Fall Golf

It is the best, isn't it?

Boston Golf in Photos.01

Here's #10 from the end of the fairway

Another view of the Principal's Snout

Fuller view of #18

Keep checking back

Anchored Putters

All the rage, causing such a stir that there will absolutely be:

A Joint Announcement/Statement within 2-3 weeks from USGA as regards anchored putters. Look for it. Many have commented since it is now such a buzz prompting this. At the USGA level it will be from Executive, not Rules, therefore no "change in the rules" as recently released.

Boston Golf Club

1 Three Creek 521 10 Mae’s 412
2 Rushmore 418 11 Petrified 188
3 Redan 430 12 Gate 430
4 Wizard’s Cap 438 13 Knuckle Bucket 487
5 Shipwreck 317 14 Big Sky 443
6 Wild Turkey 165 15 Coyote Trail 560
7 Penniman Hill 460 16 Principal’s Nose 341
8 Bent Pine 232 17 American Chestnut 585
9 Geronimo 458 18 Stonewall 195

Par 5 #15 Coyote Trail





Here's a rare look at Boston Golf Club. The full course opened in 2005, it is a private, walking only artisan club with a golf course to match. The main buildings are smaller in total than many a country club member’s home in America and are masterpieces of fine art, not unlike the golf club. Hardwoods such as red oak, ash, walnut and cherry comprise the materials of the member’s locker room and pro shop as well as the main house, a very modest place for a sandwich and a drink. Very New England craftsman - very understated.

The golf course stands out in the world of today where words unique, superior, outstanding and special have lost their meaning and need superlatives to further qualify them when discussing cars, wine, hotels and of course golf courses. Boston Golf Course is. It is unique, a refuge for golf unlike the others. Gil Hanse with Jim Wagner, Bill Kittleman and Rodney Hine (who remained on as keeper of the green) defined the soul of Boston Club from its outset merely given the task of finding the best golf course there. Each devised a routing separately and in the course there are holes incorporated from each. On the site one has evocation of Colt, Mackenzie and Braid. There is a tie to Pine Valley, one to the Heathlands and to the ancient birthplace of the game in Scotland. There is a timelessness that belies the less than ten years of existence, it is all about the ancient game at Boston Club, rarely is the ground not in play. Bold shots, greens, bunkering, angles and cunning define much of the course. The smart player will gain his reward, conservative play often only delays the quality shot to be played and one is never enough.
Par 3 #18


There is a very special par 3 that ends the round and only three par 5’s to be found at the very beginning and then in the final four. All of the par 3 holes invoke a rare definitive strategic interest in their play from each day’s pinning. A par 4 beckons from the card at only the 300 yard mark where a par will usually win you a point and two seemingly perfect shots can merely break your heart. Other fours can require well over 200 yards for regulation play after your best drive.
Shipwreck #5 317 yds. Five Green

Glacial Moraine features define the astonishing topography which does not afford a level lie.
Rushmore #2 Par 4 418 yds

Redan Par 4 #3


Par 4 #4







Water is minimally in play as wetland areas, the driving zones are generous with a great variety in contour and short grass providing indecision for even the best players at the green complexes. The putting surfaces are such that during a recent five-ball with five single caddies virtually every putt was carefully studied by each of these experienced caddies There was always something to learn and further master. Large natural slopes are blended seamlessly with enhanced contours from the craftsmen who built this course to make putting a joy of experience and experimentation. Sometimes making a decision and waiting to see what happens is what you do.

Such is golf at Boston an adventure that is spiritual and addictive encouraging the emergency nine after the round is complete; that back to the first or tenth tee feeling is always there.

• Routing – Natural topography is simply stunning and the design team’s hand is rarely evident. Magnificent contours are everywhere on a landscape that constantly beckons. It is utilized for a walk that is up down and around a series of features that often surprise the golfer on the initial visit.

• Overall quality of individual holes are such that there are many different favorites and favorite stretches.
Par 3’s – 8 or 9-iron to possible fairway wood
Par Three #11

Par 4’s – Wide variety in length, shot demand and strategic flexibility
Par 5’s – Reachable? Sometimes - but not without risk at any time, fifteen the least so and seventeen perhaps the most accessible

• Cohesion of the course. There are two separate nines connected with a short ride from 9 to ten and to the first to start the round, but each can be walked.

