This is my first attempt at introducing a course, so be gentle.
Chautauqua Point Golf Course in Dewittville, NY is a 9 hole course with a par of 35. It has 2 par 5’s and 3 par 3’s. This has become a special place for me over the last almost 20 years, where my wife will play, my father-in-law and I will play to determine who makes drinks before dinner, friends and family will enjoy an afternoon match and I hope that once my twin daughters are old enough they can play. For now it costs only $10 to walk 9 holes.
I don’t know who created this course, but am currently working on that. The Chautauqua Point Community right next door was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, but nothing I have seen to date shows he was in any way responsible for this course. And as with Mr. Olmsted’s intent for the Point to be without trees so all could enjoy the views, the community and course don’t appear to have maintained that understanding or desire. This is not a thread about too many trees or about the best course in the USA, New York or even the Chautauqua region, just wanted to share a course where there is minimal watering and usually by July the course is playing firm and fast (as usually only the greens gets watered). It is a quirky course that brings one back to a simpler time with minimal costs and just enjoying a day with family or friends.
The 1st hole is a short par 5 (501 Blue/491 White) with a slight dogleg right, OB and a road on the left and a strand of pines going down the entire right side. The entire course slopes towards the lake and almost every shot, not on a tee, will be influenced by the slope. The first hole is easily reachable, but a small basically tilted green from back to front with no other break and a somewhat raised green make it a small target to hit.
Tee shot
2nd shot
View from behind 1st green
The 2nd hole is a slightly downhill par 3 (150 Blue/ 146 White) with a two tiered (almost three) green. Well protected with bunkers in front and the lake barely visible through the trees in the background.
Closer to the green
The 3rd hole is a short par 5 (470 Blue/ 467 White) doglegging left with the ground sloping the whole way to the left, usually favoring a draw off the tee and with the second shot, with one of the best green complexes on the course. When the ground dries out you can hit your shot 15 yards right of the green and watch it roll down the hill onto the green and hopefully stopping before rolling off the left side. There is a massive swale in the front left which will take your ball back off the green if not careful. My second favorite hole on the course due to the slope of the fairway and green, the interesting green and great views from the green.
From the tee
Second shot to a green that is protected by a large swale and steep drop off to the left.
3rd Green with views of Lake Chautauqua
The 4th hole is a slight dogleg right par 4 (341 Blue / 335 White) with a severely sloped green with a massive swale in front (in no way reminiscent of the Valley of Sin). This hole favors the fade off the tee with with a tricky green that has a depression in the middle and pretty steep from back to front.
The first photo from the tee shows the fairly severe slope this course lays on.
The approach shot shows the steep green and valley in front. (I realize there are some plantings on the course that don’t seem to be needed and maybe someday I will discuss this with the owners, but for now I will just enjoy the course as it is)
The 5th hole is a par 4 (302 Blue/290 White) with a blind uphill drive usually aimed at the right telephone pole. There is plenty of room in the landing zone and despite its short length usually not driveable as it is so severely uphill.
From about 100 yards off the tee and you can just see the top of the red flag located on the left side of the green and left of the right telephone pole.
From the right of the green showing a slight false front and some slope falling away on the right of the green. Fairly narrow green and usually rock hard, maybe due to it being the furthest from the current clubhouse, though originally near the original clubhouse.
The 6th hole is a slightly down hill par 4 (342 Blue/ 336 White) with OB on the left but most interesting is the wonderful feature directly in front of the green, no not the tree, though it does present one with problems. This is actually my favorite hole on the course, just due to the green complex and the problems with any approach.
First the tee shot is a straight one down a slight slope with no ability to see the green or flag. In this first photo the green is between the tree lines. The large tree at the bottom of the fairway is just front and left of the green with a majority of the branches hanging in direct line of the entrance to the green, though not over the actual green.
The approach from about 150 yards in the middle of the fairway, shows the tree blocking an aerial attack and no idea what lays around the green. A wonderful blind approach that requires more feel than simply picking a number and hitting to it. I find a bump and run with a nice 5 iron from 100 yards will get the ball going and slide down the steep slope in front of the green but still stay on the green.
If one attacks the tree line on the right they are rewarded with a fairly open shot and a view of a portion of the green. Unfortunately the view shows a steep drop off behind the green and on the left side. Once again an aerial assault is not the preferred option and one simply needs to let the slope of the fairway and front feature take the ball where it needs to go.
View from inside 100 yards.
Here is the view from the back of the green showing the large mound directly in front of the green and the large tree left. This view also shows the large drop off if one is long. A fairly flat green, but with the mound in front, doesn’t bother me or deter from the hole.
Another view looking across the green.
The 7th hole is a par 4 (271 Blue/ 267 White) dogleg left with a steeply sloped fairway from right to left. The green is tucked in and protected with a steep hill and bunker to the right and a steep slope left with scrub and brush.
From the tee you can see the 6th green complex and tree, the steep fairway slope beyond and the green is actually tucked in left of the condos in the background. While playing downhill then back uphill, not an easy hole to drive due to the danger lurking left of the green. Anything pushed out right will stop quickly and usually present an awkward stance and angle to the pin.
The view from the fairway about 150 out shows the severe slope and a grass bunker about 70 yards short of the green which thwarts most attempts at driving the green. Being right of the green is never an easy recovery.
View from the grass bunker shows the slope in the front left of the green and trouble left.
View from behind the green showing the slope of the fairway and false left front.
View from 8 tee back to 7 green.
The 8th is the course’s signature hole, but not my favorite due to trees that probably need removed, though still a fun downhill hole. This hole is a steep downhill par 3 (134 Blue/ 134 White) which plays closer to 115 yards, maybe less. The green is sloped right to left and back to front with Lake Chautauqua claiming any ball long and often any ball missed left.
Tee shot from Blue tees.
Halfway down the hill showing the great views that would be open if the trees were removed.
A small target, with great undulations.
The 9th and final hole is another par 3 (135 Blue/134 White) Straight up the hill. Most the time the flag is not visible and when firm you can run or bounce one in from the left side of the green. A tough hole to finish on, as any lack of commitment usual ends up short and right.
From slightly up the hill the red flag is barely visible on the right side of the horizon.
The green from above near the 1st tee. I guess that severe slope impaired my ability to capture the nice cutting in of the green in the hillside in the right of this photo. This is one serious hill to climb on the last hole and I’m always glad drinks are the reward no matter who won or lost.
Here is a link to their website and it appears even they have used drones to take photos.
http://www.chautauquapointgolfcourse.com/A quirky and fun course that you likely won’t lose a ball unless you hit it out of bounds or try to get too aggressive off the tee. If you are ever in the area and have an hour to kill, this is a perfect spot to enjoy. This would probably be a great course for hickories, though at this point not something I tried. Not the caliber of plenty of courses that have been documented on this site, but a great little spot to spend time on while on vacation. Cheers.