these putting surfaces. Yet this is Ross-lite, without the severity of movement you will find on the greens of a course like Ross’ Shennecossett (at Groton)—or Zikorus’ own Indian Springs in Middlefield.

EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE: Portland West is not an especially punishing course. Zikorus was more concerned with testing your capabilities with mid and short irons, along with wedges, than he was with putting your long clubs on trial. Most golfers won’t touch a fairway wood long iron or hybrid on the front. Fortunately, though, he has set up the trio of par-4’s on this side (as well as the back) so that you may hit driver on each of them.

PERSISTENCE OF 3-PARS: Four of the first five holes are three-pars; the best of these begins on the first tee. FIRST: You may suppose the opener of an executive course to be something of a yawner, but the first, a 173-yard par-3, is fraught with problems around its green. Hitting a solid mid-iron onto the putting surface par may be all but guaranteed, assuming you manage well a putt that will probably break significantly on its way to the cup. Missing the first green, however, may mean landing in a sizeable bunker or facing a difficult pitch shot, as there are large drop-offs around the middle and back of this green. SECOND: Another excellent par-three, now traveling uphill (146 yards) and with an opening on its right side. THIRD: It’s pretty close to a carbon copy of the first, but without as much contouring around the periphery of the green. FIFTH: After the easy par-4 fourth, you’ll have back-to-back birdie chances. Five, at 154 yards, is another relatively level hole, having a green without major obstacles around it, though it is somewhat elevated above the fairway. SEVENTH: After four nice par three’s, a big hiccup occurs on this short (143) par-3, bunker and water-guarded on the left. On the back tee, the player’s flight line to the center of the green is directly obstructed by tree branches. Since I didn’t want to hit a fade (with an 8-iron) out over the water hazard, I simply took the straight route. My Bridgestone suffered the indignity of being batted down by the tree limbs (an inevitability) and landed well short of the green, in the tall stuff. Bogey. What happened to this hole? It can’t be the way the Mr. Zikorus designed it, originally, can it? It is a truism that trees keep growing over time. Even from the front tee, it is clear from divot markings that everyone is teeing up of just to the inside of the white marker.

HEARTY FOUR-PARS: These are very good, if not spectacular holes, and each seems to jump a peg in difficulty, concluding with the demanding ninth. FOURTH: If the drive on four seems too wide open and simple, so is the straightforward and short pitch shot you’ll earn after hitting the tee ball on the fairway. Four, then, is a distinct birdie possibility, and the only big miss on this short hole is a slice to the right. The green itself is not all that tricky to putt. SIX: A tougher par-4 (366 yards), this requires a driver from the tee, avoiding the large, swarthy pond all the way down the landing zone’s left side. Through a solid mid/short iron approach, you’ll land on the elevated, well-bunkered green. NINE: At conclusion, nine is fittingly the best of the par-4’s (see below).

STRONG PAIR OF FINISHERS: The last two holes on the front wrap things up with compelling intensity. EIGHTH HOLE: This uphill par-3 works as much through its green’s small dimensions as through its perched setting—some 30 feet above the tee. Given a large land deep left-side bunker, the hole opens only from its narrow right side, and this dimension is some 12 yards. I hit an 8-iron onto the surface, but it finished—the hole almost seems calibrated for this—just off the back. It’s the best three-par on the front side, demanding you best short iron. NINE: The view from the ninth tee may be stunning, but it may not leave you smiling. The prospect from this high tee is of two large water hazards hemming the landing zone on both sides. Let’s hope you’ve saved your straightest tee shot on this nine for last. The approach shot, presuming you’ve reached the crook in this dogleg, is straightforward to a contoured green with subtle falloffs on its sides.

IN SUM: Walking off in the gloaming after finishing my nine holes, my thought was that executive golf—of this caliber, especially—can be great fun. Because executive layouts lack some of the strategic clutter of full-length courses with longer holes, they may free us up to work on fundamental golf skills, while still honing our short games. Quickness of play is, as well, a major bonus.

The late Albert Zikorus, one of this state’s most prolific architects, produced one of his very best works in this executive track. He seems to get everything just right—balancing hole types, inserting hazards with discretion, varying green complexes, maximizing use of this rolling property, a property that afforded him the opportunity to exploit a wealth of elevation changes. On this back nine, only a pair of holes (nos. 14 and 18) is flat, though the presence of water is critical on each. It is hard to make a high-quality executive course, but this one is nimble and smart—yet it manages to pull off the aura of a full-length golf course (its ‘shortness’ never came close to being critical, in my mind, as I played tee-to-green).

It’s also invigorating to play, and ceaselessly playable. Having been in a rush (I had to be at Bradley Airport by 5:00 and began my nine hole walk at 3:00), I managed to play this round in exactly one hour. The trek around Portland West’s inward nine was a bit brutal at times, but it remained a good walk unspoiled (I was enjoying every aspect of the golf itself). I found myself clambering up three small hills on which greens were sited, as well some uphill slopes to reach tee boxes. The terrain here rolls, dips, twists, and undulates over a beautiful routing. Green siting is done to perfection. The plateau greens will put your iron game to the test—quite fully—yet that will not be enough to score here, as the greens are canted and pitched, with quite a bit of movement. Playing well here requires that we consistently chip, pitch and putt our way to making pars.

