Old Sandwich Golf Club

Coore and Crenshaw's course on sandy, pine-covered hills near Plymouth, built around big contoured greens and rough-edged bunkers that play firm and fast.

Old Sandwich opened in 2004 on wooded, sandy ground in Plymouth, Massachusetts, south of Boston. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw had the kind of site they prefer: sandy soil under pine-covered hills, which drains well and lets the course play firm and bouncy, closer to links conditions than most New England golf. They kept earthmoving modest and fit holes to the existing ridges and hollows.

The design leans on green complexes. Many greens are large and strongly contoured, so position on the green matters as much as hitting it, and the closely mown surrounds give players the option to putt or chip. Bunker shaping by Jeff Bradley gives the hazards ragged, natural-looking edges. During construction a sand hill was removed to make the routing work at the opening par 5.

The par 3s get the most attention. The 4th stretches to about 240 yards and finishes on a huge, rolling green; the 17th is a forced carry to a raised green that slopes back to front, with jagged bunkers built into its sides. The club is private and keeps a low profile, and its ranking is driven by the quality of its greens and short-grass surrounds.

Holes to know

4

Par 3 · 240 yd

A long par 3 to an enormous, heavily contoured green.

17

Par 3

An all-carry shot to a raised, offset green that slopes back to front, with ragged bunkers cut into its sides.

1

Par 5

The opening par 5, made possible by removing a sand hill during construction.