KEARNEY HILL GOLF LINKS (859)253-1981
Kentucky Golf Course Review
Kearney Hill, located in Lexington, is a 7079 yard par 72 links style championship course. The course was designed by Pete and P.B. Dye in 1989, and is one of the first upscale public facilities in the region. Kearney Hill is one of only nine courses in the nation to host the Men and Women's US Public Links Championship, the Two Guys Who Golf actually had the pleasure of being there during a PGA Jr. Series event. The course also has hosted the Senior PGA Tour's Bank One Classic for eight years, and has been recognized by Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, Links, and The Wall Street Journal.
The beautiful multi level clubhouse features a fully stocked pro shop, locker rooms with showers, snack bar with grill, and banquet facilities with space for more than 100 guests. There is a large patio outside of the clubhouse, a terrace overlooking the 18th green, and observation decks on the second level of the clubhouse where 14 of the 18-holes can be viewed. The 10 acre practice facilities include a targeted grass range, two putting greens, and two chipping areas with sand bunkers.
There are Four sets of tee boxes which play to distances and slopes measuring 7079 yards/131 slope, 6633 yards/125 slope, 6383 yards/121 slope, and 5367 with a slope of 115 from the forward tees. The length of the course will challenge scratch golfers playing from the blacks (7079 yards), beginners playing from the whites (6383 yards-pretty long for whites), or intermediate players who choose to challenge themselves from the 6633 yard blue tees. Women who play from the forward tees get a big break from the natural areas, water hazards, and bunkers on some of the more challenging holes.
This 18-hole layout is well marked with yardage on the cart path from 100, 150, and 200 yards to the center of the green, as well as sprinkler heads on the fairways. Daily pin placement sheets on the carts include nine different hole positions for each green. There are 75 sand bunkers in total situated along the manicured fairways or greenside, and there are three lakes which come into play on five holes.
This links style design features wide landing zones off the tee, and rolling terrain causing some uneven lies. Off the sides of the fairways and around the greens there is some extreme rough, deep sand and grass bunkers, natural areas, and an occasional water hazard to avoid. The greens are well guarded with plenty of mounding and deep sand bunkers to challenge golfers to be accurate on their approach. Accurate iron play is a must as the putting surfaces are large with plenty of slope and undulation which could challenge golfers with long difficult putts.
For more info, please visit our page for the course with all the technical info on the property by clicking here.
|
