Shennecossett GC (Donald Ross) | Photo Tour & Review (Groton, CT)

[Nick Campanelli]

Mike Sweeney beat me to re-energizing the discussion about Shennecossett GC in Groton, CT, but I thought I would still post the review I have been working on for this course.  I played there on Sept 25, the sun was out, and wind was up.  More pictures of this gem never hurt, right?  

The golf club’s website (http://www.shennygolf.com/) has some very cool historic information about the course, including pictures and scorecards dating back to the clubs original construction in 1898.    

I tried to pull some of the history into the review below, mainly how the course routing changed following the 1997 land swap with Pfizer, Inc.  

Below are descriptions and pictures of the routing and individual holes on the property.  I have also attempted to rank the holes 1-18 based on strategy, aesthetics, and overall character (my scores on each hole that day did not influence the ranking).

Architects
1916  |  Donald Ross
1997  |  Mark Mungeam (Renovations)

Course Specs:
Tee      Rating / Slope
Blue      71.7 / 124
White   69.3 / 123
Red      72.4 / 122

Number of Bunkers:   96   
Water Hazard in Play:   2

Link to Tim Gavrich’s previous thread and winter shots of Shennecossett GC.
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,39545.msg1015905/#msg1015905

[Nick Campanelli]

Below are two routings for Shennecossett GC, one current, the other reflecting the routing prior to the 1997 land swap with Pfizer, Inc,.  Holes 5, 6 and 7 on the old course are currently a parking lot.  Present day holes 15, 16 and 17 were built on the Thames River across Eastern Point Road.  Holes 8, 11, 12, 13 and 18 on the old course were modified, combined to make longer holes, or destroyed during the renovations.  The modifications to each hole can be found in the descriptions of each hole below.       

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 1 (Hole 1 Old Course)
Par 4       345 / 335 / 330      
Hcp      15 / 11
Rank          17

The round begins with a short, dog leg left par 4 with a slightly uphill drive to a generous fairway.  Long hitters can challenge the O.B left and carry the corner if the winds are down.  A solid drive over Plant Street will leave a mid to short iron, uphill approach that usually plays into the wind.  The deep green slopes slightly back to front, bunkers short and right and O.B. long.  The safe miss is left of the green.           

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 2 (Hole 2 Old Course)
Par 4/5       384 / 374 / 370      
Hcp      13 / 13
Rank          4

The second is a downhill, straight away par four that usually plays downwind.  The safe play off the tee is to the right side of the fairway.  There is little reason to challenge the O.B. lining the left side of this hole.  A good drive leaves a short iron approach over railroad tracks to a raised green that appears shallower than it really is.  A front pin is very hard to get to if the wind is up.  This large green slopes slightly back to front with bunkers back right and left.  The safe miss is short.     

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 3 (Hole 3 Old Course)
Par 4       397 / 367 / 365      
Hcp      3 / 5
Rank          9

Aim down the middle on this straight away par four.  A good drive leaves a semi-blind, mid to short iron approach to a green with O.B. immediately behind.  Your approach to this green will likely be blind if the wind is up.  The bunkers short right are not visible from the fairway and shouldn’t come into play.  The green slopes slightly right to left and back to front.  The safe miss is short or short left.       

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 4 (Hole 4 Old Course)
Par 3       208 / 195 / 190      
Hcp      9 / 7
Rank          1

This long, uphill par three is named “anthill” for its green that falls off severely on all four sides.  The hole usually plays with a right to left cross wind.  The bunkering well short of the green should not come into play.  Par, or even bogey, is an excellent score on this demanding par three.     

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 5 (Hole 7 & 8 Old Course)
Par 5/4       565 / 530 / 350      
Hcp      9 / 7
Rank          16

This fifth is the longest hole on the course, but usually plays downwind, making reaching the green in two a real possibility if the conditions are firm.  The ideal line is just left of the bunker and mound guarding the right side of the fairway.  The approach should be played short or right of the green.  Approaches missing slightly right will get a friendly kick onto the green.  The green itself is sloped slightly front to back and right to left.  Missing left of the green leaves a difficult up and down from a deep greenside bunker.  The safe play is short or right of the green.  This hole is a great birdie opportunity.     

Hole Modification Following 1997 Land Swap
The current fifth hole is a combination of both the 7th and 8th holes from the original layout.  The current tee shot plays over the old 7th green site which is still visible on the routing plan above. 

