New England Series Course Reviews

My friend and I decided to join the New England Series tour this summer so that we could play some of the top private courses in the area. I figured I would throw my $0.02 out there about the courses for what its worth... prolly not even two cents.

I'll do pretty detailed reviews on the courses just in case any of you were looking at playing in any of these events or maybe have some insight on some of the courses on the schedule that I have yet to play. So please let me know what you think of the courses or if you disagree with my takes on them.

Here is a link to the schedule: https://neat.bluegol...edule/index.htm

Here is the list of courses I have signed up for so far:

- TPC Boston

- Turner Hill GC

- Worcester CC

- Rhode Island CC

- Shelter Harbor GC

- Renaissance GC

- Thorny Lea GC

- Myopia Hunt Club

- Wentworth by the Sea

- Kittansett

TPC Boston

The first tournament of the year we got to "Play where the pros play". I had heard and read some surprisingly negative reviews of the course but I was looking forward to playing it and seeing for myself. Unfortunately the 12th and 13th holes were closed for renovations when we played so we had to play the 1st and 2nd two times in order to get in 18 holes.

Condition = 8/10. Considering we played the course in mid-April it was in phenomenal shape. The greens rolled decently fast and true. The bunkers had a soft first layer of sand and were firm underneath making it a breeze to get up and down, if it didn't bury. My biggest complaint was that many of the greens had much around them. I'm guessing this is leftover from the PGA event but a few times I ended up barely missing a green and having mulch under my ball that I couldn't move. Figure the course should have mentioned this and maybe recommended to play lift clean and place.

Favorite Holes: First of all I love courses that finish with a Par 5. Gives you a good opportunity to finish the round with a birdie and not slam the trunk as hard. I love it even more when the par 5 is preceded by a tough par 4 and a good par 3.

16 - Par 3 - Best Par 3 on the course. Water the entire way to the green and left of the green. Front right and back left pins have slopes that funnel the ball to the hole for a possible birdie but if you find yourself on the wrong portion of the green you will be thrilled walking off the green with a two putt.

17 - Par 4 - My favorite par 4 on the course. Depending on the wind and the tees you play you can try to rip driver past the huge rocks on the edges of the fairway and leave a short wedge in or you will have to lay back and have a mid-long iron approach downhill into the wind and into a tough green that slopes hard right to left making shots that bail out to the right tough to get up and down.

18 - Par 5 - The tee shot looks easier that it really is. The fairway tightens and if you find yourself in a bunker you will be forced to lay up short of the water. Also if you pull your shot left you will have tree trouble on your layup. If you do find the fairway the hole is easily reachable in two but shots that miss right find the trees or bunker (which is probably the best spot to miss) and shots that bail out to the left are faced with a brutally difficult up and down. There is a chipping area to the left of the green but the green sits 4 or 5 feet above and the green slopes away from you. You certainly will have to get creative if you miss left.

Design= 4/10 - The golf course lacked character most of the way around. A few holes (4, 7, 17, 18) stand out as holes where you have to actually think a little but for the most part none of the holes left a lasting impression in my head.

Overall = 6/10 - The course was in great shape considering it was mid April. The greens rolled perfect, fairways were cut tight and the rough was lush. The opening hole is about as boring as it gets. The risk/reward par 5 2nd helps get it back on track but it seemed like every time you got excited after playing a good hole you came right back down to earth with a boring straight forward hole. If not for a good finishing stretch this course would most likely get a 4 or 5 out of 10.

P.S. Try a few of the Fischer's Island Lemonades at the turn. I've never seen these before and they will certainly help you forget about a few of the dumb bogeys you made on the front.

Great stuff and you have a nice list. If you can, I would add Wannamoisett, Eastward Ho, and Kernwood.

You have some great names on your current list, but if you've not played Myopia, I would guess that will be your favorite

You nailed the review on TPC, I might even say 5 out of 10 but that was because I played so crappy there . . . Great condition given how much play it gets and hosts a PGA tournament. That's about all that I can say positively about the place

Great stuff and you have a nice list. If you can, I would add Wannamoisett, Eastward Ho, and Kernwood.

