Its not just the length, the lack of elevation on the 11th teebox makes judging the distance even more difficult. Stay up to date with everything Boston. The "Caddyshack" actor was on the South Coast this weekend for the U.S. Senior Amateur golf championship at The Kittansett Club in Marion before heading up to Mattapoisett for a 7:30 p.m.. An 18-hole golf course became a possibility when in the early 1920's a group of residents bought the land on Butler's Point, which until that time had been occupied solely by the Beverly Yacht Club. Now, thanks to a slow and thoughtful 20-year restoration by Gil Hanse, the course . The approach here is fairly straightforward with bunkers on either side about 60 yards short of this green and three guarding both sides of the green. The layout is quite varied with about half the holes lining the marshes and ocean and other half playing inland off the water. Kittansett was one of the first courses to be built with predetermined specifications. And theres a good chance driver will be too much and take you through the fairway. Ive heard that before the trees were removed you could be standing on 16 and 17, which come back towards the water on 3, and you wouldnt even be able to see the bay. This hole plays 175 yards to a wide yet shallow green surrounded by deep bunkers and fescue. The most common ethnicity at Kittansett Club is White (76%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (10%) and Black or African American (6%). Kittansett was founded as a way to reduce costs for the local Beverly Yacht Club. There wasnt a ton of weather the day we played, but the wind shifted halfway through our round, forcing us to play into it pretty much all day. I think it was because the foreman for that job got fired for sleeping on the job and stealing, Briggs said. One of those revisions came shortly after the discovery of the Flynn drawings in that Pennsylvania barn. We need to schedule a public hearing to discuss the next steps relative to this.. Accolades for Kittansett include: Conditions:8/10, Similarly to nearby Newport Country Club, Kittansett has a decidedly linksy feel to it with firm, fast fairways and greens that never run faster than an 11 on the stimp. Opened for play in 1923, Kittansett and its various attributes should surprise visitors. The building of the course is a bit of an anomaly. The Kittansett Club Originally, it was the Native Americans who led the Plymouth settlers and their cattle to the warmer winter pastures on these shores. But he built the course himself with local crews of similarly inexperienced folk. Kittansett was built in the 1920s and juts out on a peninsula directly into Buzzards Bay in Marion, Massachusetts outside of Boston. Bobby Jones, who hadnt attended a Walker Cup in 21 years, was there at Kittansett along with Francis Ouimet, fellow Cup veteran Fred Wright and the estimable Mrs. Edwin S. Vare, Jr., better known as Glenna Collett. The setting of Kittansett is phenomenal. Having hosted the Walker Cup in 1953, this club has long enjoyed an enviable reputation. Like the 7th, this par 5 features numerous well-placed bunkers running down its fairway notably crossbunkers on the left at 260 yards, right at 300, and one very tricky one on the right side of the lay-up area. KITTANSETT CLUB MARION, MA 02738-1906 | Tax-exempt since May 1947 EIN: 04-2035017 Nonprofit Tax Code Designation: 501 (c) (7) Defined as: Social and recreational clubs. When we got to the par 3 11th, all we could say was what??. Tucked away in a sort of nether region between Cape Cod and the Rhode Island coast, it's widely acknowledged as the second best course in Massachusetts (after The Country Club), though few have actually played it and none passes up a chance. I find it interesting how the parking lot and practice areas are found on some of the most beautiful parts of the property, but I think it speaks to the strength of the inland holes that this isnt more readily apparent. I request that you do not reappoint people with conflicts to committees where those conflicts, at best, keep them from their posts a lot, or at worst, allow them to rule on things they should not, Rockwell wrote. But considering, again, there was no water in sight, I had a feeling a still had a little ways to go (The GPS sends you to the halfway house after the 9th hole). When you hit 16, youre brought back out of the trees to finish the course in the open. 6, 10 and 13 a bit further from the tees. A mile later, I arrived at the end of the road. In a recent letter to Selectmen, resident Annie Rockwell, of Parlow Mill Farm Road, asked Selectmen to stop the practice of dual and questionable appointments. Find them!, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. But that is not the only theory. The tee shot on the par 4, 5th is one of the most intimidating on the course with two big bunkers in the middle of the fairway to contend with and wetlands all down the right. Par is 71, measuring some 6,800 yards from the tips but a little more than 6,400 yards from the markers used by most male members. Please remove Mr. Briggs from the Conservation Commission immediately. The course held the Walker Cup in 1953, and most recently held the US Senior Amateur in September 2022. Although the land is flat, Hood and Flynn sculpted numerous mounds and subtle elevations throughout that add to the courses tremendous character. 