Continuation of review ...
I was very fortunate to play Trump National Bedminster under tournament green speed conditions apprpoaching a true 12 on the stimpmeter. This was very much a different character course. When one of preparing a course to challenge the elite player, even 3 more inches of stimp speed can make or break the legitimacy of a pin position and even eliminate entire sets of pin positions. When the golf course is set up in this way, real putting skill is necessary to survive. It is a testament to design that this course has been created in such a way that it can shine for member play and potentially keep the most elite players on edge to demand the finest golf that their games can produce. Under these same conditions, even without the USGA's obligatory 4 inches of rough, the solid club player can feel frustrated and even humiliated.
Many feel that the finish of a golf course determines its worthiness as a tournament venue. Trump finishes on a long to monstrously long par-5 (540-665 yards). Well-bunkered after the drive, the player must weave his way through a series of bunkers on the right side as he tries to get the perfect distance and angle simultaneously while leaving the desire distance for the approach wedge. The green is deep and has internal contours to feed towards or away from many excellent pins. The 17th is a long (167-235 yds) par-3 with a fronting hazard and a very large tilted green. The 16th is one of the best green complexes that I have seen from the Fazio team, a true boomerang green with fall-offs in most directions. It could even be described as three greens in one, but this is just the gravy after the highly elevated tee shot on this dog-leg left of up to 480 yards with a water mjst carry of 260 yards. This is all preceded by perhaps three of the best par-4's on the course.
Number 13 is a real sleeper at a maximum of only 413 yards but with a massive left-sided bunker determining strategic lines of approach. The green is extremely deep with slopes going away from the player in what seems like all directions. The front left tongue of the green is just thrilling to play.
Fourteeen is perhaps my favorite green with its quirky green featuring a very large front thumbprint depression and elevation changes approaching five feet. There is a bit of misdirection as you approach the green with a hillside sloping the fairway from left-to-right wherein fully a third of the green wants you to position for an approach from the left. This is truly great stuff.
Overall, the course is very well routed over good to excellent terrain for golf. Breathtaking views are the reward for reaching the top of the hill that is 5 and 15 greens and 6 and 16 tees. Nice elevation changes are seen creating not just the usual drop-shot holes, but spectacular uphill holes such as the dramatic and difficult 5th. It stretches nearly to 490 yards with an elevation change of nearly 100 feet with a very dramatic green site set obliquely against the hillside, protected by bunkers that truly extract a penalty. The 15th is also a wonderful uphill hole with a green much more strategically approached from the right side of the fairway and with a fairly substanial forced carry with a cagey elevated fairway target -- brilliant routing indeed. Many architects often shy away from uphill holes and choose to use the uphill terrain for a long cart ride. The insertion of the uphill hole don't just keep the routing intimate and walkable, they provide some of the greatest challenge if the holes are well constructed.
The par-3's all involve a forced carry - water on three and wetlands on the 17th. The shortest hole, #10 is only 165-189 yds, but bunkers and full-fronted water completes the challenge. Great variety in club selection is required with ranges of #4 (143-206), #7 158-185 and the 17th.
In summary, the Trump National Bedminster is well-routed, has spectacular holes, no weaknesses and a variety of challenges including the greatest flexibility of accomodating all classses of golfers. And, if Mr. Trump has his way, he will one day challenge the world's finest golfers. It will, however, remain a family club with golf in the forefront, according to Mr. Trump's wishes for those who are fortunate enough to be members. It earns the rare Jersey Golfer 9 in its debut.
*Note:
A 9 rating equates to "nearly perfect."