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 6 (Hole 9 Old Course)
Par 4/5       421 / 411 / 411      
Hcp      1 / 1
Rank          3

The sixth is the most demanding par four on the front nine.  This mid length two-shotter plays directly into the wind and often plays 20-30yds longer than the card indicates.  The drive must avoid three fairway bunkers left and tall fescue right of the fairway.  Drives finding trouble off the tee will leave players the challenge of carrying the crossing bunkers short of the green.  A well struck drive will leave a long to mid iron approach to a sizeable green set into a hit.  The green slopes severely back to front and slightly right to left.  Bunkers short and long left and large tree right are positioned to catch approach shots that are steered offline by the wind.  The safe miss is short on this approach.  Par is a very good score here.

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 7 (Hole 10 Old Course)
Par 4/5       431 / 400 / 392      
Hcp      5 / 9
Rank          12

Another demanding par four that plays downwind and requires accuracy off the tee.  The ideal play is a draw down the right side of the fairway, avoiding the lone fairway bunker left and interior O.B. right.  A well struck drive will leave a mid to short iron approach to a heavily guarded green that slopes slightly left to right.  Bunkers long, left and short right will catch mishit approaches.  A mown slope right of the green will repel mishit approaches away from the green, leaving a difficult up and down to a green that slopes slightly right to left.           

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 8 (Hole 11&12 Old Course)
Par 5       490 / 475 / 430      
Hcp      11 / 3
Rank          13

The second par five on the course looks short on the card, but plays slightly uphill and into the wind.  The ideal line off the tee is left center, avoiding the fairway bunker left and interior O.B. right.  The layup will need to negotiate the three centerline bunkers and favor the left side of the fairway, leaving an open approach to a well guarded green.  The green itself is relatively flat, with bunkers short right and a fall off back.  Definite birdie opportunity.       
 
Hole Modification Following 1997 Land Swap
The hole is a combination of the old course’s 11th and 12th holes.  The bunker short left of the tee was originally a greenside bunker for the 11th hole.  The green, greenside bunkering and layup bunkering were all reworked during renovations.         

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 9 (New Hole, Not Part of Old Course)
Par 3       175 / 155 / 125      
Hcp      17 / 17
Rank          18

The last of the par threes on the front is one of the new holes from the renovation.  Usually playing into a right to left crosswind, this relatively flat par 3 usually plays a club longer than you think.  The green is sloped back to front and slightly right to left.  Recovery from the right bunkers will be difficult as the green runs away from you.  The safe miss is left.  Another good birdie opportunity if the wind is down.   

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 10 (Hole 13 Old Course)
Par 4       425 / 360 / 340      
Hcp      2 / 8
Rank          2

The back nine starts with one of the best holes on the course.  This mid length par four favors a draw over Plant Street down the left side of the fairway.  The farther right the drive, the less level the lie will be.  A good drive will leave a mid iron approach to a sloping green guarded on all sides.  The green itself is sloped right to left and back to front.  Recovery from bunkers right and long will be very difficult as the green runs away.  A sideboard left will repel mishit approaches away from the green.  When the pin is back right, aim for the center of the green.  Par is a good score on this hole.   

Hole Modification Following 1997 Land Swap
This hole was originally the 13th and was shortened 130yds and reduced from a par 5 to a par 4.  Three fairway bunkers left were added to challenge the drive during renovations.  The green complex remains unchanged.   

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 11 (Hole 14 Old Course)
Par 4       385 / 290 / 290      
Hcp      8 / 14
Rank          14

The 11th is a short, uphill par four that favors a draw down the left side of the fairway, challenging O.B. left.  A good drive will leave an open, short iron approach to a generous green that slopes right to left and back to front.  Drives missed right will leave a challenging approach over a large, high face green side bunker.

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 12 (Hole 15 Old Course)
Par 3       125 / 120 / 115      
Hcp      18 / 18
Rank          5

The shortest hole on the course is no pushover.  This par 3 plays uphill and into the wind to a shallow green surrounded by sand and falloffs.  Missing short is a huge mistake and leaves a near impossible up and down for par.  The green slopes back to front, and left to right.  The safe miss is right.  Par is an excellent score here when the wind is up.     

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 13 (Hole 16 Old Course)
Par 4       353 / 341 / 323      
Hcp      10 / 6
Rank          7

This downwind, short par 4 requires an accurate drive down the middle, avoiding the tall fescue left and a bunker right.  A good drive will leave a short iron approach to a narrow green with severe falloffs left, right, and long.  The green is two tiered, and slopes back to front and slightly left to right.  If the pin is back, play to the center of the green.  The safe miss is short. 

