2020 Golfing Magazine New England Fall Issue

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• Golf on Cape Cod • The Club at New Seabury • Newport National Golf Club • Instruction from Local Pros • Must Play Courses New England Edition Fall 2020

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

New England Fall 2020 Volume 46

Issue 4

golfing M A G A Z I N E™

FALL 2020

Publisher Tom Landers TLanders@GolfingMagazine.net Creative Director Heidi Dyer Production@GolfingMagazine.net Editor John Torsiello Editor@GolfingMagazine.net Contributing Writers John DiCocco Claudio DeMarchi Mike May Mike Stinton George Connor, PGA Sue Kaffenburg, PGA Lucas Hitchcock, PGA Ron Beck, PGA Jimmy Damiano, PGA Contributing Photographer Mark William Paul

BOYNE Golf FROM THE PUBLISHER

6 Fall Golf FEATURES

8 The Ultimate Golf Vacation BOYNEgolf, Michigan’s Magnificent Ten

INSTRUCTION

30 Short Game Tip 31 Three Vital Components of the Stack and Tilt Golf Swing 32 Why Loading the Right Side Is Weighing Down Your Game

14 Santee, SC’s Winter 4-Ball Classic 16 Newport National Golf Club 18 The Club at New Seabury 20 Barnstable Golf on Cape Cod 22 Autumn, Golf and Cape Cod 26 Fairways of Life with Matt Adams 29 Historic Wethersfield Country Club

MUST PLAYS

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Cold Spring Country Club Crystal Lake Golf Club Wentworth Hills Golf Club Heather Hill Country Club Newton Commonweath GC Blackstone National Golf Course

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Editorial Contributions should be mailed to above address or emailed to the publisher. Material accepted is subject to revisions necessary to meet requirements of the publication. The act of delivering material shall express a warranty by contributor that material is original and does not infringe on the rights of others. Reproduction of the contents of this publication is prohibited with written permission of the publisher. Publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Golfing Magazine is published five times annually.

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t’s hard to believe summer has whipped by us and the cool days and evenings of autumn have settled upon us. But golf is not slowing down. Indeed, fall is probably the best time to play the game, with the heat of the summer months past us and the weather conducive to ideal growing conditions for grass, meaning the fairways and greens are lush and inviting.

In this issue of Golfing Magazine we give you the lowdown on the courses on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where autumn and early winter treat us to some splendid late season golf. Indeed, unless Old Man Winter drops a foot of snow on the peninsula, the courses will remain open year round, if you don’t mind a little chill with your drives and seven-irons.

Cape Cod courses, and many more, are included in Golfing Magazine New England’s Course Play Stimulus Program. Now is the time to sign up for 2021 and play all the golf you could ever want. Call 860-5631633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net.

We also tell you about a great road trips I took this fall to Michigan where I sampled the superb cache of resorts and layouts under the Boyne Golf umbrella. Boyne’s courses are listed among the best in their respective states and one can argue they should be included in any list of the top tracks in the country. You simply must put Boyne Golf ’s courses, along with the resorts the company owns on your must play/must visit list for 2021.

We check in with noted golf broadcaster

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

and former general manager and president of Newport National Golf Club in Middleton, Rhode Island, Matt Adams. Adams has several new projects he’s working on. He’s been called the best interviewer in the game by many professionals.

Barnstable Golf on Cape Cod and the splendid Newport National Golf Club in Rhode Island are also profiled. You’ll also find valuable instructional tips from our cadre of top-notch golf pros, and read about several courses that you simply must sample this year.

You’ll also find valuable instructional tips from our cadre of top-notch golf pros, and read about several courses that you simply must sample this year.

It’s autumn and winter isn’t far behind.

But that doesn’t mean we need to put the sticks in the back of the closet. Enjoy our digital magazine. We hope you like the issue and hit ‘em straight and long.

All That Is Good,

Tom Landers, Publisher

golfing M A G A Z I N E™

2019 NATIONAL GOLF COURSE OF THE YEAR The Heather BEST GOLF RESORTS IN AMERICA BOYNE Golf — Forbes.com — 100 GREATEST PUBLIC COURSES The Heather #92, Links/Quarry #80 — Golf Digest — EDITOR’S CHOICE BEST GOLF RESORTS IN AMERICA Bay Harbor Golf Club & Inn at Bay Harbor — Golf Digest — TOP 100 RESORTS Buddies Trip BOYNE Golf Luxury Bay Harbor Golf Club & Inn at Bay Harbor — GOLF Magazine & GOLF.com —

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7

GETAWAY

The Ultimate Golf Vacation

Michigan’s Magnificent 10

By, Tom Landers and Chip Eichelberger

Aerial View of The Alpine and The Monument courses at Boyne Mountain Resort On a recent trip to Michigan, we learned why BOYNE Golf is one of the premiere golf destinations in the country for any type of golf getaway. What is important when you chose a golf vacation? A variety of courses, beauty of the landscape, the quality of service, affordability and accommodations are all on the list and BOYNE Golf checks all the marks.

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BOYNE Golf ’s courses and lodging in the northwest portion of lower Michigan provides perfect summer weather and long summer days, allowing you to play 36 holes or more very easily. In the summer you can play until 10 p.m.!

BOYNE Golf has 10 magnificent courses in its impressive cache, including two in the

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

Golf Digest Top 100 and has three distinct resorts located within 25 minutes of one another. BOYNE Golf can accommodate the needs of the most avid golfer and the casual golfer. It is the largest golf resort group in America north of the famous Pinehurst in North Carolina.

Our trip started in Hartford, Connecticut with a quick flight to Detroit, a connection to Traverse City, Michigan, followed by a scenic 90-minute drive along Lake Michigan to Petoskey. Many airports such as Newark and LaGuardia have direct flights into Traverse City, making Michigan an easy destination for the Northeast golfer.

Upon arrival on Sunday afternoon, we opened our five-day golf adventure on Crooked Tree Golf Club. Arthur Hills and his team of golf course architects recently completed a range of developments to Crooked Tree’s finishing holes, enhancing the charm and playability of an already amazing course. Crooked Tree is carved through stands of centuries-old hardwood and apple orchards, perched on bluffs high above Little Traverse Bay. The fairways of the first nine holes are lined by old-growth trees, which creates stunning sightlines from one hole to the next.

The back nine offer amazing views of Lake Michigan on most holes. The course is characterized by undulating greens that require careful, consistent putts for par.

After golf, we checked into the Boyne

Mountain Resort and prepared for the days to come, 36 holes a day for the next four days.

Day Two started at Boyne’s “Mountain” courses, The Alpine and The Monument.

After a 10-minute cart ride to the top of the mountain and the first tees of both courses, we went out to tame The Alpine in the morning and The Monument in the afternoon.

Both courses offer tremendous views of Deer Lake as you play down the backside of Boyne Mountain. The Alpine’s setting is every bit as breathtaking as its legendary design. The 18-hole course features 7,045 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 73.5 and it has a slope rating of 136 on bent grass. Designed by William Newcomb, The Alpine golf course opened in 1970. Six tee box options on all of the BOYNE Golf ’s courses make it enjoyable for all levels of golfers. Pick the length of course that suits your ability.

The Alpine is an open, playable layout that winds down the backside of Boyne Mountain. Solid drives are rewarded on the generous fairways and the forgiving greens can bolster confidence in your short game.

