I played in the annual Manchester Open at Manchester (CT) CC back on August 2, and my father and I returned a couple weeks later to play it again. The course originally opened in 1917, apparently a joint effort by Tom Bendelow and Devereux Emmet. I believe the scorecard also indicates that Tillinghast redesigned the course in 1935 (the year may be a couple off; I don't have the card in front of me as I type this). I'd love to hear from those who know more than I about the course's pedigree.
And now, some pictures (captions/tites above respective pictures). Sorry about the date stamps.
There's a bit of humor at Manchester CC. This sign, for example:
The opening tee shot, on a ~320 yard par four, along the reservoir. Manchester CC open with a mostly blind tee shot (of which there are many), setting the tone.
Approach to #1:
Behind the green:
#2 (~355 yard par 4) Tee shot (blind again):
The periscope that allows players to determine if the landing area is clear:
The approach is definitely easier from the left side of the fairway, as the green tilts to the left and there is a bunker short-right:
Tee shot on #3 (~515 yard par 5):
The approach from about 100 yards out:
Tee shot on #4 (another par 5, this one about 510...the four par fives at ManCC come in two pairs, unique among all golf courses I've played). Lay up to the lower fairway and face a blind second shot to the top, or swing away and try to get it all the way up and be rewarded with a look at the green:
If you lay up:
If you make it to the plateau:
A ring of bunkers around the green does not reveal itself until one gets pretty close. Sneaky:
#5 (~150 yards, par 3):
The 6th, one of only two par 4s over 400 yards from the tips at ManCC (#6 is 411). I wish a few of the trees to the right would be cut. As it is, the hole awkwardly requires a left-to-right tee shot:
Approach to #6. There is a good bit more green left of the flag than there appears to be:
Mostly blind tee shot on the 7th (340 yard par 4). Aim down the right half of the fairway:
The approach is over a little creek to a two-tiered green. The man in red is my father:
The 8th (another ~150 yard par 3, uphill this time):
The 9th (~350 yard par 4...sure are a lot of those at Manchester) tee shot:
Ticklish approach to #9:
Tee shot on the superb drivable 10th (295 yard par 4). Blast one just left of the bunker and it should kick down to wards the green...
...but if you hit it too far left, bunkers and a runaway slope await:
The 11th (par 4, wanna guess how long it is? Yep, ~345 yards) tee shot:
Approach to perched, bilevel green (apologies about the sprinklers):
My favorite hole on the course, the short (~145 yards) drop-shot 12th:
Fantastic green; my pictures don't do justice to the awesome contours:
13th (again, 340 yard par 4) tee:
Approach to the elevated green, with imposing front-left bunker:
14th (550 yard par 5) tee shot. Very inviting:
Need to lay up thoughtfully, as the lone tree can get in your way. Doesn't it look like that pond comes close to the front edge?
Well actually, it ends about 85 yards short of the green. One of the best visual tricks I've seen on a golf course:
The 15th is another long one (558, par 5). Narrow tee shot; totally opposite that of the previous hole:
If you bust one off the tee, you can have a go:
Well bunkered green. It isn't clear until you are at the green that the visible bunker left of the green is not alone:
From behind, showing the shadow bunker:
Tee shot on the 16th, the other par four of more than 400 yards (406):
I think someone not named Bendelow, Emmet, or Tillinghast had these bunkers put in:
Interesting green at #16 with a little hogback-type deal:
After a nondescript tee shot at 17 (372, par 4), the approach also looks more like something from the 70s than from the Golden Age:
Tough to finish with a par on the semi-blind #18 (190 yard par 3) that returns to the reservoir where the round began. I wish they'd lose the trees behind the green in order to promote a kind of skyline effect:
Great bunkerless green complex:
Manchester CC is pretty good as-is, but if Emmet's original plans and Tillie's redesign ideas still exist somewhere, I'm sure a restoration would cause the golf course to shine even brighter. At any rate, it's as worthy of your $43 for 18 holes on a weekend day as any other course, IMO. A couple excellent par threes, and a ton of half-par holes. You'll be hard pressed to find a course with a more comprehensive set of sub-360 yard par 4s.
Cheers.
--Tim Gavrich