[Michael Powers]

Just got through another NE Open at Lake Winnipesaukee.  I was interested in how others feel about the design/routing/bunkering/greens.  Clive Clark did it for owner Bernard Chew, and I think it is 5 or 6 years old now.  The bunkering reminds me of Smyers with several fairway clusters running uphill.  The fairway bunkering is severe, although fairway width is adequate, with white silica sand.  The routing is somewhat segmented with long drives from green to tee on several holes as the course is laid out over some 400 acres, rendering the course nearly unwalkable. 

Interesting choice in Clive Clark.  I am not aware of any other CC designs in my area (New England).  Has he done other work?  Overseas?

Anyway, with $40,000 for first the mini-tour players come from everywhere and they just torch the place to the tune of 15 or 16 under.

[Dan Herrmann]

Clive Clark also did Belgrade Lakes just north of Augusta, ME 

(Love their loon logo:)


http://www.belgradelakesgolf.com/architect.htm

[Jim Franklin]

Calling Dr Leo Marvin.

[bill_k]

Mike,
Played in the 06' version myself-you are right about the mini-tour guys tearing the place up.
I believe in 06' the cut was -1...pretty stout for a PGA section event as I believe the cut was +10 or +11 at the NEPGA Champ. just a month prior.
The course just doesn't play very long-with both #1 and #10 being driveable par 4's-especially #1 with the elevated tee.
Nobody is going to reach #8 in two from the tips but the other three par 5's are pretty much there to be had. I remember hitting a wedge second shot into the downhill 13th and a hybrid into both #2 and #7. The guys that finished in the top ten were probably all probably at least -8 or -10 on the par 5's alone.
The only hole I thought was kind of goofy was the blind, uphill 17th. For the most part, I really liked the course...but I really wish I had thought to try to get on Bald Peak while I was in the area!

[Brian_Sleeman]

Jim Franklin beat me to it.

I knew I liked the guy.

[Michael Powers]

Bill,
I always felt the 17th was one of the stronger holes.  The one i am not crazy about is the 12th.  470 into the wind with lateral on both sides is a bit much.

Also, hold your tongue on the 8th.  Played with a guy last year that hit it with a hybrid.  

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

I played in last year's NE Open.  The course is very good, but does have a lot of local knowledge situations.  They did not have practice rounds and playing blind was brutal.  There are quite a few places where a shot hit down the middle of the fairway ends up in rough.  Also, there are some holes where the wind turns around and is impossible to know until experiencing a couple of times.  Next time I play there I plan on a side trip to the Ross course at Mt. Washington--seemed like a hell of a course.
OT the drive up Mt Washington is impressive.

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