New England's top public access courses?

[Ran Morrissett]

This is New England Journal of Golf's answer to the above question:

FALMOUTH, Maine -New England Journal of Golf, the only dedicated golf magazine serving the entire six-state region, has published the first comprehensive ranking of New England's very best golf courses accessible to public play.

Sugarloaf Golf Club in Carrabassett, Maine, finished first in the exclusive listing; Timberlin Golf Club in Kensington, Conn. came in at No. 100. In between - and in order of quality - is every daily-fee, resort and municipal golf course worth playing in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

The only ranking every assembled specifically for New England, The Top 100 headlines the Spring 2002 issue of New England Journal of Golf (NEJG).

"We felt it was high time that someone stuck their necks out and detailed for New Englander golfers just what the best courses are, and how they stack up against one another," said David DeSmith, editor-in-chief of NEJG, which is published six times annually from its Falmouth, Maine headquarters. "It's our feeling that no part of the country offers the breadth and depth of golf we enjoy here in New England, and The NEJG Top
100 speaks to that assertion damned eloquently.

"Using a prestigious panel of experts (NEJG staff, New England pros, architects and superintendents, fellow journalists, golf association personnel and noted golf hounds), we chose to rank the courses in order of quality because, frankly, it would have been a cop out to list them alphabetically. We wanted to provide a meaningful 'hit list', if you will - a reference guide for avid golfers in all six states, and for people visiting New England."

The NEJG Top 100 is headed by Sugarloaf GC, the remote-but-spectacular layout nestled in the Western Maine mountains. The top 25 looks like this:

1. Sugarloaf Golf Club, Carrabassett, Maine
2. Taconic Golf Club, Williamstown, Mass.
3. Farm Neck Golf Club, Oak Bluffs, Mass.
4. Waverly Oaks Golf Club, Plymouth, Mass.
5. Country Club of New Seabury, Ocean Course, Mashpee, Mass.
6. Country Club of Vermont, Waterbury, Vt.
7. Crumpin'-Fox Golf Club, Bernardston, Mass.
8. Shaker Hills Golf Club, Harvard, Mass.
9. The Balsams Golf Club, Panorama Course, Dixville Notch, N.H.
10. Belgrade Lakes Golf Club, Belgrade, Maine
11. The Equinox/Gleneagles Golf Club, Manchester, Vt.
12. Great River Golf Club, Milford, Conn.
13. Portsmouth Country Club, Portsmouth, N.H.
14. Kebo Valley Golf Club, Bar Harbor, Maine
15. Pinehills Golf Club, Plymouth, Mass.
16. Rutland Country Club, Rutland, Vt.
17. Owl's Nest Golf Club, Campton, N.H.
18. Fox Hopyard Golf Club, Old Lyme, Conn.
19. Samoset Resort Golf Club, Rockland, Maine
20. Captains Golf Club, Starboard Course, Brewster, Mass.
21. Blackstone National Golf Club, Sutton, Mass.
22. Richter Park Golf Course, Danbury, Conn.
23. Stow Acres Country Club, North Course, Stow, Mass.
24. Green Mountain National Golf Course, Killington, Vt.
25. The Ledges Golf Club, York, Maine

To qualify for The NEJG Top 100, courses had to meeting three units of criteria: 1) They had to be located in one of the six New England states; 2) They had to be open for public play as of Dec. 31, 2001; and 3) They had to offer at least 18 holes. All the courses considered for The NEJG Top 100
were evaluated on the basis of:

* Overall design
* Test of golf/Difficulty
* Variety of challenge and design
* Scenic value/Environmental factors
* Course conditioning
* Enjoyability

"Suffice to say, assigning an integer to each category and adding them up is not what The NEJG Top 100 is about," said DeSmith. "We employed a less structured methodology, and let's not be coy: It's called subjectivity. We stand by our list; a lot of thought and effort went into its compilation.
But we hope the listing results in conversation, reflection and feedback because we plan to update and reissue the list annually. We feel strongly that this sort of give-and-take is part of what makes golf so great. If there's a more effective spur to friendly self-righteous banter, we don't know of it."

According to National Golf Foundation statistics, there are more than 700 golf courses "you can play" in New England, meaning even those facilities ranked #101 through #115 are firmly in the top 15 percent. "Our Top 100 merely skimmed the cream from the crop," DeSmith added.

For subscription information, call NEJG at 207-797-0079, or visit the website at www.nejg.com."



I have only played Taconic, Crump'in Fox, New Seabury and Equinox of the above and certainly am not surpised that the first three are in the top 10. On the other hand, the 20 or so photos of Cape Arundel make me think it would be in my top 10 for the region but I don't see it in their top 25.

Any overall comments?

Cheers,

[SPDB]

I don't think Taconic is necessarily a public access course. Cape Arundel, like it or not is probably being penalized by the fact that it is under 6000 yards - even though it has as much character as any other course in New England.

I think Crumpin-Fox is rated too low.

