The practice facilities include a basic driving range on a hillside near the first tee, but it's the fast, contoured putting green that shines, giving you a taste of what's to come.

The course is well taken care of, and you could easily mistake the place for a country club. There are 2 cuts to the rough, the bunkers are clean and raked and there is pristine white stone lining the ponds near the 4th and 10th greens.

The greens at Mayville are superb; they are well-maintained, sloped (but not too much) and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. These may well be the nicest greens you'll play all season.

The course contains a challenging blend of hazards and features, and a few of the holes might be a bit tough for the higher-handicap golfer. A long hill runs the length of the 3rd fairway and will kick your ball right, but keeping your tee shot right risks a series of well-placed bunkers. The 10th hole has a sharp dogleg right around a long, narrow pond that contains a spraying fountain between the tee and the green. For many hackers, a sliced tee shot to the right rough short of the pond sets up an easier second shot than if they keep it in the fairway. The 9th hole is pro-caliber, with the mother of all bunkers fronting the elevated narrow green and various other sandy pits strung along the right side of the fairway. Stay to the left of the "excavation" and you should be okay. The 18th is a long, uphill Par-5 that curves around the outfield fence of a local baseball field, making you wonder who hits more balls over the fence, the golfers or the batters?

The staff at Mayville is very friendly, helpful and professional and the service in the bright, open-layout clubhouse is excellent. Although the menu is rather limited, the burgers are good and they have some top-notch brews on tap. They also seem very interested in encouraging children to learn the game. Among the many special deals they offer is a program that allows kids to golf for free with a paying adult.

Latest Update: 11/25/2010