Each year, The Alpine plays host to Michigan’s Tournament of Champions. And once you’ve played the course, you’ll understand why.

The Monument course was crafted with nods to the design philosophies of a long list of legendary golf course architects. The Monument’s ever-changing personality contains a list of surprises. Borrowing traits from designers like Donald Ross, Alister Mackenzie, Robert Trent Jones, George Fazio and Pete Dye, The Monument lives up to its name as it pays homage to the game’s most important influences. Holes are dedicated to noteworthy players and key contributors. The course requires a complete game, with demanding fairways, and undulating greens that reward careful putting. This course did get the best of us that day. It is quite a test!

On Day Three, we played at BOYNE Golf ’s flagship property, Bay Harbor Golf Club’s 27-holes (Links, Quarry, Preserve) designed by Arthur Hills. It is nestled dramatically along a five-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline. We started with the Preserve/Links course. It was spectacular; holes ran both inland and along the bluffs

The 13th Hole of the Arthur Hills course at Boyne Highlands Resort overlooks 4000 acres of forestry and has a 400 foot drop from tee to green. www.GolfingMagazine.net

9

GETAWAY overlooking the lake. The two contrasting nines offered an unmatched variety of holes.

The Preserve winds its way through a classic northern Michigan landscape, taking players through wildflowers, lush grass, and native wetlands filled with an abundance of wildlife.

The sounds of breaking waves are always within an earshot, and the course finishes in dramatic fashion with a spectacular par-three situated on Lake Michigan’s shoreline. On The Links course, we found ourselves playing along the cliffs overlooking Lake Michigan.

The fairways were linked with wispy heather grasses that replicated the feeling a seaside links course in Ireland.

That afternoon, we played The Quarry, which winds its way through an immense, abandoned shale quarry. Impressive gorges surrounded by stone cliffs, natural ponds and a gentle waterfall are hallmarks. We found ourselves hitting shots on a classic golf layout, playing on the cliffs overlooking Lake Michigan, and ending with hitting shots down through a scenic rock-quarry. Very cool.

The three layouts could not have been more different and each one is spectacular with its own unique characteristics.

After a spectacular dinner overlooking Lake Michigan at the Inn at Bay Harbor, we moved to our next accommodations, Boyne Highlands Resort.

The morning of Day Three, we enjoyed the Arthur Hills course. A big, bold design; it kept building in an almost suspenseful way with one fun golf hole leading to another.

The fairways are wide, so you swing the driver freely. The greens are generous, but be warned, there is plenty of slope on the putting surfaces and having your golf ball on the proper level is imperative for good scoring. Coming to holes four and five you will notice towering pine trees lining the fairways and greens giving these holes a look of the Carolinas. Most memorable was the 13th hole, a par-five that features a downhill 400-foot drop from tee-togreen and a magical view of 4,000 acres!

That afternoon, we played The Heather.

The BOYNE Golf collection started in 1965

when founder Everett Kircher hired worldfamous architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr. to design The Heather and put Boyne Highlands on the map as more than a ski destination.

This design, selected as the 2019 National Golf Course Owners Course of the Year, is an old-school parkland classic with massive bunkers and challenging green complexes.

Our final day started with a round on The Moor course at Boyne Highlands, followed by a round on the Donald Ross Memorial layout in the afternoon. The Moor course is a favorite for those looking for a true test of their ability and is regarded by many as the most challenging among the BOYNE’s 10 courses. The Moor, featuring all-new “Tour” bunker sand represents a true test of game designed with numerous doglegs, twists and turns, the front nine of The Moor favors right-handed power fade hitters, with holes 1, 2, 7 and 9 showing their curves immediately off the tee.

The Donald Ross Memorial is a wonderful rendition of 18 great Ross holes from

The 5th Hole of the Arthur Hills course plays through the tall pines, reminding one of the Carolinas 10

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

around the world. Holes were carefully selected to match topography, and the green complexes are nearly perfect. Seminole, Oakland Hills, Pinehurst, and Inverness holes are among the amazing collection. This course is not to be missed in your BOYNE Golf adventure.

Aside from the unique layouts, what stood out about BOYNE Golf courses was the consistency of the courses, operationally, course maintenance and set up. While each course is different in design and character, we found tee boxes, fairways, rough and greens to be at the same high standards of conditioning. Grass lengths, in the fairways and in the roughs, were consistent at each layout and weeds were virtually non-existent anywhere. Most pleasing was the consistency in the speed of the greens from course to course. Once we figured out the speed of the putting surfaces on one course, putting became more enjoyable with each round, resulting in easy two-putts and several oneputts.

The second shot at 18th hole on The Monument course at Boyne Mountain Resort plays to an island green.

The 18th Hole of The Heather course at Boyne Highlands Resort www.GolfingMagazine.net

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BOYNE Golf clearly met all of the requirements for our great golf vacation and was recognized by FORBES.com as one of the Best Golf Resorts in America, along with Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, Whistling Straights, Kapalua, and Pinehurst.

As mentioned, BOYNE Golf is comprised of three separate resorts, Boyne Mountain Resort, Inn at Bay Harbor and Boyne Highlands Resort. Accommodations at Boyne Mountain Resort include hotel-style rooms at the resort hotel and townhouses located throughout the property. Adjacent to the resort hotel is a European-type ski village with plenty of options for food, drink and fun.

Boyne Mountain Resort houses the largest indoor water park and pool in Michigan.

12

The par-3 9th Hole of The Preserve course at Bay Harbor Golf Club

The 5th Hole of The Donald Ross Memorial course at Boyne Highlands Resort.

A replica of Hole #13 | Oak Hill Country Club, East Course; Rochester, New York Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

The Inn at Bay Harbor, a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel, has a spa and salon, award-winning restaurants, shopping and a marina. The Inn enchants with spectacular Lake Michigan and quarry views.

Newly renovated rooms and suites are ideal for an upscale golf outing, a family getaway, a romantic retreat or a relaxing sanctuary from everyday life.

For the golf junkies, we recommend setting up your base camp at Boyne Highlands Resort, where you have easy access to four golf courses and one of the biggest practice facilities in the country. Accommodations at Boyne Highland Resort include hotel-style rooms at the resort, townhomes on property and the Donald Ross cottages. There are plenty of food options at Boyne Highlands Resort and the Ross Golf Center. Also located at the entrance to Boyne Highlands is Teddy Griffins Roadhouse, referred to as “The Office” by the Boyne locals. Teddy’s is a local watering hole that just happens to have great food!

Several scenic Lake Michigan beach towns are close by, and a side trip to Mackinac Island is easily managed to round out the total experience. Guests can enjoy award-winning spas, local wineries and breweries, waterfront dining, and so much more in the nearby towns of Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and Boyne City.

The morning we were leaving for the drive

to the airport we talked to three men in the parking lot who were headed out to play. We asked them how long they had been coming to the resort. They said almost every year since 1975! That is quite a testimonial. You may not come back every year for four decades, but based on our great experience, once you come you will be back! ___________________________________

UNLIMITED GOLF, STAY & PLAY and maybe the GREATEST GOLF ESCAPE you’ll find in Michigan or the entire USA! NOW BOOKING 2021 Stay & Play & Have Some Fun from $108 An ideal golf getaway when just 18 holes are all you need! After your round, enjoy their numerous on-resort activities, or take a day trip to the historic Mackinac Island, just a 45-minute drive north. This package includes your lodging, your choice from five of their ten courses in the BOYNE Golf collection with no upgrade charges, and the ability to golf their additional five courses for $30-90.

