Bald Peak Colony Club – Played July 2023
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 180 Bald Peak Drive, Melvin Village, New Hampshire
- Year: 1921
- Original Architect: Donald Ross
- Additional Work By: Ron Forse & Jim Nagle
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- 5: 6,515 yards, Par 72, 71.6 Rating/129 Slope
- 4: 6,204 yards, Par 72, 69.6 Rating/123 Slope
- 3: 5,679 yards, Par 72, 67.6 Rating/116 Slope (Men’s), 73.0 Rating/124 Slope (Women’s)
- 2: 5,436 yards, Par 72, 71.6 Rating/121 Slope
- 1: 4,838 yards, Par 72, 67.7 Rating/116 Slope
Bald Peak Colony Club is one of those courses that has been on my radar since my childhood. My grandfather had heard about the club as a ranger in New Hampshire where he lived his entire life. As such, I heard about it during my summers up North and that stoked a desire to play it.
Fast forward, 20+ years, and I was standing on the driving range, meeting my host. The internet is a weird place with a lot of bad apples, but many good things have come out of it. Being able to connect with like-minded golfers is one of those good things. I thought about my grandfather multiple times during this round and hoped he was smiling down on us.
Bald Peak is listed as a Donald Ross course, but he likely had help from one of his staffers, George Meredith, and the club’s founder, Thomas Plant. The course sits above a bay on Lake Winnipesaukee on a tree-lined site with minimal bunkering. The routing has remained largely untouched from what Ross laid out over 100 years ago.
With this background, let’s get into the tour.
see website for hole by hole
Hole 1 – 298 yards – Par 4 – Get Away
The decision making starts right away at Bald Peak. Go for it or lay up? That’s the question on this short, downhiller.
You get treated to a sloping green at the start so make sure your speed is good.
Hole 2 – 495 yards – Par 5 – Stone Quarry
For some, it might be challenging to pick a line on this tee shot. A good drive will set you up to reach the green.
Any lay ups must be played with the fescue in mind. A careless second shot can lead to a big number.
Bunkers dot the perimeter of this green.
Hole 3 – 356 yards – Par 4 – Across Lots
After two good birdie opportunities, things tighten a little at the third. Left is bad news and fescue guards the right. At this distance, driver isn’t necessary.
The green is very deep, so take note of the pin position. You don’t want to be above the hole.
Hole 4 – 392 yards – Par 4 – Lake View
The name of this hole is apt with Lake Winnipesaukee in plain sight. The best drives are played up the right but fescue lurks. If you succeed, a downhill approach over a small creek is your next challenge.
The green cants heavily from back to front, so keep it under the pin.
Hole 5 – 143 yards – Par 3 – Punch Bowl
You don’t always see a punch bowl playing downhill. This is an inviting green if you can judge the distance properly. If you miss the green, things get tricky.
Hole 6 – 348 yards – Par 4 – Big Boulder
This hole moves and the fairway slopes right to left. Pushing your drive as far up the right side leaves you the best approach angle.
Chip shots from the right are going to be slick with the green running away.
Hole 7 – 380 yards – Par 4 – Plateau
Take your par and run at this hole. It doglegs left and goes uphill. Two good shots are needed to hit the green.
There is a false front that must be cleared to stay on the green.
Hole 8 – 184 yards – Par 3 – Upland
Sweet and sour on this hole. The green is a big target (sweet) but it is and long, uphill shot to reach it (sour). Bald Peak is starting to show it’s teeth!
Hole 9 – 493 yards – Par 5 – Some Hole
Playing severely uphill, this hole plays much longer than the yardage. Avoid the fescue on the right.
Getting home in two is a tall task.
Once you’ve finished the hole, take a look around and appreciate the surroundings.
Hole 10 – 425 yards – Par 4 – Westward Ho
Bald Peak offers up another tough hole to start the back nine. Out of bounds lines the left, so favor the right side.
With the drop-off on the back side, missing short isn’t so bad.
Hole 11 – 387 yards – Par 4 – Hill Top
Much like 10, a good drive here is played up the right side. The green is open in front but you must avoid the bunker on the left.
Hole 12 – 129 yards – Par 3 – Battleship
What a hole! The green is quite elevated while the tee shot plays downhill. Missing the green will make for difficult pars. While you’re standing here, take in the Ossipee Mountains and the Castle in the Clouds.
Hole 13 – 337 yards – Par 4 – Dogleg
Don’t just wail away on this tee shot. A fescue mound sits 50 yards in front of the green and will gobble up greedy drives.
Depending on the firmness, you can land short of this green and have a nice putt for birdie.
Hole 14 – 467 yards – Par 5 – The Pines
Favoring the left side is the ticket here. Fescue mounds dot the landscape, so there is still challenges.
With the green site, you won’t want to miss too wide if you go for it in two.
Hole 15 – 143 yards – Par 3 – Big Oak
Bald Peak doesn’t do flat par threes. Thankfully, this is shorter than the eighth. It’s not easy though. The green has a false front, is guarded by a bunker right, and flanked by a tree left.
Hole 16 – 530 yards – Par 5 – Far Away
This is the second of three par fives in the last 5 holes. Right is a reload and a large fescue mound darts across the fairway at about 285 yards.
Keep your second shot up the left side if you’re not going for it.
There is still slope in this green even if it doesn’t look like it from the fairway.
Hole 17 – 182 yards – Par 3 – The Terrace
This might be one of the toughest greens I’ve ever seen. The tee shot must get all the way there and cannot miss right. Even if you find the green, severe undulations await.
What a green!
Hole 18 – 515 yards – Par 5 – Home
This will be a thee shot hole for most. The tee shot looks tighter than it is though.
A good drive leaves you in the open fairway with nothing but the fescue to avoid.
The green has just enough slope to challenge the approach and chipping isn’t easy.
As I mentioned, I had been hearing about and wanting to play Bald Peak for a long time. Quite frankly, it lived up to the hype. I loved the layout and a good host only enhanced the experience!