So much great feedback, thanks all! Much appreciated, look forward to expanding my Cape area golf portfolio next week.
Marion is the only answer if youāve never played it
4 Likes
FWIW, the smash burger at Captains is an exceptional burger.
2 Likes
Gotta bump this, Southers is an absolute blast, even with intermittent blowing downpours like we had this past Sunday
5 Likes
Damn! Thatās hardcore! Much respect.
1 Like
Took my family there a few nights ago for dinner, excellent choice. Pretty underrated pub food location in general I think. Usually not too crowded and my kids found something they like which is an impossibility. My fatherās league regularly eats there, he said heās never gone wrong eating there.
2 Likes
Playing Newport National on Thurs the 27th at 9:40am if anyone wants to join. Pretty sure Iām a solo so far. In town for Folk Fest.
1 Like
This is why I love this community: for as many years as Iāve been coming to the Cape, I had never even heard of Little Marion, was not on my radar until you fine folks recommended it. And what an absolute gem it is, just a delightful walk. Loved all the quirk, and the greens were very pure. Cannot beat it for 29 bucks to play 18. Thanks folks.
9 Likes
Just got off the waitlist for the Golfers Journal event at Wannamoisett in September - anyone have any thoughts on Wannamoisett and if its worth it, or any experience with TGJ events in general?
My uncle is a member there and Iāve played it a few times. Itās a great place, but not easy. Very old school vibes to the clubhouse and all that, and the course is tight. Itās set right in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Some very fun holes and a cool place overall, but challenging.
1 Like
The course is awesome. Top 3 if not best in RI. The question as to whether itās worth it is all about what you want to pay. TGJ puts on a great event. I think you will really enjoy yourself out there.
2 Likes
yep, this is what I needed, weāre signed up - thanks yāall
1 Like
Finished up my weeklong Cape Cod League junket ā hard to beat this for a work trip (Iām a baseball writer), golf every morning and baseball every evening. Figured I would leave my thoughts on the seven courses I played (all of which were new to me) for future Cape Cod golfers searching this thread.
Monday: Little Marion. Will be making this an annual stop before I cross the bridge ā so quirky and fun, greens were very good, if not as fast as Iām used to in North Carolina. Some very tricky approach shots on this little gem of a course, with trees overhanging to frustrate those of us who play a draw, and some cool old stone walls guarding a number of greens.
Tuesday: The Captainās Course (Starboard). Just a really good all-around golf course, excellent conditioning, a nice test of golf with a good variety of shots required.
Wednesday: Bayberry Hills (Red/White). Felt pretty similar to the Captainās Course, just a little hillier and less walkable. Will definitely make this an annual stop.
Thursday: The Cape Club. Every course I played was in very good condition, but I thought this place was in the best condition of all ā fairways, greens, bunkers and tee boxes were immaculate. Wind was howling on this day, made it play very difficult, but on a normal day I think this would be a good test but not overwhelming. Loved it, will be back.
Friday: Highland Links. As many others here have written, this is a wonderful little true links course on the bluffs in Truro. Greens were better than I was expecting, not fast but in good shape, rolled true. Lots of narrow fairways demand precision off the tee, with Scottish-style fescue and heather playing a major role on wayward shots. I love links golf, and this place scratched the itch. Best views of any course Iāve played on the Cape. Itās a nice walk but youāll definitely get a nice workout going up and down the bluffs.
Saturday: Cape Cod CC. Very solid all-around, good greens and a neat variety of holes, with some fescue adding character. The par 3s here are a beast ā there are five of them, and four of the five play between 190-230 yards or so from the blue tees. I was hitting hybrids and 3-woods into all four of those long ones, with the wind generally in our face (and I was proud of playing those 5 holes at 1-over, with four pars and a bogey). No. 14 is a great par-4 on the back, with an elevated volcano green surrounded by steep slopes and fescue.
Sunday: Bass River. I had played the front nine before, but today was my first time playing all 18 holes, and the back nine was awesome. I love this place ā youāve got some wonderful classic Donald Ross features with some very tricky greens (some of which are very small, some of which are elevated). Itās the easiest walk of any of the courses I played, and the views of the Bass River toward the end of the round are spectacular ā also highly recommend grabbing a bite or a pint on the patio overlooking the river, just a great spot. Conditioning here was way better than I expected, greens rolled true, and overall the conditions were comparable to the other fine courses I played. This place is also gettable ā I finished strong with my only sub-80 round of the week here.
There is so much great public golf on the Cape that I probably wonāt be making the trip over the bridge to play the Plymouth courses on future visits. On this trip I didnāt even hit Cranberry Valley, the Dennis courses, Captainās (Port), or Old Barney (which will be a priority target for next year). Turns out seven days is not nearly enough time to hit up all the great courses I would like to play out here!
Thanks again to you folks for the recommendations. Cheers!
15 Likes
Great report on your trip! Conditions have been VERY good on cape this year with the amount of moisture weāve had. Last year, not so much. The privates that Iāve played this season are in as good a shape as I ever remember
Now you need to give us a review of each Cape Cod league venue as wellā¦
1 Like
New to the Refuge, I live in Connecticut near Springfield and I figured I would reach out to any WMass members looking to play.
3 Likes
Is there another Whatsapp or Discord invite?
Anyone around Boston looking to check out some Raynor(ish?) architecture and some pretty good play, encourage you to take a trip to the Mass Womenās Am at Dedham. It is about 10 minutes from my house and I still have not gotten a chance to play since the renovation, so I took advantage of a slow afternoon at work and went over for a few hours yesterday afternoon for the end of the stroke play section. I ended up watching several groups come through 13 through 17, including seeing Molly Smith (stroke play medalist, qualified for Mass Menās Am, going to UCF this year), her sister Morgan (defending champ, going to Georgetown this year), and Rebecca Skoler (UVA, runner up last year).
The stretch of 13-14-15 is a pretty cool spot, with a punch bowl/lionās mouth on 13, Biarritz on 14, and road hole on 15. If you go up the little access road in the middle of 15 fairway, you can pretty easily move back and forth among all 3 holes to follow the action.
There were hardly any spectators out there yesterday, just a handful of parents, though I somehow ran into one of the few Dedham members I know out there with his son following the action on top of the hill between 16 (bottle) and 17 (reverse redan). Round of 32 is going on this morning (Molly Smith already wrapped up her match 9 & 7), round of 16 this afternoon, QFs and Semis tomorrow and finals on Friday. Not sure I will make it back, but certainly tempted.
3 Likes
Molly Smith is just dominating the Mass Womenās Am - medalist in stroke play now onto the finals with match wins of 9&7, 3&2, 3&2, and 6&4. Still a chance she could face her sister Morgan there, though she is currently 2 down through 9 in a rematch of last yearās final vs. Rebecca Skoler in the other semifinal.
2 Likes
Iām a caddy at Dedham and itās super cool to see it highlighted on the gram. The course is unbelievable. I didnāt caddy this week and I havenāt made it out to watch but itās super impressive to see them go low. Iāve seen members who have played there for decades not make a single par and seeing the women go out there and post numbers is great.
3 Likes
Got the pleasure to play pinehills today ā¦ it was a scramble tournament and we played the Nicklaus course ā¦ what a beauty of a course ā¦ every hole felt like it was separate and isolated from each other
2 Likes