The Shattuck Golf Club Canaan Country Club Wentworth Hills Country Club Heather Hill Country Club Omni Mount Washington Resort Mount Snow Golf Course Killington Grand Resort Brattleboro Country Club The Captains Golf Course Yarmouth Golf

By John Torsiello

New Hampshire is where you will find one of the most challenging courses in New England. The Shattuck Golf Club (www.ShattuckGolf.com) in Jaffrey was carved out of granite and mature woodlands and demands a well thought out approach to every shot on every hole.

This is a tough routing and target golf at its best. You must hit your spots, both off the tees and on approaches to the greens. The 157-acre tract was designed by golf course architect Brian Silva with emphasis on the natural beauty that lies at the base of Mount Monadnock. You will find the mountain (elevation 3,165 feet) stands prominently over you on most holes.

Don’t let the scorecard fool you. The tee down from the championship markers plays only 6,077 yards (par-71) and the white, or middle tees where recreational and even good golfers usually play from on most courses, measure just 5,412 yards in total. But wetlands and other hazards loom off the playing surface. But, as the course’s website says, if you can hit the ball 75 yards in the air, you can play any of the holes. Still, The Shattuck is listed as one of the Top 100 toughest courses in the country.

The 200-yard par-three second is a visually stunning golf hole, with elevated tees that look down over a grassy hillside to a large, bunkered green set in front of a sparkling pond. The tee doesn’t feel all that high, but it’s unusually deceptive. The most common error here is overclubbing.

The 426-yard par-four 10th starts from the highly elevated area, offering a spectacular view of the large green below with Mount Monadnock serving as the backdrop. The hole is a dogleg left with a deep drop-off at the turn. A long drive center of left gives you the best approach to the green, too far left and you’ll go over the edge.

The par-four, 391-yard 16th is played over a pond in front of the tee to a wide, rolling fairway and bunkered green with a colonial farmhouse behind. Just keep it straight; there’s deep rough left and right. A big green is slightly elevated, so your second shot may require one more club.

The 380-yard, par-four home hole is one of the few that doesn’t have wetlands on it. However, the fairway slopes hard to the left towards the woods off the tee. If you are successful in finding the short grass, you will be met with a fairly uncomplicated approach. This is the largest green on the course and gives you an opportunity to finish a round with birdie.

Make sure you check out the club’s Dublin Road Taproom & Eatery after your round. The establishment offers great food and craft beer, as well as other libations in a cozy setting that befits the laid back atmosphere of the New Hampshire woods.

There is plenty to do and see in the area if you chose to stick around for a few days and give The Shattuck a second play.

By John Torsiello

When Joseph Quattrocchi took a glance at Canaan Country Club in northwest Connecticut he knew he had found what he was looking for.

“Someone approached me about wanting to create a club,” said the Canaan resident and owner of a classic auto restoration business in New York State. “I liked the idea and started looking around at land, saw the country club, thought it was very interesting and said, `Let’s think about this.’ I knew it was for sale. I liked the idea that it had an existing restaurant and the building had good bones so we started negotiations to buy the property.”

Canaan Country Club, a nine-hole course built in 1931, sits on slightly more than 200 acres with several holes bordering the scenic Blackberry River. The course plays 2,941 yards from the back tees and plays to a par of 35. Two of the par-trees, the third and eighth holes, are very challenging, each playing around 185 yards. The tee shots on both must be well struck to reach elevated greens. Perhaps the best hole on the course is the 380-yard par-four sixth. It demands a well placed tee shot that steers clear of wetlands to the right and pine trees on the left, and then it’s across a small stream to a putting surface sloped from back to front.

Quattrocchi has ambitious plans for the property. In fact, he’s already been busy making changes to the restaurant, which was renamed the Belted Cow Farmhouse Tavern offering lunch and dinner menus and libations.

“I took a flyer and figured that we would get the deal done, so we renovated the bathrooms in the clubhouse and made some changes to the dining area. I didn’t want to just use a large space we have in the building strictly for banquets and other events. So we installed booth seating and set up moveable partitions to separate it from the larger event pace and give it a cozy feeling. When we do have a larger event, we simply take the hanging partitions away and open the room up to allow for more people.”

On the renaming of the restaurant, Quattrocchi said, “The Belted Cow is a breed we felt was appropriate for the rural area where the club is located. We put pictures of belted cows on the walls inside the restaurant to give it a unique feel and reflect the name.”

The Belted Galloway is a traditional Scottish breed of beef cattle. It derives from the Galloway cattle of the Galloway region of south-western Scotland.

The new owner also set up an expanded outdoor dining area in front of the clubhouse that has been popular with golfers and guests. The driveway into the property was also repaved.

“We don’t need to get a lot more people to the course,” said Quattrocchi. “We we do want is for people to experience a restaurant that is different than the old one. We will get the place rocking and rolling.”

He also has plans for the golf course that includes drainage work to several of the holes. The course’s sand bunkers are also being repaired or renovated. And work is and will be done around the edges of the course to remove dead trees and perhaps open views of the Blackberry River that rolls alongside he second hole and past the third tee box.

Canaan Country Club’s course is open seven days a week until November, weather permitting, and is located a half mile south of the junction of routes 7 and 44.

We 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-inone 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 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, treelined 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.

With 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 478yard 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 back-to-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 500-yard par-five.

The club has a restaurant and bar for after-round enjoyment.

The 18-hole Omni Mount Washington Golf Course was designed by legendary Scottish architect Donald Ross and was completed in 1915. Its backdrop features New Hampshire’s spectacular Presidential Mountain Range.

The par-72, 7,004-yard-course has hosted four New Hampshire Opens and the prestigious New England Open Championship in September 2010.

Reopened in August of 2008, the Omni Mount Washington Golf Course has been restored to Donald Ross’ original plans by noted golf course architect Brian Silva, including bunkers crafted in a classic flair and infinite varieties of recovery shots in the closely cropped areas around the putting greens. The par-five 11th hole and the par-three fifth hole feature stunning views of Omni Mount Washington Hotel and surrounding mountains.

The Omni Mount Washington Golf Course was voted Golfweek’s Best Course You Can Play in New Hampshire from 2009 through 2017.

The nine-hole Mount Pleasant Course first opened in 1895, and has been host to generations of golfing enthusiasts from New Hampshire and beyond. Greats like U.S. Pro Golfer Gilbert Nicholls, Golf Course Designer Alex Findlay, British Golf Champions Harry Vardon and J.W. Taylor, and U.S. Open Golf Champion Willie Anderson have all played the historic par-35 course. In 1989, the course was restored and upgraded by Cornish & Silva Golf Course Architects, with advice from world-renowned golfers Gene Sarazen and Ken Venturi, and now offers players a more challenging round alongside New Hampshire’s scenic Ammonoosuc River. Throughout its history, the Resort has been renowned for natural beauty and luxurious extras. Indoor and outdoor pools, Jacuzzis and fireplaces are just a few of the amenities comforting year-round guests. From the Tiffany stained glass to the crystal chandeliers, you’ll find the interior is just as impressive as the exterior.

The hotel’s elegant Four Diamond Dining Room serves four-course dinners with orchestra accompaniment nightly. Every detail, from the serenading orchestra to the menu that changes daily, reminds you that this is a place unlike any other.

Geoffrey Cornish designed the18-hole, 6,943-yard (there are three other sets of tees) championship Mount Snow Golf Club has also been named one of the top 10 resort courses in the country by SKI Magazine. It has also been rated one of the top five courses in Vermont by Golf Digest.

The course meanders through stunning picturesque countryside and provides stunning views of the Green Mountains, including the peaks of Mount Snow and Haystack Mountain. Tamaracks, oaks, birches, and sugar maples line the fairways while the mountains provide a majestic backdrop. The front nine is spread over rather wide expanses and the back nine winds its way through wooded terrain. Water comes into play on no fewer than 11 holes, and 41 sand traps are strategically located around nearly every hole.

The resort also has a fully-stocked pro shop with the latest in equipment, accessories, and apparel. Mount Snow’s Original Golf School, founded in 1978, was one of the country’s first golf schools and continues to be a trusted program for those looking to improve their games. There is a multi-day curriculum that includes instruction and evaluation on every aspect of play, with daily on-course instruction.

During your visit, stop by Fairways Restaurant, where you can enjoy fresh food, cold beer, or your favorite cocktail on a large deck overlooking the course. Or relax inside watching the game on flat screen televisions. Fairways is open daily for lunch with frequent menu specials and to-go service, as well as Sunday brunch. The area around Mount Snow has historic towns, antique shops, artisans, craft producers, farms open to visitation, performing arts venues, and outlet shopping centers. Extend a vacation with a few days of hiking, mountain biking, scenic chairlift rides, and horseback riding, learn fly fishing, or go canoeing, sailing, and kayaking on any of the numerous pristine rivers and lakes.

www.MountSnow.com, or 802-464-4254.

Killington Grand Resort’s 18-hole golf course, designed by noted New England architect Geoffrey S. Cornish, was skillfully routed high in the lush Green Mountains of Vermont.

Here, you will find panoramic views and plenty of challenge. Cornish designed the course to take full advantage of the mountain terrain, and Killington’s rushing snowmelt streams and elevation changes make for an exciting and strategic round.

Generous greens allow players to attack the flag with confidence. The 6,186-yard, par-72 layout presents an enjoyable round for any golfer, no matter what skill level or handicap. And at a 2,000-foot elevation, gentle breezes offer a soothing respite from the summer sun.

The longest hole on the course is number two, a par-five that plays 510 yards from the back markers. The shortest hole on the course is the sixth, a tricky par-three that plays to 147 yards from the championship tees. And, watch out for number five, a beefy 473-yard par-four and the number one handicap hole on the course. Perhaps the most approachable hole on the track is the 17th, a 168-yard par-three.

The course is open mid-May through mid-October.

The resort has a new practice facility, as well as a new fleet of golf carts. There is a fully-stocked pro shop and professionals offer golf lessons and clinics, as well as golf schools. There is a clubhouse bar and grill with indoor and outdoor seating.

Killington is an all-around family resort with an adventure center, a bike park, a spa, and a fitness center. There is shopping on and off-site, as well as several dining venues. www.Killington.com.

Brattleboro Country Club in Vermont was established in 1914 and was originally a six-hole course located called the Wantastiquet Golf Club.

The course as it exists today grew out of a 1930 re-do by Wayne Stiles, and a 2000 expansion and partial rerouting by Vermont native Steve Durkee. Eight classic Stiles holes remain (9 through 12 and 15 through 18), with 10 Durkee holes added (1 through eight and 13 and 14). The course features elevation changes, variety, rolling, tree-lined fairways and pleasing views.

Brattleboro plays 6,533 from the tips (a rating of 71.1 and a 126 slope means it’s no pushover), 6,073 from the regular tees (69.1/122), 5,051 from the forward tees (64.2/112 for men; 69.8/114 for women).

The second hole, a 532-yard par-five, has water right of the fairway to complicate your tee shot and a large bunker and water left of the green. The sixth is a nice par-four. It’s a drivable at 260 yards. The seventh is another strong par-five, playing 507 yards from the tips, with the layup, or second shot if you try for the putting surface in two, made dangerous by a pond that runs up to the green.

The club has hosted numerous state championship tournaments and been the qualifying site for USGA Men’s Amateur and USGA Men’s Senior Amateur events. There are two practice greens, a driving range, a fully-stocked pro shop and the Fairway Tavern, where you can enjoy a post-round cocktail and good meal.

Brattleboro Country Club Brattleboro, Vt. 802-257-7380 www.BrattleboroCountryClub.com

The Captains Golf Course

The Captains Golf Course in Brewster, Ma. features two very distinct 18-hole layouts.

The Captains’ Port Course plays to a yardage of 6,724 yards from the tips and has a slope of 131 and a rating above its posted par of 72. So, it’s no pushover. One of the best holes on the Port Course is the beefy 573-yard, par-five eighth. There is a pond that guards the putting surface and several large fairway bunkers are placed along the hole to make precision on the drive and layup a prerequisite to making birdie or par.

The Captains’ Starboard Course plays a tad longer than the Port Course, around 6,800 yards, and has a slope of 122. Most players who tackle both tracks say the Starboard Course it also 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. But we are here to tell you that it isn’t a pushover either. The course’s 18th is a great finishing hole, a challenging 534-yard par-five that can be reached in two by big hitters. But the smarter play is two strong shots followed by a wedge into the green.

The conditioning on both course, which have very affordable greens fees, is always excellent at all times of the year, the golf is challenging but approachable for players of all abilities, there are two practice greens and a driving range, a restaurant, a friendly staff that is available for lessons, and a fully-stocked pro shop. Indeed, what more could locals and visitors to this special section of New England want in a daily fee golf club.

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.

Changes were made to make the nearly 7,300-yard Bayberry Hills Golf Course friendlier to the average golfer, yet maintain or even enhance the course’s challenge to the low handicap player.

Embracing the Bob Jones/Alistair MacKenzie (Augusta National Golf Club) design style, bunkers have been renovated and re-positioned to enhance play options. Plus, bunkers have been 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.

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

The Links 9, which is on the property at Bayberry, opened in 1999 and is a real fun layout to play, with its wide open fairways, solid par-threes and exposure to the Cape’s wind, which makes the course play different from day to day. A number of the holes are doglegs, which makes approach shots tricky if you don’t put your tee shot in the proper position. Number nine is a 195-yard par-three that demands an accurate shot over water to reach the green.

Bass River is a 100-plus-year-old course that the legendary Donald Ross renovated and expanded in 1914. The layout rolls along among trees and sandy hills and features narrow fairways, small greens and views of nearby Bass River. The club’s signature hole is the sixth, a 169-yard par-three that plays across the river. Overall, 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.