Best Private or Semi-Private Courses in Portsmouth, NH area

[Engie27]

My Fiancee and I are relocating to Portsmouth, NH this January. I've been a member at Granite Links in Boston for the past two years and am looking to find a good course to call home in Portsmouth. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have read up on the Golf Club of New England but they always seem to be in legal battles but the course looks enticing.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Chris_NH]

GCNE is a very upscale private course - I don't even know how much. I don't even know if they are accepting members - it's one of THOSE clubs. But I believe it's the most expensive course in this area.

There are quite a few good courses around here, both in NH and southern ME.

[b]Privates:[/b]

Portsmouth CC - Greenland - great Robert Trent Jones course on the Great Bay. Private course that allows public play after 10am. Forget about joining. It's so affordable that you can't even get on the waiting list. Purest greens in the area.

Wentworth by the Sea - Rye NH - nice Donald Ross course. Quirky layout (6 par 3s) but some of the prettiest holes in the area that run near the water. Distance is fine for me, but it maxes out at 6300 yards, and they have a range where you can only hit reduced-flight balls (and no drivers). But a very nice full-service elegant country club.

Abenaqui - Rye, NH - I haven't played here but know many people who have. Most like it quite well, but don't love it.

Cocheccho CC - Dover NH - same thing - have never played it. People seem to like it, but I've never heard anybody who REALLY likes it.

York Golf & Tennis - York ME. Haven't played, but heard good things about it.

[b]Semi-privates[/b]

The Ledges - York, ME - best upscale/private course in the area IMO. Always well-conditioned, nice layout, and greens that will make you weep. What more could a guy ask for? ;-)

The Oaks - Somersworth NH - good layout, good conditioning, tricky/fast greens, and a few flexible membership options. I'm a member here (just completed my first year) and really like it. Lots of organized games on Wed/Sat/Sun mornings to help you plug into a playing group seamlessly.

Breakfast Hill - Greenland, NH - My old course. Brian Silva layout. I like it, but it gets a lot of negative comments. I don't understand why. Conditioning has gone downhill the last couple of years, and I'd call it now good but not great. But it's a good course with good members and is worth a look for you - I still enjoy playing there 6-8x/year. If you join, I can put you in touch with a buddy who's one of "The Commish's" of the Saturday morning groups to help you plug in.

The Links at Outlook - South Berwick, ME - I've played it twice. Some people like it a lot. I don't. Two VERY different nines makes it feel a bit mish-mash to me.

My ranking of the best courses in the area that I've played is: Portsmouth CC, The Ledges and The Oaks.

Best values would be The Oaks and Breakfast Hill.

Good luck.

[Mulligan26]

+2 on The ledges and the oaks... I work at the oaks and love it. Both courses were designed by the same guy so they're very similar. The ledges being the more difficult of the two. GCNE is AMAZING and accepting members but it's extremely expensive to join. They hosted the US Jr Am this year. Championship tees at 7,500 yards. Abenaqui and York G&T are places where you have to know someone to join. The links is meh at best, again another place Ive worked at, course conditions are always awesome but its kind of the wild west. Ex: no marshalls, rampant drunks, people flipping carts etc. Some of the members are ok there but most are more interested in coors light than birdies. The assistant pro at outlook is a good friend of mine and is a GREAT teacher. I LOVE Breakfast hill, usually has great conditions but I haven't played there since VERY early in the season. I won a jr club champ there in high school. Short course at on 6450yds, but has some very challenging holes. Any more questions feel free to PM me, I'm very involved with golf here in the seacoast.

[Engie27]

Thanks Chris and Mulligan. I've played the Ledges quite a bit and really like it, I am debating about joining there. I'll look into the Oaks, part of what I loved about Granite was the weekend groups always had something going on so the fact that the Oaks has something similar is intriguing. Thanks again!

[Chris_NH]

[quote name='Engie27' timestamp='1354642547' post='6017227']
Thanks Chris and Mulligan. I've played the Ledges quite a bit and really like it, I am debating about joining there. I'll look into the Oaks, part of what I loved about Granite was the weekend groups always had something going on so the fact that the Oaks has something similar is intriguing. Thanks again!
[/quote]

At the beginning of the season, the Oaks had two sets of men's tees. The so-called Black Group plays from the black tees (7800 yards), consists of guys with handicaps of scratch to 9-ish. The Blue Group plays from the blue tees (6150 at the beginning of the season, moved towards the end of the season to 6450) and consists of handicaps between 8/10 up to high teens. The new white tees (6000 yards) will now have a White Group next season.

Each group plays in their own quota game weekly, with payouts for birdie skins. You can switch back and forth among groups, and there are occasional events that incorporate all the groups, especially towards the end fo the season. Typical week will include 8-16 guys in blue group, a bit less in black. Each group also keeps season-long totals for points-winners.

It's a well-organized setup. Feel free to drop me a PM if you'd like to come by next season (or just show up).

[Mulligan26]

^black group is from 6900 yards Chris... I wish we had a 7k plus tee box though

[Chris_NH]

[quote name='Mulligan26' timestamp='1357999608' post='6214731']
^black group is from 6900 yards Chris... I wish we had a 7k plus tee box though
[/quote]

Oops - typo! Yes, you're right...6800, not 7800!

[Bombn]

My son played in the US Junior Am last year at GCNE and the course is STUNNING! Could be the best course I have ever seen, simply amazing, I was told there was only about 70 members. Its very exclusive and allows no outside play other than 1 day a year. Its definitely worth checking out with a call.

[DLiver]

GCNE is one of the best courses in New England. Pricey though.

I agree with most of Chris_NH's assessment of the course in the area.

[Swampcooler]

I think you guys are forgetting Sunningdale!

/sarcasm

[Shemp]

Chris gave you a great rundown. Of the pure privates I like Abenaqui the best, but it's not the best course in the area. If you like short and tight Wentworth By The Sea is an option. I like Portsmouth a lot, but the last I knew they had a long waiting list. Ledges is a great track.