Don,
I played it about 6 weeks ago, and the course was in great shape for early season New England, especially considering the rain and cool weather we had throughout the Spring.
I was especially interested in playing my first Faxon (with Brad Booth) design, as I've heard that he has done his homework in terms of design history and methodology, as well as being exposed to an old Ross course (RICC) most of his life.
The course at the Bay Club is decidedly low-profile, with many of the greens sitting at-grade with wide run-up areas in front. This feature does give the course an old-world feel, as do the subtle contours in the somewhat large greens themselves. The playing corridors are tree-lined but wide, as only very wide shots encounter trees.
During my one round at the Bay Club, I began to think the course was slightly less engaging than I had hoped, that the subtlety would be more appreciated through repeat play, but the back nine offers a bit more fun than the front. Faxon and Booth also incorporate a couple of MacDonald/Raynor aspects to the course, although not nearly as severe as the real thing. The fourth is a redan par three, where the green is angled to the tee from front right to back left, but the slope will not kick shots to back left hole locations, and the green surrounds consist more of chipping fairway than deep bunker. The sixteenth green is a distinct double plateau green, with three separate pinnable levels with swales dividing the sections. This is a very fun green with more slope than will be seen anywhere else on the course.
Faxon/Booth also incorporates a bit of Ross on the par three 12th, the shortest hole on the course. The shot is about 145 yards to a small plateau green with several bunkers eating into the fillpad at the front. This hole is much like one at Ross' Triggs Memorial in Providence, and would be at home at many other Ross designs around the country.
The most original hole is the par five 11th, a shortish, double-dogleg par five where distance can be gained by carrying a hazard of wet ground off the tee. The second is laid up to the left of the sightly raised green, or blasted over trees directly at the pin. Another fun hole, and one where the plateau green is used without sand hazards.
The Bay Club is a beautifully conditioned, historically-inspired design that will further the design portfolio of Brad Faxon. Much is made of whether a course is a good tournament venue or "member's course," and Faxon's career as a tour player shines through at the Bay Club. The layout is very fair, containing few bells and whistles, and is thus devoid of the the quirky features that make New England's older venues so fun to play. Thus, the Bay Club may be a very good potential tournament course for the NEPGA or Cleveland (local mini-) tour, but it does not contain the shot options that promote indefinite entertaining play. I would recommend it, but its not in the top tier of nouveau NE designs.
-Brad