Woodford Hills Country Club

Reviews for Woodford Hills Country Club

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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com

The Golfin Guy rated 5 out of 5

Reviewed Oct 27 2023

Like Good Bourbon, It's Getting Better With Age

When preacher-turned-businessman Randy Clay and his wife Sue turned their church software business Suran (short for Sue and Randy) over to their son Alex to pursue some of life’s other interests, there was little doubt that the couple would have more success.

Randy’s next order of business was to make The Woodford Club – a golf course he had just purchased – profitable. These days, that is not easily done in the golf industry these days.

When I first met Randy in 2020, his vision was to make The Woodford Club a totally private club. However, with 26 courses within a 20-mile radius of Versailles, KY, it would not be an easy task. These days The Woodford Club is a semi-private facility with a lot to offer those who seek membership. There’s a beautiful swimming pool, tennis and pickleball courts, fishing, and a full-service restaurant. But the biggest draw to the club is the 18-hole, par 71 championship golf course that is always well-groomed and challenging.

Randy Clay is determined to take his golf product to the next level and earlier this year hired Bob Baldassari, a longtime member of the PGA and founder of Reimagine Golf, whose expertise in player development will help bring about the next generation of young golfers and potential members to The Woodford Club.

The golf course originally opened in 1967 as Woodford Hills Country Club. A few years later it was sold and became known as Moss Hill Golf Course. Kentucky Golf Hall of Famer Buck Blakenship designed and built the golf course which is set amid the rolling pastures of thoroughbred horse country just outside Versailles. The Woodford Club hosted the Women’s Kentucky Senior State Amateur Tournament in 2020 and 2021. Aside from golf, the Club has a couple of things going for it. For starters, it’s situated in the middle of the Horse Capital of the World. Second, it’s right on the Bourbon Trail.

This tight, parkland-style course features narrow, tree-lined fairways carpeted in plush Zoysia grass leading to lush Bentgrass greens that roll true and at just the right speeds. With deceptive angles and constant, sometimes subtle, elevation changes which lead to a number of blind tee shots, both off the tee and in the fairway. Many of the greens are guarded by bunkers although sometimes the elevation changes around the green complexes are simply enough.

The Woodford Club may not be the longest course in the area, but what it will provide you with is a challenge and the need to think your way around the layout. From the back (Blue) tees the course plays 6,119 yards to a par of 71 with a course rating of 70.1 and a slope of 129. Move up a set to the Whites and the yardage drops to slightly less than 5,900 yards however the course rating drops only slightly to 69.2 with a slope of 126. Two other sets of tees, the Gold (5,331/66.0/117) and the Red (4,870/68.3/113) provide yardages and challenges that will make the round exciting and memorable for all levels of golfers.

The holes I seem to remember the most from my last visit to The Woodford Club are the par 3s, they play long and challenging. There is one on the front side and three on the back. The first, Number 2, is 184 yards from the Blue Tees and plays slightly uphill with trees that dot the landscape from tee to green. Pay particular attention to the two trees on the right side near the green. A tee shot slightly offline can easily find one of them or the bunker. Either one presents a tricky up-and-down.

Number 11 is a pretty straightforward, 180-yard par 3 into a small green with trees back left and bunkers on the right side. The green is a lot deeper than it is wide and can easily be a one or two-club difference depending on pin placement.

The 13th hole plays 168 yards from the Blue Tees and is one of the few water holes on the golf course. Your tee shot is all carry over water into a green less than 20 yards deep with a large tree on the right. Par is a good score here.

The final par 3, Number 15, plays 174 yards. With a small pot bunker directly in the middle of the front of the green, most golfers will need to carry their tee shot onto the putting surface in order to have a fair shot at par or better.

