Golf’s Past Remains Alive at Classic New England Courses

Golf in New England is thriving with numerous public and private courses, professional and amateur tournaments, and youth, high school, and collegiate golf programs, but the foundation for today’s success was laid decades ago.

So, while we await the inevitable return of spring, let’s nestle under the white blanket of winter to reflect on some of the oldest and most historic golf courses in the region - one from each of the six New England states.

Vermont Vintage

In 1886, a group of golfers in Dorset, VT created a 9-hole golf course. The Dorset Field Club would eventually become the oldest continuously operating golf club in America. Through five alterations, including expansion to an 18-hole course in 1999, the club continues to sponsor many events throughout the golf season covering all aspects of the game.

The Dorset Field Club is showcased at the USGA Museum in Far Hills, New Jersey and its clubhouse is believed to be the second oldest of its kind trailing only Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

According to the Dorset Field Club and the PGA, Dorset came to life when Arvin Harrington, the club’s first president, established a 9-hole course. Over the decades, changes to the course have added length and additional holes.

Ironically, Dorset Field Club is now at the forefront of embracing tradition and technology with its AboutGolf Simulator and TrackMan 4 Launch Monitor.

Massachusetts Monument

No discussion about classic New England golf courses can be had without mentioning The Country Club in Brookline, MA. One of five charter members of the United States Golf Association (USGA), it has played host to 17 USGA national championships.

The Country Club is best known for the 1913 U.S. Open won by amateur and Brookline-native Francis Ouimet, but lest we forget the epic 1999 U.S. Ryder Cup victory and the 1902 U.S. Women’s Amateur, the club’s first national championship, won by Genevieve Hecker. While synonymous with golf, the property was originally a horse racetrack. Over time, hooves were replaced by hacks. Early alterations to the course were made in 1899,

1908, and 1927. More changes were made for the 1988 U.S. Open and a retro restoration was completed in 2019.

The Country Club has hosted four US Open Championships (1913, 1963, 1988, 2022) and remains a bucket list see for all duffers.

Rhode Island Royalty

Newport Country Club on Newport, RI was established in 1893 and would eventually be recognized as one of the top golf courses in the United States. Initial Chairman Theodore A. Havemeyer spearheaded a move to adopt the Rules of the St. Andrew’s Club in Scotland.

In 1894, Havemeyer was named the first-ever president of the newly formed USGA. Not coincidentally, one year later, Newport Country Club hosted the first USGA-sanctioned national championships.

According to course history, the start of the championships was delayed until the conclusion of the America’s Cup yacht race. The title was won by Charles Blair Macdonald by 12 and 11 strokes, still the most lopsided win in the Amateur.

In 2017, renowned golf architect Gil Hanse was hired to make some updates to the course. He eventually redesigned the five fairway bunkers, three on the 2nd hole and two on the 6th hole, and also restored the greens to their original size. Newport’s golf impact continues as it is slated to host the U.S. Senior Open in 2024.

New Hampshire Nobility

Hanover Country Club in Hanover, NH was closed in 2020 due to financial deficits, but its lasting memory lingers in Granite State golf lore. Orrin Smith designed the original 18-hole course in 1922. One of the defining characteristics of Hanover was its surrounding beauty.

Located in the heart of Dartmouth College, the course was created from the rolling hills of the Upper Connecticut River valley. Between the holes ran a local trail system, and back-toback par threes on 4 and 5 brought golfers to a bridge that crossed a ravine.

Hanover was fraught with numerous hills and valleys leading to a gorgeous classic clubhouse at 18. The singular artistry of this historic course was characterized by long walks between holes, long shots to reach the fairways, and long lines of trees making for some challenging shots for aggressive golfers. The course is now used for cross-country running but the legacy of its golf past runs even deeper.

Maine Majesty

The eighth oldest golf club in the country finds its home in Bar Harbor, Maine. Kebo Valley Golf Club was established in 1888. Its challenging design has delighted and dejected many luminaries of golf and other avenues.

President William Howard Taft, U.S. Open Champion Scott Simpson, and PGA legend Billy Casper all played Kebo Valley. In 1911, President Taft carded a 27 on what was then the Elbow hole, the 17th, now aptly referred to as the Taft hole.

In 1922, Sir Walter Hagen, he of the 11 professional major championships, played two rounds at Kebo Valley, one of which was a then-course record 67. Located on Mount Desert Island and bordering Acadia National Park, Kebo is known for its challenging fairways and unpredictable wind currents and sun impact.

Environmentalists will thrill to the fact that the course helps to preserve hundreds of acres of land in their natural states. The venerable 18-hole course remains in play today.

Connecticut Classic

The beginnings of Fenwick Golf Course in Old Saybrook, CT date back to 1896. In 1900, the course was 2,550 yards long with 85 members paying annual dues of $10.00. The first

Fenwick Open was held that same year with heralded 1898 U.S. Amateur champion Findlay Douglas playing in the tournament.

While Fenwick would never host such a grandiose event again, players still flocked to the course to enjoy the large, square-cornered greens with longer grass. Hazards included actual sandy country roads and, believe it or not, cacti. Today, Fenwick Golf Course is defined by berms on the 2nd, 4th and 6th holes, small greens, wide hole corridors, and firm fairways. Course redesigns over the years reflect Maine’s British ancestry in playability, natural greens, and undulations.

Fenwick - and all of these classic New England courses - bring out the true legacy of golf, one that links players from different generations to a game that remains eternally beloved.

John Molori is an author and columnist for numerous publications. Like him on Facebook at John Molori, Twitter @MoloriMedia. Email molorimedia@gmail.com.