Eastward Ho! (Mass) w/pics

« **on:** October 02, 2011, 05:16:42 PM »

Eastward Ho! is on a beautiful and amazing piece of property full of visual appeal in the charming town of Chatham. It is by far one of the most dynamic courses I have played with fairways that tumble gorgeously along Pleasant Bay. The course is natural, lacking anything that feels forced or inappropriate, and is very playable for all levels of golfer. The greens, with the exception of a few, have general slopes rather than plateaus and severe undulations. Eastward Ho! is strategic golf at its best and has many holes that are simply world class.

HOLE 1 : Par 4 380 Yards

Tee

Fairway left of bunker

Fairway 2

Looking back

HOLE 2 : Par 4 350 Yards

Tee

Fairway left

Fairway right

Looking back and my group fixing every ball mark in sight...we want to keep this place perfect

HOLE 3 : Par 4 326 Yards

Tee - Now one of my favorite short par 4s

Fairway

Short of green

« **Reply #1 on:** October 02, 2011, 06:32:08 PM »

Frank-Great photos and I am on board with # 3 being a great short par 4. As you make your way over the rise and onto the fairway that is surely a majestic view out over Pleasant Bay. I like the angle into the green from the right side of the fairway as that bunker is not in play. Coming in from the left the green side bunker will catch a shot that is pulled or short.

« **Reply #2 on:** October 02, 2011, 09:24:44 PM »

Thanks for posting these pics Frank - They look great. I have been too busy to post mine but I see you have a thorough set of photos

I agree with Frank about Eastward Ho being the most fun course I have played in North America -probably due to the ideal conditons we had that day !!! Chambers Bay and Pasatiempo have a high fun factor as well

« **Reply #3 on:** October 02, 2011, 09:33:51 PM »

As a west coast golfer who's never played a CB, Ross, or Tilly course, I get an incredible amount of joy from looking at photos of Eastward Ho! If there is a course like it out here (or anywhere) I've yet to see it. Looking forward to the rest of the tour and more rolling fairways!

« **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2011, 10:40:35 PM »

Alex,

The beauty of this course (unplayed by me) is that it is none of the three, but a Herbert Fowler. East Coast courses have their own flow, no doubt, but this one is a gem. Keith Foster did some touch-up work there too, as shown by Ran here: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/eastward-ho/

Looks like simply a perfect piece of land in a perfect space.

« **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2011, 03:55:45 AM »

HOLE 4 : Par 3 182 yards

Tee

Left of green

Short right of green

HOLE 5 : Par 5 525 Yards

The par 5s traverse some of the most undulating land on the course....lots of fun!

View right of 5th tee (don't know if it gets much better)

Tee

Fairway

Lay up

Looking back

HOLE 6 : Par 4 421 Yards

Tee

Fairway - Quite the stunner

Short of green - One can easily put off the front of the green into the area ahead

Looking back - Another one of those "can it get any better?"

« **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2011, 04:05:02 AM »

HOLE 7 : Par 3 181 Yards

Tee - Sorry about the pic not being great...the sun made it hard to get a good one, but I think you can get the just of it

Looking back

HOLE 8 : Par 4 348 Yards

Looking back from 8th tee to Pleasant Bay

Tee

Fairway

Short of green

Looking back (my favorite view on the whole course)

HOLE 9 : Par 4 391 Yards

Tee

Fairway - right side provides flatest stance, but you also have to flirt with trouble

Short of green - really shows the spine nicely

« **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2011, 07:23:44 AM »

Frank -

For a first-time visitor, you did a great job capturing the essence of Eastward Ho!

Very nice photography.

Randy

« **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2011, 11:09:18 AM »

Frank:

I was fortunate to play Eastward Ho once and loved it. Stunning. You brought back great memories with your pictures. Thank you.

« **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2011, 11:40:15 AM »

Quote from: Randy Van Sickle on October 03, 2011, 07:23:44 AM

Frank -

For a first-time visitor, you did a great job capturing the essence of Eastward Ho!

Very nice photography.

Randy

Randy: Thanks for the kind words, but the course is so great I really don't think it's possible to take a bad picture. Thanks again for the chance to take these pictures.