 

You have some great names on your current list, but if you've not played Myopia, I would guess that will be your favorite

I'd love to get on Wannamoisett and Eastward Ho but I'll be gone from Oct 13-Oct 29 so I miss that nice little stretch of the RI courses.

I haven't heard much on Kernwood however. I'd love to hear more about that.

Kernwood is a bit less known because 1) It's located between two of the heavyweights in Boston golf (Salem and Essex), 2) It's somewhat hilly course with not a ton of acerage, and 3) it's a historically Jewish course (which in the Boston area, I think are generally underrated). But it's on this peninsula in Salem and you've got some incredible views from all over the course, plus it is a Donald Ross with tremendous greens

(I'll caveat all of this by saying I haven't played it in about a decade, but just remember loving it)

Turner Hill GC

Condition = 6/10 This rating might be slightly misleading or not be quite fair for three reasons: 1) We played the course on a nasty cold rainy day after a few days of even heavier rain so it was a soggy course. 2) Greens had been aerated the week before so there was some leftover sand that slowed them down quite a bit. 3) These ratings are how I compare them to the best golf courses in the region. All of these courses I am reviewing will most likely be in superior condition to average public courses so I want to still be able to separate them among each other. You can tell the place is probably immaculate during the summer. Think nasty rough. Tightly mowed fairways with firm and fast greens. One of the biggest issues I had was that there were areas of rough that had not grown in at all. You could see where they had tried to aerate the ground to encourage it to grow but its still a new course and should grow in over time.

Favorite Holes: 9, 10, 17

9 - Par 5 - The ninth hole is has an absolutely massive fairway but it is split by bunkers effectively cutting the fairway size in half. If you hit a good drive and manage to avoid the bunkers you will be able to reach the green but it is straight up a huge hill. A large bunker protects the front right of the green and there is a false front that can send any shot that lands on the front with too much spin 50 yards back down the fairway. Be careful if you have to lay up and have a full wedge in your hand. The green is ENORMOUS and has multiple tiers. Better off aiming 15 feet past the hole here.

10 - Par 3 - ​The most picturesque hole on the course. Short downhill par three over the bond that connects the 10th, 17th, and 18th holes. Looking straight at the massive clubhouse. Really a pretty view. A huge hill left of the green makes it think you can bail left and get a lucky bounce onto the green but I saw multiple balls hang up on the hill and really test your downhill flop shot to a green sloping away towards the water. Huge spine in the green can help funnel the ball to both a back right pin or a front left pin. Good chance to put a 2 or a 5 on the card here.

17 - Par 4 - I really really wish that this was the 18th hole. Its a dogleg right with water right on the tee (not that it should come into play really) and then hitting into a green that is shaped front right to back right with water all left on the approach. The green sits right at the base of the steps of the clubhouse and would make for an awesome finishing hole. The 18th hole is a really fun par 3 as well and I really thing it would make for an awesome 1-2 punch to end the round if they could somehow switch those two holes. Nobody likes ending on a par 3 anyway.

Design= 3/10. Absolutely zero character. None. Zilch. Nada. Feels like a good public resort course and I swear every hole on the front nine is the same apart from a decent par 3 6th hole and the awesome par 5 9th hole. One dogleg right after another. SOO boring. Back nine offers a little more or a scenic view once you get to the green on 11 which sits way above everything else and offers a view of the surrounding hills. The 12th tee shot is decent and during the summer you could probably take a putter and putt it 250 yards down to the flat part of the fairway.

Overall= 4.5/10. If it wasn't for that really cool stretch of holes around the clubhouse (9,10,17,18) this course I don't think would belong on same list as some of the other courses on my list. Just another one of those courses that had a bunch of decent golf holes but none of which were memorable besides the ones I've mentioned. Plus this is one of the more expensive stops on our tour. I'd so much rather play some of the older courses with much more character such as Metacomet CC or Worcester which is my next stop on this tour and I am really looking forward to playing that course.

