Vesper Country Club – Played October 2018
- Rankings: None of the four lists
- Location: 185 Pawtucket Boulevard, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts
- Year: 1919
- Original Architect: Donald Ross
- Additional Work By: Brian Silva & Ron Forse
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Black: 6,784 yards, Par 72, 73.6 Rating/137 Slope
- Blue: 6,475 yards, Par 72, 72.3 Rating/132 Slope
- White: 6,130 yards, Par 72, 71.0 Rating/128 Slope (Men’s), 76.1 Rating/133 Slope (Women’s)
- Green: 5,581 yards, Par 72, 68.1 Rating/123 Slope (Men’s), 73.0 Rating/126 Slope (Women’s)
- Red: 5,289 yards, Par 72, 71.5 Rating/120 Slope
Back in October of 2018 I was in New Hampshire again for my cousin’s wedding. I didn’t have any responsibilities for the wedding so I was free to plan some golf.
Clemson was playing on the wedding day and the Patriots weren’t playing until Monday. Our flight didn’t leave until Tuesday afternoon so Sunday and Monday were my days to play. I was eagerly watching the weather report, as late October in New England can be hit or miss.
Through social media I had gotten to know Nik, who lives in Massachusetts. You can check him out on Instagram here. We were set up to play Kittansett on Monday through the New England series (I’ll get into that more in that post) but we needed something to do on Sunday. Nik suggested we go out to his home track at Vesper. I’m glad he did!
Vesper CC is an old Donald Ross track. The club was actually started as a boating club in 1875. For golf, it merged with Lowell CC in 1899. It has some roots to say the lease.
You start to get the feel of Vesper from the moment you drive in (see the second picture below). A cool fact about the course is that it spans the Merrimack River with holes on Tyngs Island and the shore. As a result you have the cool foot bridge below.
After a quick ride down from New Hampshire, I met up with Nik on a cool, damp morning. It was a member shotgun day, so we would be starting on the 5th hole. After getting some breakfast, we loaded up on the pull carts and started the walk to our assigned hole. I think you’ll enjoy the photos as much as I did playing the course.
Hole 1 – 281 yards – Par 4
You actually drive in on the road that crosses the first hole. I can attest that it is in play because I bounced my three iron right off the middle of it! This hole is driveable of course, but the green has a false front. Additionally it is tough to get up and down from either side.
Hole 2 – 411 yards – Par 4
This was one of my last holes since we started on five, but it might be one of the best. Long drives will get a boost with a downhill slope. The approach plays over a deep depression in front of the green. If your direction is off a chipping area or bunkers await.
Hole 3 – 384 yards – Par 4
There is plenty of room left on this hole but that is deceiving. With the trees down that side, shots from there can have an obstructed path to the green. It’s best to fit the tee ball into the right side of the fairway.
The green has a Ross feel with the runoffs seen below.
Hole 4 – 125 yards – Par 3
This short one-shotter plays over a portion of the river. The water is only in play if you duff one. The green is large with a a depression in the middle that continues to the higher back tier.
Hole 5 – 476 yards – Par 5
I didn’t hit any balls and this was my first shot of the day. My only goal was to keep it in play. To do that, anything right of the bunker is a good line. At this length, reaching in two is possible.
The fairway heaves up and down toward the green. Be sure not to miss long. I love the putting complex here since it is open in the front and closely mowed. You have plenty of options.
Hole 6 – 329 yards – Par 4
The goal here is to avoid the staggered fairway bunkers on each side. Once that’s completed you still must deal with the bunkers fronting the green. Six is a short hole that is long on challenge.
Hole 7 – 544 yards – Par 5
With temps in the lower 40’s there was no chance in hell I was getting home in two here! As a true three shot hole the main focus is getting to your favorite yardage for the third shot so you can attack the flag.
Hole 8 – 377 yards – Par 4
This dogleg left plays differently depending on your drive. If you’re bold and take it up the left you can cut off some distance. In my mind, the main challenge is the approach shot that must carry deep enough into the green to not spin back down the hill.
Hole 9 – 200 yards – Par 3
Number nine is a beast, especially on a cool day. The green is a big target but the hill in front will repel anything short. We had a bit of a sucker pin near the left bunker.
Hole 10 – 360 yards – Par 4
We’ve got another dogleg left but on this one the best play is up the middle. That leaves you with the best angle for your second shot.
Hole 11 – 509 yards – Par 5
I’m glad I was playing with Nik on this tee box, otherwise I would’ve been guessing. Club selection is key here since you can run out of room on the right side. A good aiming point is the end of the cart path.
The green opens up once you make a small left turn. As we’ve seen before, long is wrong.
Hole 12 – 406 yards – Par 4
This view feels claustrophobic but there is more room since the trees taper off on the landing are. Think solid and straight on this tee.
Plenty of fairway bunkers guard this hole but to me most of them seemed to be visual tricks that weren’t in common landing zones. The green, on the other hand, has plenty of contour that can make long putting an adventure.
Hole 13 – 361 yards – Par 4
You fly blind on this tee. Use the cart path for help again as you want to hit it a bit left of it. Once you get over the hill a beautiful raised green surrounded by sand presents itself. This hole gave me some serious Ross vibes.
Hole 14 – 177 yards – Par 3
Some wildlife were playing through on this green. The water is visible again but not in play. You can see the large dip from tee to green. The putting surface also has a false front so middle of the green is safe here.
Hole 15 – 429 yards – Par 4
This tee shot should fit my eye but I overcooked the draw and ended up in the left rough. With wide open space between me and the green I was able to get my second shot onto the putting surface.
Luckily the green is a big target since most players will be hitting longer clubs for their second shots.
Hole 16 – 414 yards – Par 4
No tricks here, just straight and flat. If you keep your ball down the middle and two putt, you’ll walk to the next tee satisfied in your effort. Don’t trifle with the trees.
The greens at Vesper are not outrageous. Sixteen is a great example. There is plenty of slope here to make you think but not so much as to frustrate you. I loved the contouring on the putting surfaces throughout the course.
Hole 17 – 190 yards – Par 3
With a raised green more club is a good idea on this hole. Do your best to avoid the bunkers since they sit well below the putting surface.
Hole 18 – 502 yards – Par 5
If Vesper has a bad hole it is probably the finisher. It’s nothing egregious just some silliness. There is no real benefit to hitting it further up the fairway since you will have a blind second shot.
Here’s an example of where I was with my three wood from the tee. Your line should be far left from here to even hope to get on the green.
Past the first two shots the hole is just fine. Your downhill third should be a good chance to score with a short club.
I don’t always remember to take flag pictures. I’m glad I did here.
I have a particular soft spot in my golf heart for old New England courses. I’v mentioned before how they transport me back to my childhood. Vesper is no different. To me, it stands out because of the variety of holes and the green complexes. These greens had me engaged all day and were super fun. If you get an invite to Vesper, take it, no reservations!
