April 2026 – If I had a favorite non-Phillies baseball player it would hands-down be Mike Trout. The guy is just awesome – work ethic, bleeds Philly, future hall-of-famer, stud, et al. If I was Middleton, I would’ve traded the Angels my entire draft for him ala Ricky Williams. And history says I would’ve won that trade. Makes me think, what current, non-Philadelphia professional athletes would I give anything to have on our teams…
I think if we had Trout on the team in 2022, we beat the Astros and have our third World Series Championship. Connor Bedard on the current Flyers? We’d already be starting an Oilers-like dynasty in the 20’s. Micah on the Eagles? Well we already won one with Hurts, maybe we win in 2022 or 2026. And the Sixers? Who cares. Let them tank again for as much as I care. I hate the NBA and the tankful Sixers. But excuse my tangent within a tangent.
Trout National (Mike Trout’s playground located in his boyhood home of Millville, NJ) was designed by Tiger Woods, and opened two days before I played it. They let the course cure for almost a year before allowing play. Membership is super limited. And while I have played a bunch of these recent, uber-exclusive, national remote courses (GrayBull. Ohoopee, High Grove), Trout is just as good but somewhat closer to civilization (less than an hour from Philly and even closer to the shore towns around AC) than the others are near anything but onion farms and cow poop. Also Trout is a celebrity haven. Multiple sports stars are members and I saw Mike Quick when I was leaving (he of Eagles fame and who should be a hall-of-famer).
I think a good comp for Trout is Grove XXIII (the Jordan course outside Hobe Sound in FLA). I heard Jordan was up to Trout already! I’m wondering whether other top-in-their-game sports celebs will open their own private retreats. I never played Grove XXIII but think the comp is obvious. Anyways, loved Trout and let’s discuss.
First the customer service is second-to-none. I swear there was more staff than players when we played. Access to booze? Loved Aaron’s on the eighth and the Dugout on 14 and 16. Add in the forthcoming amenities and this will be a top notch experience. Golf Digest did a pretty good job painting the picture.
I talked in my High Grove review about the drink glasses with the beer can top. My buddy took a picture of one here.
He played two days after I did. I had 80 degrees and sunny (an ideal day) he had 50, cloudy and windy. So far this year I have been amazingly lucky with weather for all of my rounds. Let’s hope it continues. To the course.
First things, first. I played like shit. My clubs didn’t make it back from High Grove the night before so had to play with a combination of my buddy’s clubs and my old set. Two, I fell out of bed the night before (I guess I am now a fall risk) and wrenched my neck. Three, I played really hungover and poorly the day before so am self-conscious of my game right now and am even flubbing putts although I did par three out of the last four holes when the booze started kicking in.
Also, the routing map above is not right. This has to be an earlier plan. Below is how 13 through 18 actually lay out from Google maps. It looks like they flopped the direction of 14 and 15 and shortened 14 to fit in the par three 16th. Then 17 is now a long par four and 18 is as the above shows. After one, you go under Hance Bridge Rd. to play two through twelve in case you’re wondering.
Besides the one above from Google maps, the drone aerial photos are from my buddy Brian. I won’t label these as I am not 100% certain which is which and I was hit or miss with the camera so not sure I will be able to correctly label these. We played the II tees that measure 6,407 yards. They said they reprint the scorecard everyday with that day’s exact yardage as Tiger designed multiple tee options for each set of tees on each hole. The course from those tees slope to 127 but I found it much more difficult than that and think they will recalculate hole handicaps and the overall rating and slope.
Hole 1 (408 yards/par four/#3 handicap): Trout doesn’t start you off by easing you into the round with a cupcake first to get you started fast. While the water is not really in play, this is not an easy hole. My trouble here came on my second shot that I put into the dunes about 100 yards from the green.
