Woodlands, Newton MA

[Michael Moore]

Don Ross really left his mark on Newton, with three (!) excellent courses - Charles River, Brae Burn and Newton Commonwealth.

Can anyone tell me anything about the fourth course in Newton, the Woodlands Golf Club? My understanding is that it is quite old. I am constantly driving by it, and it looks solid, but my "internet only" research methods have come up woefully short on this one. Thanks.

[Dave_Miller]

Michael:
It is Woodland Golf Club, located on Rte 16 in Newton, Mass.  It was built sometime in the 1920's, I believe, but I don't kow the exact date.
It is a Donald Ross design, so I have been told.  It is an okay course but, in my opinion,  not one of the better Ross designs.  
While I have many friends who belong here I have not played the course in many years.
The strength of the Club in my opinion is the membership.
But if you didn't go to Boston College they probably won't let you in
Best
Dave

[Michael Moore]

Dave -

Thanks for the quick reply.

Perhaps if I had the name of the course right, my research would be more fruitful.

[Chip Royce]

Michael;
I'm somewhat surprised to hear your (positive) comments about Newton Commonwealth. I happen to be less enamored with it, but would be interested to get your opinion about its strengths.
Best,
Chip

[Mike_Sweeney]

As I was able to walk to Newton Commonwealth from my dorm room at Boston College, and it did not cost me too much beer money, it was a good deal during college. However I remember it being very tight with the potential to get hit on a number of holes.

[Thomas Armstrong]

 Woodland was originally a Wayne Stiles design, currently undergoing renovation by Steven Kay. Notable members include Francis Ouimet as well as U.S. Amateur champs Jesse Guilford and Ted Bishop. Not much to it other than numbers five through seven, fun fours all. The greens don't  contain  much interest and the layout heavily favors a draw. There was some obvious workdone between the courses inception and thecurrent renovation asthe T splits the course in two, but I have no information on the who's or how's.

[Michael Moore]

Chip -

Well, perhaps the architecture is unremarkable, but it is a decent course and the topography makes it fun.

Plus it is cheap, public, and open in the wintertime, which are all important to me.

Apparently there is quite a story behind the conversion of the course from the Chestnut Hill Country Club in the late 1970's when it was purchased by the town, involving the loss of some land (the course is 5336 yards) and a subsequent redesign of several holes.

I hope to soon get some photos of George Wright GC, which I find to be a remarkable layout.

[Brad Tufts]

I finally played Newton Comm last summer as i live near boston, and was curious what had become of d. ross's work there.  I thought the par threes were interesting, but other than that the par fives were reachable, the fairways relatively sparse, and something like 8 of the par fours were under 300.  

Number 18 pretty much spells it out for this course, as it is a 270 yd par 4, with a brook fronting the green, from a tee about 75 feet above the green.  The clubhouse and first tee is right behind the green, and there is a sign on the tee that says "No going for the green, hit an iron."  Interesting, I thought, and put a 3-wood on the left fringe.  Also, #10 is a 255 par 4 that doglegs more than 90 degrees, and the tee, judging from its placement and condition, could very well be a parking lot space.

I thought the course was fun compared to what i usually play, but i'd love to get on charles river, or woodland, or brae burn one of these days.

[Keith Durrant]

Michael,

I too am a fan of George Wright - would welcome a discussion of this course and a comparison versus the other Ross courses in the North East.

Although it's never in good condition (in the last two years that ive played it), it is evident that it has a plethora of fantastic holes.

The 1st is unfortunately just a warm-up hole, the 2nd a short par four which could be tightened. The 3rd is a classic picturesque par 5, 4th a tough par 3, the 5th is one of the best par 4s around. 6th needs work done on the bunkers to tighten the drive. 7th is nice downhilll hole, 8th another tight par 3. 9th hole is perhaps the toughest par on the course, although the heavily sloping fairway tends not to reward a good drive. 10th is a remarkable downhill hole which requires a good drive if a four is to be recorded. 11th another good par four requiring a fade off the tee. 12th another of the signature downhill holes, whose only comparison is the 18th at the Kings Course in Gleneagles. 13th is a solid par four driving between ponds. 14th a good par 3 with tricky false front on the green. 15th is a par five with a rather odd grassy rockface in the driving area, one of the weaker holes. 16th is a nice up hill par 4 requiring a precision pitch. 17th is a classic par 3 with a raised green, anything missing short or to the side would be a tough up and down. Finally the 18th, seemed to me a little short in this day and age, perhaps only requiring a drawn 3 wood from the tee. The burn is set back too far from the green to be fully in play. it would be a great finishing hole if one had to play as much as a seven iron in over the stream to the green.

Overall, if the course was upgraded i think it would be fantastic.

[DTaylor18]

You could tell that Newton Commonwealth was at one time a good course, before some of the land was sold for housing.  some of the holes are good, but some of them are missing the rest of it.  you always are dodging balls from every direction and pace of play is atrocious.  my last round there was a 6 hour saturday round, and the course isn't that hard.  the 5th hole is terrible now, as it's a par four that is so sloped that you have to land it in the right rough off the tee to keep it form rolling down the slope in the trees on the left.  there are much better local options in the area, although it is cheap.