Cranwell Resort and Golf

[Travis Dewire]

Stiles and Van Kleek design in Lenox, MA, out in the berkshires of MA.

Par 71, 3 par 3's, and 2 par 5's. Beautiful rolling terrain, lots of left to right and right to left movement off the tees. Green sites were awesome. Some snaking uphill, some traveling down, others perched on the side of hills. Greens had incredibly difficult and fun slopes, not small contours, but classic Stiles hanging slopes. Bunkers had fallen a little bit, but with a little work they would be back to A+.

Favorite hole was 10 - par 4 273, just craaaaaazy. Not an easy hole at all! Downhill semi blind tee shot to fairway but can see green perched on a hill. Then from the bottom of the gully you go back uphill to a blind green with a bunker up there you cant see. Hard sloped green from right to left, and that is the natural fall of the land, making it a difficult approach. Pretty tough for only 273 yards.

Everyhole was different, and provided a new challenge. What a great place to play, if you every have the opportunity.

And still able to drive to Williamstown after!!!! Only 45 minutes!

[Ronald Montesano]

Three summers ago, I had to choose 2 from Taconic, Waubeeka and Cranwell. I knew that Waubeeka and Taconic would soon be undergoing upgrades with Hanse and Mungeam, respectively, so I went with that pair and skipped Cranwell. Now I have reason to get back to that corner of the state.  Thanks, T.

[Tim Gavrich]

I played in a couple Plantations Junior Golf Tour events at Cranwell back in the day.  It's a very charming golf course and Travis, I recall the 10th having one of the most steeply pitched greens I've ever played.  It frayed my 10-year old nerves a couple times.

[Travis Dewire]

Waubeeka!!!!! NO!!!!!!

When we drove by it on the way up to Williamstown, I noticed the bunkers looked EXCEPTIONAL, since when I had been by awhile ago. That would explain why! Do you happen to know the designer on Waubeeka??

I could only see the first hole at taconic, and saw the fairway bunker loomin! Rick Pohle told me they added, fairway bunkers onto almost every hole, and 200 yards to the back tees. The courses now sits at 6806, on 150 acres of land. Talk about a course!

Two others great tracks in the area would be Wyantenuck in Great Barrington, and Pittsfield Country Club.

[Travis Dewire]

I played in a couple Plantations Junior Golf Tour events at Cranwell back in the day.  It's a very charming golf course and Travis, I recall the 10th having one of the most steeply pitched greens I've ever played.  It frayed my 10-year old nerves a couple times.

Tim, right? Butter from the scorecard, but far from soft

[Ronald Montesano]

The folk who can't afford Taconic play Waubeeka...that would be most of us.

As I indicated, Mark Mungeam is tackling the reno

Ran did a piece on Jim Goff and Mungeam 1.5 years ago...

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/feature-interview/jim-goff/

[Dan Byrnes]

I haven't played Cranwell.  Previous to the renovation I used to scratch my head at Taconic.  Nice fun course but I had trouble comparing it to other top 100's.  I played last summer and now really see it.  All of the tree removal was sorely needed.  It is spectacuar now.  Definitely worth playing.

Dan

[Brad Tufts]

I played Cranwell a couple years ago, and for some reason didn't like it.  I remember it being short, tree-choked, not in great shape, etc.  Sounds like I might need to give it another shot someday.

I haven't yet been to Wyantenuck (although I'm exempt for the MA am there this year), but I really enjoyed Stockbridge and it's 10+ crossings of the Housatonic River.  I would play there again in a second.

CC of Pittsfield is much as Burr says.  It's a shortish fun course, but nothing world-beating.  Another below-the-radar solid classic layout that is worth a play.  Also interesting because it's one of the few instances where a Ross layout was revamped/revised only about 10 years after he was finished with it.

Berkshire Hills is one that I have yet to get to, the only Tillie in Mass.

