Salem Country Club – Played Summer 2025
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 133 Forest Street, Peabody, Massachusetts
- Year: 1925
- Original Architect: Donald Ross
- Additional Work By: Ron Forse
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Gold: 7,024 yards, Par 72, 74.4 Rating/135 Slope
- Gold/Blue: 6,835 yards, Par 72, 73.3 Rating/133 Slope
- Blue: 6,619 yards, Par 72, 72.3 Rating/131 Slope
- Blue/Black: 6,405 yards, Par 72, 71.3 Rating/131 Slope
- Black: 6,142 yards, Par 72, 70.1 Rating/131 Slope
I didn’t know much about Salem Country Club other than it’s logo, which is in conversation with the famous witch trials that took place here long ago. That didn’t stop me from wanting to check out another Donald Ross course. This is the type of course that instantly lets me know I am going to play New England-style golf.
Along with the cool logo, the club boasts a long history of USGA competition. The titles contested over the course include the 1932 US Women’s Amateur, 1954 & 1984 US Women’s Opens, 1977 US Amateur, and the 2001 & 2017 US Senior Opens. The champions of these events include Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Hollis Stacy, and Kenny Perry.
Now that we’ve gotten some of the history of the place, let’s jump into the tour of Salem Country Club
Hole 1 – 408 yards – Par 4
You’ll want to play to the right of this mound to have the flattest lie possible into the green. It’s likely that your second shot will be visually obscured, so you’ll have to trust your aim.
Hole 2 – 396 yards – Par 4
This dogleg left begs for you to hug the left side. That makes sense because you can run out of room quickly on the right. The challenge is not over after the tee shot.
We’ve got another undulating fairway that can provide some interesting views depending on where your drive ends up.
The heavily domed green can make for some nervous chipping.
Hole 3 – 151 yards – Par 3
With a green that slopes from back to front, missing long is disastrous here. Any of the bunkers would be a preferable miss.
Hole 4 – 388 yards – Par 4
This hole doglegs right with the fairway moving down and back up towards the green. High-spinning shots into this green will rip back down the hill quite a bit if they are not carried deep enough onto the green.
Hole 5 – 490 yards – Par 5
Our first par five is definitely gettable due to its length and generous fairway. If you can stay out of the massive fairway bunker, going for the green should be in the cards.
The green presents a large target where, like most courses, short is better than long. With all the short grass in front of the green, you have a plethora of short game options.
Hole 6 – 212 yards – Par 3
With the slope, this hole doesn’t play as long as the listed yardage. This is another hole where long is dead due to the hazard. Missing short of the green in the fairway cut is not that bad.
Once you get up to the green you can see more of the slope than you could from the tee.
Hole 7 – 389 yards – Par 4
As you can see, the approach shot plays severely uphill on this hole. The best angle is gained from a drive into the right side of the fairway.
As with some of the earlier holes, controlling spin with this slope in front (seen on the left side of the photo below) is crucial.
Hole 8 – 499 yards – Par 5
The trees and rough present a tighter tee shot than the last par five. Even still, a good drive will put many players in a position to reach the green in two. In fact, the second shot looks and feels more open than the drive.
If you miss with your approach, the slope around this green is a tough puzzle to solve.
Hole 9 – 390 yards – Par 4
The front nine finisher has the only pond at Salem Country Club. With a solidly struck approach shot, it shouldn’t come into play. This fairway cants right to left, so don’t get too frisky up the left side.
Hole 10 – 404 yards – Par 4
The tenth presents a wide fairway but you’ll want to make sure you hit it. The sloping green is situated at a tough angle if you are approaching from the rough.
Approaching this green from the left rough is so difficult.
Hole 11 – 484 yards – Par 5
If you can carry the bunker, this fairway becomes much wider. Good drives in the fairway make this an almost definite “go for it” hole.
Bunkers dot the rest of the hole, just waiting to collect an errant second or third shot.
There is plenty of contouring in this green that will move your ball all over the place depending on the angle of attack.
Hole 12 – 154 yards – Par 3
This hole is similar to number three in length and like that hole, it’s best not to miss long. The bunkers are all well below a green surface that is heavily pitched from back to front. Putts that have to cross this green have a ton of break.
Hole 13 – 342 yards – Par 4
You choice of club and shot off of the tee is paramount here. The first time around it’s hard to know what line and distance to use.
Shots into the fairway are met with a partially blind approach due to the elevated green. If you are farther left, the mound will also be in your way.
Hole 14 – 187 yards – Par 3
This is one of the biggest greens at Salem Country Club. The rest of the hole has some deceiving features in the bunkers that are furthers from the green than they seem. In addition, there is more room on the left than you think.
Hole 15 – 525 yards – Par 5
The last of the par fives is the longest. Check the carry distance of the left bunker before deciding your path. The shorter you play off of the tee, the wider the fairway landing area.
As the hole doglegs left, it also rises toward the green.
Hole 16 – 405 yards – Par 4
Camera went a little blurry on me here but this is a straightaway hole. Drives up the right side have the best angle of approach to the green.
As you get a little farther from the green, the sloping really comes into focus.
Hole 17 – 410 yards – Par 4
The landing area is blind and downhill here. With the slope you will get some extra run-out but it will also filter your ball to the left. Keep that in mind when choosing your line.
This green has the signature Ross shaping with the runoffs in the front and left sections.
Hole 18 – 385 yards – Par 4
I was not thinking about hitting one in the parking lot (as far as you know)! With the tree line and the cars, a fade plays best here.
Due to the slope of the fairway and green, you need to do everything you can to carry your approach at least to the middle of the putting surface.
As I think you can gather from the photos, Salem Country Club is a quintessential Donald Ross venue. The setting screams New England and you can see why the course challenged the best in the senior ranks. Check this one out if you ever get the chance.