Designer: Tom Fazio (2004)
Location: South Kent, Connecticut
History: Named after a historic covered bridge nearby, Bull’s Bridge opened in 2004 with a design from Tom Fazio. The course has earned numerous awards and currently holds the following:
#192 Best Modern Course in America – Golfweek (2024)
#7 Best Course in Connecticut – Golf Digest (2023)
#10 Best Course in Connecticut – Top100golfcourses.com (2020)
#5 Best Private Course in Connecticut – Golfweek (2024)
Historic Bull’s Bridge just down the road from the Club
Conditions: 9/10, Bull’s Bridge is in excellent condition with lush fairways and teeboxes, pristine sand, and thick rough.
Value: N/A, This is a private course.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Gold 72 6992 74.6 140
Blue 72 6532 72.0 137
Blue/White 72 6257 70.7 131
White 72 6016 69.3 126
Green/White 72 5624 66.9 121
Green 72 5187 69.5 123
Hole Descriptions: Located in the Northwestern corner of Connecticut just miles from the New York border, Bull’s Bridge is an isolated and rugged layout over a mountainous property that makes it feel like you’re not in Connecticut. While it has received some awards, I would argue that it’s an underrated course and in my opinion is the prettiest course in the state and certainly in a very crowded group contending for top course in state. The reasons for it being a bit unknown are likely because of its isolated location, limited play, and the fact that it’s a modern Tom Fazio design and not a classic like so many of Connecticut’s best courses. Tom Fazio is not universally beloved by all architecture fans, but there’s no denying that his courses are gorgeous, challenging, and well-conditioned and this is certainly the case at Bull’s Bridge. Overall, I really enjoyed my round here and consider it among the best Fazios I’ve seen.
The topography at Bull’s Bridge leads to some incredible drama and this is evident on the opener, a 516 yard dogleg right par 5 that trundles steadily downhill from an elevated teebox. This teebox makes it feels like you’re standing amongst the clouds and features an awesome teeshot over fescue to a fairway that bends to the right and slopes towards a right bunker at 225 yards. This fairway is briefly broken up by rough but continues downhill with some additional bunkers down the right in the lay-up zone and a pretty rock wall on the right that makes the course feel older than it is. This green is reachable in two but is small and narrow, sloping left-to-right with two distinct tiers and defended by bunkers on either side. It is an epic golf hole and one of the best openers you’ll find anywhere.
The par 5 1st
The approach at 1
The 2nd hole continues downhill and is another fun hole as the shortest par 4 on the course at 300 yards. The downhill gradient here gives even decently long hitters a chance to reach this green in one, but doing so incurs danger, with a pond down the right and penal bunker just short of the green. Laying up leaves an easy pitch into a front-to-back sloped green.
The risk/reward par 4 2nd
You must cross Old Stone Road to access the 3rd hole, a 393 yard straightaway par 4 featuring a semi-blind teeshot to a generous fairway lined by forest down the right and a rock wall on the left. This fairway is undulating and features two well-placed bunkers at 250 yards on the left and 290 yards down the right you’ll want to avoid. This approach plays slightly uphill to an undulating green defended by a deep bunker short left.
The par 4 3rd
The approach at 3
The 4th hole is the shortest and easiest par 3 at Bull’s Bridge playing slightly downhill at 156 yards. This hole features a large green with lots of internal movement defended by a right bunker.
The par 3 4th is an okay hole but is one of the more forgettable holes at Bull’s Bridge
At 404 yards, the 5th hole is a stellar dogleg right par 4 featuring a blind teeshot over a crest to a tree-lined fairway that bends downhill and to the right. I absolutely love this approach, which continues downhill to a very narrow green defended by a bunker right and surrounded by trees.
The 5th teeshot; Side note – how awesome are the teebox markers here?
The memorable approach at 5
The 6th hole is another epic par 5 at 525 yards with a snaking fairway. This hole begins fairly straightforward with a slight dogleg right fairway lined by thick forest down the right and numerous bunkers and rocky outcroppings down the left between 160 and 250 yards. The fairway then tightens considerably the further you hit it with trees jutting in down the left. After this point, the fairway then begins to snake back to the left about 160 yards from the green, likely requiring you to hit a draw on your second shot here. This green is again rather narrow and slopes predominantly left-to-right with a bunker short right.
The rocky outcroppings at 6 are a beautiful feature
The approach at 6
The 7th hole is another mildly underwhelming par 3 running 180 yards uphill to a two-tiered, back-to-front sloped green lined by bunkers on either side.
