Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club
Course Website | Course Tour | Denver, NC
Course Overview
Verdict Ridge Golf & Country is regarded by many as the nicest public golf course in the Charlotte area. It’s no surprise they have been the #1 Ranked Golf Course on our Top Courses page for 2 years in a row. Although Verdict Ridge is still semi-private, it appears this will not be the case forever.
Verdict Ridge has seen a ton of growth, and rightfully so. At the end of 2021, they became private on Saturdays and Sundays. Since early 2022, they have operated as a private golf course on Fridays as well. The only way to get on the golf course unless you’re with a member or join.
Not a member? Our 2022 Charlotte Golfers Passport gives golfers access to the course Monday-Friday.
Located in Denver, NC, Verdict Ridge is just down Route 16 on the other side of Lake Norman. It’s only a 35-minute drive from Charlotte, which isn’t much further than any other course in the area. This makes it a perfect golf course to sneak in a round after the work day. Because of the private nature of this golf course, it tends to be more quiet than the traditional public golf courses we have gotten accustomed to in Charlotte.
What to expect when you play Verdict Ridge.
This course will really give you the country club feel from the moment you pull into the parking lot. There’s a nice driving range with golf balls included in your round, a chipping green with a couple bunkers, and a putting green right by the clubhouse and first hole.
I would definitely recommend spending some time on the putting green before your round. If not, you will quickly find out how fast the greens on this golf course can be. Depending on the pin placement, the first hole could be one of the more challenging greens, where a 4 putt is not out of the question.
If you’ve never played here before and you’re not playing with someone who has, you will most likely have trouble navigating the golf course and greens. It really helps to know where you want to aim your tee shots, and the good spots to hit on the green. There are a couple holes where you’ll have to aim towards the cart path in order to end up in the middle of the fairway (specifically holes 9 & 14). Make sure to stay below the hole. Some putts are faster than they look and tough to stop on downhill putts.
The course has a great layout, with some nice houses surrounding it. The owner of Verdict Ridge is a great guy and does it right. It’s family owned, he truly cares for his members, puts a lot of thought into how the course was designed and is constantly trying to improve the golf course and experience for the members. Once you play the course, you’ll be itching to go back again.
Play Verdict Ridge as many times as possible – while you still can.
If you’re looking at golf memberships, they have some great options and very affordable for the quality of play. It’s definitely one of the better values in terms of memberships. Especially for young executives, which you are eligible for until age 35.
Signature Holes
#9 Par 4, 321yds, Handicap 9 – The 9th hole is Verdict’s signature hole, and it’s the first thing you’ll see when teeing off hole #1. It’s a short par 4, but iron is the smart play. Take the iron towards the cart path on the left, and the ball should find its way in the middle of the fairway.
If the flag is on the bottom of the ridge, you should have a good look at birdie. If it’s on the top of the ridge on the backside of the green…GOOD LUCK! Check out a flyover of the hole below, which can also be found on the Verdict Ridge Website.
Most Difficult
#18 Par 5, 515yds, Handicap 4 – This finishing hole is very intimidating off the tee. With a good tee shot you could have a go at the green, but the landing area is so narrow, it may not even be worth driver for longer hitters. The risk here is ending up in the fairway bunker on the left or flying it through the fairway into the marsh.
We’ve only seen this green reached in 2 a couple of times, so kudos to you if you’ve done it! We’d recommend playing it as a 3 shot hole as this makes it play easier. Try not to let this hole ruin your round, as we’ve seen it done many times before. Check out the flyover for this hole below as well, also available on the Verdict Ridge website.
