Designer:Geoffrey Cornish (1960), Stephen Kay (2002, Bunkering and Tees), Robert McNeil (2011, Renovation)
Location:Baltic, Connecticut
History:Originally known as Pautipaug Country Club, Geoffrey Cornish built the course in 1960. In 2007, Mohegan Sun Casino bought the property and renamed it, turning it into a resort daily fee course. Architect Stephen Kay worked on bunkers and tees in 2002 and Robert McNeil performed a more substantial renovation in 2011, altering several holes. Mohegan Sun is considered one of the better public courses in Connecticut, earning the following awards:
- #24 Best Course in Connecticut – Top100golfcourses.com (2020)
- #10 Best Public Course in Connecticut – Golfweek (2023)
Conditions:7/10, Conditions were overall decent at Mohegan Sun, but not pristine, with multiple barren patches in the fairways and beat-up teeboxes.
Value: 2/10, I don’t think I paid anywhere near this, but current rates at Mohegan Sun are quite overpriced ranging from $105 for weekday twilight rates to $170 on weekday mornings.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Black 72 6790 72.4 131
Blue 72 6471 71.3 130
White 72 6111 69.9 126
Combo 72 5742 67.9 122
Red 72 5359 71.7 129
Hole Descriptions:Geoffrey Cornish was absolutely prolific throughout New England, but unfortunately many of his designs fall in the forgettable category, or worse – downright bad. Mohegan Sun is arguably in the upper echelon of his courses in the area with a fun terrain and connection to a major casino, but still falls short in several ways. While there are a few interesting and fun holes here, overall the architecture is bland and boring which is a shame given the property. It also feels decidedly disjointed with all of the changes over the last two decades and this is especially apparent when you reach the 9th teebox and are standing in the middle of four teeboxes, unsure of where to go. Thirdly, the conditioning and pricetag are certainly less than ideal. Overall, it is worth a play maybe once if you’re staying at the casino, but is not worth repeated plays and is nowhere near as good as the two courses at rivalLake of Islesat Foxwoods.
Mohegan Sun’s opening hole is a slight dogleg right par 4 at 395 yards. This hole features a skinny fairway lined by sporadic trees down either side and a left crossbunker at 240 yards. Like most greens on a Cornish course, this one slopes hard back-to-front and is defended by a bunker short right.
The 2nd hole is a shorter par 4 at 350 yards that plays straightaway and slightly uphill. Bordered by the driving range down the left, this hole is again rather narrow with bunkers down the left at 210 yard and right at 260 yards. Be sure to keep your head on a swivel in this fairway to avoid range balls from golfers who blatantly disregard the 200 yard limit. This green slopes severely back-to-front and is flanked by bunkers.
Apparently the 3rd hole is a very difficult 400 yard par 4, but we didn’t get to experience this as it was converted to a temporary par 3 when we played. This hole borders the edge of the property and features OB left the entire way and a supposedly very severe green they were softening.
At 181 yards, the 4th hole is Mohegan’s longest par 3. This one-shotter features a brief forced carry over a creek to another back-to-front sloped green lined by a right bunker.
Strategically, the most interesting holes on the course are the par fives and you’ll find two in a row at 5 and 6. The 5th hole is the shortest par 5 at Mohegan Sun, and begins with a semi-blind, downhill teeshot to a tree-lined fairway. Unbeknownst to first-time golfers, this fairway ends at about 265 yards, as a creek bisects the hole at this point. A second slab of fairway is just to the left of the creek and leads you uphill towards yet another back-to-front sloped green defended by a bunker short right. I am not a fan of this hole, as there is no real option to cut the corner here, and the creek is short enough that it takes driver out of many golfers’ hands.
At 485 yards, the 6th hole is another risk/reward par 5 and one of the most memorable and fun holes on the course. From an elevated teebox, this hole features an exhilarating downhill teeshot to an extremely wide fairway that turns hard right at around 280 yards. A large bunker sits on the left side of the fairway at about 260 yards while numerous smaller bunkers line the inside corner of the dogleg. Although cutting the corner is an option here, the fairway on the other side of these bunkers is very narrow with a pond down the left. Heroic options exist on this second shot but a small creek runs about 40 yards short of the green and is a formidable hazard. This green juts diagonally over the pond and features somewhat of an interesting Biarritz design. This hole might be a bit over the top for some, but is a welcome change from the boring first few holes.
