My 2nd 10 of 41 new courses played in 2021 to date;
Castine Golf Club – Castine, ME – 4 – Despite the lovely hilltop setting and Revolutionary War history, I can only recommend Castine to the purist golf adventurer with the heart of a historian. Primitive is the word that comes to mind to describe the non-irrigated course, but I defy you to find wild holes like the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 7th anywhere.
Belgrade Lakes Golf Club – Belgrade Lakes, ME – 5 - In concept, Belgrade Lakes is a wonderful idea and upon arrival at the clubhouse with scenic vistas in virtually every direction, the anticipation builds quickly. However, the property so quickly descends to low-lying (read "soft and wet") areas that the course also quickly descends into hokey man-made features such as bunkers backed with railroad ties and stacked boulder formations that are meant to be eye-catching if not actually contributing to excellent golf.
Sugarloaf Golf Club – Carrabassett Valley, ME – 4/0? - RTJ Jr. has never been known for subtlety in his designs so it should come as no surprise to find his course at steep Sugarloaf Mountain (with about 500 feet of elevation change on the property) to be long on the wow factor and shy on the sound golf scale. Hole corridors were cut way too narrow to account for the amount of time the ball stays in the air on the downhill holes, as well as accounting for the wind. By the time one reaches the first of FOUR double dogleg par fives on the 2nd, which turns at possibly the most inconvenient point, things start to sour. The rest of the front nine which was compromised around real estate is less dreadful if lacking inspiration. After wild visual histrionics of seemingly hundreds of foot drop shots on the 10th and 11th, the course runs along the Carrabassett River with some reasonably good golf holes through the 15th (although two require forced carry approaches), only to need to plow back uphill to the clubhouse. One might think that with such inherently challenging terrain that the architect might have made his greens more receptive to approach shots, recovery play, and reasonable putting but the heaving putting surfaces belie any such prudent notion.
Mingo Springs Golf Course – Rangeley, ME – 4? - Tom Dunne and I wandered over here to play the older nine before dinner rather than quit the game after a morning at Sugarloaf. We made the right choice, and it’s a rollicking affair, with a crescendo of a par five ninth hole up and over a mountain that’s beyond my ability to adequately describe. The second nine was part of a resort hotel built in the 20s and Michael Moore tells me that it is worth the walk, as well, but that will have to wait until next trip.
Sunday River Golf Club – Newry, ME – 5.5 - With over 500 feet of elevation change, some of it coming steeply in spots, Sunday River must have been a routing challenge but thankfully the hole corridors are suitably wide with no housing constraints. There are a number of excellent holes in the mix and notably the par fives are all quite good. Perhaps the most dramatic is the ninth, which traverses two deep gullies that must be carried on the drive and approach, but with a very wide, bunker strewn fairway that provides multiple options. The 18th is another stunner, cascading rapidly downhill to a green set intimately near the clubhouse.
Prouts Neck Country Club – Scarborough, ME – 7.5 - Prouts Neck is one of those "Yankee" enclaves that seemingly time has forgotten. One can look in the 1930 American Golf Guide to see that Prouts Neck was 6030 yards long and a glance at today's scorecard indicates that the club has never seen the need to keep up with changes in technology and trends. Set beside the ocean, the course runs along dunes left for the first two holes before weaving inland. The routing takes you back to, and then along the water two more times in a very unforced, beautiful manner. The course defends itself at the greens, which are as rolling as the nearby tide. Any number of outstanding holes can be found along the way, with the 8th (Shipwreck) and 14th (Ferry Rock) both par fours to greens perched at the end of the earth as perhaps the standouts. Although there has been an attitude of benign neglect at Prouts Neck over the years, recent efforts at deforesting have led to wonderful views across the property and Bruce Hepner's master plan to create a "sandbelt" look has greatly increased the play-ability and enjoyment
Cape Ann Golf Course – Essex, MA – 5 – A delightful unexpected seaside nine-hole pleasure that has just the right vibe from the clapboard clubhouse to the mostly walking clientele. The scenic vistas throughout are spectacular, matched here and there by great holes like the long downhill fourth along the bay and the redan meets Gilbraltar bear of a par three at the 7th to a green built atop the high edge of a peninsula.
Philadelphia Country Club (Centennial Nine) – Gladwyne, PA – 4.5 – The club decided something different was needed on the overflow “Centennial Nine” which was little played by members. Jim Nagle of Forse/Nagle was brought in to create a practice and short game area with some of it and shrink the rest from a 3,400-yard par 35 largely back and forth routing to a 2,900-yard par 34 course more focused on fun, flexibility, fast-play and half-par variety. Expect enhanced activity.
TPC Boston – Norton, MA – 4 – After walking what seems to be 500 yards from the clubhouse across a wetlands bridge to the first tee, and then playing the 2nd that button-hooks into a pond to create a narrow green-site that’s a “2 or 20” proposition, expectations that this will be anything but a tournament course toughened for an event are quickly dispelled. Despite some significant improvements over the years from the original course, it’s clear that the environmental areas, real estate considerations, and other limitations of the routing would handicap any attempt to add cohesive classical features.
Whitinsville Golf Club – Whitinsville, MA – 8 – If there’s a better nine-hole golf course than Whitinsville I need to see it. The routing is pure genius and Ross used every feature on the superbly rolling topography to full advantage. I’m getting excited just thinking about it, but someone please fix whatever happened to the 2nd green, thanks.