The 15th is the longest of a short set of par fives at 515 yards. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The latest version of the Master Plan was released in 2013, and it involved the moving of mounds on Nos. This approach plays slightly uphill to a small, undulating green surrounded by deep bunkers. Club records indicate that construction on the course commenced in summer 1922. The tee shot on the par 4, 5th is one of the most intimidating on the course with two big bunkers in the middle of the fairway to contend with and wetlands all down the right. The A.V. The collective result of those changes has been nothing short of spectacular. MARION, MASSACHUSETTS | Competitors in last weeks Massachusetts Amateur had the pleasure of playing one of the Bay States best golf courses at the Kittansett Club. One particularly devastating bunker is a crossbunker that juts onto the left fairway about 100 yards short of the green. This has been a habit with you Selectmen for far too long. A Kittansett club wedding was a dream of Molly's. She grew up spending summers in Marion, surrounded by the sea and spending time with her family. But taking out the chain saws was not only about bringing back the vistas. 4 through No. More often the cross hazards come earlier in the golf hole. At just 155 yards, this world-famous hole plays directly over the Ocean to an island green surrounded by beach sand. I find it interesting how the parking lot and practice areas are found on some of the most beautiful parts of the property, but I think it speaks to the strength of the inland holes that this isnt more readily apparent. That served to reinforce the wisdom of the work Hanse had already completed with help first from Kittansett golf course superintendent, Lenny Blodgett, and then his successor, John Kelly as it also acted as a guide for future work. But the discovery of a trove of documents in a Pennsylvania barn in the early 2000s revealed that the actual designer was William Flynn, one of the masters of the so-called Philadelphia school of architecture and a man whose credits include Pine Valley and Shinnecock Hills. (LogOut/ I paid the fine and Im living up to the agreement.. Originally only open to high rollers like Shadow Creek, Cascata is now fully public but doesnt receive much play and commands a hefty $400+ pricetag. The 470 yard par 4 17th is one of my favorite holes at Cascata as a beautiful sweeping, downhill dogleg left. Here's a rare chance to see it for yourself, with a member from the club in your group to show the way. The green itself sits about 4-5 feet above the bunker, and the water from the cove comes in on the right-hand side. This approach is a bit more challenging with large bunkers 60 yards short on the left and to the right of the green. According to Hanse, his initial mission was to restore the unique architecture of the layout while also enhancing its look, conditioning and playability. There were some 2,500 others in the gallery and Golf World reported that a large majority besieged Jones for autographs. Tabor paid Briggs Excavation $8,030 for the work. Most critics point to the 16th as the best par 4 at Kittansett and I have to agree. Member Services Representative (Former Employee) - Marion, MA - November 1, 2015. Using it for golf as well would make it more cost-effective. The Kittansett Club is a Please contact the clubhouse For membership rates & information Course Info Location and Contact 11 Point Road, Marion, MA, 02738 kittansett.org update website (508) 748-0148 update phone Have you golfed here? But once you get out of the top 10 or 20 courses in the world, everyones personal golf bucket list tends to diverge a bit. Fun work place with very supportative management. I imagine this hole floods or becomes a true island green when the tide is up. In summer 2022, it hosts only its second USGA event, the Senior Amateur Championship. As for the Conservation Commissions need for a better relationship with Tabor: Much of the academys waterfront property is located in a flood plain and wetlands, and therefore subject to Conservation Commission overview for building projects. The land provided well-drained and unusually fine fairways and greens. An 18-hole golf course became a possibility when in the early 1920's a group of residents bought the land on Butler's Point, which until that time had been occupied solely by the Beverly Yacht Club. From this vantage, at this introductory stage, its perhaps too easy to lump Kittansett in with the dozens of quirky, antique but ultimately docile, wind-dependent tracks that dot the Northeastern coastline. Kittansett has hosted the state amateur four times; each time it set a record for the number of entries. This undulating green is guarded by tall trees on the left and bunkers on either side. That finish of Ronnie Whites made us all proud to be British.. Now there was a great player, he said. This integrated piece appeared as a course feature and Walker Cup sidebar in LINKS Magazine during the summer of 2006. This green is one of the largest on the course. 