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mark chalfant

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Oakley (Ross) c.1910 in Ma.
« on: August 13, 2007, 01:35:27 PM »
I believe this course  is one of  Donald Ross's first  forays into
architecture.Is some of his work still remining. Is Oakley fun to play, or is any old time character left in todays layout ? thanks.

Ray Richard

Re:Oakley (Ross) c.1910 in Ma.
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2007, 04:24:24 PM »
Oakley is a very interesting course perched on a big hill outside Boston. I heard that Ross was the golf pro-greenkeeper when he was starting out in the golf business.

Ron Forse did a bunker and tee renovation a few years ago which helped to enhance the the Ross mounding and bunkers that had been eroded. I'll let Ron/Mike confirm this but I do think some original greens, cross mounding and feature mounding remain

The course is built on a very small footprint, and a few tee shots may need to be downsized to an iron but over all its a good test of golf.

Check out the huge mansion on the middle of the course, and the incredible view of Boston.

michael j fay

Re:Oakley (Ross) c.1910 in Ma.
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2007, 06:11:18 PM »
1901-3- Ross was the greenkeeper and the professional. His first job in the US. From what I have gathered it is a pretty complete redo of a gutty era course moving into the Haskell period.

Played from the blues it is about 5,950. If you play it all the way back maybe 5,958.

Nice little layout with some rather challenging greens. Hard and fast would play to about a 68.5 course rating. Played with soft greens it is a sitting duck.

Brad Tufts

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Oakley (Ross) c.1910 in Ma.
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2007, 01:44:06 PM »
I agree with Michael and Ray.

I have played the course twice in the Boston Met League and it tends to be a bit of a birdie fest.

Despite this quality, there are actually a few challenging holes.  #3 is an uphill par 3 of about 210 with a severely sloping green.  #7 is another uphill par 3 of about 185 with a domed green.  #11 is a very narrow uphill straight par four of about 350.  #14 is another long par 3 of about 215.  Other than those holes, the par 5s are short, and you will probably never have more than a 7 iron into any green, as only one par 4 is over 400 (18 at 405ish)

The layout is rather cramped, as there is interior OB on the inside of the dogleg on hole #13, but the layout remains generally the same as it was in the early 20th century.  Bunkers and greens have no doubt been modified over the years, but it's a fun and quirky course where one can really score if you know where you are going.
So I jump ship in Hong Kong....

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