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. Many of the games greats were indeed on hand for the event. Kittansett loosely translates to "near the sea," and that only scratches the surface of this gem. A time when the British played one ball (1.62 inches in diameter) and the Americans another (1.68), when all matches were contested over 36 holes, a time when players were ultimately judged by the skill with which they deflected adulation when a point might well be refused if it hadnt been earned in the spirit of fair play. 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. When you get your first glimpse of the club on the left-hand side my GPS was telling me Id arrived. The other dangers on this teeshot include bunkers on either side at 175 yards and marshland for those who go way offline. Briggs said he had to do that after Marion Conservation Commission member Norm Hills had to recuse himself from the decision because his wife works for Tabor. When golfs luminaries gathered in September on this lovely seaside ground just south of the Cape Cod Canal, the prize at stake had become The Walker Cup, forever and always. One particularly devastating bunker is a crossbunker that juts onto the left fairway about 100 yards short of the green. The improvements over the past few years have transformed play. More often the cross hazards come earlier in the golf hole. And theres a good chance driver will be too much and take you through the fairway. This drive requires a carry of 145 yards and avoidance of dense marshes on the right. With a carry over fescue and bunker, this green is guarded on either side by deep bunkers and slopes extremely hard back-to-front. In some areas its more subtle (like on the 2nd fairway for instance.) Darius Oliver, in this short extract from the book Planet Golf USA, writes: "Enjoying scenic outlooks across the water to Cape Cod, Kittansett is a lovely setting for golf and the ever-changing nature of its holes ensure that a round here is constantly engaging. The 1953 Walker Cup, on the other hand, is easily the biggest thing ever to hit The Kittansett Club, one of New Englands most revrered if serially under-exposed golf venues. 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. The 11th with its massive cross bunker gaping in from the left is perhaps the most brutish poser on a course replete with them. That prompted us to restore them to their original sizes. About 30 yards short of the green, two cross-bunkers squeeze the fairway, preventing runners from reaching the green. 16 that was fashioned in the thickly forested land that made up the interior part of the track. In the 1990s, the team of Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner restored the course to its original glory by removing trees and renovating bunkers. The opening holes provide wide fairways with generous landing areas. This September, I finally got that chance. Briggs appointment to Marion Conservation Commission expires June 30, 2015. Congressman from its Second District went 2-0, winning his foursomes match with Ward, 9 and 8, and clinching the Cup with another landslide victory in singles, 7 and 5 over Roy MacGregor. Hood helped build it, but it was unclear who did the initial plans. Beverly's clubhouse was only open for a short portion of the year in general but was actually used only on two weeks of official race days. This was another golfing era. The fairways were laid out over uncut wooded territory through which paths were cut as the areas for the holes took shape. Generation Zero Now Available for Purchase, Late-Nineties Flashback: The Great Maine Golf Course Binge, In Iceland, It Truly Is a Matter of Degree, Generation Zero:The modern Creation epic U.S. soccer didnt know it had, available July 19, Forty-Eight Years Late: Celts, Dubs Redeem an NBA Final That Never Was. 17 is a visually tricky hole, as from the tee it can be tough to know exactly where youre going. Before coming to Kittansett, I was expecting the course to be much more open than it is. You and those before you have made a habit of these tainted appointments for years and years. This green is relatively flat, but plays elevated with slopes on all sides. Kittansett Club Team Growth. in the minutes leading up to your arrival, you can be forgiven for thinking you might be in the wrong place. The conditions were surprisingly calm and beastly hot that Labor Day weekend 53 years ago. Tabor paid Briggs Excavation $8,030 for the work. 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. General Comments:Kittansetts clubhouse is understated, but gives off a classic New England summer charm. 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. The senior amateurs are in for a treat in 2022. Flynn also broke up several fairways into sections, with cross bunkers protruding into landing areas from different sides of holes and gnarly stretches of rough and sandy waste areas stretching across some of them entirely. This hole plays 175 yards to a wide yet shallow green surrounded by deep bunkers and fescue. With the U.S. Senior Amateur visiting Butler Point this week, it seemed a fine time to place this story above the fold.]. The keen golfer was said to be very knowledgeable about course architecture, thanks largely to trips he had taken with his sticks to the British Isles. The view from this teebox is world-class, with 390 fantastic yards separating you from the water. The 15th is the second of the trio of par 5s on the course. Amateur qualifying in 1996: 36 holes, 101 players playing off 1.4 or better, pins set near the middle, 80 degrees and not a scrape of wind. When you hit 16, youre brought back out of the trees to finish the course in the open. Membership at the club is strictly invitation only, with initiation fees ranging from $250,000 to $500,000. 