The Woodlands Club – Played July 2021
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 39 Woods Road, Falmouth, Maine
- Year: 1988
- Architects: George Fazio & Jim Fazio
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Black: 6,848 yards, Par 72, 73.9 Rating/143 Slope
- Blue: 6,425 yards, Par 72, 72.0 Rating/142 Slope
- White: 6,010 yards, Par 72, 69.9 Rating/137 Slope (Men’s), 76.0 Rating/138 Slope (Women’s)
- Gold: 5,676 yards, Par 72, 68.4 Rating/124 Slope (Men’s), 73.9 Rating/129 Slope (Women’s)
- Red: 5,047 yards, Par 72, 66.2 Rating/114 Slope (Men’s), 70.4 Rating/125 Slope (Women’s)
Slowly but surely I am building up my courses played in Maine. The Woodlands Club got added to the list for our last summer trip North. Maine is quite vast and has a wide assortment of golf.
I didn’t find much history about The Woodlands Club but that didn’t surprise me as the club has only been around since 1988. That’s still pretty new in the grander golf world.
The club has hosted plenty of state golf events and four Hogan/Nike Tour (Korn Ferry now) events. The Korn Ferry event was known as the New England Classic, which was won by Brandel Chamblee in 1990.
When I pulled into the parking lot I was surprised by the size of the facility. There is a restaurant, fitness facility, squash/racquetball courts, pool, and an indoor tennis center. That’s just what is inside. There is a heated pool and four tennis courts outside. Members will always have something to do.
Let’s get into the course at The Woodlands Club. All yardages are from the Blue tees.
Hole 1 – 367 yards – Par 4
This was actually my tenth hole of the day, but for normal starts it a gentle start to the round. Keep it out of the long grass on the left and a par should be within reach.
Hole 2 – 337 yards – Par 4
Here you’ve got some land movement all the way to the raised green. The hole bends slightly to the left. Accuracy is important from this tee.
Hole 3 – 537 yards – Par 5
With a name like The Woodlands Club, I was not surprised to see plenty of trees. They frame this tee shot as do the bunkers. The hole opens up a bit before getting to the green that is engulfed by a hazard.
Hole 4 – 414 yards – Par 4
This is probably the toughest hole on the course. You can see the elevation change to the green which stretches this already long hole even more. I made a crazy par after a bad second shot left me short of the stairstep bunkers.
Hole 5 – 155 yards – Par 3
The bunker to the left is what you want to avoid on this hole. Deep rough surrounds the rest of the green.
Hole 6 – 538 yards – Par 5
This hole snakes between trees and sand and even features some boulders. If you’ve ever played in New England, rocks are a regional sight that always give me some nostalgia.
The green is well guarded.
Hole 7 – 188 yards – Par 3
Obviously you don’t want to miss left with water and a rock wall, but short and right are no bargain.
Hole 8 – 393 yards – Par 4
You’ll want to dial in your distance off the tee on this hard dogleg right. The green is an inviting target unless you’re approaching from the sand or trees.
Hole 9 – 369 yards – Par 4
A relatively benign tee shot belies the difficulty in the approach to the elevated green. With a false front and short grass fronting the green, short shots can roll quite a bit backwards.
Hole 10 – 328 yards – Par 4
The yardage isn’t much but you need to be accurate on this tee shot. The rough doesn’t have many flat lies and the green is perched.
Hole 11 – 490 yards – Par 5
You can be aggressive on this hole but you have to be precise. A large tree guards the green and water lurks all down the left. Most shots to the green will require some shaping.
Hole 12 – 349 yards – Par 4
Working the ball both ways will pay dividends at The Woodlands Club. This slight right bender is a good example of that tenet.
Hole 13 – 148 yards – Par 3
The water is certainly a focus, but with a shorter club in hand deuces should also be on your mind.
Hole 14 – 367 yards – Par 4
You can sense that accuracy is a theme here. Strive for straight on this one and don’t miss the green long. Trust me!
Hole 15 – 527 yards – Par 5
I mentioned boulders being a staple of New England golf earlier and 15 gives us another example. With the narrowness of the hole precision beats power here.
The green has a steep ridge cutting it into distinct tiers.
Hole 16 – 326 yards – Par 4
This is one of the clear birdie opportunities. With a narrow fairway, something about 200-220 off the tee works just fine. The green is shallow but if you execute your tee shot, flag hunting is the way to go.
Hole 17 – 191 yards – Par 3
Be careful of the hazard on the left. Slight pulls from the elevated tee can easily find the water. Short is a perfectly suitable miss here.
Hole 18 – 401 yards – Par 4
You’re going to earn your score with this finisher. Water all down the left side increases the intimidation factor, especially with not much bailout to the right.
The approach is a bit more open with room to come in from the right.
I’m pretty sure your handicap from The Woodlands Club will travel quite well. It’s not overly long, but it demands precision and good approach shots. The greens were running pretty quick so you’re putting needs to be in line too. Fun day overall, even if my score didn’t show it!