Kettle Brook Golf Club

Most of the reviews here are old, but Kettlebrook lives up to its a reputation as a higher end public course. The layout is unique with each hole having a different look. All is fair except for the ridiculous 17^th an uphill 200 yard par 3 that played into a howling 20 mile an hour wind. It seemed like most holes play in a northerly direction, so it’s best to play on a warm Summer day with gentle winds. Conditions were good, but it seems too many hackers are unwilling to replace big divots in the fairway. The greens and tees were both in excellent condition. Many holes allow you to play a bump and run. We played in 4:15 minutes on a weekend.

We had scheduled a tee time on Labor Day weekend with another couple who live in the Worcester area. We had a 11:15 tee time so the rates were a little lower than those prior to 11:00. The day was cool and cloudy with a threat of rain. We teed off and within a couple of holes the rain had started and increased in intensity. We called the Pro Shop asking about a rain check and was told no rain checks were issued until the «horn sounded» The horn did not sound until we had reached the 8^th hole. We were given a «Nine Hole Rain Check»
We rescheduled for last weekend and were blessed with a beautiful warm sunny day. The warm fuzzy feeling didn’t last long as we were told that in addition to our nine hole rain check we owed $ 80.00! It was about $ 30.00 more than we had expected to pay. The man at the desk mentioned that the difference was that this time we were teeing of at 10:45…15 minutes prior to the change in pricing. I tried to explain that no one mentioned this policy when we rebooked but to no avail. I asked if we could switch tee times or if this «time issue» could be overlooked due to the circumstances. I think the Pro Shop attendant said «A policy is a policy» In other words what he meant was «We got you here and we ‘re sticking to you… take it or leave it» So we paid… cash and was told for some reason could not get a receipt for cash transactions.
The course is OK…#2 fairway terrible condition. I hope the extra thirty bucks they got from me helps them get by. It will be the last time I visit and I’ll be sure to pass this story along to all of the golfers I talk to.
Oh.BTW…I couldn’t believe the mandatory cooler inspections… they must be afraid somebody is going to screw them out of a buck.
Message to management… a little goodwill goes a long way.

Great Course, Pretty Challenging for the Average Golfer and the setting id Ideal
BOTTOMLINE: A nice golf course and I would highly recommend it!

Great course in the middle of east bum. Fantastic course and affordable, but not easy to get to. Love playing it when I have the time to drive out there

I have only played Kettle Brook twice, and both times I have really enjoyed it. The second time being this past weekend. As a previous reviewer stated, be prepared to use all of the clubs in your bag. This is a good thing as no two holes are the same. There are a few forced carries, and some dog legs as well. For me, the course is challenging but not too difficult. the greens and fairways are both in great shape. I felt like the greens roll very true. Number 18 is a bit of a letdown for a finishing hole. The fairway is wide open and it is not very dramatic. For $ 60 on a weekend to play 18 and a cart is a good value for this course and I will definitely return.

This course is in the middle of no where outside of Worcester. Overall it is a nice course, well taken care of and a decent price.
There are 5 sets of tees which I like. The front tees are at times at a disadvantage on some of the holes due to their placement, but nothing horrible. The fairways are wide open and in good shape. They have some nice water hazards, a barn on one hole for some character and a few forced carries. You get to play all the clubs in your bag, including on a crazy uphill par 3 (#17) which is 161 from the forward tees and 223 from the tips. It plays at least 2 club lengths longer from most of the tees because of the elevated green. The wind can easily add on at least a club length on some of the carry holes (#12) as well, so keep that in mind.
The prices aren’t bad. Anytime before noon on the weekends you have to take a cart at $ 60 for 18. In the afternoon it is $ 49 including a cart or $ 40 to walk.
The clubhouse/​pro shop: not much to speak of here. The women’s section was literally nonexistent except for a few gloves. (surprise) The men have a few options for shirts, hats etc.
19^th hole: They have a small grill area next to the clubhouse. Not bad for a burger, sandwich or beer after a round. Nothing special though.

Kettle Brook, for this area, is your best bet. There are some real dumps around here so anytime you find a nice course like this, you feel redeemed for all the money you have pissed away at Baypath (see review) or Hemlock Ridge (see review).
It’s important to note, that for this area, this course is about a 4.5. In the grand scheme of things it’s a 3 or 3.5. The only course near Worcester that I have played that is nicer is Sterling Golf Club in Sterling, MA. That place is a gem.
Kettle Brook is a good challenge, the greens roll nice, and the landscape is beautiful. The pace of play was a bit of an issue and there was some pretty bad flooding on the last half of the back nine.
Since Sterling is private, Hemlock Ridge is a waste of time, and Baypath is a disaster, you will be pleased with a nice round at Kettlebrook.