The par 3 7th
The 8th hole continues uphill and out of the valley as an interesting little 334 yard par 4. This green is hidden to the right and uphill behind a large tree and isn’t really reachable given the angle and uphill gradient. A good lay-up finds the left side of the fairway and avoids well-placed crossbunkers at around 220 yards down the left. This approach continues uphill towards a two-tiered, back-to-front sloped green defended by a bunker short.
The par 4 8th
The walk to the 9th requires a bit of a steep climb up some stairs but is well-worth it with a very strong 375 yard dogleg right par 4 up next. This is somewhat of a Cape hole with a big sweeping, left-to-right sloped fairway lined by forest down the right and numerous bunkers on this side between 140 and 230 yards. You can be aggressive here, but will have to carry it a further distance the further right you go. This approach runs uphill over a patch of rough to an undulating green lined by steep slopes and a bunker short.
The beautiful par 4 9th
The 10th hole occupies a much more wide-open piece of the property as a 521 yard par 5. Playing slightly uphill, this hole is very well-bunkered, with two bunkers down the left between 130 and 155 yards, one down the right at 220 yards, and one down the left at 275 yards. This theme continues as you near the green with four bunkers down the left in the lay-up zone and one on the right. This green features three tiers and overall slopes back-to-front with bunkers short right and long left.
The par 5 10th
The 11th hole runs parallel to the 10th and is the longest par 4 at Bull’s Bridge at 457 yards. Also occupying fairly open property, this hole plays gently downhill and features a generous fairway lined by a forest to the far left and several bunkers down the right between 220 and 260 yards. This approach is difficult, as you’ll likely face an uneven lie and long shot into an undulating green defended by a tall tree short right and bunker short left.
The tough par 4 11th
At 183 yards, the 12th hole is the most memorable par 3 on the course playing downhill over a valley and hazard to a perched green featuring numerous swales and plateaus and lined by a bunker short right. It is a very pretty hole.
The attractive par 3 12th
The 13th and 14th holes are dueling short par fours that run parallel to each other and are some of the easier holes on the course. I prefer the 13th, which plays at 348 yards as a slightly downhill dogleg right. This fairway is quite generous with a pair of bunkers down the left between 220 and 250 yards as your only real hazard. This green slopes mostly right-to-left with a bunker short left.
The par 4 13th
The 14th hole runs back uphill the other direction at 345 yards. The most notable feature of this hole is an immediate forced carry over water for the first 150 yards which shouldn’t really be in play but certainly must intimidate higher handicappers. Otherwise, this fairway is tree-lined and defended by a pair of bunkers down the right at 260 yards. This green mostly slopes back-to-front with two tiers and a bunker down the right.
The par 4 14th
The closing stretch at Bull’s Bridge is strong beginning with the 429 yard par 4 15th. This muscular par 4 features an immediate 140 yard forced carry over marshland to a wide fairway lined by bunkers down the left. This approach plays uphill towards an elevated, undulating green lined by bunkers on either side.
The par 4 15th
The approach at 15
The 16th hole is the final and best par 3 at Bull’s Bridge at 183 yards playing downhill. This gorgeous hole requires all-carry over fescue to a right-to-left sloping green featuring several ridges and lined by bunkers left and long.
I found it difficult to pick the right club at the downhill 16th
At 411 yards, the 17th hole is another strong par 4 featuring another brief forced carry to a generous right-to-left sloped fairway lined by trees and a bunker down the left at 270 yards. This approach is one of the most challenging on the course and plays slightly uphill to a back-to-front sloped green defended by a large bunker short.
The par 4 17th
Bull’s Bridge closes with a reachable par 5 playing up the hill at 472 yards. This risk/reward par 5 features a tighter fairway lined by a large rock outcropping down the left around 190 yards and numerous bunkers down the right for much of the landing area. This second shot features somewhat of a “Great Hazard” with a large bunker occupying much of the fairway about 110 yards short of the green and golfers will need to decide whether to lay back of it or try to get close to the green. This putting surface slopes both hard back-to-front and left-to-right with several ridges and a bunker short right.
The par 5 18th
General Comments: A golfing-only club with a small, cozy clubhouse at the top of the hill, Bull’s Bridge has limited amenities but does feature fantastic practice facilities with a large putting green and gorgeous grass driving range. The course is a very pleasant walk and caddies are available. I get the sense that the course gets limited play and pace was fantastic when I played.
It’s hard to imagine to imagine a more picturesque range setting than the one at Bull’s Bridge
Verdict: A rugged and isolated Tom Fazio design in Western Connecticut, this mountainous course is perhaps the most visually attractive course in the state and features strong conditioning and a number of very good holes. Its isolation and exclusivity make it somewhat underrated and I highly recommend you play here if you get an opportunity.