The number 1 handicap 384 yard 7th is another standout hole that uses the terrain fantastically. A slight dogleg left, this slender par 4 features a tight, right-to-left sloped fairway lined by thick forest on either side. A narrow, elongated bunker splits the fairway in two for much of the lay-up area and provides strong visual appeal. This is another interesting green featuring plateaus and swales defended by a steep drop-off left, bunker short right, and tight lies long right.
The 8th hole is an 165 yard par 3 that runs slightly uphill with bunkers surrounding short on either side. The most interesting feature of this hole is its green, which features two tiers and slopes severely back-to-front.
When you reach the 9th hole, it’s not immediately clear where you’re headed, as the teeboxes for 9, 11, 14, and 17 all converge awkwardly at this point. The correct hole is the one that returns to the clubhouse as an uphill 411 yard dogleg left par 4. This fairway turns sharply left around a bunker at 245 yards and trees line the left side the entire way. This approach runs back uphill towards a back-to-front sloped green lined by a right bunker.
The 10th hole is a downhill 172 yard par 3 with a slightly back-to-front sloped green defended by bunkers on either side. This is a pretty hole but one with very little memorability or interest.
The 11th is one of the tougher holes on the course as a 409 yard dogleg right par 4. This treelined hole begins with a brief forced carry over a hazard to an elevated fairway that turns right at just 215 yards. Cutting the corner is difficult here, as tall trees line the right side and several bunkers loom long along the outer corner of the dogleg. This approach continues slightly uphill to a back-to-front sloped green defended by a bunker and pond left.
At 353 yards on the scorecard, the par 4 12th is easily the most interesting hole at Mohegan Sun and probably my favorite on the course. A risk/reward, downhill dogleg right, this hole plays shorter than the distance with only about 290 yards on a direct line to the green. The golfer has lots of options here, as the fairway is quite wide but turns hard to the right and downhill at about 225 yards. You’ll want to avoid a midline fairway bunker at 200 yards, and another bunker down the left at 225 yards. Those who attempt to cut the corner will need to carry a pond for about 200 yards. This green is also quite interesting, featuring lots of internal movement and plateaus with a bunker short.
The 13th hole is another risk/reward par 5 playing straightaway at 490 yards. This hole features a blind teeshot over a plateau to a tight fairway lined by mounds down the left and thick forest right. The golfer will need to make a choice on their second shot here, as the fairway ends about 100 yards short of the green with a pond. While longer hitters may be able to reach in two, the majority of golfers will have to carry this hazard on their third shot. This green slopes hard back-to-front.
The 14th hole is fairly bland as a 406 yard downhill, straightaway par 4. Sporadic trees line either side and a crossbunker runs down the left at 240 yards, but otherwise this hole is quite open. Bunkers line either side of a two-tiered, back-to-front sloped green.
At 343 yards, the 15th hole is the shortest par 4 on the course but isn’t really reachable playing uphill the entire way. A slight dogleg right, this fairway pinches in on either side with mounds of rough around 225 yards. This green slopes back right-to-front left with two tiers and a bunker defending short right.
The 16th hole is the shortest at Mohegan Sun as an 154 yard par 3 playing slightly uphill. Bunkers defend this subtly back-to-front sloped putting surface short, left, and right.
The 389 yard par 4 17th runs parallel to the 14th and plays very similarly as a downhill par 4 lined by sporadic trees. This hole offers a bit more interest on the teeshot, as a slight dogleg right with large bunkers down the right at 225 yards and left at 265 yards. This green again slopes back-to-front with bunkers left.
Mohegan Sun closes with its longest par 5 at 504 yards. Running slightly uphill as a dogleg right, this hole features a wide fairway initially that significantly narrows around 300 yards with hazards on both sides. This back-to-front sloped green is large but well-defended, with bunkers short, left, and right and lots of mounding to the far right.
General Comments:Practice facilities at Mohegan Sun include a large putting green, short game area, and driving range near the clubhouse. Range balls are complimentary but the range only spans about 200 yards and anything past this endangers the 2nd hole. Pace of play was fairly average when I played.
Verdict:While it has a few fun moments, Mohegan Sun is overall rather boring and feels quite disjointed with all the recent renovations. It is still one of the better public courses in the area but is overpriced and not nearly as good as rival Lake of Isles.
