Atkinson Resort & Country Club, Atkinson, NH

1

I am a 15 handicap and play all of the local courses around Atkinson CC. It is the most expensive public course in the area. While the facility is top notch, the attitude of the clientele and the golf staff I encountered is deplorable. A tournament in the AM marked the first available tee time at 1PM for a foursome.
As we tee off, we are warned that there are groups behind us and we need to keep speed of play to a max of 15 mins per hole, allowing for a pace of 4 hrs, 30 mins. Carts are 90 degrees today. Pretty standard stuff, right? WRONG!
By the green on par 5 2nd, we had a threesome of what I can only assume were members standing over their balls, leaning on clubs in the fairway behind us. At this point it is 1:25. They followed on the par 3 3rd, with one of the threesome actually getting in his cart and riding up to the green with his group members yet to hit their tee shots!
By the par 5 5th, we let them play through as they were clearly more important than our group and shouldn't be forced to wait for anyone. But as a special treat, one of the threesome chose to walk the 200 to the green to putt for eagle, instead of jumping in his cart with the partner.
We're hitting our second shots on 7 and there's the ranger. He lets us hit our second shots, says nothing as we pass, then follows us to the green, and as we walk back to our carts, tells us we're holding up players behind and we need to pick up the pace. I look at my watch and it reads 2:31P.
Walking off the 7th green and lets not forget, allowing the nouveau riche members to play through on 5, and we're 14 minutes ahead of the slowest acceptable pace.
We were so disgusted we went back to the clubhouse and let the pro shop know we wanted our money back for the back nine. Thankfully, the pro shop attendant was very apologetic and empathetic, even acknowledging the 3 particular members that played through were notoriously impatient, "to put it very, VERY, mildly".
I would think that members of a public country club would take the time to thank non members for helping to defray the costs of their annual memberships by playing their courses. Apparently, they are too ignorant to realize that there were too CHEAP to spring for the cost of membership at a private country club, where they would most likely not have to deal with amatuer players like myself. I will never patronize this facility again. Reading the comments this summer, it seems as if I'm not alone.

We try to go to Atkinson as a group of 8 or more at least once or twice a year to play golf and then have dinner at the restaurant. It has always been wonderful, and the restaurant still is. But the golf course! When we played 2 weeks ago, the course was in terrible shape, especially the greens. They were covered with dead spots, the fairways were chewed up, and a 3 foot band on one green was so chewed up by the mower that it was dead and the tire tracks still showed. It was like playing in early spring. My husband was so upset he took a picture of the green to show the manager. At the end of our round we complained to the starter outside, who said he had played 4 days earlier and the course was "pristine", and that it was in great shape for an upcoming tournament! He was so condescending. How could they not be aware of this? Inside at the pro shop they said "sorry about that" but offered no refund or compensation. At $80/person this is a pricey course. We will never go back there until we hear that things have improved. And we will tell our friends to avoid this place.

Do you like to be pushed by the marshal on the front, the Golf club pro Peter in the same nine, and then followed by the back nine marshal pushing you to hurry up because you can't meet the 2 hours and 5 minute time restriction on both the front and the back? If so, this is the place for you!!! I have never experienced such a thing when there was NOBODY behind us. They said there was a tournament waiting on us and we needed to move it to keep pace but there was nobody around!!! Peter was no help as he defended the rude way the staff of this place acted towards us and how they made us feel unimportant as compared to the ghosts of the tourney behind. At 80 dollars per round, I expect more from the golf pro, the marshals and the course. Our round ended in 4 hours and 30 minutes for a foursome. I guess the 20 minutes of "slower than pace" play necessitated the harassment in Peter's mind and his disingenuous apologies did me no good.

I am a fan of Atkinson, play it prob 5-7 times per year. Yes is can be a little steep on the pricing but these people are probably teeing off in the morning. If you want a tip, in the summer play after 3, 45$ with cart with GPS. If you play before noon its pricy but its a nice course that is maintained so what do you expect.
The course is stellar, great layout, perfect conditions and the back nine has such a sick layout. If you spray you get in trouble on both sides but if you keep it in the ropes you will be fine. Play this course.