Keney Park GC 1927 Devereux Emmet and Robert "Jack" Ross PHOTOS all 18 holes

[Richard Hetzel]

    I played Keney Park last Thursday while home (grew up in Connecticut) and I must say it was an awesome golf course. A course I could play, day in and day out and not grow tired of. I can't wait to play it again. On the way there my buddy kept asking if we could just play Waterbury CC, and I insisted and he gave in. He ended up liking the course and even more so when I told him it had only been open 1 month post renovation. The greens were awesome, the bunkering strategic and equally as awesome as well. Not a lengthy golf course by today's standards (who cares) but they could certainly speed up those greens to add an extra level of par protection here. The weakest link on the course was hole #18. Most definitely worth a play if somewhat near by Hartford, Connecticut. Enjoy the pictures.

Keney Park GC Devereux Emmet and Robert “Jack” Ross (recently reworked by Matt Dusenberry)
Gold 6449 Slope 127 Rating 70.6
Blue 6046 Slope 124 Rating 68.6
White 5629 Slope 121 Rating 66.5
Green 4712 Slope 109 Rating 63
 
Hartford CT
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[Mike Sweeney]

Thanks for posting Richard. Calling Jon Stein....

[Phil McDade]

Rich:


Wow -- what a cool-looking course. Some of the greens in particular look terrific, and there are several "homage" holes that seem to pay tribute to various template holes.


Curious -- I have long thought, based in part on some of my own photo threads, that two-dimensional photos on websites often make courses look more constricting than they actually play. How is Keney Park on width? Seems adequate or better in many respects, but perhaps narrow in others.


Thanks for posting -- another great-looking course I'd never heard of. Emmet may be our country's most under-rated architect?

[Cliff Hamm]

Looks spectacular....Connecticut's best publics might include Shenny, Ct. National, Richter, Wintonbury.  Where does Keney rank among those?

[Cob Carlson]

Looks beautiful! And not one house or condo anywhere in sight...

[Brad Tufts]

Really cool!  Thanks for the pics.  I like the look of #18...#16 looks like the only weak link to me, which is a huge positive!

[Tim Martin]

Really cool!  Thanks for the pics.  I like the look of #18...#16 looks like the only weak link to me, which is a huge positive!

Brad-Good call on 16 as it is not one of the standouts. There is not nearly as much width in the drive zone as other holes and the premium route is inside that big hardwood otherwise you get blocked out.  They did take out a large tree closer to the tee which now makes it easier to play right as left is dead.

[Richard Hetzel]

Rich:


Wow -- what a cool-looking course. Some of the greens in particular look terrific, and there are several "homage" holes that seem to pay tribute to various template holes.


Curious -- I have long thought, based in part on some of my own photo threads, that two-dimensional photos on websites often make courses look more constricting than they actually play. How is Keney Park on width? Seems adequate or better in many respects, but perhaps narrow in others.


Thanks for posting -- another great-looking course I'd never heard of. Emmet may be our country's most under-rated architect?

It does NOT play tight at all. That was a thought when we pulled in and I saw a lot of trees. There are a few holes on the front 9 where is looks a bit tight, but surprisingly, it does not play that way at all. It was a pleasant surprise.

[Richard Hetzel]

Looks spectacular....Connecticut's best publics might include Shenny, Ct. National, Richter, Wintonbury.  Where does Keney rank among those?

Well, I have played all of those you mentioned, and it BEATS them ALL. Hands down!

[Richard Hetzel]

Really cool!  Thanks for the pics.  I like the look of #18...#16 looks like the only weak link to me, which is a huge positive!

That would probably be the next weakest in my book.

[Richard Hetzel]

Looks beautiful! And not one house or condo anywhere in sight...

Nope. Just a cool looking cemetary.

[JBovay]

I finally played Keney Park the other day for the first time. Wow, was I impressed.


The first hole might just be the best 325-yard hole without a bunker, penalty area, or OB in the world. A tentative iron off the tee could leave a blind approach to a two-tier green where the back half is 3 or 4 feet above the front half--more severe than the first green at Yale. The second is a double-dogleg par 5, with the last two shots steeply uphill. First-time players whose tee shots are too aggressive may find their ball in a creek that's blind from the tee (although a bridge is visible from the tee). These first two holes are better than the opening holes at Hooper in New Hampshire, if you ask me.


Other highlights on the front nine include the par-4 7th, "Biarritz", where the designers didn't even try to compete with the famous version down the road, instead angling the swale from front-left to back-right; and the Reverse Road 9th, with a huge drop-off behind the left side of the green, and a wall of the clubhouse in play just a few paces off the back edge.


