Essex CC - Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts (Holes 1 - 18)

[Mark Steffey]

Chip has me looking through apartment rental listings! 

[Tyler Kearns]

The back nine at Essex CC is played over much more rugged terrain than the outward half.  Holes 10 through 15 are routed clockwise around a large rocky outcropping before the final two holes boldly climb and descend the dominant feature, providing spectacular views of the golf course and beyond.

Standing on the 10th (Par 4 - 363 yds.) tee, golfers can see only a narrow sliver of fairway which is guarded tightly by a creek, however, plenty of fairway exists for golfers aiming just right of the lone tree in the distance.  Drives played confidently over the hill require a modest carry of 220 yards (from the back tees) to reach the fairway.



Approach shots are played into a slightly crowned green whose surrounds have been shaved down to help balls reach the bunkers.


(Photo taken from behind green)

The beautiful one-shot 11th (Par 3 - 175 yds.) plays uphill to a green perched dramatically above the surrounding land, whose steep surrounding slopes and deep bunkers are intimidating.



Two large bunkers await players who bail out right fearing the potentially disastrous results possible for misses left of the green.



No. 12 (Par 4 - 415 yds.) features a blind drive over the shoulder of a hill to an inviting fairway free of hazards.  The hill was treed until 2007, and the current condition presents a much nicer backdrop to the preceding hole and better highlights the wonderful landscape at Essex CC.



The approach shot is played to a green the sloped more severely back-to-front and right-to-left than it appears.  Three bunkers right of the green challenge shots trying to catch the general slope of green to funnel the ball closer to the hole.



More to come...

[Thomas Dai]

What a very interesting looking course. So nice to see details of courses that fly under the usual radar settings. Well done for highlighting Tyler. Looking forward to seeing the remaining holes.
atb

[Brad Tufts]

Hole 10:  The far left top tee is the best view of this hole (left of TK's picture).  This tee shot is deceptive because there is tons of fairway room over the hillside, but most players are attracted to the left edge of the fairway that is visible.  The left edge is the best angle to the green, but the rough is soggy there, and the creek is near.  The green is on a steady hill, as the entire front half is steeply sloped back to front. There is a back right plateau that provides the best pin locations, but this is surrounded by slopes leading off the green on at least two sides.

Hole 11:  Maybe Ross's best par three.  175 uphill playing close to 200.  Heavily-sloped from back to front, the front half of the green is the only place to go.  There is a bump about 12" tall in the front middle of the green that makes for wild putts and chips if the pin is anywhere near.  Missing the green short is the only bail area....left is dead down the slope, leaving a very tough shot...right is impossible from a deep bunker to the green running away.  In the Mass. Amateur in 2009, the eventual winner played short of this green from the tee in every round to guarantee an uphill chip.

Hole 12:  An underrated hole.  The tree removal has done wonders for this hole, as it is no longer a hard hook to hold the fairway.  This is one of the few downhill approaches at Essex, and a ball can bounced onto the green from the fairway.  A good green complex with some fun short game options around the green.

[Tyler Kearns]

What a very interesting looking course. So nice to see details of courses that fly under the usual radar settings. Well done for highlighting Tyler. Looking forward to seeing the remaining holes.
atb

Thomas,

I agree, even though the course is ranked #50 classic by Golfweek it never seems to get mentioned here on GCA or anywhere else for that matter.

TK

[Ian Andrew]

Every once and a while I come across green sites that solve complicated riddles so effortlessly.

The approach to the 6th green is as good as anything I've ever seen in golf architecture. The right bunker placement does an amazing job of hiding the change in elevation, twisting the approach to create a natural looking flow in and then benches the entire complex quietly into the hill. It just fits so perfectly in because of that feature.



Once again the use of a transition bunker and long drawn out approach to the 11th green allows the green site to melt into the hill on the right.



Transitions are critical, some are easy to make and others are really complicated. The great artist knowns how to manage the complicated ones and make them appear natural.

They, along with grassing lines, are equally as important as bunker placement. Just not as sexy. GCA gets far to hung up on composition and spend so little time dissecting technique. Often greatness lies in what you can't see.

[Brad Tufts]

Thanks Ian for giving us some construction hints...#11 does look like it melts into the hill despite the fact that the green stands almost alone up in the air.

