Course 138: Cape Club of Sharon

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Cape Club of Sharon (Sharon, Mass.) is a 1961 Geoffrey Cornish design, formerly known as Spring Valley CC. It winds through open land, shaped by trees that separate holes on some rather flat land. Water comes into play on a few holes, and a creek meanders through the property and cuts across a couple of the par 5s. There are a fair share of doglegs that require picking the proper line off the tee to have a good look at the green.

CC of Sharon's strength lies in the green complexes. They are engaging with subtle breaks and a mix of sizes and shapes with tiers. It was interesting playing in a scramble and trying to read them and react to each putt a teammate hit. Even when hitting into the big greens, the targets felt small due to the different sections.

It's tough to pick out a standout hole, but that might be because we were playing in a scramble. The par-3 16th from the tips is strong and the 2nd and 12th holes are a stern test from the tips. Sweeping doglegs that measure 420+ yards with trees and water blocking the corners.

The par-5s are funky, with cross hazards and tricky bunkers in lay-up areas. Driving is a premium on those holes.

The foliage during this fall round added a touch of character to the course. Overall though, CC of Sharon seemed like it was searching for an identity. Big white bunkers give the course a modern feel. The course underwent renovations in 2006 and again in 2017 when the course was bought and became the CC of Sharon.

The green on the par-3 13th hole was moved in order to build houses in the middle of the course. Without the houses as a backdrop, the shot on the 13th is cool. Two bright white bunkers frame the front of that green, but once those houses go up behind that green, it's going to look and feel strange.

Golf is a business, and sometimes, playing a course at a certain time in its history makes that part very clear. The sounds of construction equipment underscored that CC of Sharon is taking advantage of the golf boom.

Playing CC of Sharon in a scramble illuminated some of the course and took away some other features that I'd like to see while playing my own ball.

Additional Thoughts:

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