Exeter Country Club – Played July 2020
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 58 Jady Hill Avenue, Exeter, New Hampshire
- Year: 1889
- Original Architect: Unknown
- Additional Work By: Manny Francis
- Course Access: Public
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- White/Blue: 2,721 yards, Par 35, 67.9 Rating/113 Slope
- Red/Gold: 2,553 yards, Par 37, 68.6 Rating/116 Slope
Going to Exeter Country Club is a nice trip down memory lane for me. I was fortunate to win the Seacoast Junior here way back in the day. I may even have the newspaper clippings my Grammy saved from that day. Understandably, pulling into the parking lot gave me some good memories.
Today, Exeter Country Club is $15 to walk during the week. It’s a shorter layout, perfect for golfers of all skill levels. Quite frankly, golf can do with as many of these courses as possible.
The history of Exeter Country Club is pretty interesting. It dates back to 1889 as an extension of a sporting club. I certainly recommend checking out this article on the club’s story.
You may see the name Manny Francis in the summary above and wonder who that is. Francis was a renowned New England architect who developed Vesper Velvet turfgrass. It became the standard at elite clubs. He installed the grass at Vesper Country Club where he was the longtime superintendent. His son and grandson followed him into the game.
Now that we’ve covered all the history I know about Exeter Country Club, let’s get into the course tour. With the shorter layout, I tipped it out.
Hole 1 – 379 yards – Par 4
The first tee shot has a generous landing area but if you get lazy and block it right out of bounds awaits. The second shot plays blind but a helpful target is on a tree behind the green.
Hole 2 – 160 yards – Par 3
This lovely downhill hole has a bit of an infinity green. The third hole is behind it but it sits below the green so you don’t have framing around the putting surface.
Hole 3 – 460 yards – Par 5
You can take a rip on this par five. If you can put it on top of the hill you will have a view of the green for your second. You can still get home if you don’t, but be aware of the tiny pond lurking front right of the green.
Hole 4 – 361 yards – Par 4
With the trees here a draw is very useful. The hole doglegs to the right so you don’t want to overdo it.
Hole 5 – 365 yards – Par 4
The remainder of the holes are on the shorter side and are jammed into a smaller portion of the property. I kind of like the juxtaposition with the opening holes.
This one doglegs hard left and 200 yards is about all you need off the tee. The green is small and perched above the fairway, guarded by sand.
Hole 6 – 250 yards – Par 4
Some golfers can absolutely drive this green. The conservative play of 180-200 yards will leave you with a short shot to attack the flag.
Hole 7 – 281 yards – Par 4
The fairway rises on the left and everything will run to the right. The best line is up the left-center of the fairway where you should get a nice bounce toward the green.
Hole 8 – 165 yards – Par 3
I didn’t get the picture from the tee on this uphill par three, just this view from behind the green. You can see the bunker that guards the front right side.
Hole 9 – 300 yards – Par 4
The course finishes on a quirky note. This hole is uphill all the way and doglegs hard to the right. I played a 185-yard shot off the tee and had a wedge remaining.
The rock in the back is a good aiming point. You don’t want to go long here.
Exeter Country Club is such a fun nine to walk and enjoy a game with your buddies. It shouldn’t beat up most players and it is a great place for beginners. The affordability is another huge draw. The more beginners can see places like this, the more likely they are to stay in the game.