« **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2011, 12:09:46 PM »

Don't you just love those fairway undulations - that's what the second golden age of GCA has to keep bringing back - the uneven lies that are part of the heart and soul and charm of the game.

« **Reply #11 on:** October 03, 2011, 02:48:15 PM »

HOLE 10 : Par 3 208 Yards

Tee

Short of green

10th green from 11th tee

HOLE 11 : Par 5 485 Yards

Tee

Fairway

Fairway 2

Short left of green

HOLE 12 : Par 4 333 Yards

Tee

View of approach from right side if you don't carry the crest which is pretty severe

View of approach from left side where you flirt with OB

On top of crest in right side of fairway

Looking back

« **Reply #12 on:** October 03, 2011, 03:08:32 PM »

Man, I loved this course. I played in the winter and it was awesome then, but seeing it in the summer just makes it look even better.

« **Reply #13 on:** October 03, 2011, 03:20:06 PM »

I cannot wait to give the course another run next year. Hopefully these pictures will push people over the edge who are debating making the trip. It's worth it!

Mark

« **Reply #14 on:** October 03, 2011, 03:21:21 PM »

My one knock on Eastward Ho is that it plays pretty short for longer hitters/better players. As much as I love the look, I've played the course three times now and there are many wedge approach shots. 18 is the notable exception, as that one is a tough hole.

I would say EH is one of America's best for the 10-20 handicapper.

I suppose all of this would go out the window if playing in some weather!

« **Reply #15 on:** October 03, 2011, 06:15:41 PM »

A few years back Boo Weekley and Jonathan Byrd played together best ball format and shot one over par. It is short but challenging. The weather is rarely calm and the greens are firm and fast

« **Reply #16 on:** October 04, 2011, 02:14:30 AM »

HOLE 13 : Par 4 336 Yards

Tee

Fairway

Short of green

HOLE 14 : Par 4 371 Yards

Tee

14th from 16th

Fairway 2

HOLE 15 : Par 3 153 Yards

Tee - One of the best short 3s I ever played

Green

Green 2

« **Reply #17 on:** October 04, 2011, 02:22:58 AM »

HOLE 16 : Par 4 380 Yards

Tee

Fairway

Short left of green

Looking back

HOLE 17 : Par 5 521 Yards

Tee

Fairway

Lay up area

Short right of green

HOLE 18 : Par 4 460 Yards

Tee

Fairway

Fairway 2

Looking back

Clubhouse with 18th green in the foreground

An absolutely gorgeous Eastward Ho sunset over the 18th...stunning way to cap off a great day

« **Reply #18 on:** October 04, 2011, 03:08:19 AM »

Thank you Frank. As a huge Fowler fan Eastward Ho! is high on my list of courses to see. I can see a lot of similarities to Walton Heath and Beau Desert. Do you know if anybody added bunkers tot he course?

Ciao

« **Reply #19 on:** October 04, 2011, 12:01:54 PM »

Sean: I can't say with any real certainty. I know there was restoration work done, but that is all. IMO, I would have to say no, I don't think there waere any bunkers added and if so very few.

I'm sure there are others who will know for certain who will chime in.

« **Reply #20 on:** October 04, 2011, 01:10:44 PM »

Keith Foster did the restoration work, correct?

Frank, did you have to cart it or were you allowed to walk? Is it better than Toronto-area courses?

« **Reply #21 on:** October 04, 2011, 03:27:46 PM »

In terms of being better than Toronto-area courses, I feel Toronto is a great place for golf and up there with the top 3 or 4 golf areas in North America. We have some really great golf courses many of which were opened during Golden Age. Courses like St. Georges, Hamilton or even mine, The Summit, I feel are great in their own right.

In my mind Eastward Ho! is as good as any course in the Toronto area and North America for that matter, but most definitely has one of the more interesting pieces of land and beautiful settings I have seen.

« **Reply #22 on:** October 04, 2011, 04:10:11 PM »

Tim actually mentioned to someone about caddies, and they said that there never really was a demand for them because most members simply walk and carry their own bags!

Mark

« **Reply #23 on:** October 04, 2011, 04:22:50 PM »

Beautiful course and pics. Many thanks.

« **Reply #24 on:** October 04, 2011, 04:32:32 PM »

Wow...absolutely brilliant. Many thanks, and I have a new background on my laptop.

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