Best Ross Courses in Boston

[Tyler Kearns]

I need some advise from this esteemed group, which are the best examples of Ross' work in the Boston area?
I am headed to Boston to visit a friend at Harvard at some point in May, and we are planning on playing a little bit of golf while there.  It seems like a perfect opportunity to see some of Ross' better work, seeing as he spent a good portion of his early career in Massachusetts.  Making a list of the courses Ross completed in the greater Boston area, it seems like an embarrassment of riches, so I was hoping for some advise to narrow down the selection process.

Brae Burn
Charles River
Essex
Kernwood
Salem
Vesper
Weston
Whitinsville
Winchester
Worcester

TK

[Mark McKeever]

My Top Recommendations having played them:

Charles River CC
George Wright GC



Also, just had a phone conversation this morning with a good friend who is talking VERY highly of Worcester.  As a result, thats in my radar as well.

Mark

[Rich Goodale]

I've only played 3 of them, but I would highly recommend Winchester and Charles River and fuggedaboot Weston.

[Charlie Gallagher]

Looks like we are talking greater Boston.
I agree with the discounting of Weston. It has a few holes compromised by ledge and the routing isn't the master's best. It has some very cool holes, but not Ross' best work in the area.
Worcester CC is one of Ross' superb MA courses, in my opinion. It was the site of the 1st Ryder Cup, the 1925 US Open, and the 1960 US Womens Open. 12 years ago it was overgrown with large oaks, maples, and white pines. The club has cleared trees and planted fescue opening up both strategic options and sight lines. Its conditioning has also improved. It is a worthy test and holds its company well with other super Ross courses in the area. Five demanding par 3's, the 4th hole being one of the most challenging ones in all of New England. In my opinion, worth the drive from Boston.

[Cory Lewis]

I've played 6 on that list and am really looking forward to playing 3 more in April!  IMO the best course by far is Essex and given it's close proximity, Salem is a great 2nd course for the day.

[Brad Tufts]

I need some advise from this esteemed group, which are the best examples of Ross' work in the Boston area?
I am headed to Boston to visit a friend at Harvard at some point in May, and we are planning on playing a little bit of golf while there.  It seems like a perfect opportunity to see some of Ross' better work, seeing as he spent a good portion of his early career in Massachusetts.  Making a list of the courses Ross completed in the greater Boston area, it seems like an embarrassment of riches, so I was hoping for some advise to narrow down the selection process.

Brae Burn --Great early Ross (1915 or so) with some funk.  Features here are more abrupt than at later Ross courses.
Charles River--Might be tougher to get on pending the US Amateur hosting later in the summer.  Another great one with some wild tilted greens like #5, rock outcroppings, and huge old trees.
Essex--Ross was the pro here, so he tinkered with it over his years there.  GREAT course, one of my personal favorites.  More like Brae Burn than Charles River.  More wide open with fescue, small greens, fun angles.
Kernwood--Not a bad course but lower-tier on this list...they are hosting the Mass. Am next year.  Needs to lose a whole bunch of trees! This is an enjoyable round to be sure, just not quite on the level of the others.
Salem-- Great, prime-career Ross course with a GREAT set of greens.  A mix of huge, stately holes, and some shorter mind-bending holes like the all-world 13th.
Vesper --This one is a Ross modification of an earlier course I beleve, and it has been altered a number of times.  They just did a bunker redo and apparently it is fantastic...I haven't seen it yet in person.
Weston --Under the radar, another neat course with some difficulty and quirk, especially among those in the wild undulating area filled by holes 5-8.
Whitinsville --A very solid 9, but to me, its only 9 so how great can it be?  The 9th hole is one of the best Ross holes in the state though.
Winchester--More in the category of Salem...a big, brawny course built on a huge hillside that somehow feels flat.  Mid-career Ross.
Worcester---I haven't played this one...probably the best Mass course I have yet to see.  Only course to hold the Ryder Cup, US Womens Open, and US Mens Open...until Pinehurst next year.  Supposed to be good.