Unlimited Golf, Unlimited Memories from $133 Play and play and play. The Unlimited Golf Package is perfect for the serious golfer

that wants to pack in the rounds! With the opportunity to book when daylight begins at 6am and ends at 10pm, you will have numerous jealous friends with how many holes you get in.

This package includes your lodging, unlimited golf on five of their ten courses in the BOYNE Golf collection with no upgrade charges, and the ability to golf their additional five courses for $30-90.

The Greatest Golf Escape You’ll Find from $1,059 BOYNE’s Great Escape Golf Vacation is their signature golf package and is undeniably among America’s greatest golf values. With so many activities included in this all-inclusive package, your only problem will be how to fit it all in!

Great Escape Golf Vacation includes a five-night stay, unlimited golf on seven of the ten course with breakfast and dinner, plus an amenity gift valid for a round at Bay Harbor Golf Club, a lesson, or spa treatment Reach out to BOYNE Golf for more information about these packages or to book your Golf Getaway!

1-855-258-5917 www.BOYNEgolf.com

The 9th hole of The Links course at Bay Harbor Golf Club overlooking Lake Michigan www.GolfingMagazine.net

13

GETAWAY

Round 4 for Santee’s Winter 4 Ball Classic Where? Golf’s Little Big Town

By CLAUDIO DEMARCHI

E

veryone thought the folks in the Town of Santee were crazy when four years ago they announced a 3-day event in early December. Weather was deemed to be unpredictable and too cold! With three Winter 4 Ball Classics now in the books for the most part it is still impossible to predict the weather. The events have been an overwhelming success and as for the weatherman, so far he has cooperated.

The Winter 4 Ball Classic has been extremely popular for a couple of reason; It’s a steal, starting at $549.00 per person Quad in a golf course Villa or Townhome at Santee Cooper Resort, includes 3 rounds of golf, 2 nights accommodations, 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners A ton of other stuff, this year’s participants will receive: A Tour Edge HL5 Hydrid, Footjoy glove, a dozen On Core balls, any pair of Shoes in stock, golf shirt, Tournament Cap/visor and a tournament towel.

Mark the date, December 4-6, 2020, Friday check in Sunday check out…on the Friday of the event the Lake Marion pro shop will be buzzing with players checking in, filtering through their goody bags and trying to decide which shoes would be best for them from the thousands available.

One of the great things about an event such as this is the people that you meet from all over the Eastern USA, some even from as far as Illinois and Canada. The COVID jury is still out as to whether our Canadian friends will be able to join in the festivities. In a normal year you can expect 80-100 players – this year who knows.

Just like most of these fun events there is nothing life changing on the prize table, in fact the swag that every player received with entry to the event was over and above what was on the prize table.

For most coming to Santee for the Winter 4 ball find that 2 nights and 3 rounds is just not enough. Most will add on either before or after, some both. You might want to as well. Santee has

Lake Marion 14

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

3 golf courses right in Town, Lake Marion, Santee Cooper Country Club and Santee National, and all within a mile of anywhere that you might be staying, another 14 courses are within a 45-minute drive.

For a small town of 800 which greet approximately 100,000 golfers annually, (many repeat visitors) it has a pretty good selection of restaurants. Southern Living will tell you that the historic Clark’s Inn & Restaurant is a must stop and most golfers will agree.

Others that are favorites with golfers are Armando’s, awesome Mexican cuisine with some of the biggest margarita’s, Captain Kirks with its fine selection of seafood and for a hunk of beef and some fine wine Wilbur’s will fit that bill.

For more information on the Winter 4 Ball Classic contact: www.SanteeCooperGolf.com/ Anyone looking to get away this winter or spring, for a golf getaway Santee might be a great spot for you. www.SanteeTourism.com

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15

PROFILE

T

Newport National Golf Club Looks to the Future

here are plans for one of the best daily fee clubs in New England to become even better in the near future.

Newport National Golf Club is routed on 200 acres of a former orchard and designed

by Arthur Hills and his associate Drew Rogers. The course, which has a wonderful Irish or Scottish links flavor to it, with wide open fairways, tall fescue that grows off the short grass, lots of bunkers and greens that allow for run up shots, offers sweeping vistas of The Sakonnet Passage, the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay. When fall arrives and the trees surrounding the layout turn colors and the tall grass glistens with the slanting sunlight, Newport National stuns the senses.

As for the future, plans call for the construction of a new nine holes across a road from the existing 18-hole layout to be called “The Vineyard Course”, as well as a stately clubhouse. Plans, which have been submitted for review for the new nine holes and the clubhouse, which could open in 2022.

The Vineyard Course at Newport National will be set on a gently rolling terrain, and the new holes will be crafted to blend seamlessly with their natural surroundings and preserve historic stone walls and specimen oak trees. Much like the Orchard Course, the new nine will have a decided New England feel that is reminiscent of many classic old golf courses found in the Northeast.

The Vineyard Course, designed by the golf course architect firm Hills Forrest Smith, will also provide a new state-ofthe-art practice facility, which will include a double-ended driving range with over 70,000 square feet of practice tee area and multiple target greens. It also includes a one acre short game area with multiple bunkers and ample fairway surrounds so players can work on virtually any short shot they can imagine.

Set at the end of a tree-lined drive, the Newport National Golf Clubhouse, designed

by Cordtsen Design Architecture, will welcome guests with a classical colonnade entry way, and will be a two-story shingle style building. The architectural design takes its cues from Aquidneck Island’s rich cultural heritage, blended with clubhouses from around the world. The lower level will feature a lounge connecting to locker rooms. A nearby pro shop will be located in the center of the action with commanding views of the Vineyard Course and practice facility. Two grand stairways will lead to a grill room and function hall, both set with wood trusses topped with soaring wood ceilings. These areas open south to outdoor dining overlooking the tees and greens of the Vineyard Course.

The Orchard Course became a must play the day it opened. The layout features greens, tees and fairways consisting of 100 percent seaside bent grass. The wind often blows off

the water, making Newport National play like a true seaside links course. The track plays 7,244 yards from the back markers and has a slope of 138, which tells you something about the challenge you will face here. There are four other sets of tees that make the course playable for golfers of all abilities.

Every hole is memorable. It starts right away with a 550-yard par-five that sweeps to the left around a large natural area. The third hole, a 198-yard par-three, is reminiscent of early 20th century designs, with a raised green surrounded by bunkers.

The fourth hole is the best short par-four on the layout. It plays just 327 yards from the tips and big hitters can cut off distance by taking the tee shot straight over bunkers and high grass that guard the left side of the fairway.

The eighth hole is a dogleg right, 567yard par-five that finishes at a rectangular green that makes one think of the classic Scottish courses and their quirky shaped putting surfaces.

Number 17 is a beefy par-four, measuring 489 yards from the back markers. A long and deep snake bunker guards the left side of the fairway, and if the wind is in your face it’s almost impossible to get home in two.

Newport National Golf Club Middletown, R.I. 401-848-9690 www.NewportNational.com

Newport National Golf Club 16

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

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17

FEATURED RESORT

A Glorious Time of the Year to be at

C

The Club at New Seabury

ape Cod in autumn is a sparkling, inviting destination for golfers. The crowds are fewer, the air is fresh and clean; perfect for golf and other outdoor activities, and the nights are crisp and comfortable.