In total fairness to this course, I think it would be a completely different golf course if I got to play it again during the summer and from the tips at 7100 yards. Playing it from 6100 yards and having the ball plug everywhere it lands does it a disservice. You could hit it like crap all day and still shoot a good score. I don't think that would be the case at all in the heat of the summer.

I've only played Shelter harbor on the list and I thought it was fantastic. Shame you are going to miss a few good ones towards the end.

Worcester CC

Condition= 7/10. Again this rating may be a bit unfair considering I played the course in the beginning of May and the weather has been terrible all year. Realistically the course during the summer is probably a solid 8 or 9 and hearing from people who have played it before they say the course is immaculate in the summer. However the day we played it the greens were still trying hard to recover from aeration and they were all at different points in the recovery process so the greens were very inconsistent (not really the courses fault, blame it on the crappy weather). The approaches to the greens were in a similar state, needed a few more weeks. You could see though that once the fescue grows up and the greens and approaches recover the place is awesome.

Favorite Holes: This is tough because the back nine would probably deserve a lot more credit come summer time when the fescue is grown in. When I played it you could spray the ball all over and still have a shot at the green so my favorite holes are based on what I think they would be come summer.

4 - Par 3 - The beginning of a great set of par 3's at Worcester. It was tough to only pick one of the par 3's as the 6th, 10th, and 13th are also awesome par 3s but the 4th hole really sticks out as being a great hole. Brutally long stretching up to 250 yards and protected by two deep bunkers in front and 2 more long left and long right. The green slopes hard back to front making shots that end up behind the hole a nightmare and the front of the green slopes off down and I could easily see them shave this to make balls funnel 10+ yards off the front of the green if they come up short. The hole looks straight out of a U.S. Open.

14 - Par 4 - Club selection off this tee is crucial as a cluster of fairway bunkers on the right and a couple on the left are in play if you decide to take less than driver. Leave it too far back in the fairway and your approach can be blind so you really want to hit it far enough to get it up the hill leaving a wedge in hand and be able to see the green. If you take driver out and miss too far right you can end up way down a hill in the fescue and left is no bargain either because then you have a terrible angle to the pin over deep greenside bunkers. The hole looks so easy and it can be with a solid tee shot but it can also come back to bite you very quickly.

18 - Par 4 - An absolute classic finishing hole. The tee shot faces directly up the hill with the clubhouse sitting directly behind the green letting you know that you are almost there. Pretty basic tee shot over a rolling hill and down into a flat without much trouble. Your second shot is up the hill and most likely will have a slightly uphill lie as well. The green complex is what makes this hole great. Narrow yet deep two-tiered green with 3 deep bunkers short of the green that stare you straight in the face. Two more small bunkers sit left of the green and a larger one long and right. A back pin here can be challenging because missing long would leave a very difficult up an down but the large ridge in the middle of the green sends shots that fall a few yards short all the back to the front portion of the green.

Design= 7.5/10. The Par 3s at this course make it stand out to me as they are all really good golf holes. Being a classic Donald Ross course the green complexes are great as well. You have to know where to miss here. The biggest thing holding this course back in my eyes are the fact that there are too many uphill blind/semi-blind approach shots (Holes 3, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15). The par 5s are all good not great holes. The 15th has a blind 2nd shot with OB left which I don't really like and the pond on 5 just kinda seems out of place with the rest of the golf course.

Overall= 7.5/10. I could easily play this course every day and never get bored. The course will be different every time you play it as every hole out there is a birdie hole (minus the 4th hole which you would always be happy making par) with one or two solid shots but if you miss your target by even just a little and find yourself in the wrong spot you can double every hole as well. Like I mentioned in an earlier post I wanted to see character when I came here and I wasn't disappointed. They have taken out a lot of trees so you can see across all the holes and making the rough penal in those ares now similar to what Oakmont has done.