The back nine is weaker, although the creek winds through 11 through 17, adding interest. At the short par-4 12th, the drive from an elevated tee must be placed between an attractive/intimidating boundary wall (which separates the course from a cemetery!) and the creek. Okay, actually the creek shouldn't be in play on 12 most days, but into a strong wind, it definitely was.


I look forward to returning to Keney Park again sometime in the next couple of weeks.

[Cob Carlson]

I had the good fortune to play Keney Park during the summer of 2017. Can't wait to get back there again. It should be a destination spot for anyone who finds themselves anywhere near that part of New England. It is literally one block off the major highway 91. But when you are playing it, you will feel far removed from the rat race. Incredibly convenient. A beautiful parkland course, the routing, elevation changes, bunkering, and variety of holes is terrific. There are long and challenging par fours, sweet short par fours, and a great collection of par threes. And the redone, VERY large and wildly undulating greens are jaw dropping. I was blown away by what a very natural, yet attractively cultivated place this track was.


The price to play is EXTREMELY reasonable. There is a solid grass tee driving range, chipping and putting greens, and to top it off, a lovely small pub that has a diverse selection of micro-brewed beers and tasty sandwiches.


Any municipality could look to Keney Park as an example of how to do a renovation/restoration. This place fires on all cylinders.

[Derek_Duncan]

I don't do this often (or never) but in a recent podcast I did with Matt Dusenberry he talks about the work he did at Keney Park, as well as other interesting projects and topics.


https://feedtheball.com/2019/03/20/episode-46-matt-dusenberry/

[Cob Carlson]

Thanks Derek. Great podcast. Terrific anecdotes and insights.  

[Jim_Kennedy]

It's well deserving of the praise it receives, although I think it would benefit greatly from a reversal of the nines as the real 'prizes' are mainly on the present day front side. It would also offer a better closing stretch than that of the present layout  .

[Bill Shotzbarger]

Man, I really want to play Keney.  I might have to make the drive up from Philly one weekend.  The fact that one of my favorite craft breweries (Tree House) is only 40 minutes away would definitely make it a worthwhile trip! 


Does anyone know if or when in Spring they aerate the greens?

[Jim_Kennedy]

Pretty variable in Ct, weather based.


Keney Park GC:   860-543-8618

[Tim Martin]

Man, I really want to play Keney.  I might have to make the drive up from Philly one weekend.  The fact that one of my favorite craft breweries (Tree House) is only 40 minutes away would definitely make it a worthwhile trip! 


Does anyone know if or when in Spring they aerate the greens?

Bill-A worthy add on is Wintonbury Hills which is owned by the town of Bloomfield and is one town away from Keney Park.

[JBovay]

Bill-A worthy add on is Wintonbury Hills which is owned by the town of Bloomfield and is one town away from Keney Park.

Tim, what do you particularly like about Wintonbury?

[Tim Martin]

Bill-A worthy add on is Wintonbury Hills which is owned by the town of Bloomfield and is one town away from Keney Park.

Tim, what do you particularly like about Wintonbury?

J-I kind of think of it as Pete Dye lite with Tim Liddy taking the lead on the project. The outward nine is much more open allowing for some great long views while the setting becomes more intimate on the inward holes especially 14 and 15 that flank the Tunxis Reservoir. There is plenty of variety as a result of the elevation changes and a fun set of greens that give players the option to get in on the ground on most holes if so desired. The only drawback to me is the relative sameness of holes 1-4 and 10-13 as far as the 4,4,3,5 start on both nines and nature of the land. It wasn’t designed as a walking course and as a result there are a few awkward green to tee transitions. Finally few municipal golf courses do a better job on the conditioning side which is always good.

[JBovay]

Tim, I agree with you: the conditioning at Wintonbury Hills is outstanding, the long views are nice, and the general setting is pleasant. I even found it walkable, albeit with awkward transitions after both of the side-hill par 5s. Visually, it resembles some other Dye courses. However, I didn't find the design of the holes particularly inspiring with regard to strategy or green shaping, and I would not drive past Keney Park to play Wintonbury again.

[Bill Shotzbarger]

I am playing Keney Park as a single tomorrow (Sat. September 14th) at 1:40 pm if anyone would like to join me.  I don't know whether the pro shop has already paired me up with anyone, but I suppose that's very possible.

[Mike Sweeney]

Played it yesterday, and just loved it. Extreme amounts of fun, and I wish it was closer: