Worcester Country Club – Played June 2020
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 2 Rice Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
- Year: 1914
- Architect: Donald Ross
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts & Caddies Available
Score Card Information:
- Gold: 6,711 yards, Par 70, 72.8 Rating/137 Slope
- Black: 6,406 yards, Par 70, 71.2 Rating/130 Slope
- Blue: 6,113 yards, Par 70, 69.8 Rating/129 Slope
- White: 5,584 yards, Par 70, 67.6 Rating/126 Slope
- Red: 5.368 yards, Par 72, 71.7 Rating/126 Slope
Worcester Country Club may not be a course you know about. Its history from the club’s founding to getting in touch with Donald Ross to design the course on its current site in 1914, is not the most unique story of all time. From there, however, it gets more interesting.
The immediate past President, William H Taft, struck the inaugural tee shot. Over the next 10 years, the course enjoyed the booming popularity of golf. It hosted a qualifier for the 1924 US Open. Then in 1925, Worcester Country Club hosted the US Open proper. In this edition, Willie MacFarlane beat the great Bobby Jones in a 36-hole playoff. In 1960, they completed the twofer when they hosted the US Women’s Open, won by Betsy Rawls.
Perhaps the club’s biggest claim to fame is that is was the host of the very first Ryder Cup in 1927. The US squad was helmed by Walter Hagen. They beat Ted Ray’s team from Great Britain 9.5-2.5.
With that tournament resume, Worcester Country Club is one of only three courses (Pinehurst & Hazeltine) to host the US Open, US Women’s Open, and the Ryder Cup.
The club hasn’t hosted events quite as large since but it remains a familiar venue for events in New England.
Hole 1 – 375 yards – Par 4
You have a comfy opening tee shot with a wide fairway. All you need to do is keep it short of the creek.
The sloping flips for the approach shot as you play to an elevated green. Short grass and a mostly open front make this green enticing. The overall slope is from the back to front of the green.
Hole 2 – 540 yards – Par 5
Slicer’s beware! You have miles of room left on this hole so the tee shot really shouldn’t be that hard. The second shot plays downhill to a blind landing area with a creek, so I suggest taking a look before you hit.
I hacked it down the left side of the hole and had the view in the photo below. The smart money is to stay on the right side for a better angle.
Hole 3 – 370 yards – Par 4
This hole is a great example of using short grass around a green to accentuate runoff. I’ll refer you to the front of the green to see just how far back a shot can roll. From the tee, you’ll want to avoid the right miss towards the dropoff.
Below is the view from behind the green.
Hole 4 – 228 yards – Par 3
I’m not sure what it is about these old Massachusetts courses but they love a long par three. Between this hole and Dedham’s Biarritz, I had to hit three wood twice in two rounds.
The green features a massive false front waiting to repel mishits.
Hole 5 – 462 yards – Par 5
This was one of my favorite holes on the day. With a creek running down the left side and crossing the fairway, you need to be careful with your drive. With the length, many players can get home in two.
The green is wide open in front and begs for you to give it a go. Be careful though, as any indifferent shots could end up in the bunkers. Good luck from those spots.
Hole 6 – 190 yards – Par 3
As you can see below, Walter Hagen made a bit of history at this hole. Taking a look at the date, keen observers may notice that this was a couple of days before the US Open. I’m not sure where the tees were but I hit an eight iron. The equipment has certainly changed.
Due to the elevated green, you cannot see the putting surface. What the slope hides from you is a dramatically sloping back portion of the green that necessitates precise distance control.
Hole 7 – 400 yards – Par 4
This view put a scare into my hooker’s heart. The yardage is deceiving as it plays uphill all the way to the green.
I always like to give you guys an idea of what it feels like around the greens.
Hole 8 – 185 yards – Par 3
A bit of a similar theme to 6 where we cannot see the green surface. The telephone pole provides a convenient aiming point.
Hole 9 – 400 yards – Par 4
We climb the hill again on this hole. The fairway sits at a slight angle to the tee. If you venture too far left, trees can block out your approach shot.
Hole 10 – 173 yards – Par 3
This may be the most memorable hole for me. You can see the massive drop down to the putting surface. With a raised green it’s imperative to hit it on.
The intrigue continues at the green that is square. The two bunkers on the right are 3-5 feet above the level of the green. It was all a bit quirky and I loved it.
Hole 11 – 400 yards – Par 4
The eleventh is home to a legendary story about Bobby Jones. The plaque below lays out the details. This is one of the most famous stories in golf history.
The hole itself plays straightaway. You’ll serve yourself well with a big drive.
You have options on the approach with an open green. I do recommend avoiding the bunkers on each side of the putting surface.
Hole 12 – 425 yards – Par 4
This hole whupped my butt! From this tee, you should fit a draw into the fairway, the longer the better. The approach is no easier. It plays uphill and punishes a left miss.
This is the view from the right side.
Hole 13 – 190 yards – Par 3
I could feel the Ross vibes here. The green presents a big false front that ejected my playing partner’s ball into the front left bunker. The green itself has two tiers, so pay attention to the pin position.
Hole 14 – 342 yards – Par 4
It may be tempting to shorten this hole by going up the left side. By playing up the right, you get a much better angle to the green that requires dead-on distance.
I didn’t take my own advice!
With the guys standing in the bunker, you have an idea of the depth.
Hole 15 – 528 yards – Par 5
If I get a second chance to play Worcester Country Club, the recollections of the course would help most here. The second shot is blind and even after taking a look, I still wasn’t sure the best way to attack it.
Hole 16 – 405 yards – Par 4
You can let the driver out on this elevated tee. After a lot of uphill holes, I felt like the course owed us some downslope.
Hole 17 – 455 yards – Par 4
All I can say for this tee shot is do not miss right. The approach plays massively downhill making the actual yardage a bit inflated.
With the downhill slope to the green and nothing good long, make sure you pick the right club here.
Hole 18 – 338 yards – Par 4
When you look at the scorecard, this hole may seem like an underwhelming finish. In reality, it is anything but. A heaving fairway gives way to a steeply contoured green.
Front pins allow golfers to take advantage of the backboard to get shots close.
Some may like it and some may not, but I usually try to get a picture of the clubhouse.
My day at Worcester Country Club was delightful. I love learning about history and I had plenty of opportunities to do that. When you add a vintage Donald Ross golf course in pristine shape the day can’t get much better. The membership at Worcester Country Club has a wonderful course to play day in and day out.