Name: Bright Leaf Golf Resort
Address: 1742 Danville Rd Harrodsburg, KY 40330, Harrodsburg, Harrodsburg, Harrodsburg, 40330, United States of America
Rating: 8

24-hour reception

Smoke-free property

General

Minibar

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Free Wi-Fi

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Parking

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Conference Hall

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Bright Leaf Golf Course

Blue Grass Airport

Bright Leaf Golf Resort

Harrodsburg

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not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

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To even have the word resort in their name is a slap in the face to real golf resorts around the world. This place is nothing more than a old motel with some paint thrown on the walls and semi new furniture put down. While the golf course is ok, the pro shop and diner leave a lot to be imagined. Let’s not forget it’s out in the boondocks! Save your money and play/stay elsewhere!

Not a Resort!!!

We are 7 guys, usually more, who take a spring and fall trip. 4 had been there and 3 had not. It had been about 15 years since we had been there. We used to go there with a church group of about 20+ guys. Something ALWAYS happened while we were there. They would aerate the greens, close 9 of the holes for some reason or run groups out ahead of us at the turn. Still the same old Bright Leaf that we remembered. There were groups of up to 10 playing together.  Our morning rounds on Monday and Tuesday were almost an hour over time. That’s according to the PACE monitor on the cart installed GPS units. Stayed in the rooms along the first green. The rooms were very outdated and the bathrooms were uncomfortably small. We were never asked about our stay during check out or at any other point of contact with course or room employees . The food part was good. The employees there were friendly and helpful. If you like to pay, be left alone to do as you wish and not be bothered by the constraints of courtesy this may be the place for you. It obviously works for some, but it won’t be us again.

Still disappointed.

The Bright Leaf Golf Resort in Harrodsburg, KY is a family-owned golf resort where the emphasis isn’t as much on golf as it is on having fun. Helen King, better known around Bright Leaf as Ree, is 93 years old. She can be found working in the pro shop in the mornings and then driving around the grounds on her lawnmower in the afternoon, helping keep things neat and tidy. Ree’s father, C.R. "Buck" Blankenship, bought the land where the resort is located and originally intended to farm it. After a few years, he decided that there was no money in farming and built the golf course. He had worked on a golf course while living in Los Angeles and building a course had always been a dream.  

The entire King family lives on the property around the golf course. Tia King Taylor - the granddaughter of Ree – does a little bit of everything at the resort, but for the most part, you’ll find her behind the front desk when you check in. Tia’s mother and father live right next door and in the event you see an airplane taking off or landing near the golf course during your round, don’t be alarmed. That’s just her dad, Cary. In all. 8 of King families live on or around the golf course and on any given day you can find four generations of Kings at the golf course.

Bright Leaf originally opened as a 9-hole golf course and driving range on Memorial Day, 1963 and the tee sheet was totally filled. Currently, there are 27 holes of championship golf as well as a lighted par 3. Although the driving range is gone, many players will arrive early and play the 9-hole par 3 course. At a total distance of 649 yards, it’s a great way to hone your iron skills before playing the big course. The short course is lit and can be enjoyed when the sun goes down.

The original 9-hole course is still there. The first tee is directly behind the restaurant and you can bet there will be several people watching your tee shot! Although it plays less than 3,000 yards to a par of 36, don’t let the short distance lull you into a false sense of security. The holes are much tighter, there’s a lot more slope, and the greens a lot smaller, putting a premium on shot placement and accuracy.

The championship 18-hole golf course at Bright Leaf is unique. The entire layout is pretty wide open with gently rolling terrain providing the dreaded uneven lie. The fairways and rough are sewn in beautiful Kentucky Bluegrass and the greens are Bentgrass and large for the most part. Water comes into play on at least 5 holes – more if you spray it – and the pace of play is good.  At slightly over 6,400 yards from the back tees, Bright Leaf isn’t going to overwhelm many players, but then again, you’re not here to set course records, you’re here for fun and fellowship.

On the front side, you get the par 3 and par 5 holes out of the way fairly quickly. Number 1 and Number 2 are both par 3s, something you don’t see every day. While I would much rather start the round off with a couple of par 4s or a par 4 and a par 5, Bright Leaf tests your mettle right off the bat! The 3rd hole is a challenging par 4 that is handicapped the toughest hole on the front side. It is long, playing 390 yards. That is followed by two par 5s that play 446 yards and 450 yards. The good news is that both par 5s are reachable with a good drive. Number 5 is a pretty par 5 with a white fence down the left side as well as trees. The fairway slopes left to right with a small lake at the bottom of the fairway that is reachable off the tee. The slope in the fairway isn’t steep enough to carry the ball down to the water. 

Number 9 is a good par 4 that plays 362 yards with a lake to carry off the tee. The hole plays uphill the entire way and the fairway has a fair amount of slope in it. The back nine also starts you off with a par 3 that plays 162 yards from an elevated tee box over water to an elevated green. There is a deep bunker on the left which can be tough to hit. 

Number 11 is another reachable par 5 at 419 yards from the White tees. This hole is all about your approach shot. The green is elevated and runs away on either side. If you don’t hit it and hold it, an up and down from below the green can be a tough ask!

The stretch of holes from 12 thru 14 has the 3 toughest holes on the back nine in succession. The 12th hole at Bright Leaf has a couple of distinctions. First of all, it is the #1 handicapped hole on the golf course. It plays 371 yards from the White tees with a barbed wire fence and out of bounds running all down the left side. The green is well-elevated and usually requires an extra club. Hitting your ball over the barbed wire fence doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get it back. Every 100 feet or so along the fence are ladders over the fence. Be advised, the grass is long and there are a lot of cows in the pasture. Your ball may not be the only thing hiding in the grass! 

Number 13 is a legitimate par 5 that plays 533 yards from the White tees and is a three-shot hole for most players. Number 14 is a short, 319-yard par 4 with a blind tee shot and then an approach into one of the course’s smallest greens. Number 15 is the only dogleg on the golf course, a dogleg left into a green that sits below the fairway. It happens to run parallel to the prettiest hole on the 9-hole course, Number 5, a 395-yard dogleg left par 5 with a green that sits even further below the fairway. Standing in the fairway on Number 15 and looking back and down the adjoining fairway is one of the prettiest views on the golf course. Number 16 is a 150-yard par 3 over water to an elevated green and can be fairly intimidating if you don’t like the water!

As far as hazards go, there is only a handful of bunkers on the entire course that you will need to avoid and two of them are on the first hole. You are more likely to be impeded by water than sand.

Bright Leaf Resort sells a lot of golf packages, in fact on my visit I didn’t speak with anyone that wasn’t there as part of a group. What I found was that most of the clientele is there for a good time, there just happens to be a golf course there and oh, by the way, golf and drinking just naturally go together. Bright Leaf Resort doesn’t have a liquor license and the majority of golfers know this; they simply BTOB (Bring Their Own Booze). I will say that for as much drinking and partying that was going on, the hotel was incredibly quiet after 9 pm. The people staying there are just plain friendly and courteous.

You’ll find that most of the golfers at Bright Leaf are there on some sort of golf package. Bright Leaf offers full on-site accommodations, consisting of 95 hotel rooms and 10 villa suites each equipped with 51" flat-panel televisions and full kitchens. Amenities include a full-service dining room, snack bar, fully equipped health club, and swimming pool. The goal at Bright Leaf is to show their warm, southern hospitality!

Start your morning off at Bright Leaf with their breakfast buffet at the 19th Hole Restaurant, featuring all of your breakfast favorites including made from scratch biscuits and gravy. After your round, there’s a southern-style dinner buffet with special themed nights. Friday night is Seafood Night with Fried Catfish while the Saturday Night Buffet features fried chicken and ribs. The 19th Hole also offers a complete menu.

What a Golf Resort Should Be...FUN!

The golf courses only have 3 sets of tee boxes. The forward tees are not favorable to any handicap over 20. The original nine holes course  had redone one of the holes and it is almost unplayable. It has no fairway approaching the green.  Not sure who designed that hole.  Most guy trips looking for fun, average food, and somewhat cheap golf would enjoy the place. But amenities are below average and you have to lug your clubs to your room everyday. Also they charge you an additional cart fee if you play more than 18 holes per day.

Not a resort for women or serious  golfers.

A group of us, 3 couples, recently traveled to the Bright Leaf Golf Resort to visit this amazing course and to tour distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The family who runs this resort is so kind and offers southern hospitality beyond belief. Give it a try.....you will NOT be disappointed! P.S. Be sure to visit Ree in the Pro Shop :)
~~The Indiana Crew

Hospitality at its FINEST!

We were in the area to visit family. Had a tee time here at Bright Leaf GC. The course was in great condition, we actually played all 27 holes.  I really enjoyed the course: the layout, the challenges and the fairways and greens. The staff is warm. The food is great to get, was easy to order at the turn. By the parking lot later night, I could tell a lot of people were staying here.  

Great condition. Book your tee time 

Rooms are a bit small but very well kept. Staff is very friendly and helpful. The view as the sun rises in the morning is very nice! We are not golfer's but love staying here. Never any noise issues, nice quiet atmosphere just outside of town. They provide outdoor gas grills for your use on the first level. WiFi is provided but seems to be in and out alot. The 19th Hole restaurant is just behind the hotel and has a very friendly staff and good food.

Another great stay

The room was nice from first appearance, looked clean and stocked well but the beds were hard as a rock. Honestly, I think the floor would be more comfortable. The room looked like it was freshly remolded, which was nice but I was not happy when I woke up and found mold growing in the coffee pot. We ended up at the gas station to get fresh coffee. I was also not impressed with the fact that there was no breakfast included and it was over $20 to feed 2 people. Not happy. The only other problem I had was the people below us partied outside half the night making it hard to sleep on the rock they called a bed. Next time I will find another hotel.

Horrible beds, breakfast not included, not as clean as appeared.

Great experience! Golf course is average at best, but the price is great and the staff is very nice and friendly.  The rooms are fine for the occasion.  The lunch menu is pretty good and the dinner buffet is pretty average.  I go on this trip with a group of 20 and we have a ton of fun every year!

Stay and play at Bright  Leaf

What a great experience!  If you are looking for an all inclusive golfing experience at a family ran business then this is the place for you. 

My best friend's wife bought him a 3 day 2 night golfing package which included  virtually unlimited golf and 6 meals at their 19th hole restaurant and she purchased a package for me as well.

We checked in the lobby at 930 on Monday morning and got our room key and we were on the tee box by 1030 for 36 holes of golf.  We played 36 the next day and then 18 Wednesday morning before heading back home.

EVERY employee there from the owner to the dishwasher treated us as if we were VIPs.  There are 4 generations of family members who help run the golf resort.

The pro shop is nice and the course is well managed considering it age which I believe started in 1963.  The large hotel rooms are clean and adequate...the food is good.

If you are looking for a top PGA  U.S. Open type of course and 5 star resort type of accommodations then this place isn't for you...but if you are looking to have a FUN type of all inclusive golfing experience then this place is a MUST.  It is well worth the money.

I hope I get to go back again soon and visit my new found friends at Bright Leaf Golf Resort.

Bright Leaf Golf Resort

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