[Matt_Ward]

Agree with SPDB on Crumpin-Fox.

Also, have to question the general availability of Taconic to outside play when compared to others on the list.

I would also have the Balsams a bit higher, but I guess few people actually make the trek to Dixville Notch.

[newtoneagle]

Interesting that there are no courses near Boston. I'm sure conditioning and enjoyability is the reason as there are so few good publics around Boston that they become 6 hour death marches and chopper's paradises.

Still, I think if the list were based on architectural merit it would be a lot different than this, I'd quibble with a few on the list. There are a lot of notable, shorter courses that don't make the list.

[Ed_Baker]

Taconic,New Seabury and Farm Neck surprise me as being listed "public access" this would suggest a "call up and get a tee time" scenario. i don't sink so

[Jim_Kennedy]

You really can call and get a tee time at Taconic. It will cost you 3 1/2 times more than playing with a member though.

Sugarloaf is beautiful, has some very scenic terrain and a shot or two that feels as if it's going to hang in the air forever but I think it probably should rank below Taconic.

Crumpin might be ranked too low but this may be due to the need for a high shot and the forced carries the course offers. It is not friendly to high handicappers.

  

[Chip Royce]

Although I've lived in New England for 7 of my 33 years, I can't say I've played a ton of daily-fee golf during that time.

I can say that I've played about 25% of the courses on the list and have a couple of comments:

1) Waverly Oaks is way too overrated by many of the "lists"! Looking at this list, either the entire field of courses is quite weak, or they have this course way too high.

2) I agree, Cape Arundel is probably one of many "hidden gems" that are not included.  That leads me to conclude that:

3) This list was compiled by a group who only are aware of the "brand name", high profile courses in the area (perhaps those that advertise copiously to the region's golf publications?)  Granted the area is saturated with a ton of great Private courses, but I have to believe that there are better public courses across the 6 states of New England that represented on this list?

IMHO,
Chip

[grad school]

I was a public hacker around Boston for a few years in school and fell in love with George Wright (from our old pal Mr Ross in his prolific NE years).  It opens with a glorified driving range as the 1st hole and has spotty conditioning, but also has some of the best and most exciting strategic golf holes around (and some great shot values including 3rd shot into #3 (a true 3 shotter), drive on #5, uphill par 3 8th, the bizarre blind approach on 10...as you can tell I could go on and on).  It is also a true "public access" course.

I would also state for the record that I once played Taconic by just walking in off the street (or more specifically driving up from the mass pike).  And I was able to play 36 for the price of 18.

I never figured out the excitement for Shaker Hills (usual modern high-end public) but would put in a good word for Foxboro Country Club which allows some public play (and has some very tricky greens)

[longhitter]

In the case of Cape Arundel, I quess size matters

[kebosami]

I've played many of the courses as a new englander, and i think Taconic should be #1 by a mile.  Sugarloaf has some amazing holes, but overall Taconic is superior.  Tell me another course that combines beauty and challenging golf in the NE like Taconic (include private clubs if you want).  It can go up against any golf course and hold its own!!!  Taconic is #1!

[JMD]

I agree with the suggestion that the Balsams should be more highly.  While it is a long way from everywhere, the course itself satisfies all of the criteria identified in Ran's post.  Moreover, it is as much at one with its site as any course you will ever play and for that it deserves much praise.  It is well worth the very long drive.  Similarly, I think Crumpin Fox should be further up the list (although I agree that its demands may hurt it in this kind of ranking).  Next, Owl's Nest is worth a visit.  Mungeam's course is consistently challenging and breathtaking all at once.  It is a good test of golf in an especially beautiful place (although it does not in either respect rival Sugarloaf or the Balsams).  Also, I live up here and don't think of Farm Neck as public in any real sense.  It's a special course, but it doesn't belong on this list.  Finally, is the Shattuck somewhere on the list and is anyone else bewildered by Stow Acres's constant presence on lists like these??  

[Dave_Miller]

Farm Neck and New Seabury are very far from being public access golf courses.  If staying at New Seabury you can probably get on but to call up and get a tee time, Highly Unlikely.
Farm Neck years ago had a couple of tee times daily for the general public but they were awfully hard to get and I would venture impossible today.  
Taconic does not strike me as public access but I'm not sure.
What definition of Public Access did New England Golf Journal use?
There are a couple of true public access courses around Boston that are good archetectural layouts but the conditioning and long play times would probably disqualify them from consideration.
Fairways and Greens
Dave Miller

[Dave_Miller]

New England Country Club in Bellingham, Ma. a true Public access course was left off the list.  Not sure why. It is challenging and pretty well conditioned.  It is a Hale Irwin design and is very, very hard.  Maybe NEJG just didin't know about it. Or maybe because it is so difficult it did not meet all their criteria.
Cheers
Dave Miller

[JMD]

If you go to the web site, as I did after posting on this thread last night, you will find NECC and the Shattuck (a favorite of mine) well down the list.  I bet difficulty accounts for their placement.