The Ranch Golf Club, Southwick,Massachusetts

[Randy Thompson]

Have a friend that played, the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick, Massachusetts and loved it. Looks pretty good on the web site and even better on facebook photos. I grew up in the area and always thought the area needed a new strong course. Western Mass really has some natural beauty and it seems the architect captured a lot of it. Has anybody played it and what were your thoughts over all. The architect was Damian Pasuzzo a past president of the AGCSA, has anybody played any of his his other courses and how did they rate in your opinion. I wonder what were his connections to the site, since he is based out of California and there are alot of qualified architects in the area.

[Cliff Hamm]

The Ranch is a superb public course.  IMO significantly better then Crumpin-Fox in western Massachusetts and in the conversation with Red Tail for best in state. 

It is routed on a hilly piece of property and the routing is excellent.  Variety of holes.  As a 16 I find it to be fun and challenging and will also challenge the low handicapper.  Variety of holes.  Most controversial the two 'ski slope' holes (both par 5's) next to each other, which play down the hill. 

A few pix:

Opening hole is an excellent par 5 with a ton of options:





Landing area of short par 4 if one doesn't go for it:



Tee shot on one of the ski slope holes:



Second shot with green to the right over wet lands:



Par 4 11th:



The other par 5 ski slope:





Looking back up but the fairway is much more sloped then it appears:



Just a beautiful fall day.  Par 3's are often criticized when they are over water, but it doesn't get much more picturesque then this:



The only thing I would change would be to reverse the 9's.  The par 5 1st would be much better  as 10 as it requires strategy and execution.  What is now 10 is a relatively easy, wide fairway, straightaway par 4.  Perfect for the first hole.

The current 18th is perhaps the weakest hole on the course.  If you reverse the course it ends with a ski slope par 5.  Significant improvements.  Anyway, well worth a play!

[Randy Thompson]

Cliff,
Great photos, thanks so much! Do you live in the area? Par three`s over water critized. Yeah, I am sure alot on this site but it worked for years throughout golf history and then got over used and forced into situations that probably were not justified. Are these forced carries over natural water, if so I don`t see the problem! Your photos reinforces that the architect did a great job capturing a lot of the natural beauty. So much it must be difficult to concentrate on your game with so much distracting eye candy! They seem to have a great super also! Thanks again for sharring.

[Cliff Hamm]

No...I live in southern RI, but travel southern NE with my wife usually for quality golf.  If you are intersted Golfing Magazine has a deal for $49 with free golf (must take a cart) or discounts including The Ranch... Here is the link:

http://www.publinksgolfer.net/pages/2010-Free-Golf-NE-2.html

[Randy Thompson]

bump

[Dan_Callahan]

The Ranch is a very good course. The first hole is one of the better openers I've played. Some holes that I didn't care for have grown on me over time (like the 2nd and 3rd). I still don't love the 4th (the green is way too penal for the length of the hole and the fact that it is a pretty much blind second shot), and I hate the 18th, although I've heard it's been improved by taking out some of the crap on the left. The 17th, which is pictured above, is a very scenic par 3, although I don't feel like aesthetically it fits in with the rest of the design style. When the course first opened, there was a waterfall to the right of the green that was a complete abomination. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed and it quietly disappeared. The 10th hole is, in my opinion, one of the great par 4s on any public course in New England. Something about the way the angle of the fairway sits in relation to the tee box, the forced carry over dense brush, and the huge area to bail out to the right fits my eye. For a second shot, I've hit anywhere from an easy sand wedge to a hard 3-wood depending on how I executed my tee shot. Really a great, great hole.

[Cliff Hamm]

Dan...agree with your comments about the current 10.  What is your opinnion of switching the nines?  Wouldn't 1 be better as 10 and 10 be better as 1?  Wouldn't 18 be better as 9 and 9 as 18?  

As to 2 through 4.  I think 2 and 3 are fine.  4 is way too difficult and long being uphill, etc. so concur.

[Joel Zuckerman]

Although I now live 1,000 miles south of the area, and have so for almost 13 years,  I am from WMass and have played The Ranch about 5-6 times, and Crumpin-Fox more than twice as much..perhaps 15 or 20 times.  I am a fan of both, but prefer Crumpin-Fox overall.  I love the setting, the rural sensibility, the excitement factor on many of the holes. 

Because I visit in high summer, I do not get the chance to play either course with the fall colors ablaze...a shame, as the pictures on this thread are absolutely gorgeous!