The Club at New Seabury is the place to visit and stay for awhile at this time of year. Stunning ocean views frame the 1,500-acre property, which boasts two recently renovated championship golf courses and Sea Quarters accommodations.

Whether you are visiting, exploring a club membership or second/new home, The Club at New Seabury offers it all. The premier private golf community boasts resort amenities, as well as fine and casual dining, all with spectacular views of Nantucket Sound.

Golf enthusiasts will be delighted and challenged at the Ocean and Dunes courses and also have unlimited use of the resort’s practice facility and professional instruction. If you want to complement your golf experience with other recreational

and bar, visit The Sand Wedge Bistro for breakfast and lunch, or check out nearby classic Cape Cod venues.

“The best way to discover Cape Cod is through New Seabury,” said Chris Card, President and Executive Director of The Club at New Seabury. “We have polished our jewel and believe we offer one of the most welcoming, stunning experiences in New England. You can stay put here and enjoy our allinclusive accommodations and world-class amenities.

The fall is the ideal time to visit us with beautiful weather and fewer people.

There’s so much to do, or you can sit back, relax and enjoy doing nothing.” interests, there is no shortage of activities at New Seabury. If you stay on property, you can dine at the upscale 95 Shore restaurant

For reservations, 508-539-8322, or www.NewSeabury.com.

call visit

The Ocean Course 18 18

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19

GETAWAY

Enjoy Barnstable Golf on Cape Cod

C

ape Cod, Massachusetts is one of the sweetest places in New England to enjoy the game of golf in a relaxed, picturesque setting, perhaps during no other time of the year than the autumn months.

It’s not just the golf that is to be enjoyed on Cape Cod, but pretty much everything about this narrow piece of precious land that stretches into the Atlantic Ocean like a flexed arm. When not nailing seven-irons to the green, you can get away from it all on the beaches, hiking trails and shopping in cozy villages. Check out the numerous seafood restaurants and lobster shanties, where you can sample fresh caught seafood and enjoy a beverage while sitting on a picnic table and gazing out into a harbor or the rolling ocean waves.

Barnstable Golf features 36 holes on two great courses. Located in the charming town are two of the best layouts on the Cape, Hyannis Golf Course in Hyannis and Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds, located in Marston Mills. Both courses embody all the best qualities of Cape Cod golf.

Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds was formerly home to the Barnstable County Fair, hence its name. The course first opened in 1992 and quickly became one of the most popular in the area. The Mark Mungeamdesigned gem continues to be on the “must play” list of avid golfers each year. The walkable layout in the country features four

sets of tees, ample landing areas, and large receptive, well bunkered greens. There is a large spacious clubhouse with a well-stocked golf shop and restaurant that has a deck overlooking the course and neighboring grass airport.

The tee shot on “Olde Barney’s” 505-yard opening hole poses a challenge for golfers of all abilities. Keeping it in the fairway is the key to scoring on this double dogleg left par-five. The left greenside bunkers must be carried to reach the green. This tough hole can set the tone for your round.

Perched between the two toughest holes, a good drive on the 372-yard par-four 6th will give you a short iron into this large green and a great chance at birdie on this par 4.

The 338-yard 8th hole is a links-type that demands accuracy off the tee and a front bunker guards this two-tier green.

Number 11, at 348 yards, is another short par-four with the left side fairway bunkers. There is plenty of room on the right side of fairway that will leave you a short iron in over a greenside bunker.

The 176-yard 12th is the first of three par-threes on the back nine, this large elevated green is receptive to shots but has several undulations. Use enough club, because short left will leave you in one of the two pot bunkers.

This long, 396 yard par-four 14th has a small landing area, with a fairway bunker

on left and moguls on the right. The second shot is a long iron or hybrid in to a green that is protected in front by a large berm.

The 175-yard 17th has a green is flanked by bunkers on right side and drops off on the left and over the back. The green’s undulations can make any birdie putt a challenge.

Home to the Cape Cod Open and the 2015 Cape Cod PGA Championship, Hyannis Golf Course sits at the geographical center of Cape Cod, just minutes from downtown Hyannis, the Barnstable Airport and the Ferries to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The course plays to a par of 71 and features the area’s best practice facility, including a 55-station practice range and two practice greens.

Hyannis Golf Course is just minutes from historic and chic downtown Hyannis, the Barnstable Airport, and the ferries to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The course is a par-71 with 18 holes and the area’s best practice facility, which includes a 55-station practice range and two practice greens.

In addition to being a fun layout, Hyannis Golf Course is known for having greens as nice as you’ll find anywhere--including those at private facilities; they are consistent, fast, and smooth.

Visit www.Barnstable.golf.

Hyannis Golf Club 20

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

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21

MUST PLAYS

Autumn, Cape Cod, and Golf.

A Winning Combination

By JOHN TORSIELLO

A

h, autumn. What a wonderful time of the year and it hardly gets better than September, October and even November to play golf. The mild days and cool nights help golf course turf stay green and lush, even after the hot summer we had. And there is perhaps not a better place to play the game we love at this time of year than Cape Cod on the southeastern tip of Massachusetts.

The slower pace of fall on the Cape also means you don’t have to fight for tee times.

All the golf you could want is located within an hour or two-hour drive from wherever you bunk down for the night. From championship 18-hole layouts, resort courses and charming, old nine-hole tracks, “The Cape” offers myriad golf options. Because of the proximity to the warming waters of the ocean, Cape Cod remains fairly mild throughout the year and courses will remain open year-round weather permitting.

It’s not just the golf that is to be enjoyed on Cape Cod, but pretty much everything

about this narrow piece of precious land that stretches into the Atlantic Ocean like a flexed arm. When not smashing drives or nailing seven-irons to the green, you can get away from it all on the beaches (quiet at this time of year), hiking trails, and shopping in cozy villages. Check out the numerous seafood restaurants and lobster shanties, where you can sample freshly-caught seafood and enjoy a beverage while sitting on a picnic table and gazing out into a harbor or the rolling ocean waves.

The National Seashore and its remodeled visitor’s center, as well as a number of wildlife sanctuaries, feature miles of walking and biking trails and unfettered strolls along the beach.

And it’s easy to find suitable accommodations, whether it is on the ocean or bay side of The Cape, a posh hotel in Chatham or a weathered cottage in the dunes in Wellfleet.

Thanks to Golfing Magazine’s comprehensive Course Play Stimulus Program, our subscribers can try out a number of courses on Cape Cod. Check out the details of this can’t miss offer in this issue. Call 860-

Bayberry Hills Golf Course 22

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

563-1633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net to sign up.

Here are some courses to play on your autumn Cape Cod road trip.

Sandwich Hollows Golf Club in Sandwich offers views of Cape Cod Bay to the north from several holes. The course is bordered by hundreds of acres of conservation area to the east, west and south, giving golfers the feeling of being isolated from players on other holes.

Sandwich Hollows features a number of parfours on the short side, several long par-threes, and challenging par-fives, one of which (the sixth hole) measures close to 600 yards from the tips.

Yarmouth is home to 45 holes of golf that encompasses the newly renovated Bayberry Hills Golf Course, the Links 9, and Bass River Golf Course.

