We were lodging for the week at the Sagamore Resort, and we had not played Adirondack golf in a long time. So, we decided to book Sagamore's golf course, which was about two miles away from the hotel.
The Sagamore Golf course was originally designed by Donald Ross and restored in the past 20 years.
When we arrived, the first tee, with its view of Lake George in the distance, was spectacular. The golf course design has fairways that follow the natural terrain, elevation changes, undulating greens, and greenside bunkers.
The first hole is the best view on the entire golf course. The 435-yard par-four begins from a significantly elevated tree that provides the money shot view of Lake George in the distance. The hole drops down into a valley, and the approach is back up to a raised green. Walking can be tiring.
The second hole is a 375-yard par-four, which they call at the club a fun hole. I call it a tricky hole with plenty of hazards to challenge you.
The third is a challenging elevated par three about 217 yards with woods and a massive bunker to the right. After this hole, I was questioning the layout of this golf course.
The next five holes have you wondering if you need more than fourteen clubs in your bag. In short, the fifth is a 380-yard par-four where one must be paying attention to the pond prior to the elevated green. The sixth is a par-five that plays only 495 yards from the tips, which we were not playing.
Let me sum up my golf experience at the Sagamore Golf Course. The course has holes that have an illusion that makes the hole look more difficult than it is. In some holes, there is deception that makes a given hole look easier than it is.
From the tee or on an approach shot, layered bunkering or diverse size hazards can make the landing area seem minute or nonexistent. Only after striking the ball and walking to the landing zone will you find your eyes were playing tricks on you, and you had all the space in the world.
Visual deception and trickery can be partially avoided with the modern tools golfers can acquire. I unfortunately did not bring a range finder, I found this golf course noticeably deceptive, and not in the best shape, I also found it pricey for this track. read more