12 and 13. It makes for an interesting choice off the tee. Beverly's clubhouse was only open for a short portion of the year in general but was actually used only on two weeks of official race days. Briggs said he signed the disposition agreement March 15. The club has followed through by continuing to fell trees, opening up never-before-seen vistas on the point holes 1, 2, 16, 17 and 18. And so Kittansett remains a bit of a mystery guest, even to Bay State golfers. Littler and Jackson were eventually penalized two holes, placing them three down on the fourth tee. His troubles seemed to coincide with the controversy that arose when Tabor Academy, for the purposes of expediency, circumvented the towns building process for the construction of Duffy Field under the Dover Amendment, which allows schools and hospitals to bypass most town boards to perform construction. Im not sure people realize just how difficult this golf course really is, says Steve Demmer, the head pro here since 1994 [departed in 2014]. The project was soon undertaken by a group of local golf enthusiasts, many who gave generously of their time and financial resources to support the construction of Kittansett. When the rough and wind are up [and they usually are], this is a lot of golf course.. This hole plays 175 yards to a wide yet shallow green surrounded by deep bunkers and fescue. Those who go left or long will find a bunker at 195 yards or worse be OB. By all geographical rights the course should be links-like, but trees line two thirds of the routing and the soil isnt sandy at all, meaning it seldom plays hard and fast outside the dog days of summer. So does the USGAs decision to stage the U.S. Senior Amateur here in autumn 2022, the year of the clubs centennial. This is certainly one of the easier holes out there and one of several holes on the course that provides the golfer numerous options. Designed by William Flynn and Frederic Hood in 1922 (it was restored by architect Gil Hanse in 1998), Kittansett was not particularly well known prior to the 53 Walker Cup. Featuring a crossbunker on the left at 170 yards and dense forest down the left, this difficult teeshot causes many golfers to bailout right, leaving a more difficult approach possibly blocked out by trees. The fairways, teeboxes, and greens are meticulously kept and the course has very little rough, instead featuring both swampy marshland and dry hardpan for those who venture offline. From the back tee, 241 yards away, the tiny exposed portion of the putting surface appears to sit precariously (and inaccessibly) at the edge of the world, 15 feet above a bunker bounded by ball-sucking bogs. There are a number of very good golf holes with interesting routing, and a beautiful setting. Perhaps the best hole on the course is No. Donald Cherry was a Cup newcomer but didnt look particularly green in winning his singles match 9 and 7 over Norman Drew. Yet Kittansetts length (6,814 yards, par 70), its smallish, steeply pitched greens, its overall strategic mettle were undiminished. The land the new police station sits on was donated by Tabor to the town for the purpose of building a new police station. But fescue in the rough, some fairway mounding, and bunkers can still punish shots that arent well placed you especially notice this on the par 4, 2nd. Congressman from its Second District went 2-0, winning his foursomes match with Ward, 9 and 8, and clinching the Cup with another landslide victory in singles, 7 and 5 over Roy MacGregor. Theres a giant crossbunker about 50 yards short and three deep ones on both sides of the green. This green is relatively flat, but plays elevated with slopes on all sides. So now we were faced with a 23o yard tee shot into the wind, with a very tricky green. Located in this sleepy sailing village on Buzzards Bay just west of Cape Cod, it is a Golden Age classic, routed across an exposed, often windswept spit of land and through more sheltered swathes of New England woods. With the U.S. Senior Amateur visiting Butler Point this week, it seemed a fine time to place this story above the fold.]. This hole features another demanding teeshot with a narrow fairway lined by marshland and trees on either side. Before coming to Kittansett, I was expecting the course to be much more open than it is. Its a very nice setting with the clubhouse off to the left, and is the shortest of the par 5s at Kittansett. Framed by cedar shake houses and the loveliest view of the Atlantic, Kittansett has a special place in the heart of all who visit. In other cases, its much more prominent, as youll find on 10. Epic experience.. A time when the British played one ball (1.62 inches in diameter) and the Americans another (1.68), when all matches were contested over 36 holes, a time when players were ultimately judged by the skill with which they deflected adulation when a point might well be refused if it hadnt been earned in the spirit of fair play. This hole reminds me a lot of the 5th atWannamoisettwith the ideal line playing over mounds at the right corner. Too long and youre in the bunkers across the fairway. 