[BDuryee]

Brad,

I assume you are playing in the MA Am? Was thinking of heading down for the tournament to see how the course holds up. Will keep an eye out for you.

[Dan_Callahan]

Brad,

I'm going to guess that if you ever get out to Wyantenuck, you'll love it. It is one of my favorite courses. Not sure how it stacks up against a Taconic architecturally, but in terms of atmosphere and pure enjoyment, you'd be hard pressed to find much better. If I lived closer to the Berkshires, I would join there in a second.

The course has its share of typical New England tree-lined holes, but there are a number of very unique and memorable parts of the course. I usually played it out of order because I was there coaching and we would shotgun start with the coaches going off 7 (I think ... the really nice par 3 next to the starters shed?) so we could get in 18. The holes on the lower part of the course are my favorite, although the short par 4 (10?) is great.

Dan

[BDuryee]

Dan,

Knowing the course you will appreciate this story. Last year one of the members in a practice round prior to their annual four ball scored 1-2-3-4-5 on consecutive holes. He aced #9, eagled #10, and then parred 11, 12, 13.

[Dan_Callahan]

Wow ... that's impressive. I always have a difficult time with 9. Not sure why, but I never seem to trust the yardage. To my eyes, it looks much shorter than what the scorecard is telling me. And my only goal on 11 is to get to 12 without breaking a window ...

[BDuryee]

They changed 9 last year. Cleared a bunch of trees right of the greeen by the water tank and added a bunker right of the green. I have seen many tee shots clear the club house in the direction of the pool on 11

[Jim_Kennedy]

Tim,
Number 10 is no picnic, but you're forgetting #11 which can be almost unplayable at times due to the steepness/speed.
Cranwell is $40.00 after 1pm, until June 12th.

The conditions were g. to v.g. last season, but it could definitely use a chainsawing in places.

Ron,
The changes at Waubeeka have greatly added to the course, and the conditioning has never been better.

[Ronald Montesano]

Jim,

That internal amphitheater of wide-open space at Waubeeka is an incredible piece of land...I would say that Waubeeka has as good, if not better, a piece of land than Taconic.

[Ken Fry]

I grew up in the area and played many of the courses around the Berkshires.

Cranwell was always a treat my Dad would take me to.  We'd walk it, but it was a long walk.  Quite a distance between some of the greens and tees on the back nine.  The back nine use to be much more wooded until the houses were introduced.  If my memory is correct, a couple holes needed to be shortened to accommodate the new housing.  I felt the course lost a little of it's luster and seclusion when the housing was introduced.

Waubeeka was the course my Dad and I always had our "father/son" round when I got older.  For those that haven't been to the Berkshires, the 360 degree views on this course are gorgeous.  The course was always fun and in pretty good condition.  I haven't been back in about 20 years but the course renovations and subsequent photos look great.

I'm a big fan of the Country Club of Pittsfield.  It flies under the radar but a wonderful Styles & Van Kleek course.  I've always wondered how much of the original Ross routing was retained but the club website has a nice historical recount of the process.

Someone mentioned Berkshire Hills.  I was a junior member there for a few years growing up.  This is the same course GCA poster Steve Curry was at for a number of years.  Not very long but a lot of fun to play.  Unique Tillinghast layout with some awkward stance/lie shot opportunities.  Hole #9 is a wonderful par 4 ranging from 439 from the tips to 365 from the middle men's tees.  The fairway has a severe left to right cantor to a green perched into the hillside.  The hole really challenges players with a blind to semi blind second shot and a big guess at yardage.  A picture from the green looking back is on their website.  http://www.berkshirehillscc.com/course/course.html

Ken

[Tim Martin]

I grew up in the area and played many of the courses around the Berkshires.

Cranwell was always a treat my Dad would take me to.  We'd walk it, but it was a long walk.  Quite a distance between some of the greens and tees on the back nine.  The back nine use to be much more wooded until the houses were introduced.  If my memory is correct, a couple holes needed to be shortened to accommodate the new housing.  I felt the course lost a little of it's luster and seclusion when the housing was introduced.