Tyler

If you have gaps getting on those above, you really can't go wrong with George Wright and Franklin Park, the Boston muni courses designed by Ross (FP was an older course DR modernized) with a ton of history.  Others to look up would be Concord CC (VERY good), Cohasset (ditto I've heard)...then the Cape-area courses like Oyster Harbors, Hyannisport, CC of New Bedford (havent played those three but heard good things) if you wanted to stretch that far, but distance-wise you would be bringing in Providence (Wannamoisett, Triggs) and So. Maine/ So. NH (York, Manchester CC).  There are also a number of courses around that Ross worked on at varying levels....Tedesco, where I belong, Woodland, Wellesley, Andover.... and some that were associate projects like Wachusett, Sandy Burr, Newton Commonwealth.  These are of varying quality from pretty good to not great.  You might also consider a drive-by of Oakley in Watertown, where Ross was brought from Scotland to be the pro in 1900...its a ridiculously-tight par 70 of about 5900 yards today, but the routing is the exact same as in Ross's time!   

Of the "Boston area Ross privates" I would rank those I've played thusly:

Essex
Salem
Charles River
Brae Burn
Concord
Winchester
(very small gap here)
Weston
Vesper
(another very small gap here)
Kernwood
Whitinsville (if 18, its in the middle of this list)

GW and FP are both good layouts and great experiences, but the conditions will be lesser at these, especially in May.  Also, May is aeration time in Boston, so ask about the schedule!

Questions?  Fire Away!

-Brad

[Charlie Gallagher]

I posted earlier, then read Brad's response and realized I had a major omission. Vesper CC in Tyngsboro MA is another superb Ross.  The club redid all 19 greens and 65 bunkers over a span of 45 days during the fall of 2009. The old greens were contour mapped by a Wisconsin company every 6 inches and when the new greens were built the original contours were recreated except for some front of green areas that were softened to allow more hole locations. The greens are grassed with A1-A4 bent. When I played it two falls ago the greens were superb, best I played on that season. Very cool routing over three parcels of land, including a number of holes on an island in the Merrimack River. I would strongly recommend Vesper. Foolish of me not to remember to include it previously.

[PCCraig]

There's not much I can add to Brad Tuft's post above...it's pretty spot on. Charles River, Essex, and Brae Burn are fantastic. I actually think Weston CC is pretty neat in spots, but may not be worth your time if you can get on any of the previously mentioned.

[Pete Lavallee]

I posted earlier, then read Brad's response and realized I had a major omission. Vesper CC in Tyngsboro MA is another superb Ross.  The club redid all 19 greens and 65 bunkers over a span of 45 days during the fall of 2009. The old greens were contour mapped by a Wisconsin company every 6 inches and when the new greens were built the original contours were recreated except for some front of green areas that were softened to allow more hole locations. The greens are grassed with A1-A4 bent. When I played it two falls ago the greens were superb, best I played on that season. Very cool routing over three parcels of land, including a number of holes on an island in the Merrimack River. I would strongly recommend Vesper. Foolish of me not to remember to include it previously.

Wow,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Vesper the original home of German Velvet Bent Grass. They were supposed to have the best putting surfaces in the whole of the Bay State. So they regrased with A1, A4!

CC of New Bedford has the original 9 nine holes by Wille Park. Ross added nine more later with 3 on the main property and 6 across Tucker Road on a seperate plot. Still woth a look in my opinion. There are also 9 Ross holes just down Hathaway Road at Whailing City GC; they have some really cool greens.

I can't imagine Cohassett being worth a seperate trip though from my one play 334 years ago unless something big happened there, a couple of cool holes but some very mundane ones too.

If we're talking greater Boston area Plymouth CC should be in the conversation. The first 3 holes aren't Ross but the remainder are. I believe Ian Andrew was going to do a restoration a couple of years ago.