The work at Bayberry Hills Golf Course was undertaken by Tim Gerrish of Providence, R.I., a former member of the Geoffrey Cornish/Brian Silva team that laid out the track in 1988. Changes were made to make the nearly 7,300-yard course friendlier to

the average golfer, yet maintain or even enhance the course’s challenge to the low handicap player.

Bunkers were repositioned to enhance play options, and others replaced with closely mown collection areas on some holes, providing multiple options for greenside recoveries, fairway corridors have been widened, and green surrounds have been expanded. Rough areas in the front of greens have been replaced by tightly mown fairway to create the illusion of false fronts in many cases. Fairway corridors were widened and tree lines thinned, allowing for recovery solid par-threes and exposure to the Cape’s shots where previously none existed. This wind, which makes the course play different feature, accomplished through the removal from day to day. A number of the holes are of over 3,000 trees, provides enhanced course doglegs, which makes approach shots tricky playability, along with a vast improvement in if you don’t put your tee shot in the proper aesthetics and added panoramic course views. position. Number nine is a 195-yard par-three The course’s original bunkers were also re- that demands an accurate shot over water to built to reduce sand area, while maintaining reach the green. proper proportions and enhancing the original Bass River is over100 years old that style. The bunkers were lined with pervious the legendary Donald Ross renovated and capillary concrete that allowed dramatic expanded. The layout rolls along among trees sand flashing, while reducing bunker face and sandy hills and features narrow fairways, maintenance. small greens and views of nearby Bass River.

Forward teeing areas on four holes were added for more options in course setup and to provide additional user friendliness.

Three tees were resurfaced, including a new championship tee on number three (a par three), stretching the course to nearly 7,300 yards. In some cases, tees were located for better playability, and on other holes additional playing surface was added to provide varied play lines and more tee placements.

The Links 9, which is on the property at Bayberry, opened in Dennis Pines Golf Course 1999 and is a fun layout, with wide open fairways,

Cranberry Valley Golf Course The club’s signature hole is the sixth, a 169yard par-three that plays across the river.

The layout is on the short side, but the holes demand good shot making and a good short game, a typical Donald Ross demand on the player.

In Brewster, you will find The Captains Golf Course, which features 36 holes of golf on two very distinct 18-hole layouts. The club calls itself the Cape’s premier public golf facility, and the conditioning here is always excellent, and the golf challenging but approachable for players of all abilities.

Wentworth Hills Golf Club

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The Port Course plays to a yardage of 6,724 yards and has a slope of 131 and a rating above its posted par of 72, which gives an indication of the difficulty of some of the holes. One of the best holes is the 573-yard, par-five eighth. A pond guards the putting surface and there are several large fairway bunkers to complicate matters.

The Starboard Course plays around 6,800 yards and has a slope of 122. It’s a bit more “player friendly” than its sister layout, with wider fairways, large greens, and fewer bunkers than the Port Course, which makes it more suitable for mid- and higher handicap players. Number 18 is a great finishing hole, a 534-yard par-five that can be reached in two by big hitters.

Cranberry Valley Golf Course, located in Harwich, is a well maintained course that features a superb routing that flows easily over beautiful terrain, which includes marshes and, of course, a few cranberry bogs.

Cranberry Valley isn’t overly long, 6,745 yards from the tips, but there are a number of dogleg holes that add invisible yardage and demand proper club selection and shot placement off the tee. Par is 72, with the course rated 73.4 and a slope of 133 from the back tees. Most of the course’s parfours measure less than 400 yards, including the 309-yard 15th, which is approachable off the tee for the long hitters.

All of the par-fives, except for perhaps the 18th hole, are reachable in two for the bombers. The par-threes are very demanding, none more so than the next last hole, a brutal 229-yarder.

Dennis Highlands, in the town of Dennis, is situated on 175 acres of pine and oak forest on the north side of Dennis. Designed by Jack Kidwell and Mike Hurdzan and opened for play in 1984, Dennis Highlands is considered by some to be one of the “crown jewels” in the 24

The Captains Golf Course traditional list of fine Cape Cod golf courses.

It boasts a spectacular practice range and offers a visually enjoyable golf experience.

And not far away, Dennis Pines is located on 170 acres of pine forestland in East Dennis.

Designed by Henry C. Mitchell and opened for play in 1966, Dennis Pines has long been noted as one of the toughest layouts on Cape Cod. Tree-lined corridors place a great premium on accuracy rather than distance.

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

Water comes into play on four holes, and the 12th hole is known as one of the most difficult par-fives anywhere. The Pines plays 7,029 yards from the tips and will provide the most accomplished players a true test of golf.

Visit www.CapeCodChamber.org for individual course website information.

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PROFILE

Matt Adams

Fairways of Life

M

att Adams is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning host on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio and golf industry executive. He has been called “the best interviewer in golf ” by golfing legends, including Billy Casper and Gary Player. He has interviewed virtually every living legend of the game from Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson to Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

Adams’ broadcasting talents have been featured on the BBC, ESPN, Golf Channel, PGA Tour Entertainment, and European Tour Productions, among others. Matt is a member of the European Golf Travel Writers Association, American Golf Travel Writers Association, International Sports Press Association and the Golf Writers Association of America. He is the former General Manager/President of Newport National Golf Club in Middleton, Rhode Island. Follow him on Twitter at @MattAdamsFoL. Golfing Magazine caught up with the always busy Adams recently.

GM: So, what are you up to these days?

ADAMS: Since 2015, I have been working for NBC/Golf Channel. They have allowed me to work in many different areas as an on air host, analyst and reporter, but my primary assignments are Golf Central, Morning Drive and as the equipment expert, taking me back to my years in the equipment industry. In addition to this I continue to host my daily golf talk show, Fairways of Life. In late 2019, my twelfth book, The Golf Round I’ll Never Forget, was published. The book focuses on first-person accounts of some of the greatest rounds of all time from Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tiger Woods and more.

GM: Anything new in the works?

ADAMS: I am super excited about the new direction we are taking Fairways of Life. Almost two years ago I independently syndicated the daily golf talk show. Our objective was straight forward: where we had been broadcasting for ten years was a great run but the paid service only reached 10 percent of the listeners in the USA. We wanted to reach 100 percent of the USA and we wanted it to be free. By utilizing all of the new technologies and platforms, we were able to achieve free access to our daily live radio show, for free, in addition to being available 24/7 On Demand on a Fairways of Life app, website and every major audio platform around 26

the world, including TuneIn Radio, iHeart Radio, iTunes and Spotify, among others. This had never been done before in golf and now we are available to over 2.5 billion people around the world!

The next step is that in January of 2021, we are doing something completely unique in golf media. During the lockdown we built a broadcast quality television studio in Orlando.

It features multiple cameras and set areas with the largest set built to host a television simulcast of the Fairways of Life Show. We are currently beta testing these live broadcasts and while we have not told the world about this yet, friends and fans can watch these shows on our Fairways of Life Facebook and YouTube pages.

This evolution for us marks another step that is a first in golf as there’s never been a daily, live, totally free, globally distributed golf talk show available in an audio and digital television format.

There are many examples of other golf media entities doing something similar in bits and pieces, either weekly or monthly, but we are the only ones doing it on such a scale and on a daily basis. It’s extremely exciting and the response has already been fantastic.