I've always thought this green is more Langford, same as the Quarry par 3 at CC of Buffalo.  I think it shows how Ross designed based on each individual site, with great variety.  Not every bunker has to be grass-faced, or shallow, etc.

Essex may look more abrupt in places because it was an earlier Ross design (or modernization of what was there) than his later classics that appear more modern.  #11 displays the strongest man-made features on the course.

[ChipRoyce]

Every once and a while I come across green sites that solve complicated riddles so effortlessly.

The approach to the 6th green is as good as anything I've ever seen in golf architecture. The right bunker placement does an amazing job of hiding the change in elevation, twisting the approach to create a natural looking flow in and then benches the entire complex quietly into the hill. It just fits so perfectly in because of that feature.

Ian - Great observation. Due to the angles and the elevation change on what is a pretty flat area of the property, your shot is likely to come up short. I can't remember ever hitting over the green, but plenty short and right with all the trouble (bunker and OB) to the left.

[Tyler Kearns]

Both side of No. 13 (Par 4 - 375 yds.) are marked as lateral water hazards beyond the mounds bordering the fairway, demanding accuracy from the tee.  The hazards are not ponds, but damp low areas where recovery chances exist if conditions are dry.



The approach shot plays uphill to a green featuring a front left plateau and a wealth of interesting contours.



The bunker guarding the front left corner of the green is wonderfully rugged with native plants and grasses occupying the faces.



The green at No. 14 (Par 3 - 162 yds.) was re-located to its current spot in 2002 after neighbours threatened legal action due to errant golf balls landing on their property.  While a shame to lose a Donald Ross original, it appears from a comparison to a photo of the original that Renaissance Design did their best to re-create the original green.



The green falls off on the sides and features a little swale running across the green dividing the front 2/3 of the green from an upper plateau.



The tee shot at No. 15 (Par 4 - 349 yds.) plays diagonally across a waste area to a wide fairway.  The massive green side bunker right can be reached with a strong drive, but the long bunker shot that awaits is certainly not a desirable option.  Like Ian Andrew astutely pointed out earlier regarding No. 6, this bunker also masks the transition into the elevated green.



Another excellent green with a strong back-to-front slope.



More to come.

[Jackson C]

Thank you for this fantastic review of Essex, a course which seems to fly under the radar.
It is certainly worthy of study and many comments.

I am late and out of sequence, but my lasting memory of Essex is the short, par 3 7th.  The relatively small green is simply amazing.  A two putt is not assured if you hit the green.  If you miss the green, each angle demands a wildly different recovery shot, in part because of the influential vertical ridge in the green.  Played into heavy wind for us.

[Tyler Kearns]

The short and downhill 7th (Par 3 - 140 yards) plays to a well contoured green, protected by narrow trench bunkers left and right, and an elbow of the creek front right.

Jackson,

Here is the seventh.  From the tee it looked like I had a great chance for my first birdie of the day, but that 12-15 footer had a lot of movement owing to that little spine that bisects the green into right and left sides.

TK

[Kyle Casella]

Great photo tour- thanks for posting! I have not played many North shore courses, but Essex is #1 on my list for this season of the Boston-area courses I have not played.

[Tyler Kearns]

Playing from a tee benched into the rocky outcrop, the 16th (Par 4 - 409 yds.) requires a confident drive over or near the left side fairway bunker to prevent a blind approach.  You can make out Donald Ross' yellow house in the distance.



The large waste bunker well short of the green blocks a clear view of the green for players approaching from the right hand side.  There seems to be a tendency to pull shots to where you can see the ball land, and two deep bunkers are sunk into the group short and left of the green.



The 16th green sits at grade and features subtle contours, which are often the hardest to read.  Essex CC has done a wonderful job at blending the 16th green surrounds and both the 15th (foreground) & 17th tees together into a single unit.  The steep ascend of the 17th hole can be seen in the distance.



The 17th (Par 4 - 328 yds.) is very bold, heading directly up to the top of the rocky outcrop that dominates the landscape of the back nine.



The approach is completely blind and offering no clues to the golfer waiting to play their approach shot.



The 17th green site is rather secluded from the rest of the course, and offers a nice quiet spot before heading back down the roller-coaster at the 18th tee.  Note, the original Ross green was to the best of my knowledge located directly behind where the photograph was taken.  There is another bunker back there that seems to have been restored in 2007, and while not in play, likely a vestige of the original Ross course.



