The Course at Carey Park Review
October 14, 2024
Kathy and I are in Hutchinson, Kansas for an HDT (Heavy Duty Truck) rally. We were not intending to play a round of golf this week. However, we looked at the schedule of classes and seminars, and saw an opening.
The nearest course to us is The Course at Carey Park. It is a municipal course that was established in 1932. The cost for two players with a cart was $80. I love playing courses that are under $50 per player.
At that price you can get a gem or a junker. But, most of the time it is something in-between.
We had no problem making a tee time and the course was easy to find. We walked into the clubhouse to a warm greeting from Jake. Jake was quick at getting us checked in. He told us who we would be playing behind. We asked a few questions about the course and Jake gave very thorough answers that included his favorite holes and he even added a quick story about his hole-in-one on the course.
Congratulations Jake, not everyone gets a hole in one.
The Course at Carey Park is open and easy to play. There are plenty of trees, but the lower branches are trimmed up allowing for a well-struck ball to escape without much in the way. The sand traps are well groomed and splash out without the club bottoming out. And the tee boxes are in good condition with enough options to choose from for most players. That means the quality of the course comes down to the fairways and greens.
The fairways were in good shape with a few dry spots and a few spots that are being worked on. There was some kind of ground vermin digging little dirt mounds on the course and in the rough area. But, these issues are few and to be honest none of them were bad enough to cause any issue with the round.
As a matter of fact, Jake told us the area has been very dry this season, and the most green in the area is the fairways at The Course at Carey Park. They have done a great job of keeping the fairways green and in good condition. The groundskeeper marked off all of the spots that were bare, allowing for a free drop outside the GUR.
That leaves the greens. They were in the best condition of all. It was obvious that the maintenance team take the greens seriously. They were green, well-cut, and did not have any dry spots on them. They rolled smoothly and the ball could get a little traction when spin was applied. (Even if my spin is unintentional).
Not every course is going to be a high-dollar course or a resort course. But, it is nice to see care being put into an everyday course.
The Course at Carey Park is a great neighborhood course that is inviting and fun to play. Kathy and I had a great time playing.
I almost forgot, the locals were a little slow. But once they realized we were waiting, they let us play through.
If you are in the Hutchinson area be sure to squeeze in a round of golf at The Course at Carey Park. It won’t break the bank. It will even leave you with a little extra cash for something to eat at the end of the round.
Based on our golf scorecard, we give The Course at Carey Park a Par.
The Course at Carey Park is a simple, straight-forward golf course that is well-maintained and well- priced. We will be playing there again. And you won’t be disappointed if you play there too.
Fairways and Greens – We are 18 Holes and Counting
Written By: Marc Festa
COURSE REVIEW SCORE CARD
Course: The Course at Carey Park
Type: Municipal
Date Played: 10 October 2024
| HOLE | PAR | SCORE | COMMENTS |
| 1 – Tee Time Availability | 4 | 4 | We were able to get the tee time we requested. |
| 2 – Cost of Green Fees | 4 | 4 | Very reasonable green fees. |
| 3 – Condition of Tee Boxes | 4 | 4 | Great condition. We did notice a few holes were hard to find, but we just asked fellow golfers and they were friendly and pointed us in the right direction. |
| 4 – Condition of Fairways | 5 | 5 | Fairways are predominantly bluegrass, although there are some moderately large patches of other grasses in places. |
| 5 – Condition of Greens | 4 | 4 | Soft, and run very true. The greens are fairly level although some have some subtle breaks. |
| 6 – Length of Course | 5 | 5 | Total 6,631 yards from the tips; 5,018 yards from the forward tees. There are a nice mix of short and longer par 3’s. There is also a nice mix of short and long par 4’s. The par 5’s are generally quite short and fairly easy to birdie. |
| 7 – Hazards | 4 | 4 | There are several bunkers, although none are especially deep or troublesome. Many of the bunkers are fairway bunkers, some of which are difficult to see from the tee. There is no water hazards on the course. |
| 8 – Starter/Marshal | 3 | 2 | Jake did a great job sharing his information regarding the course with us prior to our round. |
| 9 – High Handicap Friendly | 3 | 3 | There are two sets of forward tees to keep it playable for higher handicap players. |
| OUT | 36 | 35 | |
| 10 – Practice Area | 5 | 5 | Practice greens, chipping area, and driving range. |
| 11 – Locker Rooms | 3 | 3 | Nice, spacious locker rooms available. |
| 12 – Pro Shop | 4 | 4 | Well stocked with all the golf essentials. |
| 13 – Location | 4 | 4 | Just 10 minutes from the Kansas State Fairgrounds. |
| 14 – Rental Equipment | 4 | 4 | Pull carts, motorized golf carts, and golf clubs all available for rent. |
| 15 – Food Cart | 4 | 4 | There was no food cart on the day we played. |
| 16 – Restaurant/Club House | 4 | 4 | Snack bar and lounge with plenty of room. |
| 17 – Parking | 3 | 3 | Large parking area. |
| 18 – Customer Service | 5 | 4 | Jake was very helpful and welcoming. |
| IN | 36 | 35 | |
| TOTAL | 72 | 70 | PLAYER: Marc F. ATTESTED BY: Kathy F. |