Waubeeka was the course my Dad and I always had our "father/son" round when I got older.  For those that haven't been to the Berkshires, the 360 degree views on this course are gorgeous.  The course was always fun and in pretty good condition.  I haven't been back in about 20 years but the course renovations and subsequent photos look great.






I'm a big fan of the Country Club of Pittsfield.  It flies under the radar but a wonderful Styles & Van Kleek course.  I've always wondered how much of the original Ross routing was retained but the club website has a nice historical recount of the process.

Someone mentioned Berkshire Hills.  I was a junior member there for a few years growing up.  This is the same course GCA poster Steve Curry was at for a number of years.  Not very long but a lot of fun to play.  Unique Tillinghast layout with some awkward stance/lie shot opportunities.  Hole #9 is a wonderful par 4 ranging from 439 from the tips to 365 from the middle men's tees.  The fairway has a severe left to right cantor to a green perched into the hillside.  The hole really challenges players with a blind to semi blind second shot and a big guess at yardage.  A picture from the green looking back is on their website.  http://www.berkshirehillscc.com/course/course.html

Ken

You have to go right by Cranwell to get to Taconic. I was intrigued in that it looks like such a sprawling property and the hotel has a good reputation. Might be a double Stiles and Van Kleek with 18 in the morning at Taconic and another 18 at Cranwell with an overnight.

[Matt_Ward]

I said this on another thread but Cranwell is a favorite place for my wife and girlfriends -- if I tell them I plan on being in the neighborhood she can't wait to go because of the spa and the lodging / food.

The golf is so-so for me -- no more than a Doak 4 for the course -- could be better but if anyone think it's a 6 then they need
play more golf in MA.

[Jud_T]

I said this on another thread but Cranwell is a favorite place for my wife and girlfriends --

PLAYA!!

[Ronald Montesano]

Beach?

[Ken Fry]

You have to go right by Cranwell to get to Taconic. I was intrigued in that it looks like such a sprawling property and the hotel has a good reputation. Might be a double Stiles and Van Kleek with 18 in the morning at Taconic and another 18 at Cranwell with an overnight.

If you're going by Cranwell to get Taconic, you have a long way to drive!!  You've got about 30 miles of 2 lane road to get from Lenox to Williamstown!

Ken

[Jim_Kennedy]

As I become older and more decrepit I don't look forward to a 36 hole day w/lunch in between 18s as much as I used to...however, I do like the occasional 27 hole day w/9 in the late morning, 18 in the afternoon, and dinner afterwards.....so if I was headed northward to play Taconic on just such a trip I'd likely make the fun-filled and well maintained Greenock CC (Donald Ross/9 holes) in Lee, Ma my first stop.

There are 16 courses in Berkshire County Ma. and nearly all of them have good things to offer.   

[David Harshbarger]

Heading out to Cranwell today with my boys.  Noticed the course is now a Par 69 with 5 Par 3's.  Anyone know the story?  Does it have to do with all of the houses that are squeezing into the nooks and crannies?

[Tim Martin]

Heading out to Cranwell today with my boys.  Noticed the course is now a Par 69 with 5 Par 3's.  Anyone know the story?  Does it have to do with all of the houses that are squeezing into the nooks and crannies?

David - One of the par 4's on the back has been turned into a par 3. The drive was over a road with the approach straight up the hill. They have it playing as a 180 yard par 3 now.If you guys are going to walk the back nine I hope you got plenty of sleep as there are some substantial walks between greens and tees and plenty of elevation changes. The course has some fun quirky holes but falls far short of what Stiles and Van Kleek did at nearby Taconic.

[David Harshbarger]

Tim, thanks for that info.  From the aerial it sort of looks like 5 may have been shortened, too.  We are riding: boys are like dogs and like the wind in their face :-)