[Brad Tufts]

Weston is pretty solid too...all on Tyler's list are very good.

I've played Weston 3 or 4 times now, and I've made my peace with the "holes across the street" that include a 465-yd par five and 340 par four that are both best played with a snaphook fairway wood, a straight uphill 285-yard par four, and a downhiller whose green looks like it tilts 30 degrees.  I will say that 6, 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 are holes more on the boring side of the Ross portfolio.  I actually like the quirky holes like 7-8-9, 17 and 18.

This is why our Met League that we play in is so great.  Tedesco-Salem-Winchester-Oakley-Weston-Brae Burn-Pine Brook-Woodland-Wellesley-Charles River.

Belmont is another good Ross that I forgot about before...I haven't played it, but heard good things.  Oak Hill in Fitchburg would be another solid one that hosted the Mass Open a couple years ago.  These two are probably on the level of a Woodland or Weston.

[Brad Tufts]

Hi Pete,

The old days of Manny Francis and the vesper velvet are long gone, and were gone before the recent work I believe.

CC of New Bedford has always intrigued me for some reason, I don't know why...just under the radar I guess.  One can play there through Boxgroove I believe.

[Charlie Gallagher]

     I can confirm from conversations with two different members at Vesper that attempts at maintaining the Velvet bent had become a recuring problem. The greens would be very good for about two or three weeks a season and sub par the rest of the time in the majority of recent seasons before the renovation. The A1-A4 grass has been much more consistent, according to a member acquaintance. Vesper has phased through some tree removal, though not as much thinning as at Worcester.
   I note that Concord CC is on the list of posters re this topic.  It is yet another Ross course where the corrridors have been cut back and thined. A worthy course that especially rewards accurate driving, and right up Route 2 from Boston.
   

[Ian Andrew]

If we're talking greater Boston area Plymouth CC should be in the conversation. The first 3 holes aren't Ross but the remainder are. I believe Ian Andrew was going to do a restoration a couple of years ago.

Peter,

They are actually Ross holes.
I'm not saying they are in the same class as the next 15 holes, but Ross added them to replace the three on leased land.
The 2nd was changed to accomodate the road relocation becoming a long four instead of a five (par 69)

I'm back there at the end of this month.
They have been doing tree removal and grassing work each year since I put together a Master Plan.


Tyler,

Essex is stunning and I would go see Salem at the same time.
I can arrange Plymouth if you have the interest.

[John Butler]

The clubhouse, course and overall experience at Essex County is wonderful, a Ross museum.  For whole experience, also enjoyed Brae Burn and Worcester.  Boston area is a Ross paradise - where he got his start in America.

[Pete Lavallee]

Brad,

CC of New Bedford is definetly worth a play. Mark Mungeam did a restoration several years ago which looks good driving by! I haven't played there since 1978. I'm also a big fan of Fall River CC's front nine ; from the late 1800's, although not a Ross.

Ian,

The first 3 at Plymouth CC are not quite up to the other 15, the common perception was they weren't Ross; thanks for setting me straight! Glad to hear you are working there; I really thought they had some great and a lot of really good Ross holes there. I'm sure they'll be better off once your work is complete. Shame they lost the third nine some years ago.

[Frank M]

Tyler, not sure how many you are looking to get to, but my 3 are the following:

1. Essex County

2. Salem. 20 mins from Essex and really good stuff.

3. Charles River also really good stuff.

I think if I could play the three courses above in rotation, I'd never have to play another golf course in my life.   

[Travis Dewire]

Got to play Worcester Hole 11 sight of famous bobby Jones penalty on himself. Amazing place course clubhouse everything. Have fun walking the course. Be sure to stop at coney island for.hot dogs after the round. Pritchard Plan - near completion

Brae Burn is amazing but I am biased I'd take bbcc over your list but realize all these courses are in presumably different locations giving each a unique feel . West Newton hill will look different than Newton Centre , which will be different from Winchester Essex or Salem. George Wright and Franklin Park for real urban golf

But if I were you I would skip the met clubs and call Mr. Andrews !!

