New England/Nova Scotia Golf (Part One) CT, MA and Maine

Sometimes it takes a little effort to get to the courses you need to play.  To begin this golf adventure, we started by driving 10 hours across Ohio and Pennsylvania into New Jersey.  Once the first day’s drive was complete, we could look forward to 13 rounds of golf over the next 14 days.  It is now on to Great River Golf Club (#57 Last Ranked in 2009) in Milford CT.  This has been the only public course in Connecticut to have ever been ranked by Golf Digest.

Day two began with a somewhat stressful two hour drive around Newark and New York City that was necessary to get to Milford, CT.  Once we arrived at Great River Golf Club, it was well worth the effort.  This is a beautiful facility and a real test of golf.  Built in 2001 by Tom Fazio, we found it to be in outstanding condition in every way.  It was purchased last year by Sacred Heart University so I was not sure what to expect but it was top notch.  The entire staff was very friendly, helpful and accommodating from the bag drop boy, to the shop staff, the starter, the Asst. Superintendent that we talked to twice on the course to the beverage cart girl.  When you play a course that is ran primarily for the membership, it is always interesting how they treat public players and I would be quick to give them an A+ in this regard.  Although this course has not been in the Top 100 since the 2009 ratings, it is one that could easily return to those special rankings.  I think it is one of the most interesting, challenging yet enjoyable Tom Fazio courses that I have played.  There are several outstanding holes in this design which keeps the round very interesting. Monty’s restaurant in the clubhouse is a wonderful place for lunch.  High marks for this Connecticut gem.

Even though the next course on our trip, Orchards Golf Club, in South Hadley, MA is not a Top 100 public course, we had to work this Donald Ross gem into our trip.  This is the home course of Mike and Margie, two friends we met last spring at Caledonia Golf Course (#73 on Current List) in Pawley’s Island, SC.  When they heard we were planning a New England golf trip, they graciously invited us to stop in for a round of golf and lunch at Orchards Golf Club.  This course is private and is owned by Mount Holyoke College.  It hosted the United States Women’s Open in 2004 in addition to other top events in the past and the design is typical Ross greatness.  Although the playing areas were in very nice condition, the all girls’ college that inherited this course is not providing enough resources to keep the periphery areas such as the rough, bunkers and wetlands in the condition that they deserve.  I just read that they have an endowment fund in the area of $700 million so it is a shame that some of the income from this investment could not be funneled into this  treasure of a golf course they own.  Despite this small issue, we absolutely enjoyed our day with Mike and Margie and loved the opportunity to enjoy this classic golf course.  Also, we loved the original clubhouse that has been well kept and remodeled into a very useable facility that fits perfectly with the history of this club and course.  Anyone that has the opportunity to play this course should jump at the chance.

The third course played on this trip is the only public course in Massachusetts that has ever made the Golf Digest Top 100 Public Rankings.  Granite Links (#73  Last Ranked in 2009) located in Quincy, MA is a 27 hole facility that sits just 7 miles from Boston.  It has a beautiful setting high atop a very hilly area that has stunning views of the Boston skyline.  We played the Granite and Milton layouts and really enjoyed the day.  The Granite nine has some holes that wind around abandoned granite quarries that add some interest to the course that you seldom see elsewhere.  The Milton nine works its way up and down the hillsides that are covered with long brown fescue that provides a nice  contrast to the green well manicured fairways.  There is a lot of target golf on this layout so you need to be aware of the hazards and because of the many dogleg holes, the yardage to the end of the fairways is critical.  I like a course with a mix of these holes but there were more than normal and depending on the tee you play from, the driver is taken out of your hands quite often.  The entire course was in top condition but with its location near the city, the large netted driving range and the enormous clubhouse and restaurant it did not have the traditional laid back atmosphere that I enjoy.  It is definitely a commercial facility, but once on the course, you can get lost in the views and the design.  Also, the $150 green fee is worth the experience once or twice a year but would make it difficult for me to justify multiple rounds despite being an outstanding course.  The staff was friendly and helpful, especially the starter, Eddie.  He may be a Red Sox fan but he still liked my favorite team,the Cleveland Indians, as they hired the former Red Sox manager Terry Francona.  That has to be worth something.

Day four meant that it was time to experience a little Maine golf.  We began with a trip to Carrabassett Valley to play Sugarloaf Golf Club (#45  Last Ranked in 2007).  When playing a course from the rankings that has not been listed for several years, it is always interesting to see why they have fallen off.  After playing this Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design, I have no idea why.  This course was outstanding in every way.  The condition was impeccable, the views outstanding and the design was extremely varied and interesting.  With the elevation changes, slopes, bunkering, trees and the rocky stream that comes into play on several holes, it is a challenging course to play (Slope 141 from the white tees) but fair and very beautiful.  The course was opened in 1985 and the clubhouse that was added in 2005 is an outstanding addition.  It is not overly large but contains a nice golf shop and a dining room that provides nice views of the course while serving a variety of lunches.  If I was forced to find any areas of improvement it would be the following: The bunkers which were finely manicured contain a lot of small pebbles and gravel in the sand, the ladies tees were a bit of a stretch at 5,289 yards especially with so many holes playing uphill and a very ordinary 18th hole that was somewhat anticlimactic after playing the previous seventeen.  Holes 10 thru 14 are particularly  gorgeous and architect Jones was correct when he called these holes his “string of pearls”.  If ever in Maine, make the effort to play this stunning beauty.

The second course from Maine that has made Golf Digest Top 100 Public courses is Belgrade Lakes (#87 on Current List).  This Clive Clark masterpiece has all the attributes that make you want to play it every day.  The entire staff was very welcoming and helpful from the moment we arrived.  This even included  Tonka the lab that led us into the pro shop after greeting us.  Andy, the head pro, is from Scotland and went out of his way to be sure we enjoyed our visit.  From the first tee which sets on the property’s highest point, you can see beautiful Belgrade Lake in the distance as well as much of the course below.  Each hole is a delight to play and the condition was outstanding in every way.  Many of the holes were lined with walls of rocks which never really came into play but certainly created added interest.  Many of the bunkers were lined in the back with railroad ties on end in a fan shape that also added a nice look.  Belgrade Lakes has to be included on my list of favorite courses that I have ever played.  I saw Andy at the turn and was kidding him that even though I lived in Ohio, I would like to become a member.  He thanked me for the compliment but mentioned that membership was by invitation only and they currently only had 15.  The public is fortunate that this course is always open for them to enjoy. It certainly deserves to be on the Top 100 list and I would not be surprised to see it move up that list in the year’s ahead.