Rhode Island CC

Conditions = 6/10. Pretty typical conditions from a nice private course. Greens rolled true, bunkers were all in good shape, fairways and tees were all in good shape as well. Rough was considerably thicker around the greens than elsewhere on the course as a result of watering the greens (again pretty standard). No complaints at all about the conditions here but wouldn't go back home and tell stories about how great the conditions were either. Unlike Worcester however I don't see this course getting much better than it was now other than the greens getting a little faster during the summer.

Favorite Holes:

12 - Par 4 - Marsh running the entire way down the right side of the hole with three fairway bunkers guarding the left side of the fairway and another short and right of the fairway with the left edge of it serving as a good aiming point. You can choose to hit a long iron/hybrid off the tee and try to keep it between the bunkers and marsh or you can take driver and hit it past all the bunkers to give you a larger landing area and a flip wedge into the green that is surrounded by 6 bunkers and is undulated. Pin position here will be a deciding factor in you club selection off the tee.

17 - Par 3 - Short par 3 facing the ocean with an elevated island like green almost completely surrounded by bunkers. Visually intimidating but not really a difficult hole unless the wind is strong (which being on the ocean it typically is). Most picturesque hole on the course.

13 - Par 4 - Very difficult par 4 with bunkers and marsh left off the tee and big trees lining the right side making an accurate tee shot crucial. Well struck driver will leave you a mid iron in depending on wind and tees. Another well protected green surrounded by bunkers but the front is left open allowing shots that miss right off the tee the option to try to run the ball up near the green, you just have to be sure to keep the punch shot between the fairway bunkers on either side of the fairway 50 yards out.

Design = 4/10. All of the greens here are very well protected by bunkers. The final 4 holes on this course look like you plucked them straight out of Ireland or Scotland and are the highlight of the course. None of the holes alone are impressive on this course but there aren't any 'bad' holes really either. The back nine certainly the more interesting nine here with a strong par 3 10th, the back-to-back strong par 4 12th and 13th, and then the closing 4 across the road. But the very short par 5 11th doesn't fit and the front nine just lacks excitement entirely. Also there were some really strange inside-out or inverted bunkers that were basically just large groomed mounds of sand.

Overall = 5/10. The golf course relies on the wind heavily to protect it. The course is very scorable and pretty open without the wind blowing especially the last 4 holes near the water without any trees to protect them. The greens are all very well protected throughout the golf course but the greens are relatively flat meaning with decent approach shots there are lots of birdies to be had here. Both my friend and I walked away from here thinking that everything was good just not great.... just needed a little something else. Weak par 5s really hold this course back.

Shelter Harbor GC

Conditions= 9.5/10. I mean it's not Augusta National but it's about as perfect as you'll find. The greens were perfectly manicured, rolled true and fast. They were firm enough to repel poorly struck shots but still reacted well to a well struck iron shot. The fairways are massive and are mown very tight leaving you a perfect lie every time and gave you a multitude of shot selections around the green. During the summer I could see people putting from 30-40 yards off the green here. The rough is thick but not to the point where its penal but will require some creativity to get the ball close because you won't be able to land the ball on the green and keep it there out of the rough. The bunkers are in perfect shape as well. I also love how if you really miss and don't find the fairway, rough, or a bunker you are totally at the mercy of mother nature. They leave the surrounding landscape totally untouched and filled with nasty *****er bushes and massive boulders.

Favorite Holes: This was tough. I debated about my favorite 3 holes here for a while after the round with my friend and we made strong cases for probably 10 or the 18 holes. Honorable mentions would have to go to the very tough par 4 4th hole and the uphill closing par 4 18th.

9 - Par 5 - We both however agreed on the 9th being our favorite hole. A spectacularly bunkered uphill winding par 5 (see picture I stole off google below). The landing area on the tee shot is much larger that it appears from the tee, a characteristic I love in course design, but in order to have a chance to go for the green in two you must hug the left side of the fairway bringing those devilish bunkers you can see in the picture in order to be able to play a high left-to-right shot into the green. The green sits up on the hill tucked back behind the trees to the right and is in a natural looking bowl where shots can funnel towards the hole from left or right of the green. A very narrow two-tiered green is protected by a little pot bunker left and a massive boulder just off the green to the right.

