Nine-Hole Courses for Your Plating Pleasure

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Stoneham Oaks Golf Course Stoneham, MA

According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), the number of nine-hole rounds was up over 15 percent in 2020. The NGF also reported that 33 percent of core golfer rounds in 2020 were of the nine-hole rounds, while occasional golfers reported that 48 percent of the rounds they play are nine holes.

While some golfers may look down their noses at nine-hole courses, saying they are too short or that they attract too many beginners, nothing could be further from the truth. Many private clubs have a nine-hole courses that are often historic in nature, some dating back 100 years or more. Some public courses can say the same thing. These courses tend to be a bit quirky in nature and are fun to play.

One of the best things about playing nine holes is that you get onto and off of the course in rather quick fashion. Unless you have the slowest golfers in the world in front of you (sometimes that does happen) you can play nine holes in an hour and a half or two hours at the most. Thus, a nine-hole round can be easily fit into a normal working day. Skip lunch and take the clubs with you to your local nine-hole course and you will find yourself refreshed; you can have something to eat while you play after all.

 

Take advantage of Golfing Magazine’s Free Golf offer and test out the following nine-holers. Call 860-563-1633, or visit  www.FreeGolf.net.

CONNECTICUT.

Green Woods Country Club  in Winsted (www.GreenWoodsCC.net) is a former private track that went semi-private a few years back. The conditions are very good, even on this early season day. Typical of the old nine-hole courses in New England (Greenwoods was built over 100 years ago) the layout is on the short side, with small, tricky greens as its only defense in these days of powerful drivers and juiced golf balls.

Walking onto the Hotchkiss School Golf Course (www.Hotchkiss.org) in Lakeville is akin to stepping back in time, that is, from a golfer’s viewpoint. The course is located on the grounds of a prestigious private school, and has been virtually untouched since it opened in 1924.The course was originally built Seth Raynor, one of the legendary names of American golf course architecture. Raynor’s’ work was routed over the existing terrain, which makes for mounding in the fairways and sometimes wildly undulating greens, as well as deep greenside bunkers.

Canaan Country Club
(www.CanaanCC.com) in Canaan is a scenic routing in the northwest hills of Connecticut The par-35 course, which borders the Blackberry River and crosses over wetlands, has several holes that feature a picturesque view of Canaan Mountain. The par three eighth, which plays from 170 to 210 yards depending upon tee placement, has made several “Ten Toughest Par 3’s in Connecticut” lists over the years. It plays over a deep gully to an elevated green. The green is deep, so a back pin placement adds 10 to 15 yards to the shot. There’s OB left, but a bailout to the right is possible, which leaves a finesse pitch shot to the green.

Eastwoods Country Club
(www.EastwoodsCountryClub.com) in Torrington is a great place for beginners and accomplished players alike. The layout plays to around 3,000 yards from the tips and features one of the toughest par-fives in the state. The 564-yard ninth hole demands a right to left tee shot that must steer clear of trees on both sides. The second shot is uphill and needs to clear a pond to set up a mid-iron approach to a table top green.

Copper Hill Golf Club
(www.CopperHillGolf.com) in East Granby is a very good test of golf, with a nice mix of short and long par-fours, two very demanding par-threes, and two par-fives that are reachable in two for long hitters. Copper Hill measures 3,030 yards and has two par-fives, the 473-yard fourth and 459-yard eighth, that are reachable in two for the big hitters, and a cool par-four, the fifth, measuring 265 yards, where you can drive the green.

Pomperaug Golf Course
(www.HeritageSouthbury.net) is sited near the Pomperaug River in Southbury. The course isn’t long but there is water on every hole, which can play havoc with your tee and approach shots to the modest-sized greens. Number nine is a good, short par-four. The drive must lay up before the river to set up a wedge across the water to a very wide green. Get too greedy if the pin is tucked up front and your ball might fall back into the river.