During our round, I spoke with a number of members and regular players at The Woodford Club about the golf course. All mentioned how much they like the golf course as well as all of the changes Randy Clay and his staff have made. They also unanimously decided that the 14th hole was the most challenging. This 434-yard par 4 requires (at least) two well-struck shots to get on – or in close proximity to – the green. It's a gentle dogleg right with a fairway that slopes right to left. The length is what stigmatizes most players, there are no bunkers or greenside hazards. The green is long and narrow and can easily be a two-club difference between a front and back pin placement. It's not hard to see why it is considered the toughest hole on the golf course.

The Woodford Club also has a full-length driving range just beyond the clubhouse where you can hit all of the clubs in your bag. Multiple targets give you something to shoot for. There’s also a short game area and a practice putting green will help you get the speed of the greens down before heading to the first tee.

The pool at The Woodford Club seems to be a family gathering place, especially on weekends. It’s open from Memorial Day to just after Labor Day, weather permitting. There’s also a baby pool and an active youth swim team. The outdoor Conch Bar is a great place to grab a bite to eat, drink, and catch the game on TV with friends.

If you’re looking for a more substantial meal, the Jack Jouett Tavern offers some of the best cuisine in Woodford County. The Tavern gets its name from an American farmer and politician best known for his “all night ride” in which he rescued Governor Thomas Jefferson from British capture. It really says a lot when non-golfers are filling the dining room! Randy Clay kept the kitchen open for carryout during COVID and that popularity has continued ever since. The Tavern is open from 11 am to 9 pm Monday-Saturday and 10 am to 9 pm Sunday. There’s a Sunday Brunch from 11 am – 2 pm. The Tavern is best known for its selection of over 50 small-batch bourbons and The Tater Bomb – a fried concoction of bacon, cheese & potato balls served with red-eye ranch dip. They are a must-try!

If you’re interested in becoming a member of The Woodford Club, you’re in luck. They are currently accepting applications. Several membership levels are available. The Full Membership includes everything the club has to offer including golf, tennis, pickleball, and fishing. You have the choice of being a weekday-only member or a 7-day member. Looking at the membership rates on their website, it’s quite a bargain. Pool memberships and social memberships are also available.

If you need any more information about the Woodford Club, you can probably find it on their website.

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The Golfin' Guy/Crossville rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Nov 11 2020

A Club to Be Enjoyed By All

There are only a few places in the USA that have a history as rich as that of Woodford County, KY. For starters, Woodford County was established as one of the nine counties that made up what was originally known as the “District of Kentucky.” It was originally part of Virginia and was the last of the nine counties organized when the State of Kentucky was admitted to the Union in 1792.

As a county in Virginia, Woodford was considered part of Fayette County, VA. It was named for William Woodford, an American Revolutionary War general from Virginia who was with George Washington at Valley Forge and died while a prisoner of war in 1780 after being captured by the British.

These days, Woodford County encompasses more than 123,000 acres of the world’s finest agricultural land including bragging rights to the largest total farm income in the state. Much of that income comes from thoroughbred horse farms. One is Coolmore, America‘s Ashford Stud Farm where two Triple Crown winners, American Pharaoh and Justify, spend half the year.

As a visitor, there is plenty to do in Woodford County. First of all, there’s the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and one of Kentucky's oldest bourbon whiskey distilleries, Labrot & Graham, where the Woodford Reserve brand is made. It’s located in the beautiful country outside the county seat of Versailles (pronounced VER-SALES). Then there’s the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum which provides an interactive experience of historic railroading in Kentucky. Inside, you’ll find a museum of historic railroad artifacts as well as an antique tour train. If you’re into the ponies. You can always take a guided horse farm tours which are available at many locations. If you’re a golfer you need to pay a visit to The Woodford Club in Versailles, KY, and play a round of golf on a course that will challenge you.

The Woodford Club was built in 1967 and was originally known as Woodford Hills Country Club and later as Moss Hill Golf Course. The course was designed by well-known architect Buck Blankenship who designed many courses in the area. In 2015 the course underwent a renovation by Kevin Hargrave who did his best to keep Blankenship’s original vision in mind. The fairways are carpeted in Zoysia grass which provides beautiful lies and leads to lush Bentgrass greens that roll true.