7th - Par 4 - Another fantastically bunkered hole, this short par 4 measures only 336 yards and plays quite a bit downhill leaving it reachable for longer hitters. Both myself and my playing partner ended up pin high. Two bunkers sit right in the middle of the fairway and another tiny pot bunker sits 40 yards past those bunkers catching lay-ups that run a little too far. It's probably my favorite bunker on the entire course because from the tee it looks like its greenside but when you get up to it you realize just has sneaky of a bunker it is. The green is further protected on the right by a very large and deep bunker where you won't be able to see the surface of the green if you find yourself in it. This hole is not only beautiful but requires careful thought if you want to walk away with par on such a short hole.

Tee shot on the par 4 7th (left). A view from the little pot bunker that sits behind the two in the middle of the fairway (right).

Tie (4th and 11th) - Par 3s - The 4th hole has a Biarritz green which I am usually not much a fan of but the fact that the trench in the middle of the green was wide enough to probably have a pin placement in was unique. The green is about 65 yards deep and also very wide so depending on the wind and pin placement you could literally hit every club from PW to a 3-iron. The 11th hole is a short par 3 up the hill but yet again the design gets in the minds of the players. Instead of putting one large bunker short right they put 5 smaller bunkers just to further draw your attention there instead of where it should be on the center of the green. It's easy to stand on this tee and think bail out left but shots that miss long left find the backside of the hill and can wind up lost.

View from the tee on 11 (below)

View from the tee on 4 (below)

Design = 8/10. This course designed by Dana Fry and Michael Hurdzan (also designers of this years U.S. Open course Erin Hills) blends together the old with the new. It has the modern feel with the massive fairways and set on massive piece of land but also has that vintage rugged look to it. When you think of the great golf courses they all are known for having fantastic green complexes and/or unique bunkers. This course has both. Every green complex is different ranging from the roller-coaster 4th green to the tiny and guarded 7th. Each green brings it own unique set of challenges. One simply can't sum up it up by saying "stay short or below the hole" on this course like on many other well-known golf courses. Also the design team brought in bunker guru Jeff Bradley to design the bunkers to look like they were formed by nature and had been there for 100+ years. The bunkers all feature the same natural rugged look with large clumps of fescue on the front lip on the bunkers almost looking like the bunkers have eyebrows. I think that the middle part of the back 9 (13-15) are a tiny bit dull and a very strange collection of short trees between the 14th and 16th fairways but apart from that there are very few things I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

Overall = 8.75/10. Wonderful experience. I think I've about covered it all above. I don't think I would put it up with some of the greats I have been able to get on like Kiawah, Bethpage, or The Country Club but its certainly comparable to Arcadia Bluffs in Michigan. I think that some of the rock walls that appear on the front nine should be taken out like on holes 2 and 6 and given the firm and fast conditions I think the course would need to be lengthened if it were to ever try to host an event other than a Rhode Island amatuer event but its an absolute joy to play.

P.S. None of these pictures are mine. No reason to use a crappy picture from my iPhone when there are professional pictures already online.

Yep I was in that pot bunker on 7. I was pissed but that is what good design does. You probably didn't play it but the par 3 course is a blast and the practice facility isn't to shabby either. Place is just first class all the way.

Yep I was in that pot bunker on 7. I was pissed but that is what good design does. You probably didn't play it but the par 3 course is a blast and the practice facility isn't to shabby either. Place is just first class all the way.

I didn't get a chance to play the par 3 course unfortunately but I did make sure to get to the course a couple hours early to make full use of the practice facility. The range is one of the best I've seen with so many different greens to aim at in all different directions. On top of that the short game area with multiple bunkers and a full 70 yard fairway to practice short wedge shots is awesome. Tough to beat.