The par-three ninth hole at Vineyard Valley Golf Club
(www.VineyardValleyGolfClub.com) in Pomfret is one of the coolest short holes in the region and is northeast Connecticut’s answer to the famous island green at TPC Sawgrass in Florida. Playing anywhere from 110 to 160 yards, the green is fronted by a marsh that has been the end of many a good score. If you’re even a foot shy of landing on the green your destiny is a double bogey at best.

Minnechaug Golf Course (www.MinnechaugGolf.com) in Glastonbury offers excellent conditions and a fun test of golf. It also has one of the few true island greens in New England, the 126-yard eighth, which some consider to be the first of its kind in the nation. Graham Clark did the original routing for the course, and Al Zikorus and William F. Mitchell undertook some redesigns years later.

Minnechaug Golf Course
Glastonbury, CT
Island Hole

Historic Roseland Golf Course (www.RoselandGolfCourse.com) in Woodstock is one of the oldest nine-hole layouts in the state. Originally built in 1896, Roseland celebrated its 100th birthday more than a decade ago. The course is a modest 2,397 yards in length, providing golfers of all skill levels with the opportunity for a fun, relaxing and enjoyable round of golf. The track features narrow, tree-lined scenic fairways. Small greens present a challenge to all golfers. With only one moderate hill, the course is relatively flat and is quite easy to walk.

The Chanticlair Golf Course (www.Chanticlair.com) in Colchester opened in 1972 and was designed by Hy and Gigi Stollman. The course has undergone continuous improvements. The track measures just under 3,000 yards and its signature hole is a pretty, 138-yard par-three, the fourth that plays to an island green. The layout boasts some of the state’s best conditioned greens.

Highland Greens Golf Course  (www.HighlandGreens.com) in Prospect is a lighted, nine-hole par-three course that is ideal for beginner and senior golfers who may shy away for the country club or high-end daily fee golf course scene. You can play nine holes here in about an hour and a half, and those new to golf enjoy the shorter holes that don’t beat them up as they attempt to learn the nuances of the game. Accomplished players can work on their iron play. As mentioned, Highland Greens is lighted, so you can spend a great evening with family and friends at the course.

Gainfield Farms Golf Course (www.GainfieldGolf.com) in Southbury is an executive layout located between Waterbury and Danbury. It is ideal for beginners, women and children, as well as for working on your short game or when you have limited time. The course can be played in less than two hours, a plus when trying to fit some swings into a busy work day. Gainfield Farms Golf Course has eight par-threes ranging in length from a short 94 yards up to 195. The latter hole, plus the 188-yard third hole, are tough to par even for the best players. The one par-four plays around 260 yards and can be reached off the tee by big hitters.

Gainfield Farms

Quarry View Golf Course (www.QuarryViewGolf.com) in Canaan, along with its full-service golf center, is a great place for the beginner golfer. You won’t feel intimidated if this is your first time out. Experienced players will enjoy the quick play and the ability to concentrate on improving their iron shots and short games. Quarry View has the feeling of playing on two unique types of golf courses, for each hole has fairways lined with fescue similar to a links course, while the surrounding woods is typical of a traditional New England layout. The course, driving range and short game area are well manicured and designed with excellent drainage that enables Quarry View to remain playable even after a heavy rain when other courses are under water.

Sleeping Giant Golf Course (www.SleepingGiantGolfCourse.com) in Hamden is set in the shadows of the Sleeping Giant Mountains southern Connecticut. Drop the notion that you need a collared shirt, a ranger, and the most expensive golf carts in the world to enjoy a round; the club is laid back. The course plays 2.671 yards from the tips and has a par of 35, with six par-fours, two par-threes and one par-five. Several of the par-fours are stern, such as the 407-yard second and the 374-yard fourth. The final four holes are all birdie holes, with the seventh and eighth playing only 207 and 227 yards respectively. The only par-five can be tricky. It plays 459 yards from the back markers and the green can be reached in two shots by long hitters, but it’s three good shots to find the putting surface for most golfers.