6, 10 and 13 a bit further from the tees. They had to put the rocks somewhere, Demmer says with a smile and a shrug. Although my least favorite of the three, Weequahic offers strong value and a more than adequate layout for public golfers in the New York metro area. Then, there were the angles with which Flynn endowed so many of the holes. For instance, Ive always loved mountain golf and Wade Hampton is one course that is in my personal top 10 Id like to play. Hundreds of trees have been eliminated revealing the original contouring of the course, and nearly all of the greens and bunkers have been restored to their original design. Kittansett is the only golf course on Hoods resume; he never designed nor built another. We were hosting an Eighty Club event at Old Sandwich and Boston Golf Club, and I tacked on an extra day to the trip to make the journey out to Marion and experience a course Ive been excited about visiting for years. 13. Go further to the right and youll have the best angle in towards the green, but be more likely to catch the 3rd mound. With the Ocean glistening in the background to remind you where you are, the 14th is the last of an amazing collection of one-shotters. The hole looks pretty innocent from the tee, but there is more to it than initially meets the eye. At 505 yards, the 7th is the first and best par 5 youll encounter at Kittansett. The most famous hole at Kittansett comes early in the round in the form of the 167-yard par 3, 3rd hole. In an age when clubs pay architects millions of dollars to return their courses to some original, classic ideal (real or imagined), Kittansett has charted a more honest, practical course ever capitalizing on its superb routing, features and location to make the course incrementally better, more classic and stern than its ever been, but never something it has never been. And on other occasions, Flynn made them more pronounced, as on the fourth, which doglegs sharply to the right. Kittansett Club Team Growth. The 18th with the clubhouse and outdoor patio bar over on the left. Playing back towards the clubhouse with a busy road on your right, this hole features a generous fairway especially the further left you go. The course needed a facelift, said Jim Osborne, who was green chairman at the time. This hole features one of the coolest green complexes Ive played with what I can best describe as a diagonal Biarritz with the left side higher than right. As for the largely blind, uphill green, it is protected by bunkers left and right. But work still needed to be done. Designed by myThem.es. You may use these HTML tags and attributes: document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2021. True All Day Pants Review: Damn Good (Golf) Pants. Very accomodating to employees' needs. Out by the 7th tee box theres a 9-foot signpost that shows the high-water marks of the major hurricanes that have blown through here over the years: 1938, 1944, 1954 (Carol), 1991 (Bob). Originally, it was the Native Americans who led the Plymouth settlers and their cattle to the warmer winter pastures on these shores. They are, in fact, enough to humble and beguile just about anyone in any sort of weather. The first tee time isnt until 1 on Mondays, so the course and club was pretty quiet. The building of the course is a bit of an anomaly. With the tee box on the left, and also being a dogleg left, its already a very tricky hole for anyone who plays a fade, or in my case, hard slice. This hole plays dead straight with thick forest running down the right the entire way. Town of Marion, Massachusetts, United States View. Known for being an exclusively male club, Augusta recently opened its doors to three. Several experts had been consulted regarding the course layout, including William Flynn, but it was founding member Frederic C. Hood who undertook the actual construction of the course based on his considerable knowledge of American and British golf courses of that day. General Comments:Kittansetts clubhouse is understated, but gives off a classic New England summer charm. It was nice to have the extra time to wander around and soak in the setting. You and those before you have made a habit of these tainted appointments for years and years. And theres a good chance driver will be too much and take you through the fairway. Marion, MA 02738 Clubhouse: (508) 748-0148 Pro Shop: (508) 748-0192 Employment 34 F | Wind 12 mph Copyright 2020 The Kittansett Club Site by Clubessential Options Close Site Options Hide Settings Images ( ) & CTES ( ) Object Plugins FED With the wind usually howling, this is an exhilarating teeshot and one you wont soon forget. In some areas its more subtle (like on the 2nd fairway for instance.) American James Jackson was another type of newcomer in 1953, playing his first Walker Cup foursomes match on the Friday when he unwittingly instigated the events most poignant moment. Despite being a mostly out-and-back course, it weaves in a nice selection of doglegs in both directions with straight holes as well, and you see this throughout the back 9. The most common ethnicity at Kittansett Club is White (76%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (10%) and Black or African American (6%). Selectmen seemed hesitant to act immediately. At about 280 yards, rough and a bunker on the left bisect this fairway. A giant sandy wasteland bisects the fairway at about 260 yards and is in play off the tee. (Credit to this SI article for additional details). Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab), Bill Murray and Wynonna Judd spotted at Newport restaurant, Jill Biden visited a beloved Boston seafood restaurant, Complaint about Bill Murray leads Searchlight to halt filming of Being Mortal. Kittansett has a lot of subtlety to it, and I imagine with more plays Id grow to appreciate it even more. Kittansett hosted U.S. When you get your first glimpse of the club on the left-hand side my GPS was telling me Id arrived. The New England ground produced glacial stone and Hood built mounds to cover these huge boulders. The rest, to be believed, must be experienced first-hand. Being as exposed as it is, its clear much of the courses defense can come from the elements. History:Long thought to be the work of amateur architect Frederic C. Hood, recent discoveries indicate that William Flynn deserves credit for the layout. A club was formed and the course was built with play beginning in 1923. But these situations of local trades and business people serving and doing business with the municipalities they serve has confounded small town public government for years. We all have our list of bucket list courses. Finally, in March of this year, while Briggs was on a motorcycling vacation in Florida, he got a call from his attorney saying the Ethics Commission was ready to sign an agreement to resolve the matter. The wind had shifted, so while we thought wed be heading back towards the clubhouse with the wind at our back that wasnt the case. Some of that credit goes to Hanse who recommended some serious tree clearing when he first refurbished the bunkers in 1995 (adding fescued eyelashes to each one, a perfect fit). At 385 yards, the 6th is another difficult sub-400 yard par 4 that features another awkward teeshot. So check this out for a more detailed retelling of the history of Kittansett Club. The Country Club is definitely Massachusetts' best course and then it is a battle among Kittansett, Boston Golf Club, and Old Sandwich as the state's next best track. Many of the games greats were indeed on hand for the event. This is a great closing match play par 5 where birdies will fly. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window). Not even the members, who are used to the carries, the obstacles and the speed of the greens. Its a fun all-or-nothing hole, and is certainly one of the highlights of the round. The 380 yard 9th is one of the weaker holes on the course as a straightaway par 4 lined by tall trees on both sides. The right corner of the dogleg is lined by deep bunkers while a hidden pond guards the left. Matt. With a teebox in the middle of a marsh, this is a difficult teeshot with a forced carry of 160 yards and dogleg not coming until 225 yards. It feels quaint, subdued, and local in a good way. Sure enough, in the early 2000s plans for the course were found in William Flynns attic. But considering, again, there was no water in sight, I had a feeling a still had a little ways to go (The GPS sends you to the halfway house after the 9th hole). I think it was because the foreman for that job got fired for sleeping on the job and stealing, Briggs said. With a carry over fescue and bunker, this green is guarded on either side by deep bunkers and slopes extremely hard back-to-front. But that has to end, say some. View key info about Course Database including Course description, Tee yardages, par and handicaps, scorecard, contact info, Course Tours, directions and more. A cross bunker comes into play from the left on tee shots, and the best move is taking on that hazard with ones drive, keeping the ball on that side of the fairway for a more open approach to the green. Briggs said he tried to resolve this issue last summer, but the Ethics Commission kept delaying the process. The approach to this small undulating green is guarded by a deep bunker on the left. Generation Zero Now Available for Purchase, Late-Nineties Flashback: The Great Maine Golf Course Binge, In Iceland, It Truly Is a Matter of Degree, Generation Zero:The modern Creation epic U.S. soccer didnt know it had, available July 19, Forty-Eight Years Late: Celts, Dubs Redeem an NBA Final That Never Was. The opening holes provide wide fairways with generous landing areas. Although the land is flat, Hood and Flynn sculpted numerous mounds and subtle elevations throughout that add to the courses tremendous character. The clubhouse is perched at the point of the peninsula which has 270-degree views of Buzzards Bay. After he and Littler dropped the first hole to Wilson and MacGregor (dubbed the sporting goods team by one press wag,) Jackson discovered he was carrying 16 clubs, having failed to remove his brassie and an extra wedge after warming up. Indeed, on a largely tree-lined golf course, its hard to imagine a seasoned architect would have placed such a proliferation of fairway-impeding obstacles. This hole is perhaps the courses only routing blemish as the 8th green is near the 9th and you have to walk the length of the hole backwards to reach the teebox. 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