I played Blissful Meadows for my 41st course in my quest to play them all. ⠀
The back nine sits on some great land. Cornish and Silva flexed their muscles on the hilly, rugged land. ⠀ The back nine par threes are major standouts. The thirteenth plays over an old silver mine, and the slabs of rock are evidence that it took some work to carve out the final nine holes. ⠀
The biggest issue with the course are the trees, and it ruined far too many holes for my liking. On the front nine, many holes used trees as blockades, creating tiny landing areas on the fairways. In addition, certain approach shots from the fairway required us to negotiate trees. The first hole is a dogleg left with a copse of 40 foot high pines growing inside of a hazard along the left. The trees force the players to hit a tee shot a precise distance in order to have a clear look at the green, however, if the tee shot goes too far, there's a tree on the right side that blocks the approach shot to the green, even from the fairway. I'd hate to see what the course looks like when the trees all have leaves on them. The third hole might be one of the worst par fives I've played. Massive pines block any third shot from the left side of the fairway, while a water hazard runs along the right. The fourth hole has an incredibly narrow green with pine trees that have limbs growing out over the green.
What's impossible to overlook is the exceptional set of greens; they are some of the most enjoyable I've played. While they weren't in tip-top shape, the undulations made for interesting approach shots, challenging pitches and chips, and some nerve wracking 2-putts. Shots rolled off of edges both towards and away from the holes. The greens were subtle enough that nothing felt wonky or frustrating. Our entire group had a blast trying to find the right spots on each green. ⠀
I'd return to Blissful Meadows again, just to see the greens running full bore. But the tee and approach shots required left a lot to be desired due to the trees. The course would be outstanding if they managed some trees.
THE FACTS
Date: April 2021
Playing Partners: Dan, Eliot, Mike
Tees: Blues
Game: Best Ball Match
Score: 85
Birdie Count: 0 (46 total)