We had an epic trip visiting three courses in the Boston area, and then heading to Nova Scotia for 36 holes twice at Cabot Links / Cliffs and 18 at Highland Links.
Boston
We got in Wednesday and connected at Fenway for a great Sox / Angels game. I hadn’t been to Fenway in two decades, so this was a real treat. The area around Fenway used to be kind of sketchy – now, it’s a bustling neighborhood like Wrigley’s.
The next morning, we headed to Essex County Club. Ten grass tennis courts made a remarkable impression on us all, as there are less than 100 grass tennis courts in the US period. We played the front nine in a heavy rainstorm, and the siren blew after our front nine. The front nine was great, but we had heard the back nine was even better, so we decided to finish the following afternoon.
After waiting it out a bit, we decided to head over to Boston Golf Club. While we only got 12 holes in, we could tell that Boston Golf Club was a great modern course. Gil Hanse still meets with the greens committee on a regular basis, as it remains his baby. The member who hosted us was amazingly gracious, waiting out a few lighting delays with two young kids at home! It’s a great modern golf course that could both test the better players while still being a lot of fun for the rest of us.
The following day, we played Myopia Hunt Club. Visiting Myopia is like a walk back into the early 20th Century. Accidently, we entered the club through the Polo entrance – and they have two large polo fields. It’s interesting that the members either play polo or golf/tennis. Few do both. The head pro was great, and we did some serious damage in the pro shop as their logo is one of the best in golf. The golf experience was great – a pure sporty golf course at its best.
Afterwards, we headed back to Essex County Club and enjoyed the back 9. That back 9 is as good of a back nine as I’ve played anywhere in the US. It was the consensus favorite course in Boston on the trip, although we love the other two as well.
Nova Scotia
That night, we flew into Halifax. Our tee time at Highland Links the next day was 1PM and we were finally on the road shortly after 11PM. It was 5 hours to Highland Links and we seriously considered driving all the way, but the hotel room options were limited and rustic, so we crashed at a Holiday Inn Express and drove the following morning.
I know all of you on this board recommended we play Highland Links. On the plus side, it was an amazing drive getting there, as you pretty much take most of the Cabot Trail. The golf course is on an amazing piece of property. I saw my first bald eagle ever, for example. However, the course is in such poor condition that we all felt the drive and the cost ($150 / or so) to not be worth it. We are all fine playing a course that is not manicured, but the conditioning was simply awful – similar to a muni golf course at a premium price. We heard later that the management company runs golf courses at a bare minimum level and it shows. In retrospect I am glad we went there, but we would never go back again.
We then headed to Cabot Links and were pleased that we got an amazing upgrade – a 4-bedroom, 4 bath villa that was the best golf accommodations we ever had with a great view of the 1st hole green on Cabot Links. It was too late for us to play, but we hit the driving range before heading back for two nights of lobster feats. If you stay there, you must stop at this lobster place in town that just opened called “The Westside Cookhouse.” The food at Cabot isn’t great, but it’s hard to beat lobster anyway. We had like 8 lobsters and desserts for like $250 Canadian cooked for us.
The next two days, we played 36 holes at both the Cabot Cliffs and Links Courses. Cabot Links was great with 17 solid golf holes. I didn’t care for the third hole, a “drivable” par 4 where I don’t think you can hold the green from any of the safe angles. But, maybe that was because I made double both times! The caddies who can play either course for $10 prefer the Links course as they are better players. The Links is certainly harder with narrower fairways and much more trouble in play.
Cabot Cliffs was the most outstanding golf course I’ve played, and I have a pretty good resume (I’ve played probably 40 of the top 100 in the world. The finish from 15-18 is the best finish in all of golf. I know some people don’t like 17 because it’s a drivable par 4 with a blind tee shot, but we all enjoyed it. One of our playing partners (in route to shooting 4-under) hit the green in the middle of a dense fog. You can actually putt the ball onto the green from the drop area! I had the misfortunate on 15 of both putting and chipping it into the same bunker on the same hole! 18 is a great par-5 finisher, although a bit short. One of our playing partners had 127 yard in on his second shot. I enjoyed two putting for birdie on the last hole we played.
Anyway, I’ll post pictures later, but it was an amazing trip. I think Cabot will be Bandon’s equal as soon as they get their third course.