Frog Hollow Golf Club — Local services in Middletown

Here’s a reply to Mr Keefe’s nonsensical post: and when one scans reviews the amount of reviews complaining about this owner and this staff tells the true tale. Oh and by the way if Mr Keefe is trying to create a fun atmosphere he oughta educate his staff on how to be pleasant. But that is probably too much to ask for from an owner who is clearly unpleasant with an over exaggerated sense of self. The man called me arrogant and entitled and that calls for him looking into the mirror. Or perhaps reading all the poor reviews about his attitude and taking stock of himself. And patrons? Patrons? Now he thinks he Augusta National.

My attitude is as it always is. Looking for a pleasant time and fun at the course. Mr. Keefe is not being honest here regards his attitude. I was told by his employee to play around the groups. I did that and was then berated by Mr Keefe for doing so. I did not expect to be done in 2 hours but it would have been nice to be informed I might run into a shotgun league prior to playing. Or given the option to return to #1 to play a full 18 holes. Or offered a 9 hole rain check. Rather I’m told to wait in between a league if foursomes. How fair would that be to those golfers waiting on a single player in between their groups? Mr Keefe had a very poor attitude today and this thing about protecting other golfers from me is just a joke. No other golfers were privy to the exchanges between myself and Mr Keefe. No other golfers were impacted by me passing two groups. As soon as I ran up on groups I stopped playing. And I waited for golfers to hit shots before driving past because I am fully versed in golf etiquette. I am now also keenly aware of an owner who feels it’s alright to take someone’s money and then berate them for doing what was told and indicating that as a single golfer that person has no standing. Again frog hollow is a nice course to play. It’s that much better if you can get out without an arrogant and misguided owner running roughshod over a paying customer. It’s unlikely Mr Keefe will acknowledge his poor demeanor today and that’s fine. But he did barge out of his office and call himself an ah*. All I can say to that is if the shoe fits.

Nice course. Owner not so much. Booked as single. Was not informed of back 9 shotgun league so ran into that at turn. Called and was told to drive around and could play missed holes later. On 11 person drives up (is owner unbeknownst to me) and basically berates me for driving around people. Continues and tells me as a single I have no standing. Excuse me I paid to play like everyone else. In 50 years playing I’ve never been told I have no standing. So I played a few more before catching other foursomes and stopped after playing 14 holes. Went into clubhouse to see if that was pro and he comes barging out of office and says yes I’m the ah*. I told him I followed his employee’s direction to drive around people. Again says as single I have no standing. How is that possible? He called me arrogant and entitled. When in fact I paid my money for 18 holes. Could have been handled a lot differently by this owner. Could have offered a 9 hole rain check. Could have said go back to #1 and play those 9 again. Instead he calls me arrogant and entitled and says I have no standing. Tells me he hopes he never sees me again. Well, there’s no worry on that score. To be treated so poorly does not make me want to go back. This is the worst treatment I’ve ever received at a golf course and not completely surprising at frog hollow as despite being a nice course they are not the most pleasant of staffs. They think you should feel lucky to play there and last I checked it ain’t...

I don't typically write bad reviews, as I work in customer service and I understand the magnitude held in word-of-mouth. However, ... we ordered crabs through Frog Hollow Golf Club and Restaurant. THEY WERE BAD. We ordered half a bushel, only to find out they only sell in dozens (ok, fine) since it was described as the best of the season, the biggest and heaviest. ... When we got them home we were still 6 crabs short. The crabs themselves were no more than 3.5-5 inches long; and super light! Almost empty. Some not even legal length. Very over cooked and highly over seasoned. We called Frog Hollow to voice our concern for the missing crabs, misleading plug about the crabs being from Carolina and they were bigger and better than Maryland crabs. So, the very nice lady on the phone was apologetic, but after speaking to her manager, all she could offer was 6 free crabs! ... um no, we ordered #1s - we got 4inch, light weight, most missing claws! So I ask nicely to speak with her manager; she gets the 'owner' who coincidentally was already speaking to someone else about the same problem... .. .... he was the rudest, most condescending individual I have ever spoken to! Arguing with me (the customer) about the order. Offered no apologies, no remorse, NOTHING. Laughed at the problem we were trying to explain. Argued about the quality. Told me I was the only one with a problem; that's odd... because the rep that answered the phone told me I had to hold for you because you were dealing with the same issue another customer was having. Said that there was nothing wrong with the order and the only thing I could do was drive all the way back to Frog Hollow from New Castle, just to show you the crabs. .... so that's what I did! I went back down to meet with the owner, only to be greeted by the first nice lady I spoke with on the phone; while the owner hid in the next room. She initially offered me my money back AND she offered me a dozen jumbo crabs... but then talked to you (the owner) about it and you I assume refused them. Never came out to apologize, never offered any personal explanation, never even showed face for your...

What a disappointing day today at Frog Hollow. I've enjoyed playing there once or twice per year for the last decade or so. It was worth driving 30 or so miles to play it.

Not any more. Pretty much a cow pasture.

They've let the fescue rough grow to ~2' depth over much more of the course (supposedly to resemble Scottish links) but now much too close to the fairways in many spots for a public track. Lost balls and slow play were the inevitable result (let's not kid ourselves -- they are saving a LOT of money by doing this.) What would normally be "first cut" bordering the fairways is now true 1"-2" rough -- quite unattractive and penal to boot. Basically, deep fescue that, when I started playing here a decade ago, was strategically placed and added to the attractivenenss of the course, is now overgrown, encroaching, and very ugly.

The fairway bunkers and greenside traps are for the most part weed-infested mud/dirt pits. The "rough" surrounding these was so weedy and unkempt that a few balls normally "in-play" were lost, as we did not want to spend 5 minures looking for them.

In summary -- check out the course pictures on their website, then ignore them. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

I will grant Frog Hollow that the tees and greens were in decent shape, though signs of weed infestation are showing up and I am concerned what they will look like in a month or two as summer conditions really set in. Carts were clean and service was friendly enough. Price for seniors was very good -- but for the current conditions no bargain!

A fairly recent earlier review compared it to Delcastle and Rock Manor. Greens, tees and fairways are a bit better than Delcastle, but overall the course is less playable given the disastrous traps and absurd rough. Last time I played The Rock it was MUCH nicer than this place; though the greens had been punched and sanded with no warning on their website. I'm sure they are excellent by now.

Sure feels like the "death spiral" has begun. I truly hope I am wrong as there are a number of memorable holes and the nature areas are quite pretty. Plus all those nice homes on the course...