The daily radio show had already become the most widely distributed daily golf talk show in the world and now we will achieve the same distinction on the television side. Our sponsorships are sold out and the technology allows us to broadcast from wherever we please, so we have broadcasts already planned from Ireland, England, Scotland, New Zealand and all over the USA. Needless to say, jumping from the nest of a subscription satellite radio service felt like a risk, but it was the best decision I ever made as

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

we are now on multiple media platforms, we totally control our editorial content and the show generates ten-times as much commercial revenue. It’s been a win allaround!

GM: Has it been difficult working in the golf industry in the year of COVID? ADAMS: The difficulty of COVID was in the uncertainty and tragedy of those impacted. Thankfully, golf was quickly recognized as a safe activity and the game has boomed as a result. This was in spite of the fact that many tried to politicize the game in the election year, but as golf always does, it rose above the fray and it’s been embraced by the masses. One of the areas of challenge has been on the equipment side. Many of the big companies delayed or cancelled head orders from the casting houses and when the game went crazy, they could only get product at a fraction of the pace of demand. The industry is only now starting to catch up.

GM: Are you pleased with the way the pro tours have handled the pandemic? Why? ADAMS: Professional golf and in particular, Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour, deserve great praise for the courage, foresight and comprehensiveness of their restart. There was no playbook to follow. They brought professional sports back and against significant push back from some in the golf media, they proved their decision to be safe and a great benefit to fans who finally had something fun and exciting to distract them from a flood of otherwise foreboding news. Brilliant job.

GM: What do you believe some of the highlights of the season have been thus far?

ADAMS: Using the definition of “season” very broadly, I’ve loved the variety of winners, young and old. Golf delivered dramatically, right down to Collin Morikawa’s PGA and Bryson Dechambeau’s overpowering triumph at the US Open. It only makes me more excited for the Masters in November and the conclusion of the majors on the LPGA! GM: Do you feel good about the golf industry moving forward? Why? ADAMS: I feel great about the golf industry going forward. Through the pandemic, many came back to golf and many others discovered it. With all the exciting young players and the flashes of glory from some of the legends, the game is in great shape.

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

25

PRIVATE EYES

Wethersfield Country Club

W

End of Year Membership Drive

ethersfield Country Club located in central Connecticut has perhaps the richest golf history in Southern New England, but it also has a strong commitment to the present and future of its membership. They are still celebrating their 100th Anniversary.

WCC, incorporated in 1916, is very conscious and proud of its connection to the PGA, its rich tradition of champions at all levels of play and the current players making their mark on the tours.

In 1952 WCC hosted the first PGA tour event in the state. Golf professionals regularly frequent the course to test what some believe are the best greens around.

While the Club honors its past, it is the superb golf course and amenities that

continue to draw members and corporate outings from throughout the region. A staff with over fifty years of experience maintains the course conditions. There’s an excellent practice facility, which includes two putting greens, teaching sections, a practice bunker and separate area to hone your short game.

The clubhouse offers first class dining and event services along with casual dining both inside or outside on the wraparound porch with spectacular views of the 1st and 18th holes.

WCC is known as ‘The Club of Champions.’ Twelve members of the Club are also members of the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame.

New members will receive a 25% discount on their dues for 2020 and 2021 as part of the program, and you can start enjoying our beautiful country club immediately! Contact us today to book a tour of the club.

Call us today at (860) 529-3326. www.Wethersfield.Club

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29

MUST PLAYS TOURNAMENT INSTRUCTION

Short Game Tip By: Lucas Hitchcock

Where Memories Begin.

Call for Tee Times or check out our New Online Tee Times site

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The chip and run should be the workhorse of your short game. It is the most reliable shot around the green when you can’t putt.

Short game general rules: 1. Putt whenever feasible (if the ball will roll rather than bounce) 2. Chip when you cannot putt 3. Pitch only when you have no other choice I would estimate that at least 95% of my short game shots (from within 20 yards of the edge of the green) are played with a chip and run technique, and the other 5% is made up of putts from off the green, pitches, and bunker shots.

Getting the ball on the ground the ground while allowing the lift of the club and rolling as soon as possible greatly increases your percentages of predictability. to dictate distance. The advanced golfer will That is not to say that a chip and run is always know the distance each club travels using their very low to the ground; just as low as possible. chip shot technique. In many cases where the A chip and run style shot can be played with average golfer tries to pitch the ball up in the the most lofted wedge in your bag, in which air, the “risk vs. reward” and the uncontrolcase some people might refer to the shot as a lable nature of a pitch (especially from a marginal lie) make it a poor choice. “pitch and run.”

A chip shot is one of your more compact shots, next to your putt. Your stance is more narrow than normal and you Lucas Hitchcock reduce the use of levers and joints.

Director of Instruction Arnold Palmer Golf Academy at Gillette Ridge The less moving parts means the less Golf Club. Bloomfield, CT that can go wrong. Using more of (860) 726-1430 a pendulum-like motion when you LHitchcock@centurygolf.com putt allows the ball to stay lower to

30

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

INSTRUCTION

3 Vital Components of the Stack & Tilt Swing

by Gene Mulak In 1963 the True Temper shaft company hired mechanical engineer George Manning to create a machine to test their products. Mr. Manning set out to create a machine that would produce the most efficient, repeatable swing with a minimum amount of energy for the maximum strike. Named after Byron Nelson, the “Iron Byron” machine is still widely used today for all product testing. Iron Byron incorporates 3 very important swing concepts; it swings on a circle, it maintains a stable axis and the club’s face does not roll. These 3 vital components can be found in the Stack & Tilt swing. Here are 3 key elements that any player should incorporate into their swing to be the most efficient golfer they can be.

Hands In The first principal Mr. Manning used in his machine was angular momentum. This produces more force and speed in a golf swing.

Think of a modern-day field goal kicker. He arcs his leg. Years ago the kicker stood straight on to kick the ball. Today’s kickers are more accurate, longer and never slice. As the hand path moves inside, it sets up the golfer to return the club back on an inside path.

Stable Axis The Iron Byron was not built on wheels; it does not shift from left to right. This would have made its movements chaotic even by robots standards. The machine was built with a stable axis. The best ball hitters demonstrate this same principal. In the Stack & Tilt swing, for a right handed golfer, the left shoulder turns down and in. This will create a chain of important movements in the swing. The left shoulder tuning downward will allow the hands and club to move in on a circle. This shoulder motion also begins the formation of the golfer’s spine tilting to the left. This tilting keeps the shoulders at a right angle to the golfer’s spine. And finally this allows the golfer’s head to stay centered with their central vision on the ball. This in its self makes it infinitely easier to strike the ball and be more consistent.

Hand Path Going Inward to Top

“Square” Club Face The Iron Byron has been designed to have the sweet spot of the club stay square to the circle it is set to swing on. Therefore the golf club never “releases” in the traditional sense where the golfer rolls their wrists and Tilt Equates to a Stable Axis forearms through the swing. Science has determined that start of the golf ball’s flight path is overwhelmingly determined by Square Club Face the direction of the clubface. This means the club path is providing much of the curve. There is zero reason to have the club’s face deviate from the circle you are swinging on. Allowing or forcing the clubface to roll results in hitting across the ball and mishits.

The 3 key components that have been laid out here are rarely seen in club golfers yet they are all demonstrated to varying degrees by the world’s best players. The concept of the Stack & Tilt swing pattern is to not make a golfer into a robot, but to accelerate the golfer’s learning, understanding and ability to employ a more efficient motion to strike the ball better and in turn lower scores.