[Mark Steffey]

-i would choose essex as the best course in the state.  could play it every single day.

-i am also a fan of winchester.  vastly underrated though just starting to get listed more and more.
-vesper's greens are still nice after the re-do and re-seed.  neat to play just for the island holes and bldgs.
-i love to have lunch in the men's locker room at worcester.
-i heard that ben crenshaw was going to write a ross book where he did the best 18 holes, with the twist where the #1 was a 1st hole somewhere, the 2nd was the 2nd, etc.   story told was he wanted to have whitinsville last hole be the 9th AND the 18th.  though could very well be an old wife's tale 

-my club's back nine is ross, and he worked on the original front nine which was laid out by stiles.  [oak hill in fitchburg]

[Ronald Montesano]

It must be nice for courses to be plural. We have CCBuffalo and that's the show, nothing mo.

[J_ Crisham]

I've played all of them except Essex ,Weston, and Kernwood. The sleepers in the group are Winchester and Charles River. Very nice terrain and some of the best greens in Boston. Vesper which is in Lowell , a hard hour away is nice but other than a handful of holes not worth missing the usual Boston suspects. The par 5's at Vesper are quite forgettable. The holes on the island side are much better IMO . Hard to figure how Vesper cracked the top 100 ahead of Charles River or Winchester . Too far for too little- add Myopia or TCC - not Ross but World class.

[Andy Treen]

Whitinsville GC is an incredibly enjoyable round.

Oyster Harbors Club isn't much further from Boston than Whitinsville and is great!  Awesome set of par 3's. The green speeds stand out, almost uncomfortably fast.
 
I caddied for and played practice rounds with a friend for the Mass Open at Charles River and Worcester for the Mass Am in 2006.  The course setup at Charles River was incredibly tough, played as a par 70.  The rough lengths at Worcester were brutal.

Concord CC remains one of my favorites. Quirky and fun, you hit every club in your bag.  Has a great old school feel and they keep it simple.

CC of New Bedford was great had the same simple feel as Concord.

I read Oak Hill as a Ross... I always thought it was by Wayne Stiles.

- Andy

[Mark Steffey]

I read Oak Hill as a Ross... I always thought it was by Wayne Stiles.

- Andy

Stiles laid out the front 9, DR the back a couple years later.

[Tyler Kearns]

Thanks for all the advice, this has certainly helped me narrow down the Ross courses I will try and see during my trip with the Essex/Salem combo seemingly the first choice. I really didn't realize how close Rhode Island was to Boston....perhaps I should be trying to stay longer.

TK

[Brad Tufts]

Yeah RI has some great ones too....some fun alphabet soup with all the indian names.

Sakonnet
Metacomet
Point Judith
Misquamicut
Wannamoisett
RICC
Warwick CC
Agawam Hunt
Winnapaug (but in some disrepair nowadays)
One revision of Newport, but pre-Tillie

Plus Triggs Memorial for a neat Ross muni, playing the role of George Wright for Providence.  Strangely enough, after an entire life 1-2 hours away from all of these in the Boston area, I have played only Triggs, NCC, Wannamoisett, and Misquamicut out of the RI Ross-connected courses.

As for further Boston comments, Charles River is shaping up to be the best it has been in years with the US AM co-hosting this year.  A course that is not too hard at par 72 becomes a really solid par 70 when the 7th and 10th are made into par fours.

[Travis Dewire]

Not too hard as a par 72 ?? Come on !!! What do you hit on 11 ?? 13 14 and tee shot on 15 test you no matter the par. Will not even begin to talk about the 5th hole. Greens offer strong protection to any player. Totally disagree. Chuck is tough any par.