My boyfriend and I recently made the 2+ hour drive to Oak Lane Golf Course, excited for a relaxing day together while he played a round. He’s an experienced golfer with a 1 handicap and has played nearly every public course in Connecticut never once encountering a course that enforces a strict no spectators rule, especially not this rigidly. To be fair, we later saw the no spectator policy listed on their website, our mistake for missing it. But we still hoped for some basic human decency and understanding. I wasn’t asking to play, just to walk along and spend time with him. We even offered to pay a fee for me to accompany him, or adjust the tee time.. anything to make it work. But the staff at the front desk were incredibly rude and completely unwilling to make any kind of accommodation. What’s frustrating is that golf is meant to be more than just a sport, it’s about companionship, conversation, and connection. Whether it’s with your partner, friend, or parent, walking the course together is part of the experience. This policy and the cold, unbending way it was enforced completely undermines that spirit. We were left with no option but to turn around and drive home, unable to spend time together doing something we both enjoy. I understand having rules, but I also understand that hospitality and flexibility are part of what makes a golf course feel welcoming. Unfortunately, Oak Lane offered neither. We won’t be returning and for other couples or families who enjoy the game together, this is probably not the place for you.

The course is in great shape and is a fun layout. Some of the truest rolling greens around - they really do a great job there. The staff/starter is always kind and helpful. Upgraded carts with the latest tech are a nice touch also if you ride.

This place can be a mixed bag. Often times there are no issues. Last time we went however we were held up by the group in front of us the entire round. They were hitting off the back tees barely reaching the red tees, playing the greens very slowly, and spending upwards of 6 minutes on the tee doing god knows what. The starter came around 2 or 3 times to tell them to speed up, especially since there was now 2 and a half holes of space between them and the group in front of them. The starter however did not make them skip a hole or do anything to actually speed up play. When we complained about it they said "we can't control that" and "you still finished in under 5 hours". Very dissappinted in the fact that the starter did not have the balls to actually do his job and speed up the slow players. Cart path only does not create a 2 and a half hole gap between groups. Slow play and bad etiquette does. EDIT: To respond, no I dont feel they worked hard at all to speed up the group. If they were remotely keeping up there wouldn't have been 2 empty holes between them and the group in front of them. 4 hours and 40 minutes could've been 4 hours and 10 minutes if they were forced to keep pace. Instead you let them hit from the back tees and take a solid minute on each green to fill out their score cards hogging the hole.

Multiple chainsaws running in the middle of the day. Felt like we had our own personal lawnmower following us all round. Second time this has happened.

I am a frequent customer at Oak Lane and have to say, I really appreciate the efforts the staff makes with pace of play. I choose to play here because the conditions are great (love the fast greens), but also the effort the staff puts in to keep my tee times on time and at a good pace. If this is something that is important to you, you have to give Oak Lane a shot!