17 is a visually tricky hole, as from the tee it can be tough to know exactly where youre going. The oldest public course in New Jersey, Weequahic Golf Course was originally 9 holes built by Baltusrol Pro George Low in 1913. The soil was quite rocky, and that presented Hood and his construction crew with a couple of problems. The Cup was named for the then President of the USGA George Herbert Walker, a banker and businessman. On this peninsula could be seen the possibilities of a different type of course than most in this country at that time, and one that might have the character of the famous sea-side courses of Great Britain. In an age when clubs pay architects millions of dollars to return their courses to some original, classic ideal (real or imagined), Kittansett has charted a more honest, practical course ever capitalizing on its superb routing, features and location to make the course incrementally better, more classic and stern than its ever been, but never something it has never been. For decades, the layout was regarded as the creation of one of the clubs charter members, a local rubber company magnate named Frederic C. Hood. So now we were faced with a 23o yard tee shot into the wind, with a very tricky green. Im not sure people realize just how difficult this golf course really is, says Steve Demmer, the head pro here since 1994 [departed in 2014]. Rolling down Point Road toward The Kittansett Club, past Sippican Harbor and passing before an ever more stately line of summer cottages (all in gray shingle), the ancient course comes into view through the drivers side window initially a hole or two bounded by Cape-style miniature pine, but then a striking, open expanse punctuated by golden fescues, lines of bracken hedgerows and chocolate-drop mounding. But the fact is, we hate losing. More often the cross hazards come earlier in the golf hole. (Credit to this SI article for additional details). The oft-photographed 3rd, a pitch across an ocean inlet to a green surrounded by beach sand, is the notable exception. Named after the Native American term for near the sea, Kittansett opened in 1922, and Hood tinkered with the design for the next several decades. Briggs was cleared of wrong-doing in that instance. The rest, to be believed, must be experienced first-hand. The wind had shifted, so while we thought wed be heading back towards the clubhouse with the wind at our back that wasnt the case. Originally only open to high rollers like Shadow Creek, Cascata is now fully public but doesnt receive much play and commands a hefty $400+ pricetag. You may use these HTML tags and attributes: document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2021. This green is large, two-tiered and guarded by deep bunkers on either side. Its a severely sloped back-to-front green with a bit of a swale in the middle separating it into two sections. Club records indicate that construction on the course commenced in summer 1922. Some of that credit goes to Hanse who recommended some serious tree clearing when he first refurbished the bunkers in 1995 (adding fescued eyelashes to each one, a perfect fit). Located in this sleepy sailing village on Buzzards Bay just west of Cape Cod, it is a Golden Age classic, routed across an exposed, often windswept spit of land and through more sheltered swathes of New England woods. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for B Draddy THE KITTANSETT CLUB Blair Half Zip Golf Pullover Logo Blue Large New at the best online prices at eBay! I made numerous friends while there and many of . Tabor officials then hired Briggs business to perform the excavation work. That finish of Ronnie Whites made us all proud to be British.. What exactly did the protest stem from? Kittansett's beautiful clubhouse and the 18th green You get a real feel for the wind on the exposed range. Several experts had been consulted regarding the course layout, including William Flynn, but it was founding member Frederic C. Hood who undertook the actual construction of the course based on his considerable knowledge of American and British golf courses of that day. One involved pulling stones from the ground, and the other determining what to do with them once they were unearthed. But that hasnt always been the case with the actor in the past when it comes to photos taken of him. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! At just 360 yards, the par 4 4th appears easy on the scorecard but is actually one of several very difficult dogleg rights at Kittansett. Most days, the approach plays dead into a southwest wind, making the most sensible play a punch shot that bores its way to the putting surface. As I usually mention when writing about notable golden age courses, I can never do as good of a job recounting the history of the club, as they can. The name is interesting as its a combination of two Native American words meaning near the sea.. At just over 5700 yards, this par 70 plays more difficult than youd expect with small greens, tight fairways, and a hilly terrain. But fescue in the rough, some fairway mounding, and bunkers can still punish shots that arent well placed you especially notice this on the par 4, 2nd. (LogOut/ This has to be one of the better and more robust muni systems in America. Its a fun all-or-nothing hole, and is certainly one of the highlights of the round. The Master Plan has been updated on a couple of occasions since Hanse and his longtime design associate, Jim Wagner, first started working at Kittansett. According to Hanse, his initial mission was to restore the unique architecture of the layout while also enhancing its look, conditioning and playability. That scheme called for culling significant numbers of trees and underbrush, largely to bring back panoramas of the bay from different parts of the course and to improve turf conditions by enhancing air flow. Among the first groups to play the new track included 1913 U.S. Open champion Francis Ouimet, who joined Kittansett soon after as an honorary member. Its most celebrated hole is the par-3 third, where a well-contoured, slightly elevated green is surrounded entirely by sand and bordered on the right by the bay. General Comments:Kittansetts clubhouse is understated, but gives off a classic New England summer charm. By all geographical rights the course should be links-like, but trees line two thirds of the routing and the soil isnt sandy at all, meaning it seldom plays hard and fast outside the dog days of summer. The other dangers on this teeshot include bunkers on either side at 175 yards and marshland for those who go way offline. This was his first Walker Cup and he showed the promise he would later fulfill, going unbeaten on the weekend. To prepare that area for shaping and seeding, workers felled vast numbers of trees and dug up their stumps. It is now a much more open course, the sea is visible from many more holes, and the wind has become a significant factor in course management. This hole marks a return to the Ocean, as the final three hole play on the tip of the archipelago. Par is a tremendous score here. The two that stand sentinel on either side of the somewhat lunar 16th fairway appear to frame the target but are actually 50 yards short of the green, seriously messing with a visitings depth perception. For as challenging as this hole is, the green complex is one of the most interesting on the course. The trees were here first and the thicket has been reduced, in fits and starts, over time. The bunkers on the right are among the deepest on the course. Youre driving out on what becomes an increasingly narrow peninsula, but youd never know it. I really enjoyed the course a lot and the amenities are phenomenal and better than most private courses. This hole bends to the right around 175 yards with marshland lining the right and dense forest lining the left the entire way. Unlock All Content, Become A Subscriber Today. His troubles seemed to coincide with the controversy that arose when Tabor Academy, for the purposes of expediency, circumvented the towns building process for the construction of Duffy Field under the Dover Amendment, which allows schools and hospitals to bypass most town boards to perform construction. The course feels quite natural but was in fact designed to within an inch of its life by one Frederic Hood, who had consulted with Donald Ross and worked from some drawings provided by William Flynn. The 6th plays out towards the water and has a sign off the green designating the high water level from previous hurricanes. Its a forested residential road that makes for a lovely drive, but theres no water in sight. Pace of play is tremendous, and this seaside gem is a joy to walk. True All Day Pants Review: Damn Good (Golf) Pants. The Country Club is definitely Massachusetts' best course and then it is a battle among Kittansett, Boston Golf Club, and Old Sandwich as the state's next best track. The par threes at Kittansett are among the best sets Ive played and the 3rd is the best of the bunch. He also made sure that consecutive golf holes rarely played in the same direction. The two Brits urged Pierson not to impose the penalty stipulated by the rules. I cant imagine what it would be like if the breeze was up even more. Then, they are left with an uphill approach to a slick green backed by the bay, again with bunkers right and left. Col. Anthony Duncan, supported his players and informed Totton Heffelfinger perhaps the most fittingly named USGA President in history that his team could not accept victory if it should depend on disqualification.. This is certainly one of the easier holes out there and one of several holes on the course that provides the golfer numerous options. Found guilty of violating state ethics laws and handed a hefty civil fine earlier this month, Marion Conservation Commission Chairman Sherman Briggs Jr. thinks he should be reappointed to the commission when his term expires, and that this latest turn of events should have no impact on his re-election bid to the town Planning Board. This approach plays to a large, flat green lined by bunkers on either side. Briggs said his original fine by the state Ethics Commission was for $10,000, but his lawyer was able to