Shelter Harbor is a hidden gem of a course, surprising to find something of this caliber in RI, and also quite exclusive. I have had a hard time finding any other "new" course in New England that can hold a candle to it, mostly because the area is filled to the brim with "old" history-laden courses that are 100+ years old. And compared to new courses out there in the rest of the country, still having a hard time comparing it.

--kC

Shelter Harbor is a hidden gem of a course, surprising to find something of this caliber in RI, and also quite exclusive. I have had a hard time finding any other "new" course in New England that can hold a candle to it, mostly because the area is filled to the brim with "old" history-laden courses that are 100+ years old. And compared to new courses out there in the rest of the country, still having a hard time comparing it.

 

--kC

I completely agree... It's tough to find any modern courses in New England of this caliber. Most of the modern courses I can think of around here have the feel of a resort course. This course has much more character than those and is in an entirely different class level when it comes to experience and conditions. This course is certainly unique especially in a time when so many of the new top-notch courses are trying to switch to this inland links style courses barren of trees and built up with massive fake mounds. I think its exclusivity certainly takes away from some national attention it would receive otherwise.

Shelter Harbor is a hidden gem of a course, surprising to find something of this caliber in RI, and also quite exclusive. I have had a hard time finding any other "new" course in New England that can hold a candle to it, mostly because the area is filled to the brim with "old" history-laden courses that are 100+ years old. And compared to new courses out there in the rest of the country, still having a hard time comparing it.

 

--kC

 

I completely agree... It's tough to find any modern courses in New England of this caliber. Most of the modern courses I can think of around here have the feel of a resort course. This course has much more character than those and is in an entirely different class level when it comes to experience and conditions. This course is certainly unique especially in a time when so many of the new top-notch courses are trying to switch to this inland links style courses barren of trees and built up with massive fake mounds. I think its exclusivity certainly takes away from some national attention it would receive otherwise.

I haven't played Shelter Harbor, so this is an uneducated opinion, but it's hard to believe that it could be in an "entirely different class" than say Old Sandwich or Boston Golf Club.

Hard to believe? I can understand that. But it is. No houses on the property/adjacent to the course. You and nature out there (and other players occasionally) That's it. (And that's really hard for New England). A sublime, almost majestic, bordering on grandiose clubhouse.

--kC

Shelter Harbor is a hidden gem of a course, surprising to find something of this caliber in RI, and also quite exclusive. I have had a hard time finding any other "new" course in New England that can hold a candle to it, mostly because the area is filled to the brim with "old" history-laden courses that are 100+ years old. And compared to new courses out there in the rest of the country, still having a hard time comparing it.

 

--kC

 

I completely agree... It's tough to find any modern courses in New England of this caliber. Most of the modern courses I can think of around here have the feel of a resort course. This course has much more character than those and is in an entirely different class level when it comes to experience and conditions. This course is certainly unique especially in a time when so many of the new top-notch courses are trying to switch to this inland links style courses barren of trees and built up with massive fake mounds. I think its exclusivity certainly takes away from some national attention it would receive otherwise.

 

I haven't played Shelter Harbor, so this is an uneducated opinion, but it's hard to believe that it could be in an "entirely different class" than say Old Sandwich or Boston Golf Club.

Full disclosure I have not played either Old Sandwich or Boston Golf Club so I cannot personally compare them. However I have seen many many pictures of both courses and know quite a few people who have played 2 of the 3 or all 3 of them. Hearing from the guys on this tour who have played these courses they all seem to prefer Old Sandwich and Shelter over Boston. Also its important to mention that when we were there we were treated like members. The staff extremely helpful and attentive. I've heard otherwise from people that played at the other courses... like they didn't belong there.

I'll just have to wait until I am lucky enough to play the other courses to decide for myself.

I've not played Shelter, but have played OS many times and Boston Golf a few times. OS is just "grander" in everything and would be my preference if I were to join one of them. Boston golf just has a less desirable plot that Hanse has to work with than C&C had at OS.