• Green Complexes – Short grass that functions as green is a common design feature of links and classic courses and of the Hanse group's work. There is far more than the putting surfaces which range from the tiny 5th and 16th to the expansive second, eighth, eleventh and fifteenth, but they are generally smaller than most modern courses.

#12 green enhanced to show contours

• Bunkering schema – Much native flora is to be found around and in the bunkers and shapes are natural. Hell’s third-acre separates the fifteenth and small pots are everywhere. The bunkers enhance the beauty of every hole.

• Conditioning – Fescue and bent grasses are of “take a divot home” quality.

• Appropriate Vegetation – This is New England Heathland. Parts of the course yielded the fantastic hardwoods that make up the buildings, lockers and furniture in the buildings. I dare you not to rub the wood in the locker room and bar.

• Ideally - A challenge for the talented player, creation of joy for the less-talented one is achieved and the forward tees allow flexibility, but as with all courses of great quality the absolute beginner is relegated to St. Andrew’s Old Course.

• The rest of the Club - easy does it. This IS a proper locker room.
Museum-Quality Locker Room
The bar, place to eat and the rest is a modern museum of woodworking. 20 different whiskys and ten gins? No, not yet.

• Milieu – Perhaps the most astonishing and vexing thing about Boston is that it is 20 miles from Bunker Hill yet one feels as though they are off in the Outlands of Maine. No 4-6 hour flight followed by a 200 mile drive to “get away”.

Well, I am certainly as big a fan of Boston as anyone. For all the great quality the Boston Club possesses, I defer to a gentleman I greatly respect, one not given to hyperbole, one who grew up in the finest courses that this country has. Recently he told Rodney the superintendent and myself that “Boston Golf was likely the finest inland course that I have ever seen”. I personally cannot wait for my next round. Astute readers will note that I gave ***.

more photos forthcoming.

Here's the crew except Jim Wagner with an interloper back in May, 2000

North Shore Redux

1 New Leaf 10 Eden
2 Sahara 11Woods
3 Road 12 Hilltop
4 Highlands 13 St. Christopher’s
5 Biarritz 14 Double Plateau
6 Punchbowl 15 Dell
7 Bandon 16 Ravine
8 Pond 17 Short
9 Redan 18 Westward Ho!

Original, unedited post Not to ruffle the club, I followed the release. Doak appears was right in the Confidential Guide to Golf Courses after all. Steve Schaffer and Mark Hissey extensively researched the provenance and the comments after noted the original post. Here's today's take and the link gives you a first impression taking the presentation as given and documenting the course without confrontation. Read in whatever order you prefer. Notedly I used "shenanigans" in each.

North Shore Country Club on Long Island in New York is a special little place; I first visited in 2009 the spring after the financial crisis unfolded. The club had been particularly hard hit and was particularly vulnerable to the forces of the crisis. There had been a significant loss of members and the club had unwittingly become a notice in the Wall Street Journal as a victim directly affected by Bernie Madoff’s shenanigans. Fortunately that part of history is history. The MWGA (Metropolitan Golf Writers Association) was invited to a spring 2009 outing to help foster a more favorable press for the struggling club. A proud notation of Tillinghast as the designer was offered and curiously when all research was completed a single confirmation of Tillinghast ever being on site was uncovered. The club originally thought that Tillie was responsible for their course. An expert on Macdonald, Banks and Raynor thought that they were the architects and even Robert White’s name figured in the discussion since he had been the golf professional in early years. Persistence and diligence in research led to confirmation that this course was indeed the first of Seth Raynor. On-site visits from Charles Blair Macdonald coincided with his working on the nearby design at Piping Rock - one of the few bearing his name as designer of record, a bit of a coup in itself.