Gene Mulak is the Director of Golf at Silver Spring Country Club in Ridgefield, CT . Gene is a certified Stack & Tilt instructor. He can be reached at (774) 406-1549 or Golf@SilverSpringCountryCC.org

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MUST PLAYS TOURNAMENT

INSTRUCTION

Why Loading the Right Side is Weighing Down

By George Connor Your Game There are a number of age-old sayings in golf that are not at all helpful for playing better golf. “Swing Slow” “Keep your head down” etc. Today I want to talk to you about “Loading the right side.” The phrase itself is not bad advice but the interpretation is where golfers get in trouble. Literally, someone with a surface level knowledge of the swing will undoubtedly interpret loading the right side with a continuous flow of weight into the right (trail side) during the backswing. This thinking leads to golfers that begin the transition while still having 60 even 80% of their weight still on the trail leg. This complicates the golfers ability to synchronize impact, is a huge power leak and generally forces the golfer to work in what I can only call an unathletic motion.

Think about all other throwing, swinging, hitting sports and how you would use your legs. If you were to throw a ball, swing a tennis racket, throw a punch or swing an axe at a tree, before the body makes any rotation towards the target the lead leg is established as the pivotal axis of rotation. Go ahead, stand up and pretend you are going to hit

PICTURE #1 a tennis forehand, or pretend to throw a ball. These motions perhaps make more sense because we lift the lead foot and even take a small step towards the target. You will notice however that while you are making this little step your upper body is not yet rotating. The upper body in all these motions does not begin until the lead leg has been established as the axis that you will then rotate around.

Therefore, lets discuss when the backswing actually ends and the forward swing begins. Once there is rotation towards the target begins I think we would all agree that the backswing is over and the forward swing has begun. So, the backswing is NOT completed when you are loaded in your right side. In fact, when the backswing is competed the golfer should have returned to roughly a 50/50 weight distribution.

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

When this is the case we can be certain than any rotation in the forward direction will be done on the lead leg rather than trying to get into the left side as the upper body, arms and club are already racing towards the ball.

As you are processing this, let me answer the question I always get when I have this conversation with a student. Yes, the lower body is already starting to move towards the target while the upper body is still moving away from the target. We do this in all sports. The tennis racquet is still moving away from the target as you step into your front foot. The quarteback’s arm is moving backwards as he strides into his left side. That same sequence should be happening in golf.

In the pictures below, Pic. #1 is what I tend to see in many golfers.

The weight has been loaded into the trail leg and the golfer will struggle to get to a consistent impact position. In Pic. #2 you can see that I have “re-centered” which is the end of the backswing.

PICTURE #2 One final note, I am not advocating a golf swing that works only on the left leg. The weight flowing through the right side and into the left is a source of power. I would not want to eliminate that. The key here is that the weight flows through the trail side and into the lead side as opposed to accumulating in the trail leg.

George Connor is the Head Golf Instructor at Farmington Woods Country Club in Avon, CT. 860-830-6969 or George@ConnorGolf.com

Come enjoy the day at one of the top 10 public courses in Massachusetts.

Relax before or after your round on the new Heron’s Nest deck with lunch, dinner or your favorite 19th hole refreshments!

BLACKstone national golf club 227 Putnam hill road, Sutton, MA 01590 508-865-2111 • www.bngc.net

50 minutes from Boston, 15 minutes from Worcester and 40 minutes from Hartford

BLISSFUL MEADOWS Golf Club www.blissfulmeadows.com 8 0 1 CH O CK A LO G ROA D UX B R I D G E , M A 0 1 5 6 9 5 0 8 . 2 7 8 . 6 1 1 0

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MENT MUST PLAYS

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Cold Spring Country Club

esigned to bring world class golf to Western Massachusetts, Cold Spring Country Club, is an 18-hole semi-private course located about midway between Springfield and Worcester in scenic Belchertown, Ma. Designed by Mary Armstrong, completed in 2010 and opened for play in 2012, Cold Spring Country Club is an up-and-coming par 71 golf course, with its 6,521 yards set on rolling hills that boast of breathtaking vistas in nearly every direction. Each hole has up to 5 sets of tees, enabling golfers of all levels to play an exciting mix of six par 3s, seven par 4s and five par 5s.

It all starts with a tough 216-yard parthree. From the highest tee box on the course, enjoy a complete panoramic view of Central Massachusetts facing south. Normally you will need one less club because of the steep drop,

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Crystal Lake Golf Club

ince 1960, Crystal Lake Golf Club in Haverhill, Ma. has been one of the premiere public golf courses in the Merrimack Valley, located only 35 minutes from downtown Boston.

The course offers some of the finest rolling bent grass greens in the area, lush wide fairways, light rough, manicured bunkers, rolling tree-lined terrain, and a well-thought out design

by Geoffrey Cornish of Cornish Golf Designs.

Crystal Lake provides a fun, yet challenging round of golf that will be played under four and half hours on weekends.

Every club in your bag will be used and a memorable golf experience is guaranteed.

The club is also known as one of the best priced courses for the value in New England, with a caring staff, and a proactive 34

but watch the wind here. If constant prevailing winds are in player’s face it will require one or two more clubs. The trees on either side of the tee box will keep players honest, by making them hit down the chute. But there’s lots of wide open room the rest of the way.

The par-five 495-yard seventh hole plays right to left off the tee and with a good tee

shot a player can get home in two. The best shot is a driver with a big draw to a large landing area. Just beware of the bunkers on the right side.

How well you score depends on your 3rd shot into the green. You will need to pick which side of the green to shoot for--choose right or left depending on the placement of the pin. There are unique double approaches created by a large “bump” that protects the center of the green.

The 18th is a nice finisher, a 386-yard par-four that plays quite a bit longer. There is plenty of room off the tee with fairway bunkers on the left. If you play from the back tees you must hit a good drive, with the tee shot taking you over Roaring Brook, and your second shot is severely uphill to a very well-bunkered green with a false front. www.ColdSpringCC.com.

Situated near Crystal Lake, the course features a multitude of challenging yet approachable holes for all types of players. Take the fifth for instance. The par-five plays around 500 yards from the tips and bends ever so softly to the right, which makes going for the green in two shots risky.

membership program, including a “fun” tournament event calendar.

Acquired by Sterling Golf Management in 2018, Crystal Lake Golf Club continues to provide guests and members with a unique and affordable golf experience.

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

The 18th is a very reachable-intwo 448-yard par five where birdie, or perhaps even an eagle, can really bring your round to a delightful conclusion. www.CrystalLake-Golf.com

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Laurel Lane Country Club

hen golfers visit Laurel Lane Country Club in West Kingston, R.I. they will not only enjoy a challenging layout they will be playing at what owner Joe Videtta believes is the only totally solar powered golf club in New England, and maybe the Northeast.

Videtta, who owns the course with his brother Mike, installed a solar farm on about an acre of property the course sits on. The farm, which houses 14 solar arrays near the course’s eighth, ninth and 11th holes, were purchased from All Earth Renewables, a Vermontbased firm, and installed by general contractor Anthony Barrow. The units came on line last fall and power the entire golf course, from the pump station that controls irrigation to the clubhouse.

“Laurel Lane is located on about 180 acres, so it was an ideal location to install a solar farm,” said Joe Videtta, who also owns Country Club and Country View Golf Club in Rhode Island and Pine Ridge Country Club in Massachusetts.