The Woodford Club plays 6,119 yards from the Blue tees with a course rating of 70.1 and a slope of 129. Move up a set to the Whites and the yardage drops to slightly less than 5,900 yards however the course rating drops only slightly to 69.2 with a slope of 126. Two other sets of tees, the Gold (5,331/66.0/117) and the Red (4,870/68.3/113) provide yardages and challenges that will make the round exciting and memorable for all. Just remember, when you’re in doubt of which tees to play, do what Jack Nicklaus suggests and Tee It Forward!

The Woodford Club has several memorable holes starting with Number 1, a 460-yard par 5 that plays straightaway. You can’t see the green from the tee and often you can’t see it until you’re ready to approach it. The approach shot plays downhill and about half a club less. The green is well protected by sand on three sides.

The 2nd hole is probably the most challenging par 3 on the course. From the White tees, the hole plays 174 yards uphill. Trees surrounding the green can come into play on any mishit tee shots and the bunker front right has seen its fair share of play.

Golf course owner Randy Clay’s favorite hole is Number 5, a par 4 that plays 362 yards. From the tee, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the next county. Keeping it in the fairway off the tee goes a long way in scoring well on this hole. The green is small and protected front left by a pot bunker. He played the hole well when I played with him, but not good enough to win any money!

Number 9 is a 347-yard par 4 with a tee shot over water followed by an approach shot that plays significantly uphill. The green is protected in front by two bunkers and the green has some good undulation in it.

Number 13 is a 166-yard par 3 and one of only a few holes with water. The tee shot is all carry over water into a wide green with a large tree on the right. Par is a good score here.

Most of the members I spoke with and the two I played with all agreed that Number 14 was by far the most challenging hole. It’s a 434-yard par 4 that for most players takes (at least) two well-struck shots to get there. It’s a gentle dogleg right with a fairway that slopes right to left. There are no bunkers around the green which is long and narrow and is easily a two-club difference between a front and back pin placement. Did I mention it’s the #1 handicap? It’s another hole where par is a good score.

Number 18 is a slight dogleg left that plays over water and then uphill, just like #9. From the White tees, the hole plays 333 yards. Favor the left side of the fairway off the tee to take the large tree on the right out of play. Lay back a bit off the tee and give yourself a clear shot into the green.

Before your round, get loosened up Woodford’s full-length driving range where you can hit every club in your bag. Move over to the practice putting green and stroke a few putts before heading to the first tee.

The Restaurant at The Woodford Club and the Jack Jouett Tavern are open every day from 11 am – 9 pm. Both feature fine bourbons, wine, and live music. Even if golf’s not your thing, the Jack Jouett Tavern is a great place to meet up with friends for a drink or grab a fantastic meal. During these troubled times, they have socially distanced dining outside on the patio, and inside the enclosed porch and dining room. There’s also drive-thru pickup, take-out, and free delivery within a 10-mile radius. For years, many locals thought that you had to be a member to eat at the restaurant and while that may have been true when it was a private club, these days, everyone is welcome.

And it’s not your typical menu. A “must try” appetizer is the Tater Bombs, homemade tater tots with cheese and bacon, and two delicious dipping sauces. They are incredible. I also know that the Meatball Sub is delicious and won’t leave you hungry. They have several dinner entrees to choose from including steaks, seafood, and BBQ brisket.

The Woodford Club is currently accepting new members. What you’ll find is a community of like-minded people that enjoy each other’s company, whether it’s playing a round of golf, indulging in a set of tennis, or just hanging around at the pool enjoying a beverage. It’s a great place to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Your membership helps to support The Woodford Club’s commitment to growing its boys’ and girls’ programs as they teach them the value of good sportsmanship and introduce them to the lifelong sports of golf and tennis. The Woodford Club offers several different membership plans with one that will meet the needs of just about anyone.

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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com