Hole 2 (497 yards/par five/#13 handicap): A waste bunker runs up the entire length of the 2nd along the water. Not sure if they will ultimately bring the pond up to the waste area or just have schmoogies there. Either way, don’t go right. GIR but three putt. Greens were slower than expected. My hunch is they will tighten them up by summer time and roll them hard to speed them up.
Two from my drive.
Hole 3 (293 yards/par four/#9 handicap): A driveable hole for big hitters. Waste area now runs the entire length of the hole along the right. You also see the “castle wall” that runs the entire perimeter of the property and they are adding dune-like mounding so you will never see surrounding Millville/Vineland from the course.
Hole 4 (372 yards/par four/#7 handicap): Waste bunker along the entire right side again but at least no pond.
Hole 5 (163 yards/par three/#15 handicap): A fairly open par three. I know I left it short but was able to get on and just missed my par and finally won a hole.
Hole 6 (437 yards/par four/#1 handicap): Tough golf hole. For shorter hitters off the tee, you have to contend with the bunkers and dogleg, then there’s a cross bunker across the front about 100 yards out. Was thrilled with my bogey.
From my drive on six.
Hole 7 (481 yards/par five/#11 handicap): A long and winding road with water up by the green. Would hit my second shot into the right rough and behind the tree requiring a lay up and then my shot onto the green and another awesome three putt.
Hole 8 (149 yards/par three/#17 handicap): That’s the Aaron’s halfway house in the background of this peninsular par three. They have complimentary appies and a full bar besides canned drinks. They say you can stay as long as you want. We hung out for about ten minutes but wanted to get done. For the hole, the flag was way up giving you about ten yards on either side of the flag to put your ball. If I was smart, I would’ve just over-clubbed to get back to the fatter portion of the green. I am not smart though and like everyone lese in the group, put it in the water.
Hole 9 (320 yards/par four/#5 handicap): Another long golf hole surrounded by sand/waste areas. Put my drive right in an impossible lie just outside of a deep bunker. Hit as good as a shot as I could then skulled shot across the green and back into a waste area. This was a pocket ball after I left one in the waste area.
Hole 10 (430 yards/par four/#4 handicap): Here is a man-sized par four that who knows what evils befell me as I took yet another double.
Hole 11 (111 yards/par three/#18 handicap): The tiny 11th which is where I flubbed my putter
Hole 12 (535 yards/par five/#14 handicap): The last hole on this side of Hance Bridge Rd. A decent-sized par five. The schmoogies on the right don’t really come into play.
Hole 14 (383 yards/par four/#12 handicap): I missed 13 and here is 14 where it finally clicked. I had a good drive and okay second shot but a bad chip and three putt meant another double but at least I didn’t end up in my pocket. The dugout is right behind this tee and wish I had a photo of it Super cool spot for more drinks.
Hole 15 (431 yards/par four/#2 handicap): Tight driving corridor where I put it just shy of the dune that marks the edge of the property. Would hit a crap second shot but great approach and one putt for a par thank God.
Hole 16 (139 yards/par three/#16 handicap): Not sure what the final area to the left will ultimately look like. You’re again right in front of the dugout on the tee. Would put it in the sand but and up-and-down par.
Hole 17 (394 yards/par four/#6 handicap): A nasty waste area surrounds the green. On in three and a three putt.
Hole 18 (499 yards/par five/#10 handicap): What a great closing hole. I love closing on a five. If you’re in a tourney or tied match betting, Big hitters can try and cut off the water to get home in two. Great risk-reward golf hole.
And here’s my approach on 18. Would put it on and two putt par to close out the day. You see the clubhouse in the background. Looking at renderings and reading up on the final plans for here, I am certain Trout National will climb quickly up the rankings. The course as is, is great. There a lot of tee options that will keep it fresh. I love the vibe – really laid back. If you can get on, by all means do so and hoping I can get back once the clubhouse and other amenities are complete and the course is more mature. Mind you it was in great shape but am interested in some of the hazards and what they will look like. Below are the drone shots taken a week before I played. Not going to label these. Enjoy.
Golf Scrapbook 