While I am not overly enamoured with highly elevated tees, it is hard to argue against the lovely vista offered at the 18th tee.  Most of the fairway here is hidden behind the mound, and a drive played just left of the left side fairway bunker will find the middle.



The approach into the 18th (Par 4 - 414 yds.) plays to another low-profile green which sits just above a fronting creek that snakes closely to the front right corner of the green. 



A final look at the closing hole and the steep descent.



Essex CC is a wonderful golf course, and a place I could happily play every day.  I look forward to a return trip one day and would encourage everybody on GCA to make the effort to see it, you will not be disappointed.

TK

[Ian Andrew]

Tree work done since I was last there is really noticeable on the final holes coming in. Wow.
I love the textures and the great grassing lines throughout.

[Michael Powers]

Sorry if this is repetitive... but I used to live in the downtown of Manchester, MA (never got used to the 'by-the-sea' part) not more than a 3 min walk from the course.

The 7th and 8th holes occupy land owned not by the club, but rather by the town itself.

As part of a deal between the 2 entities, 'Manchester Town Golf Club' was created. Any town resident (Homeowner or Renter) could pay an annual fee and would receive privileges at Essex County Club. I did the program for 2 years (2001-2002). At the time, the fee was a paltry $500 and you were allowed to play 9 holes after 5pm on Sunday thru Thursday evenings. Either the 1st or 10th tee was designated for town golf, members played the other 9.

It was a spectacular opportunity. That said, it was rumored, if you joined Town golf, you were not likely to ever be offered the opportunity to join. In 2002, the waiting list was rumored to be over 10 years, so wasn't likely to see that opportunity anyway.

I caddied and worked there for several years a hundred years ago and actually knew of a town golfer that became a member.  Anyway, the member (former town golfer) invited a current town golfer named Harry to play in a member guest tournament.  I was caddying for my regular loop, long time member who was not bashful about expressing his displeasure in being paired with a town golfer.  Harry was having a hell of a time, telling lame jokes and finally on the 4th tee as he finished another joke, my guy turns to him and says "f*&k you Harry".

[ChipRoyce]

Too funny @michaelpowers!

[Brad Tufts]

Hole 13:  The strangest tee shot on the course, as the only strategy is "keep it in play."  Hazards are found in the rough on both sides, and you can never see if your ball enters them from the tee.  This hole has one of the best greens on the course, with a false front, several knobs large enough to hold pin locations, and the wide bowl at back left.  A very fun, scenic hole.

Hole 14:  The oft-related story of the neighbor who didn't like the odd (a couple times/year) tee shot in his yard caused the expensive removal of the hillside, and a new Tom Doak green to be built.  The new version is similar yet more challenging than the original (which can be found just to the left covered in tall grass with a small maple in the center of it).  The short game options around this push-up green are very entertaining.

Hole 15:  This tee shot is confusing for the first timer, but there is plenty of room.  The green is the star.  Semi-blind from the fairway and severely-sloped back to front, you must control your spin and stay below the hole.

Hole 16:  My favorite hole, great angles throughout.  The tee shot should be hit as close to the left fairway bunker as possible, but there really is plenty of room.  The second plays blind over the enormous waste area to an at-grade green with several imperceptable borrows.  Looking in late-day sun, you can actually see three parallel ridges in the green that are no more than an inch high!

Hole 17:  A departure from the holes we have seen so far, as the last two head up the mountain.  The 17th tee shot is dominated by a large mound in the right half of the fairway that will shoot nearby tee shots in all directions.  The second is completely blind to a gathering green, and often fools players because the second shot does not play uphill.  Need to stay short of the pin.

Hole 18:  The 18th is a great hole, unique in Mass golf.  On a clear day, Boston can be seen from the tee in the distance 25 miles away.  Technology has reached the point where most solid golfers can clear the large hill on the left even with a fairway wood, so we don’t have to deal with the snaking fairway in between the hills.  The margin for error on the line over the left hill is small, as a few yards in either direction brings the hillsides and tall grass into play.  The 18th is an underrated green that would find a home at Pinehurst #2.  The stream short of it keeps the player honest and forces a good tee shot.

[John Mayhugh]

Thanks for the tour of a fantastic place, Tyler.

For a first time visitor, that 18th tee shot is pretty intimidating.