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. No reviews at this time. Kittansett was built in the 1920s and juts out on a peninsula directly into Buzzards Bay in Marion, Massachusetts outside of Boston. The Kittansett Club, appropriately named from two Native American words meaning near the sea, is situated in the town of Marion at the end of Butler Point, which extends into Buzzards Bay. But there are so many other holes of note. My attorney says I dont have to resign, Briggs said recently of his Conservation Commission position in an interview earlier this week with The Sentinel. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2012-2022 Location 180, LLC | All rights reserved. Kittansett Club has great variety in its routing. Longer hitters can cut the corner over the hills and leave a shorter approach into a back-to-front sloped green. This is a great closing match play par 5 where birdies will fly. The railroad tie path through the bunker to the green is a cool aesthetic touch and adds to the interest of the experience. Anytime you want to come back I can absolutely get you back out there, (hes a really good friend) just let me know. Im honestly surprised I was able to get out and see the course considering theyd just finished up the event. Club records indicate that construction on the course commenced in summer 1922. This hole reminds me a lot of the 5th atWannamoisettwith the ideal line playing over mounds at the right corner. 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 high scores tell you something else. This hole features beautiful views of the Ocean in the background but dont let this distract you on this difficult teeshot. The building of the course is a bit of an anomaly. Littler, then 23, was obliged to arrange leave from the Army to attend the Kittansett matches. Kittansett has a lot of subtlety to it, and I imagine with more plays Id grow to appreciate it even more. While I feel Kittansett finishes a close race as 4th best in the state, if you like courses along the lines of Garden City Golf Club, Maidstone, San Francisco Golf Club, and Minikahda then Kittansett should be right up your alley. This keeps the vibe more chill and low-key, and really allows you to soak in the wonderful setting on the Bay. Kittansett seems tailor-made for a national mid-amateur championship, and while Demmer hinted that the subject has been broached presumably with the folks who famously value par there are no plans. The collective result of those changes has been nothing short of spectacular. At just over 5700 yards, this par 70 plays more difficult than youd expect with small greens, tight fairways, and a hilly terrain. 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). G.H. Youre driving out on what becomes an increasingly narrow peninsula, but youd never know it. The oldest public course in New Jersey, Weequahic Golf Course was originally 9 holes built by Baltusrol Pro George Low in 1913. Featuring a dazzling set of seaside holes and equally interesting inland holes, an invite to Kittansett is to be cherished. The 375 yard 17th is another dogleg left running in the opposite direction of 16. Kittansett hosted U.S. At just 155 yards, this world-famous hole plays directly over the Ocean to an island green surrounded by beach sand. And the golfers playing in that event will be every bit as enthralled with the layout which also played host to the 1953 Walker Cup match as those who just teed it up there in the Mass Am. According to Hanse, his initial mission was to restore the unique architecture of the layout while also enhancing its look, conditioning and playability. The opening hole at Kittansett is tied for the longest par 4 on the course at 415 yards. This green is large, two-tiered and guarded by deep bunkers on either side. 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.. Nothing of the sort happened at Turks this weekend. He reported the matter to the referee, USGA Treasurer Charles Pierson, who in turn consulted with USGA Vice President Ike Grainger. With a teebox in the middle of a marsh, this is a difficult teeshot with a forced carry of 160 yards and dogleg not coming until 225 yards. This undulating green is guarded by tall trees on the left and bunkers on either side. Flattish and easy to walk, the ground across which the course was routed nonetheless possessed character, with Flynn making terrific use of the subtle hills and hollows. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Indeed, his passing had the opposite effect. Most critics point to the 16th as the best par 4 at Kittansett and I have to agree. The maps on this site are based on Cesium which in turn is based on WebGL. The trees were here first and the thicket has been reduced, in fits and starts, over time. The Kittansett Club opens with the two longest par fours on the course. Seasonal work but enjoyable. Kittansett plays short (not even 7000 yards from the Tips) and even shorter given the firm and fast conditions, but I played horribly here and found the course to be extremely tricky. This is a relatively straightforward hole with a generous fairway after carrying a series of fairway bunkers for the first 200 yards. He also made sure that consecutive golf holes rarely played in the same direction. Looking back, the interest and intrigue are found in the details. Review: The William J. Devine Golf Course at FranklinPark, Review: Marion Golf Club Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews, Follow Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews on WordPress.com, #134 Best Course in the World Golf Digest (2018), #84 Best Course in North America Top100golfcourse.com (2018), #77 Best Course in America Golf Digest (2021), #65 Best Course in America Golf Magazine (2022), #73 Best Course in America Top100golfcourse.com (2019), #49 Best Classic Course in America Golfweek (2022), #4 Best Course in Massachusetts Golf Digest (2021), #6 Best Course in Massachusetts Golf Magazine (2023), #7 Best Course in Massachusetts Top100golfcourse.com (2020), #7 Best Private Course in Massachusetts Golfweek (2022). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Truth be told, there was little overarching drama to the competition itself; the U.S. squad won easily, 9-3, securing its 13th victory in 14 tries. Its a severely sloped back-to-front green with a bit of a swale in the middle separating it into two sections. Most seaside courses of this vintage started out treeless only to experience rampant forestation in succeeding years. For me, it ended up being the highlight of my entire Boston trip. American James Jackson was another type of newcomer in 1953, playing his first Walker Cup foursomes match on the Friday when he unwittingly instigated the events most poignant moment. 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. The 6th plays out towards the water and has a sign off the green designating the high water level from previous hurricanes. All of a sudden the courses you want to play tend to have less to do with prestige, and more to do with your personal preferences, geographic history, and the style of golf you enjoy most. That served to reinforce the wisdom of the work Hanse had already completed with help first from Kittansett golf course superintendent, Lenny Blodgett, and then his successor, John Kelly as it also acted as a guide for future work. The 15th is the longest of a short set of par fives at 515 yards. The visitors would salvage a measure of self respect when Ronnie White, 3-down after 30 holes, stormed back to post a thrilling 1-up victory over Chapman on the Americans home course. The Kittansett Club, a private golf club that fronts the ocean on Kittansett Point, off Point Road, is also located in a flood plain. The 5th has one of the more intimidating shots on the course. 12 is a fantastic hole that is simplynotone that favors my game. 10 shows off more interesting mounding which is a theme throughout the course. 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. Originally, it was the Native Americans who led the Plymouth settlers and their cattle to the warmer winter pastures on these shores. Even got a prom pic. With its spectacular views and challenging golf, a round at Kittansett is a truly memorable experience. Here and there these oversized Kisses (more like chocolate-covered cherries really) reside on a holes periphery, seemingly without purposes. Kittansett has hosted the state amateur four times; each time it set a record for the number of entries. The Cup was named for the then President of the USGA George Herbert Walker, a banker and businessman. This hole bends to the right around 175 yards with marshland lining the right and dense forest lining the left the entire way. It makes for an interesting choice off the tee. This fairway bends slightly to the left with marshes on either side. The green itself sits about 4-5 feet above the bunker, and the water from the cove comes in on the right-hand side. 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. dinner of swordfish and sushi specials at Turks Seafood on Sunday, according to Fun 107. So if the sand isnt scary enough, a sliced shot can certainly still find the water. The course held the Walker Cup in 1953, and most recently held the US Senior Amateur in September 2022. George Herbert Walker, great-grandfather to President Bush and founding patron of the international cup series, embodied the spirit of these times. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The 337 yard 10th hole at We-Ko-Pa Saguaro is a really fun risk/rewark hole that features two templates: a Reverse Cape on the teeshot and Lions Mouth by the green. You must have JavaScript enabled to fill out this form. Designed by myThem.es. And in 2016, Murray threw fans cell phones off the roof of a second-story restaurant in Carmel, Calif., after they snapped photos of the actor, according to TMZ. 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. A cross bunker comes into play from the left on tee shots, and the best move is taking on that hazard with ones drive, keeping the ball on that side of the fairway for a more open approach to the green. 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]. He said the irony of this situation is that his association with Tabor was part of the reason he was appointed to the ConCom in 1997 by then-Selectmen Al Winters, Lori Schaefer and Jody Dickerson because the town wanted a better working relationship with Tabor Academy and the Kittansett Club. 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 approach to this small undulating green is guarded by a deep bunker on the left. MARION, MASSACHUSETTS | Competitors in last week's Massachusetts Amateur had the pleasure of playing one of the Bay State's best golf courses at the Kittansett Club. Amateur champion. Despite being a mostly out-and-back course, it weaves in a nice selection of doglegs in both directions with straight holes as well, and you see this throughout the back 9. When we got to the par 3 11th, all we could say was what??. 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. Try and clear the bunker on the corner and take on the trees. In summer 2022, it hosts only its second USGA event, the Senior Amateur Championship. During its memorable history Kittansett has hosted several Massachusetts Golf Association championships over the years. Generous benefits and bonuses. An obvious case is Sherman Briggs on the Conservation Commission. 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! Although my least favorite of the three, Weequahic offers strong value and a more than adequate layout for public golfers in the New York metro area. Oh, and while he's traveling around doing that, he also golfs as much as humanly possible in his quest to break eighty for the first time ever. American Jack Westland, the reigning U.S. Some of the mounds at Kittansett ran down the edges of holes and others diagonally across them. The 12th is a fantastic strategic dogleg left playing at 380 yards. So many other holes of note this undulating green is guarded on either side 175. Sort happened at Turks this weekend comes in on the left-hand side my GPS was me. Side my GPS was telling me Id arrived on this difficult teeshot golf... 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