MASSACHUSETTS

Blue Rock Golf Course (www.bluerockgolfcourse.com) in South Yarmouth is an 18-hole par-54 executive course designed by Geoffrey Cornish design. It measures from 2,150 to 2,800 yards from five different sets of tee boxes. The course was built in 1962 and has been consistently ranked in the Top 10 executive courses in the country.

From the manicured tee boxes to the meticulously maintained greens, Blue Rock would be an excellent choice if you are looking for a course to work on improving your irons and short game.

The top handicap hole is number, playing at a robust 255 yards from the tips. Hole number 9 is rated one of the Cape’s Top 18 holes, playing 170 yards from the back markers. The hole requires the experienced player to navigate a well-placed tee shot over water to a large, undulating kidney shaped green. Par on this hole is a great score.

For those golfers who prefer to take a cart the course offers an easy walk through picturesque landscaping.

Blue Rock Golf Course
9th-hole

Quaboag Country Club
(www.QuaboagCountryClub.com) located in Monson is a splendid 9–hole course with a championship layout and private club conditions. The course offers sweet views and was ranked a 9 out of 10 by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette golf review. The second hole is a 215-yard par-three and the next hole is a very demanding, 440-yard par-four. The seventh, a 255-yard par-four, can be reached from the tee by big hitters. There’s a fully stocked pro shop, full service restaurant, and  golfers lounge.

Greenock Country Club (www.GreenockCC.com) in Lee was established as one of America’s first courses, dating back to 1895. Redesigned in 1927 by the legendary golf architect Donald Ross, the 9-hole course has stood the test of time, a masterpiece of craftsmanship and original style. The club is located just one mile from exit 2 off Interstate 90, within minutes of the historic town of Stockbridge, and just a few short miles from Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The sixth hole is a risk-reward par-five, measuring only 465 yards, but there is water left and right of the green if you are thinking about going for it in two.

Greenock Country Club Lee, MA

Unicorn Golf Course (www.UnicornGC.com) in Stoneham has an interesting history. It was originally designed as an 18-hole private golf course. The layout was crafted by the renowned architects Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek, and covered portions of the towns of Stoneham and Woburn. In 1972, the town of Stoneham purchased the property within Stoneham and redesigned the course to play as a nine-hole course now known as Unicorn. The course traverses a hilltop piece of land, with some holes playing out in the open, and others surrounded by huge old oak trees lining the fairways.

While an 18-holer we include Rockland Golf Course (www.RocklandgGC.com) in Rockland because you can be fit it into a busy day with ease, as it contains all par-threes. The course was carved out of a piece of land featuring tall oaks and rock outcroppings lining some fairways. Due to its friendly layout, the course also provides an ideal learning environment for the beginner golfer, while presenting a challenge to even the most skilled player due to the beefy length of some of its holes.

The Blandford Club (413-848-2443) in Blandford is a delightful nine-hole layout nestled in the scenic hills of the western portion of the Commonwealth State. Only 2,722 yards from the tips and playing to a par of 35, this a fun track for all skill levels. The course is one of the oldest in the region, having opened in 1910. It was designed by William Dexter.

Maynard Country Club (www.MaynardCC.com) in Maynard, Ma. offers pleasing atmosphere and a very solid test of golf, with the course
playing more  difficult than its overall yardage of 2,783 yards
suggests. The ninth hole is a 280-yard par-four and has a green that can be reached off the tee by longballers.

The Stoneham Oaks Golf Course (www.StonehamOaks.com) in Stoneham is a par-3 executive course open to the public that was established in 1994 and is owned by the Town of Stoneham. Located right off the I-93 highway and only eight miles North of the heart of Boston it is in the perfect location for commuters traveling from around the Boston area to grab a quick nine holes of golf. Featuring a 1,125 yard course Stoneham Oaks recently, has undergone a change of management and is now being operated and maintained by Sterling Golf Management. The course, while short in length, provides golfers with unique challenges and beautiful greens which run true to form. The short length of the course creates the perfect opportunity for players of all ages and abilities to be able to enjoy the course and work on their short-games.

