on a cool course!

Eastward Ho! 421 yard # 6*

From the tee


From left fairway



From right fairway


Green from the water



Fairway from the water looking back up to the tee



From above the 7th green

You're right, Mike - that is a very cool hole.  One of my absolute favorite architectural design elements is the steeply sloped/banked fairway that dictates tee shot strategy.

How far is from the point where the fairway narrows to the green?  Is it reasonable to try and challenge this gap to have a short iron home?

It looks like the approach is no bargain, either.

How far is from the point where the fairway narrows to the green?  Is it reasonable to try and challenge this gap to have a short iron home?

It looks like the approach is no bargain, either.

Not sure of distances. Perhaps Mr Moore can do one of his fancy yardages on it.

See the two balls in the right fairway in the second picture. I was blindish behind that hill with an off balance shot. Came up short and three putted on a day that I played very well.

The aggressive shot is to play to the blind off the tee left side (see pic 1 where it looks like you will hit into the bay/ocean), catch the hill and have a clear shot in. Hopefully there will be a next time.  

Yowsa.

How is it possible I've never seen a picture of that hole before?  Was it completely overgrown by trees and just recently opened up?

The Super came from Shinnecock, and I mentioned earlier it was the best conditioned course that I have played all year. Trees have been pulled out in a bunch of spots.

Two questions:

1)  Is it possible or desirable to try and keep the ball up on the top left of the fairway, or do you just bomb away and the ball inevitably feeds down into the bottom?  and

Due to my 10 year old breaking my driver earlier in the week, I was playing with three wood all day, which is probably why I played well. Thus, I played it safe to the right. I am pretty sure a reasonable bomb to the left/water side will roll down.

2)  Where does the next hole go from there?  Back toward this fairway?  Up the hill or along the shore?

181 par 3 back up the hill, along the shore - see below

And a better view via Ran's review:

Had one of my shots of the year this year on this hole.....drive landed half way up the hill on the left in front of the fescue in pic #2...ball 18 inches below my feet...149 yards to the center of the green.  The pin was cut impossibly on the front right of the green, probably 5-7 feet from the fronting slope (which goes down about 20 feet to the lowest part of the fairway.

My 9-iron flys at the pin, hits about 6 inches on the front edge, i yell "go in!", the ball hits the pin on one bounce about 4 feet up, caroms 45 degrees right and behind the pin...up the slope, stops, down the slope, i yell "go in!!" again, and the ball stops 2 inches to the right of the cup.  Almost a 2 on the best hole on a great layout....

Also, on #7, I feel like a ball is more likely to siphon to the fairway than the deep bunker on the front left.  The green is almost a side-sloping punchbowl shaped green.

The entire course is one fun experience. If you have the opportunity, go out of your way to play it.

Tom:

You bomb your driver on the left side and gravity takes you down to the bottom with a flat lie, 6 or 7 iron in.

The next hole is a par 3 uphill, about 200 yards with a u shaped depression just to the right of the  green. Very tricky flop shot to get over it and not have your ball run away.

Those are excellent photos, Mike.  Thanks for posting them.  Feeling a little greedy today, how about some more?  The course looks to be a must play.  

Tis a pity to see cart paths and carts such a golf course.  At least there are some players with trolleys.  Is it a difficult course to walk?

See the "Flat Fairway" thread. Nice course to walk. However, they definitely need carts for some of the older members, and by the time you get off the member waiting list, you will need a cart!

Mike:  Beside the snaking fairway with all kinds of awkward lies are there any hazards in play off the 6th tee to make someone think twice about hitting driver?

I don't think so. On the first trip, the blind drop off on the left makes you want to hit right. At 6325, it is a course that could be overpowered in spots by a straightish driver.

may I ask how you got the shots from the water?  

You put the kids to work!



We were staying at an inn across the water, and rented a boat....to waterski not take pics for my golf buddies!

I had the extreme good fortune of conducting some business at Eastward Ho! last Saturday.

I awoke at four AM (four hours earlier than normal) in Boston and blasted out to Chatham with a brief stop for a heart-stopping sausage biscuit and a giant coffee.

Walking down the first fairway I was like "this is the best job ever."

Walking down the second fairway I was like "I don't feel so good . . . perhaps I shall lie down in that gorgeous bunker and go back to bed."

I can tell you that the tree removal and clubhouse replacement programs are alive and well !




Eighth hole



Fourteenth hole

I had the great fortune to play Eastward Ho! with 2 GCAers two weeks ago, and while I was expecting a lot based on what I have read here, it significantly exceeded my expectations.  I still can't get over what a brilliant job Fowler did routing the golf course over such wild terrain.

I love the fact that it has stayed under the radar for so long.  I fear that may not be the case much longer..