Much of the design historical information was eventually found in the records of a German Jewish City Club – The Harmonie Club (some actually in Gothic German) helping clear and confirm the unique and enviable place in the history of American Golf Architecture that the North Shore CC holds. My own first look at the club’s architecture was the then (and now) 13th hole - a challenging par 4 with a very tilted and contoured green; in and of itself, not necessarily a defining hole architecturally but one of considerable merit. It was however the 14th hole that first engaged me and led me to consider that someone other than Tillinghast was the designer. I felt that green was a hybrid Biarritz Double Plateau – having a diagonal trench and two flattish areas within the more than 10,000 square feet of putting surface. The scale and contours were in my experience fairly far out of the realm of Tillinghast’s style. Once I reached the then (and now) third hole with its magnificent Road Hole green complex MB&R came firmly to mind. Much existing architecture was enhanced, some altered and some bold new additions have been and are continuing under the hand of Tom Doak. Mike Butler the caddiemaster was my TourGuide able to answer many varied questions and offer up for review the newest changes and additions.

Every hole is now named; new green complexes responsible for the Biarritz at #5, Punchbowl at six, an expanded and relatively softened green in the hollow now Dell at fifteen and the short seventh – again somewhat drivable at 322? given the moniker “Bandon” honoring the two courses at that most attractive of destination resorts in North America. It most recalls characteristics of #6 at Pacific Dunes (In reach but with death to a hook with a finicky green) to me, but I’ll have to ask Tom to be certain. Green re-work has gone on at 4, 11 & 12 and expansion and/or modification is planned for 8 (Pond), 9 (Redan), 10 (Eden), 13 (St. Christopher’s) and the sublime par 5 sixteenth (Ravine).

The de novo construction of holes 1 & 2 and 17 & 18 constitute the wholesale changes with each pair being rebuilt on the footprint of the other. The new uphill #1 is New Leaf, the second is a drivable Sahara at 311. Seventeen is now a lovely Short (max 125) as of yet to yield an ace. It is one of if not the most contoured green Doak has built to date. Eighteen (Westward Ho!) at 639 will eventually yield to two shots as nothing is out of reach these days and the hole is downhill; a single fairway bunker on the left can easily be cleared by the longest hitters and there is no other hazard until the green complex. It seems to me another of Doak’s apparent homage to Mackenzie’s #16 at Crystal Downs – somewhat similarly devoid of hazards to outright slugging. There as here, it is not a concept I am particularly enamored with as my readers know I am not fond of long par 5’s nor of a fiver at 1, 9, 10 or 18. The green complex is bunkered short left and long right – favoring the draw preferred by long hitting right-handers, but difficult to pull off from a downhill lie. Thoughtful, but not engaging to me.

Planned green renovations are exciting to look forward to and bunkers will be re-worked; The eighth known as Pond has yet to be touched nor is the Redan 9th. North Shore has turned the corner and is a very worthy visit. It always was but not it is getting ready for the big stage. Always a wonderful place to go, it is already notably improved and more is on the way!

Routing - Very efficient and one also would not notice the new holes were you not to be aware of changes. Fairly large elevation change from below the 11th tee to the 12th green is all uphill, but in an appropriate part of the round.

Par 3’s - The four templates of MB&R all well done. From 120 to 250, short to Biarritz. Each is an excellent version whether Doak or Raynor.

Par 4’s - A rather great diversity from drivable at 2 & 7 to a healthy mid or long iron on three.

Par 5’s - Ravine will be the most beautiful as it is one of the most beautiful holes on Long Island - and a wonderful hole.

Cohesion - Integration of new into old is outstanding although the new greens being so new are easy to pick out.

Green Complexes - All very interesting whether new or old

Bunkering Schema - Raynor and Raynor-esque go hand in hand. Relatively forgiving fairway bunkers are welcomed.

Conditioning - It was very exciting to see a pulled core full out aeration of most of the fairways. The greens were perfect.

Appropriate Vegetation - Check. Nothing silly.

Ideality - more geared to the club player but all but the most skilled amateurs and touring pros will be challenged tee to green and all will be tested there, but not beat up.

Rest of Club - NO Kummel, I assume and Single Malts were few. All keeping in line with the relatively light-drinking typicality of such a club.

Milieu - Basically a stone's throw from LaGuardia dn the Long Island Expressway (LIE aka I-495) and even within shouting distance of Manhattan. Despite all of this one senses a very peaceful, relaxed detachment from the mayhem that constitutes a trip on the Cross-Bronx Expressway connecting this part of the world with the majority of the USA. GREAT Milieu.