That being said, Boston Golf is great. Hanse did fantastic work with the land, the membership is very young for a course of its caliber, and it is much closer to boston than OS. Can't really go wrong with either.

I am excited to try to play Shelter. Frankly, hadn't even thought about it before this (great) thread!

Just to be clear, I'm not knocking Shelter Harbor - I've never seen the place. I'm not sure how it compares to OS and BGC. But if it were in an "entirely different class", it would be in a class with Augusta, Pine Valley, et. al. ... and that seems unlikely to me.

It's like driving a Mercedes S Sedan and declaring it in an "entirely different class". It's a ridiculously good car, but it has peers.

Just to be clear, I'm not knocking Shelter Harbor - I've never seen the place. I'm not sure how it compares to OS and BGC. But if it were in an "entirely different class", it would be in a class with Augusta, Pine Valley, et. al. ... and that seems unlikely to me.

 

It's like driving a Mercedes S Sedan and declaring it in an "entirely different class". It's a ridiculously good car, but it has peers.

That'd be assuming that OS and BGC were close to Augusta or Pine Valley which I certainly don't buy. But I hear what you are saying... "entirely" might have been a poor choice of words. All phenomenal golf courses and good tests of golf.

Just to be clear, I'm not knocking Shelter Harbor - I've never seen the place. I'm not sure how it compares to OS and BGC. But if it were in an "entirely different class", it would be in a class with Augusta, Pine Valley, et. al. ... and that seems unlikely to me.

 

It's like driving a Mercedes S Sedan and declaring it in an "entirely different class". It's a ridiculously good car, but it has peers.

 

That'd be assuming that OS and BGC were close to Augusta or Pine Valley which I certainly don't buy. But I hear what you are saying... "entirely" might have been a poor choice of words. All phenomenal golf courses and good tests of golf.

No, I think Augusta and Pine Valley are in "an entirely different class" from OS. And I do think that it is in the next 'class' down from there. IMHO, the top 25 - 30 courses are in one group, and the next "class" extends to the top ~200; and I think both OS and BGC are in that second group.

Shelter Harbor is a baby in Golf Club terms but it already feels like its been there for years. From what I know of Boston GC and Old Sandwich, I wouldn't think Shelter is miles better but I certainly agree with the point that was being made. They have just done everything there the right way and you just don't see much of that in new clubs being built and opened lately.

This is a pic looking back up 18 in the middle of July with the Fescue in full effect. A former tour player also was my caddie that day.

Just to be clear, I'm not knocking Shelter Harbor - I've never seen the place. I'm not sure how it compares to OS and BGC. But if it were in an "entirely different class", it would be in a class with Augusta, Pine Valley, et. al. ... and that seems unlikely to me.

 

It's like driving a Mercedes S Sedan and declaring it in an "entirely different class". It's a ridiculously good car, but it has peers.

 

That'd be assuming that OS and BGC were close to Augusta or Pine Valley which I certainly don't buy. But I hear what you are saying... "entirely" might have been a poor choice of words. All phenomenal golf courses and good tests of golf.

 

No, I think Augusta and Pine Valley are in "an entirely different class" from OS. And I do think that it is in the next 'class' down from there. IMHO, the top 25 - 30 courses are in one group, and the next "class" extends to the top ~200; and I think both OS and BGC are in that second group.

That's a fair take. There is certainly a gap somewhere around that 20th spot but the next couple hundred are all so close it comes down to personal preference.

Just finished playing Shelter Harbor and one word, AMAZING. Having played Boston golf a couple of times, I would say unequivocally that SH is a superior track and a far better overall experience. I can only think of a couple places that I enjoyed more ( Winged Foot, Hudson National, No. 2). I would put it ahead of the Country Club and even Bethpage, which I love. All I can say is if you get the opportunity, jump at it.