Bedrock Golf Club (www.BedrockGolfClub.com) in Rutland is a privately owned, challenging, nine-hole, par-36 golf course operated by the Carr Family. Former PGA Tour Professional and current PGA of America member Joe Carr has served as Bedrock’s Golf Professional since the club’s inception on May 23, 1992. The amenities offered include a scenic course carved through the Rutland woods, fully stocked pro shop, practice putting green, motorized carts, pull carts, tournament schedule and the “Back Nine Pub”, a full service bar and grille. Bedrock is located 10 miles west of Worcester. The well manicured course weaves through woodlands and measures 3,443 yards from the longest tees. The course was designed by Bill Greene and Joe Carr.

RHODE ISLAND

South Shore Golf Club (www.Southshorevillageri.com) in Kingston, Rhode Island is a 9-hole, par-35 layout and the first new course the Ocean State has seen in over 10 years. There are five sets of tees tipping out at 3,047 yards and working down to 2,058 yards. In a twist unique to Rhode Island golf courses and a rarity across the rest of the country, the layout can also be played as a par-27 with every hole having a par-3 tee.

Four miles from acclaimed Rhode Island beaches, the layout meanders through a coastal forest never coming close enough to homes for the layout to feel tight or claustrophobic.

Notable holes include the par-3 seventh with its wild two-tiered green, the beefy par-4 fourth with its angled, elevated putting surface guarded by multiple bunkers as well as the par-5 sixth with its double dogleg fairway and natural rock outcroppings.

There is also one of the finest practice facilities in the area with a driving range that has a 30,000-square-foot grass teeing area along with a chipping green, practice bunker and putting green.

South Shore Golf Club

Kings Crossing Golf Club (www.KingsCrossingGolfClub.com) in North Kingston was originally designed by renowned golf architect, Geoffrey Cornish and opened in 1964. From the beginning of the round players will find an unexpectedly meandering and flowing landscape with holes that offer variety, aesthetic charm and flexibility. The course is uniquely laid out to allow players to enjoy a round of 4 holes…which we call the “shorty”, a solid 9-hole test or, with a truly flexible tee marker system, 18 holes that provide enough variety to challenge all abilities. The greens are softly moving and fair, while the bunkering on the course bring a classic style to the eye. Another characteristic of Kings Crossing is playability.

Kings Crossing Golf Club

Pinecrest Golf Club (www.PinecrestRI.com) in Carolina is a sweet nine-hole course. The layout is kept in splendid condition, and the routing is fun and challenging at the same time. While not overly long, Pinecrest is fairly tight and has several doglegs and uphill shots that complicate navigation.

Rose Hill Golf Club (401-798-1088) in South Kingstown is a par-three layout in that has holes ranging from 118 to 218 yards. You can play nine in an hour and 18 in perhaps less than two hours. The course is well maintained. Three holes, the second, fourth and fifth, play across water and test your nerves.

Rose Hill Golf Club
South Kingstown, RI

The owners and management at Coventry Pines Golf Course
(www.CoventryPines.com) in Coventry have invested dollars and labor into refurbishing their nine-hole course. Coventry Pines is a little tester, measuring 3,170 yards. Two of the toughest holes are back to back, the 408-yard par-four fifth and the 520-yard par-five sixth. The latter is listed as the course’s number one handicap hole.

Midville Golf Club
(www.MidvilleGolfClub.com) in West Warwick is a sweet nine-hole course. Ownership and the superintendent place a premium on superb playing conditions. The layout measures just under 3,000 yards from the tips, and there are several par-fours that are almost reachable off the tee by big hitters. The number one handicap hole is the 6th, a par-five that measures 535 yards.

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John Torsiello is Editor of Golfing Magazine New England and an Associate Editor for Golfing Magazine New Jersey-Eastern Pa. He lives in Torrington, Connecticut and part-time in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. John has written extensively about all aspects of the golf industry for a number of national and other regional publications. He has won over two dozen awards for his writing,