negotiate the fine down to $7,500. Yes, Mr. Briggs said he had been doing work for Tabor Academy for 23 years and this was a known fact before he was appointed to Marion Conservation Commission by the then Marion Board of Selectmen. So my good friend joined The Kittansett Club this year and Ive been lucky enough to play about a dozen rounds there. Theres another bunker 100 yards short and on either side of this small circular green. With a carry over fescue and bunker, this green is guarded on either side by deep bunkers and slopes extremely hard back-to-front. For the 2022 season they expanded their outdoor bar, which is a fantastic place to have a drink and enjoy the view of both the course and the water. Thats absolutely wild to think about, and it makes you glad the membership voted to take a chance and go ahead with the removal. The course demands both power and precision, and the mix of lengths and angles compels golfers to execute a variety of shots if they have any hope of scoring. The Kittansett Club layout elicited similar praise from competitors and spectators alike. The Kittansett Club is a private course available only to its members and their guests. No reviews at this time. The parking lot is one of the most scenic in all of golf, occupying prime oceanfront property. The opening hole at Kittansett is tied for the longest par 4 on the course at 415 yards. Town of Marion, Massachusetts, United States View. This green generally slopes back-to-front. With the U.S. Senior Amateur visiting Butler Point this week, it seemed a fine time to place this story above the fold.]. But its a leap of faith even for members familiar with the gambit, and a thrilling leap at that. I hit my tee shot to 8 feet and drained the putt for my only birdie in 3 days. All of the Tri-towns have people on their boards and commissions who serve double duty on other boards and whose businesses sometimes do business with the municipalities they serve. Thirteen holes at Kittansett feature some sort of deep cross bunker or bank of mounding perpendicular to play. Theres no real rough here and anything mildly offline will likely find marshland or fescue. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. This hole features beautiful views of the Ocean in the background but dont let this distract you on this difficult teeshot. For most if not all of us, that includes some very obvious places like Pine Valley, Augusta National, Cypress Point and so on. Kittansett Club Team Growth. Throw in the fact that Gil Hanse has done extensive remodeling over the last 10 years, and that it has one of the most noteworthy par 3s in golf? Selectman Jon Henry recused himself from the discussion because he does some work for Briggs company from time-to-time. Most publications focus on the world-class seaside holes, but I thought the inland holes were almost equally as good, resembling the great heathland courses in England with their sandy soil, whispy fescue, and tall trees. This hole is notable for a creek that bisects the fairway at 255 yards, causing many golfers to shy away from driver. As I mentioned, I expected the whole course to be like this, but I enjoyed the changing environment throughout which weaves from open seaside, into the coastal forest, and back out again to finish the round. This is also one of the best bunkered holes on the course with numerous bunkers running through this fairway forcing the golfer to think carefully on each shot. Not even the members, who are used to the carries, the obstacles and the speed of the greens. Kittansett Club has great variety in its routing. The eye-catching hazard sits well short of a flamboyant green cleaved by a deep swale but all this is obscured by the bunkers 7 foot lip. You must have JavaScript enabled to fill out this form. At 385 yards, the 6th is another difficult sub-400 yard par 4 that features another awkward teeshot. A fine hole in its own right, this short one-shotter features a front-to-back sloped green with a giant bunker short and cliffs long. Briggs, 60, owns Sherman E. Briggs Excavating, a business which has performed excavating work for Tabor Academy in Marion for more than 20 years. That brought the hazards back into play for better golfers while removing them as a concern for higher handicap players who did not hit the ball so far. Walker died just prior to the Kittansett Matches, in June of 1953, and his death did little to buttress his longstanding efforts to keep a low profile. Teeing off on the first hole gives you vibes similar to other old-school seaside courses like Fishers Island or Maidstone. At 355 yards, the par 4 13th is the last of a trio of very challenging short dogleg rights. The background but dont let this distract you on this teeshot include bunkers on either side this! Fun all-or-nothing hole, as the final three hole play on the tip of Flynn... If the breeze was up even more difficult in Marion, Massachusetts, United View. 4 13th is the best sets Ive played and the amenities are phenomenal better!, Kittansett and its various attributes should surprise visitors elicited similar praise from competitors and spectators alike with right. 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