WAM Golf

New England Country Club Review (Bellingham, MA)

I had the opportunity to play New England Country Club in Bellingham, MA, last week and wanted to share my thoughts. Tucked on the border of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, New England Country Club is a public golf course designed by Hale Irwin.

Approach on the 3rd hole

My Experience at New England CC

First, I have to give credit to the people at New England CC. These were some of the friendliest people I have come across at a golf course. Whether they were answering the phone, serving food/drinks in the clubhouse, the starters or the members we finished our round with, all were very friendly. It made the experience that much more enjoyable.

At only 6,400+ yards from the tips, it's not the longest golf course you will play. The layout requires solid club selection and accuracy instead of power. Elevation changes and a few blind shots may cause difficulty if you're playing here for the first time but overall, the course is very fair.

 

Approach on the 5th hole

The conditions were good for early May in New England. The fairways were in great shape and the rough was short. When the rough is longer, I could see how this would be a more challenging golf course. The greens has just been aerated so I can't comment on how they roll but they were large and fairly easy to hit on approach shots.

Top 3 Golf Holes at New England CC

• 9th Hole (401 yd, Par 4)- A great hole to finish up the front 9. An accurate tee shot with a long iron leaves you with a wedge into a well guarded green. A creek in front and back make this one of the more challenging approach shots you'll face all round.
• 16th Hole (161 yd, Par 3)- This kicks off the challenging end to your round. An elevated tee box and forced carry requires a smart club selection. If you're short, it could be in the hazard or a bunker. Long and you may find yourself battling a rock wall on your next shot. It's a big green so hitting it doesn't mean an automatic two putt.
• 18th Hole (428 yd, Par 4)- This is my favorite golf hole. If you keep your tee shot in the fairway it will run down the hill and leave you with a short iron or wedge into the green. Your approach is all carry as water guards the front. Too long and you'll be chipping towards the water with the green sloping away. It's all about accuracy on this fun finishing hole. 

 

Approach to the 18th green

 

Overall

I would play this course again and recommend it if you're in the area. It's a fair course that requires players to selected the right club and be accurate. The short design rewards players who can find the fairway with short irons into the greens and the people are very friendly.

The Course: New England Country Club

Greens Fees: $49-$69

Beverage Service: Clubhouse & on Course

Food: Yes, Egans Pub in Clubhouse

Driving Range: Yes

MGA Announces 2013 Play Day Schedule

The MGA announced it's 2013 Play Day schedule featuring a mix of public and private golf courses in New York and New Jersey. The 2013 schedule kicks off on May 20th, at Bellport Country Club and ends on Monday, October 21st, at Harbor Links Golf Club.

Dutchess Golf Club is on the MGA Play Day List

 

I played in my first MGA Play Day event last year (you can read about it here) and was very impressed. The cost to enter a 2013 tournament is $80 and includes your round, cart, range balls, breakfast, lunch and prizes for the top players- gross and net. It's a great experience and something MGA members should take advantage of.

2013 MGA Play Day Schedule (all events start at 9am)

• May 20: Bellport Country Club- Bellport, NY 
• May 30: Crystal Springs Golf Course- Hamburg, NJ 
• July 18: Dutchess Golf Club- Poughkeepsie, NY (Click here to read my review)
• July 30: Hudson Hills Golf Club- Ossining, NY
• Sept. 5: Centennial Golf Club- Carmel, NY 
• Sept. 17: Patriot Hills Golf Club- Stony Point, NY 
• Oct. 3: Mahopac Golf Club- Mahopac, NY
• Oct. 21: Harbor Links Golf Club- Port Washington, NY

For more information or to register for MGA Play Days visit their website.

5 Must Play Golf Courses on Long Island

It's finally golf season here in New York and now is the time to start your list of must-play golf courses in the area. Our first feature focuses on playing golf on Long Island and when it comes to Long Island golf, there is only one person to turn to: Anthony Scorcia. The host of the Scorcia On Par radio show, Anthony was kind enough to take time out of his schedule and share the must play golf courses on Long Island.