“We already had an electrical source near the pump station, which cut down on the total cost,” which was half a million dollars.

The cost of the solar farm will be offset somewhat by Federal tax credits, depreciation, and a Rhode Island program that allows for the owner of a property to finance 100 percent of

such a project.

One unique aspect of the solar panels is that they are not fixed but can rotate to follow the sun. Videtta said this type of farm is between 30 to 40 percent more efficient than fixed solar panel arrays. The field is about 40,000 square feet in size. “We had to change the location of the eighth tee to accommodate the farm.”

Videtta commented, “We are saving on our energy costs and the system is warranted for 25 years.

Everyone thinks it is very cool and when they know that ownership if doing something with the environment in mind that are pleased. In fact, I have had golfers come up to tell me how happy they are that we did this.”

The project has been so successful that Videtta Golf Management is even more committed to changing the way we receive our energy. Plans are for a solar farm to be set up at Country View Golf Club in Harrisville.

“We are already planning for Country View,” said Videtta. “We are excited about

bringing that course on line with solar power as well.”

For more information about Videtta Golf Management or any of its courses (all members of Golfing Magazine’s Course Play Stimulus Program), visit www.LaurelLaneCountryClub.com, or call 508-892-9188.

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MUST PLAYS

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Wentworth Hills Country Club

e know golfing is fun. The ownership at Wentworth Hills Country Club in Plainville, Ma. is intent on making it even more enjoyable.

The club has purchased a new fleet of “Shark” golf carts that allows players to remain in contact with the clubhouse throughout a round. They can order food and refreshments while playing the front nine and pick up orders at the turn. In addition, the carts offer yardages and golfers can even watch video tips from Greg Norman between their own shots.

The club has a unique “challenge” that gets golfers who ante up $5 or $10 on top of their greens fees a shot at a $10,000 or $20,000 prize if they make a hole-in-one on the par-three 17th hole.

And, the club has developed an app for cell phones that make the user a member of the “Wentworth Hills community” once they get the app. Individuals are notified of discounts on greens fees and other promotions and specials. A map of the course and yardages are automatically available on the user’s phone when accessing the app. ”We are trying to keep up with the younger generation that is so into technology,” said one of the club’s owners, Constant Poholek. “The hole-in-one challenge is a game within the game and money we receive helps out charitable causes. We are trying to do things to make golf even more fun and keep people coming back.”

The club also continues its popular “cigar nights” where players get a round of nine holes, a cigar and dinner for a

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WentworthHillsCountryClub.com

Heather Hill County Club

ith 27 holes of golf, Heather Hill Country Club in Plainville, Ma., makes for a full day of golfing fun. The club offers one regulation 18-hole course and one nine-hole course.

The North Course (nine holes) has a few hills that can cause uneven lies. The fairways are narrow, and the greens are small. The South Course (18 holes) has many more hills than the North Course, but doesn’t have a lot of sand bunkers.

The fairways are wide open, but most are tree lined, so you just can’t spray it around and get away with it. The greens are large, and water hazards come into play on three holes.

The 18-hole course plays around 6,000 yards from the tips and has a mix of short- and medium-length par-fours, tricky par-threes, and two par-fives that can reached in two shots by big hitters. One of those par-fives is the 478-yard third that is very straightforward with few hazards complicating matters, although there are two bunkers near the putting surface. The seventh and eighth are solid backto-back par-threes, playing almost 200 yards and 180 respectively.

The back side has three short par-fours that allow you a real chance at birdie, the 334-yard 13th, the 317-yard 14th, and the final hole, a 317-yarder. Number 12 is a good par-five that plays 516 yards from the tips, with the hole doglegging to the right, which may demand a precise layup shot to set up a wedge approach.

The nine-hole layout measures 3,368 yards from the tips. It begins with a 157-yard par-three, with the toughest stretch of holes coming at three through five. The third, a par-four, plays 400 yards, while the fourth is a challenging 500yard par-five.

The club has a restaurant and bar for after-round enjoyment. www.HeatherHillCountryClub.com 36

reasonable fee that changes according to the dinner provided by the club.

Wentworth Hills is a fun course to play, offering classic risk/reward holes that dare low-handicappers to “go for it,” while allowing for alternate routes to the green for less experienced golfers. The varied natural topography here features rolling, tree-lined fairways, large, receptive greens, ponds and lakes protecting holes, and 60 strategically-placed bunkers.

The course, while playing just over 6,200 yards from the tips, has a slope of 128 and a rating equal to its par of 71.

The track places emphasis on proper club selection and accurate approach shots to the putting surfaces.

Wentworth Hills is located between Boston and Providence and only minutes from Route 495, which makes it an ideal destination for golfers from the Metro Boston area to Federal Hill in Providence.

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

Newton Commonwealth Golf Course

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e w t o n Commonwealth Golf Course in Newton, Ma. is an exceptionally groomed course located just minutes from downtown Boston.

The year 1997 marked the centennial anniversary of the club, which was redesigned in 1920 by the renowned architect, Donald Ross. The layout offers a short, but challenging round of golf, featuring quick greens and relatively narrow fairways.

Course management is essential, as many a big hitter has discovered, with water and sand bunkers scattered about.

The course has benefited from constant upgrades and beautification under the management of Sterling Golf. Several tees have been rebuilt and landscaped, bunkers have been renovated, and a recent addition to the clubhouse has added changing rooms with showers and increased the seating capacity for outings. French doors on this addition

CRANBERRY VALLEY Golf Course OPEN TO THE PUBLIC overlook a new stone-tiled patio with outdoor seating for patrons who wish to relax after a round.

Newton Commonwealth GC Newton, MA (617) 630-1971 www.SterlingGolf.com.

• FULLY STOCKED PRO SHOP • Breakfast – Lunch • Golf Lessons • Club Rentals • 18 Holes of Championship Golf • Practice Green • Driving Range D

183 Oak Street, Harwich, MA www.CranberryGolfCourse.com

508-430-7560

Blackstone National Golf Club

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he par-five 18th at Blackstone National Golf Club in Sutton.

Ma, is a favorite for anyone who has played it. The hole measures just 485 yards from the tips, but it’s loaded with all kinds of trouble if you wander.

The tee shot must be true to find a landing area protected by wetlands and woods. Big hitters can reach the putting surface in two shots after a strong drive, but the approach is uphill and there are a number of deep bunkers guarding the putting surface. The smart play is to lay up in front of the green and knock the ball onto the putting surface with a wedge.

The 18th is a solid finisher and just one indication of the thoughtful approach Rees Jones put into the layout. The course is tucked into the wooded countryside of the Blackstone Valley area of southeastern part of the Bay State.

One of the sweetest aspects of the track

is that while it is challenging for the best players, Jones incorporated only a few forced carries, which makes it playable for midand even high-handicappers. Ample fairways allow a player to stay in the hole even after a less than perfect tee shot. There is bunkering guarding the rather large greens, so it is important to choose the proper club to find the target. www.BNGC.net

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Great

Golf

Ocean City, Maryland

17 Championship Courses 10 Miles of Beach 3 Mile Boardwalk

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

2 Nights, 3 Rounds Starting: Spring / Fall Weekdays - $170 Weekends - $191

First Class Accommodations Excellent Dining Exciting Nightlife

“Great Golf is Just the Beginning” Ocean City, Maryland