Alright, so I figured I’d share my recent trip out to Centennial Golf Club in Medford. I’d been meaning to check it out for a while, you know, heard some bits and pieces from other guys who’ve played there. Some said it was pretty good, others had a few minor gripes. So, naturally, I had to see for myself. It’s like anything, really, you gotta experience it firsthand.
So, I loaded up the clubs in the car one morning. The drive over wasn’t too bad, pretty straightforward. Pulled into the parking lot, and it seemed like a decent enough place. First impressions, you know? They matter. Headed into the pro shop to get sorted. The folks in there were friendly enough, got me checked in pretty quick. No fuss, no drama. That’s always a good start. Some places, you walk in and it feels like you’re interrupting something important. Not here, seemed pretty laid back.
Then it was time to actually get out on the course. I’d booked a tee time, so I headed over to the first tee. The starter was a good guy, gave us a quick rundown of any course conditions to be aware of. Always appreciate that. Nothing worse than hitting into some unexpected ground under repair without a heads-up.
The Course Itself
Now, onto the actual golf. I played the full 18, of course. The layout, I’d say, was pretty interesting. It wasn’t one of those courses where every hole feels the same. They had a good mix of challenges. Some longer par 4s where you really needed to get a good drive away, and some tricky par 3s over water. I definitely donated a ball or two to the water gods that day, but hey, that’s golf for ya.
Here’s a quick rundown of what I noticed:
- Fairways: Mostly in good shape. There were a couple of spots that were a bit thin, but nothing too terrible. For the most part, you got decent lies if you managed to keep it in the short grass. Which, for me, is always a 50/50 proposition.
- Greens: These were pretty good. Rolled true, I thought. They weren’t lightning fast, but they weren’t painfully slow either. Had a few tricky undulations on some of them, which made putting a bit of a mental game. Lost a few strokes there, for sure.
- Bunkers: The sand seemed okay. I found myself in a couple, as usual. Managed to get out alright. Sometimes you go to a course and the bunkers are like concrete, or they’re just full of rocks. These were playable.
The pace of play was alright. We waited on a few shots, but it wasn’t horrendous. It was a weekend, so you kind of expect it to be a bit busy. Nothing out of the ordinary there. It’s always a bit of a pet peeve of mine when you’re waiting 10 minutes on every single shot. Makes it hard to get into a rhythm. But this was manageable.
One thing I did appreciate was the scenery. It’s a nice setting. Some good views, and the course itself is pretty well maintained aesthetically. You know, it’s not just about the score, sometimes it’s just nice to be out in a pleasant environment, whacking a ball around. Helps to take your mind off the shanks and the three-putts, at least for a moment.
I remember one hole, I think it was a par 5 on the back nine. Had a bit of a dogleg, and if you hit a good drive you could go for the green in two. Of course, I topped my second shot, but the ambition was there! It’s those kinds of holes that keep you coming back, the ones where you think, “Next time, I’ll nail that.”
After the round, we didn’t hang around too much. Just packed up the clubs and headed off. Overall, I’d say Centennial Golf Club is a solid option if you’re in the Medford area looking for a round. It’s not gonna be a super high-end, private club experience, but it’s a good, honest public course. You get what you pay for, and I felt like it was decent value.
It’s funny, sometimes you go to these places with really high expectations, maybe based on what someone else said, and you end up a bit disappointed. Other times, you go in with no real expectations and you’re pleasantly surprised. This was kind of in the middle, but leaned towards the positive. I’d play there again, for sure. It’s always good to have a few reliable options in your rotation, and I think Centennial could be one of those.
