Another Ross gem in New England

[Chris DeToro]

I just played Worcester CC for the first time this afternoon and was very impressed.  Worcester played host to the first Ryder Cup as well as a men's and women's US Open.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures, but from what I understand, the course has undergone serious improvements, including significant tree removal, over the past several years under the guide of Ron Prichard.  I never played the course prior to this work, but the results are phenomenal.  The course is on a pretty rolling piece of land (it's only about 20 minutes from Whitinsville).  The stretch of holes across the tracks (9-16) is as fine and exciting a stretch as I've seen and the addition of the native grass appears so natural that you often forget you're in central Mass.

[Tim Martin]

Worcester was blessed with an outstanding piece of land that Ross took full advantage of and the collection of par threes is stout with the shortest playing 178 and the longest at 235 from the back tees. The place drips with history as evidenced by the plaque on eleven tee referencing Bobby Jones decision to call a one stroke penalty on himself in the 1925 US Open where he was the only witness. The decision ultimately cost him the championship and informs you of all you need to know regarding Jones character and his reverence for the rules and sportsmanship of our great game. The longtime pro Allan Belden and Superintendent Jason Harrison are all about having the golf course play as Ross originally intended. It is a joy to play.

[Mark McKeever]

Well put Tim!  Nothing but good comments about Worcester.  It's an absolute blast to play.

Mark

[Chris DeToro]

Very well said.  Just a very charming course in an unlikely spot.  The par 3s are very tough and there really aren't a lot of great scoring opportunities after the 2nd hole--every hole is pretty lengthy and Ross made good use of the land to ensure that it plays longer than the card. 

But overall a great collection of holes

[Dan Kelly]

The place drips with history as evidenced by the plaque on eleven tee referencing Bobby Jones decision to call a one stroke penalty on himself in the 1925 US Open where he was the only witness. The decision ultimately cost him the championship and informs you of all you need to know regarding Jones character and his reverence for the rules and sportsmanship of our great game.

The Minikahda Club (also Ross) has a new plaque at its 11th tee, announcing that it was on that hole, in 1927, where Bobby Jones defeated Chick Evans for the US Amateur championship.

The plaque does not mention the rules dispute, on that very hole, that soured Jones and Evans on each other for the rest of their lives.

Rick Shefchik tells the story in "From Fields to Fairways: The Classic Golf Clubs of Minnesota."