Renaissance

Conditions = 8/10. Greens were perfect. Rolled true and decently fast, would have liked to see them a little faster but it was 50 degrees and raining when I played it so I will give them a pass on this. Bunkers were in great shape and the fairways were mown tight allowing you to putt from far off the green. The fairways were bentgrass which will allow them to mow the fairways low during the summer. Rough was more of a fescue type of grass and super lush given the wet conditions. Would love to see this course when it gets firm and fast in the summer.

Favorite Holes:

4th - Par 3 - From the tee you can only see the flagstick perched atop the hill looking like a seemingly straight forward par 3. However once you get up to the green you realize just how difficult the hole really is. A SEVERELY sloped green repels shots toward the collection areas left, right, and in front of the green. Shots landing on the front of the green could run as far as 60 yards back down the fairway and god help anyone who misses this green long. If you miss the green here it will take a lot of creativity to get up and down.

6th - Par 4 - I seem to always give preference to difficult par 4s and this is a perfect example of one. A wide fairway is guarded by hazards on both sides but the danger on this hole is the approach shot. The hole, appropriately named "Sahara" this long uphill par 4 features a massive bunker to the left of the green that sits some 15ft below the putting surface. The green sits on top of the hill which falls off quickly to the left (I would know considering I took a nice long slide on my back down the hill and into the bunker thanks to the wet fescue between the green and the bunker). If you bail out to the right you will be faced with a downhill chip shot to a narrow green that slopes away from you.

18th - Par 5 - The fairway is protected by a few bunkers but longer players should easily be able to fly them. The fun on this hole starts with the second shot. The green sits way back to the left around the corner and is long and very narrow. Almost a biarritz green with the trench running through the middle of the green separating the front and back portions. If you lay-up you will have to fit you shot between numerous bunkers that sit between 75-150 yards out. You will be left hitting a wedge over a bunker from a difficult angle right of the green as it is only about 15 yards wide. Going for this green and ending up in the greenside bunker or even left of the green (if you can really hook it) is probably the best play here.

Design = 7.5/10: Great bunkering and a lot of variety between the holes. Each and every hole here is unique. Multiple risk/reward tee shots and 2nd shots on par 5 make you think the entire round. Holes 3, 4, 10, 18 all have fantastic green complexes but the remainder are not overly exciting which is a small drawback on this course. Certainly some memorable holes at this course.

Overall = 7.75/10. Certainly a hidden gem in the Boston area. A rather new course that does not receive the attention I think it deserves. A combination of great conditions and an interesting design make this course a blast to play. Come July/August when the fescue turns brown it will be very picturesque as well.

Just finished playing Shelter Harbor and one word, AMAZING. Having played Boston golf a couple of times, I would say unequivocally that SH is a superior track and a far better overall experience. I can only think of a couple places that I enjoyed more ( Winged Foot, Hudson National, No. 2). I would put it ahead of the Country Club and even Bethpage, which I love. All I can say is if you get the opportunity, jump at it.

I think Shelter is great but it is the second best course in Westerly, Ri. Makes my top 6 or 7 in Rhode Island though and RI has great courses.

bonagolf,

i really enjoyed your course reviews from earlier this year and thanks for referencing the NE golf series as I was unaware. Played Wannamoisett a few weeks back best conditioned fairways I've ever seen but the greens wouldn't hold anything - too hard and fast for my game. will miss Kitansett unfortunately. Would appreciate your comments on the other courses you played in the series after your last post.....thanks!

rgds, kircord

I am planning to join NE Series your this year! It sounds exciting but heard it takes over 5 hours to play a round?

Just finished playing Shelter Harbor and one word, AMAZING. Having played Boston golf a couple of times, I would say unequivocally that SH is a superior track and a far better overall experience. I can only think of a couple places that I enjoyed more ( Winged Foot, Hudson National, No. 2). I would put it ahead of the Country Club and even Bethpage, which I love. All I can say is if you get the opportunity, jump at it.

 

I think Shelter is great but it is the second best course in Westerly, Ri. Makes my top 6 or 7 in Rhode Island though and RI has great courses.

What's your top 5 in RI?