 

The most popular golf sign in NY.

 

5 Must Play Golf Courses on Long Island

1. Bethpage State Park (Black) and Bethpage State Park (Red), Farmingdale, NY

I'm putting the Black and Red together because if you're making the trip to Bethpage State Park you are not going to go wrong playing either course. If you're going for the historical experience and the pain, then the Black is your choice. You have seen the best players in the world play it and now here's your chance. You might not be able to play like a professional, but rarely does the public golfer get the same experience. The Red on the other hand is every bit worth your time. Another Tillinghast "big ballpark" design that will test you right from the word "go." It's a great layout and it's always in good shape. The Black's little sister may not get the same fame, but it should never be overlooked.

2. Tallgrass GC (Shoreham, NY)

Tallgrass GC in Shoreham is a fun Gil Hanse designed golf course. The avid golfer should recognize the name--Hanse was awarded the 2016 Olympic design in Rio and is also responsible for putting up with Donald Trump in the restoration of the Doral. Tallgrass is a unique experience in that it has all the look and feel of a links course, it just doesn't always play like one. Unfortunately, given the weather in the North East, it's difficult to replicate the hard and fast conditions of a true links track. Nevertheless, when the wind blows, you will need every shot in the bag to contend with this layout.

3. Montauk Downs State Park  (Montauk, NY)

When the U.S. Open came to Bethpage in 2002, part of the conditions of agreement were that "the Downs" as locals call it, would get some (financial) love. Reese Jones came, saw, and added his two cents. Without question, Montauk Downs is a top track on Long Island. I would even argue that if were feasible, it could be in consideration for a Public Links Championship. Of course that's a moot point now that the USGA is discontinuing the championship. Still, no avid golfer who vacations at "the end" of Long Island misses a chance to play Montauk Downs.

4. Long Island National (Riverhead, NY)

Given that the Hamptons are another favorite vacation spot for Long Islanders and visitors alike, Long Island National is worth checking out. National was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and from the tips, plays at almost 6900 yards with a course rating of 73.3/131. National is always in good shape and they are consistent with running specials.

5. Willow Creek GC (Mt. Sinai, NY)

Willow Creek GC is a golf course that doesn't get enough attention in my opinion. At 6,600 yards with a rating of 72.9/134, Willow Creek is a little bit of a resort style golf course that is always in good shape. Not only is it a fun track, but it always gives me the feeling that I'm in Florida when I am playing. There are palm trees with lots of sand and water. Another reason to play Willow Creek is that the staff "gets it." The friendly customer service definitely makes the golfing experience all the more enjoyable.

The Scorcia On Par Radio Show resumes April 13th! Visit his website for more information on Long Island Golf. Connect with Anthony via Social Media:

@Scorciaonpar

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Phil Mickelson Makes Birdie From The Cart Path

Phil Mickelson has always been one of the most exciting players on the PGA Tour. His short game around the green has is arguably the best in the business and he's never scared of attempting something new. At the WGC- Cadillac Championship "Lefty" didn't disappoint when he decided his best play was to play his 47 yard approach from the cart path to the green. Here's the video from the PGA Tour:

 

Mickelson makes this look easy. Amateur golfers should know better. The approach was perfect and left him less than 10 feet for birdie...which he made. The shot was amazing but for me, it's not the best part of this video. 

The best part is listening to Mickelson explain the thought process and how to hit from the cart path. For those of us who pay for our golf clubs (me and 99% of the golf population), it's unlikely we would hit this shot. We would take relief somewhere on the grass (we don't have grandstands to deal with) and be happy that it landed on the green and we can two-putt for par. However, Mickelson let's us in his head to understand the process he went through in making this decision and hitting the shot... that's pretty cool.

Thank you Phil for never backing down and continuing to impress us.