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 14 (Hole 17 Old Course)
Par 4/5       418 / 380 / 380      
Hcp      4 / 4
Rank          6

This mid length par four is the toughest on the back nine, and usually plays dead into the wind.  The ideal line off the tee is a draw starting outside the right edge of the left fairway bunker.  A poor drive catching the left fairway bunker or trees right will likely require a layup short of the crossing bunker short of green.  A good drive will leave a long to mid iron approach to a crowned green that drops off severely long and left.  The bailout areas short right and back right are protected by bunkers.  The safe miss is short or right.  Par is a very good score here.

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 15 (New Hole, Not Part of Old Course)
Par 3       195 / 170 / 130      
Hcp      16 / 16
Rank          15

The second of the new holes implemented by Mungeam, this downhill par 3 favors a fade off the tee and usually plays with a right to left cross wind.  The green is sloped back to front, and slightly left to right.  The safe miss is short left, avoiding the bunkers short left and right. 







 

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 16 (New Hole, Not Part of Old Course)
Par 4       400 / 375 / 310      
Hcp      6 / 10
Rank          8

The sixteenth is a scenic, mid length dog leg left that usually plays into the wind.  The ideal line off the tee is a draw that starts just right of the two lone trees beyond the fairway.  A well hit drive will leave a mid to short iron approach to a raised green.  The green slopes back to front and is guarded front left by two bunkers.  The safe miss is short right.  The view from the fairway and green may cause a lapse in concentration, costing you one or two strokes…..but its worth it!     

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 17 (New Hole, Not Part of Old Course)
Par 4       345 / 330 / 250      
Hcp      12 / 12
Rank          11

This scenic, short par four is the last of the new holes from the renovation and usually plays downwind.  A drive of only 220yds is needed, avoiding the fairway bunkers left and playing short of the water hazard right.  A good drive will leave a short iron approach to a raised green guarded by a bunker and water hazard short right.  The green slopes back to front and slightly right to left.  The green is much deeper than it appears from the fairway.  The safe miss is short or left.     

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 18 (Hole 18 Old Course)
Par 5       500 / 480 / 470      
Hcp      14 / 2
Rank          10
 
This fun finishing hole is a reachable par 5 that usually plays downwind.  Long hitters can challenge the far right fairway bunker.  If carried successfully, a good drive will be rewarded with an open view to attack the green in two.  Shorter hitters must play left of the bunker, forcing a semi-blind layup with no view of the green.  The green is perched up from the layup area and is heavily guarded by bunkers and sideboards awaiting mishit approaches.  The green is sloped back to front and slightly right to left.  The safe miss is short right.  A definite birdie opportunity to end the round.       

Hole Modification Following 1997 Land Swap
The current 18th hole is an extension of the old finishing hole.  The present 18th green, greenside bunkers and layup area were added during the renovation.  The current chipping green and practice bunker were part of the original 18th hole green complex. 

[Nick Campanelli]

The Clubhouse (appears in pictures dating back to 1914) & Putting Green

[John Ronalter]

Great photos Nick!  The one looking up the fifth fairway is particularly good since one can see the danger of the left bunker.

The course looks in great condition, especially considering its municipal. 

How were the greens?  They were fairly firm last time I played there.

How did the wind effect the course?  Did anything stand out to you about the course with the wind up? 

[Mike Sweeney]

Well done, thanks for taking the time.

[Nick Campanelli]

How were the greens?  They were fairly firm last time I played there.

How did the wind effect the course?  Did anything stand out to you about the course with the wind up? 

John, the greens were surprisingly soft and slow, but I'll blame that on the fact that they were punched two weeks before we played there.  I have played there twice previously and the greens were firm and fast like you mentioned.  When firm and fast, these greens are a lot more difficult to negotiate (4 and 14 come to mind immediately).   

In my opinion the wind is the courses only major defense.  The day we played, it was blowing consistently between 15-20mph (you can see the flags fully extended in nearly every picture above).  As I mentioned in a few descriptions, a few of the pins were hard to attack because of the wind.  The day we played a front pin on 2, front pin on 4, and back pin on 14 very difficult to attack.


   

[Eric Morrison]

Nice tour! The greens were aerified Sept. 20 and 21, so unfortunately you caught them during recovery mode...hope you enjoyed it anyway!