TOUGHEST (AND EASIEST) HOLES: Two of the par-3’s are more typical of what we find on championship courses, not executives. TWELVE: The twelfth is an all-or-nothing proposition to hit the green, as the tee shot will carry over a dell, your tee-ball landing, if successfully struck, on a putting surface perched on a large plateau. Great grief may well ensue if you miss short. Tee balls that hit the upslope just shy of the green, in fact, will trundle back down to the bottom of the hill. From there, you’ll need to pitch with Mickelsonian finesse to get up-and-down. EIGHTEEN: This ups the ante further because you’ll need to strike your tee shot powerfully and squarely to end up anywhere on this sizeable enough but quite distant green (210 yards from the tee). And much of the tee shot will fly over water, in the form of a large and magnetic pond, which may lose its pretty charm —instantly—if you plunk a Titleist into its midst. When playing into the wind here, add at least another club. Green 18 is not particularly hard to putt, but it struck me that Zikorus was paying homage to St. Andrews—or so we may surmise—because it forms a double green with the ninth. Zikorus does not make the classic mistake on 18 of designing a long hole in which there is no landing zone before the green (it’s not all forced carry); moreover, the green is deep enough to accept the approach that is run, not flown, onto the putting surface.

The FOURTEENTH (198 yards) is longish and mainly over water, yet its difficulty is not especially great: a flattish, large and open green complex is somewhat forgiving. Number ELEVEN (159 yards, downhill) was a rather routine and short par-three; it was the only ‘easy’ hole on this nine. But easy for Portland West does not quite equate to ‘pushover’; we are kept honest here by the gaping bunker that pinches the green on its right side. Hit into this trap and you’ll need to flight a high bunker shot up and out.

FAVORITE HOLES: I took an instant liking to two of the shorter par-3’s, 13 and 15. Both are classic tests of precision, but each also offers small problems, as well, around the green. Thirteen required an 8-iron today to fly onto its pronounced plateau, then two good putts over an irregular surface to the cup. It is one of the few holes I’ve seen with both a grass bunker and the traditional sand specimen situated greenside. Fifteen is tricky off the tee: you must contend with a huge right side hardwood, well forward of the green and definitely in play before your tee-shot reaches its apex. A fade, then, is an ideal approach. The green is set on a small rise, and its subtle contours will keep you laboring to secure a par-3 here.

ELEGANT FOUR-PARS: Who doesn’t like short, drive-and-pitch holes (?), on which we can go flag-hunting. All three of these are tight enough to earn our respect, but not so narrow as to crush slightly errant shots. In other words, you may unleash the driver on all three of them. Be wary on the tenth, because any excessive miss rightward off the tee may have an unhappy, watery end—a sizeable pond awaits, out of sight from the tee. Sixteen and seventeen are both classic driving tests, the former favoring a draw, the latter a fade around its dogleg. Seventeen will test your precision with the driver as much as any hole on the course, as its fairway tightens progressively in the landing zone. The 17th green adds a decided pitch into this hole’s mix of problems, sloping off severely on its right flank. I found that shots will invariably kick right when they hit this green.

CONDITIONING: Among the very best public tracks I’ve seen in Connecticut, competing with what I think has become the standard-bearer for public course conditioning, Portland Golf Course (a few miles from here). Though it does not quite match the ‘other’ Portland, the level of conditioning here is, in every respect, simply first-rate for a public golf course.
PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL: Mr. Gerry D’Amora was manning the pro shop when I met him today. The antithesis of stuffy, he is one of the most outgoing, flexible, and unpretentious gentlemen I’ve met since I began playing golf. He’s also a good listener. Another bonus for this course.

OVERALL: Most of the holes at Portland West demand sure judgment of distance and solid ball-striking for the reasons enumerated above. It won’t hurt to be good with your wedges around the greens, as well as your flat stick. The price was also a tremendous bonus: I paid a mere $13 (twilight rate).

Unlike the vast majority of executive tracks, this one is not an ego-builder; not everyone will pound it into submission simply because it is a mere 2040 yards (inward nine) from the blues. And it’s certainly too sophisticated to fit the ‘executive course’ stereotype. In a 2016 ranking of top short courses nationwide, Golf Adviser rated Portland West 21st out of 25. In a nutshell, the number of yards travelled around Portland West may not be large, but every one of these holes has outsize charm and individuality.

Author’s Note: I received no compensation for writing this review from either this website (GA) or the golf course. The incentive refers to entry into a sweepstakes.

After hearing many favorable reviews I took my 16-year-old son out for a round and we had a great time. Course was in pretty good shape although the cart paths were crumbling. A bit pricey for an executive layout but worth a try. I don't think I'll play there again anytime soon.

This was my first time playing here. Great course. I played on a rainy friday morning and played 18 in 2 and a half hours. The course was in excellent condition, the grounds grew has done a great job.

Portland West is a very beautiful course kept in meticulous shape by the owners and staff. Gerry, who is the Course Pro and also works the desk, is super friendly.The greens are in fantastic condition, as well as the fairways. However, if you're not on the fairway, as most of us aren't, the rough is kept mowed fairly high. I would love for them to mow it a little lower. I would highly recommend this course to anyone.

Played West 5-6-17 coarse was in incrdeble shape. Staff as always was great! If you have a chance to play, DO IT!

Arrived Sunday morning at 6 a.m. for a 6:40 t-time starter was very friendly . He let us go out early . Nice , well maintained course. Much shorter than we're used to playing but very enjoyable round. Staff at the pro shop very friendly as well. Will play in again soon .

Nice little track. Elevation changes on par 3's make club selection tough. Good greens. Not too fast. Very good short par 4's. I had fun. Was the first group off on Saturday morning and played in 2 1/2 hours. It's a pretty area.

Never played here before. Loved it.

Played here several times and it is always in great shape. Greens roll true with no damage even after the harsh summer we had. Not an overly difficult course but great for working on your short game.