Courses to break out of a slump

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Author

Sean Melia
March 21, 2025

Hey Everyone,

I’ve been surrounded by golf in the last week but haven’t hit a single golf shot.

I spent three days at the Northeast Golf Show helping them with their social media and taking photos and videos of the show. Had a blast meeting people and seeing the wide array of golf sickos who showed up to find deals, buy clubs, learn about the newest tech, and just hang out.

Then, on Wednesday, Justin Lawson, the General Manager at Brookline GC (aka Putterham aka Robert T. Lynch) showed me around Brookline GC to highlight the the long-term Masterplan that will include a rerouting of the course in the next couple of years along with some major drainage improvements to make the course playable during wet parts of the season. Looking forward to sharing what I learned in the next few weeks with some words and videos.

Lastly, I was fortunate to interview Robert Trent Jones Jr. this week for Amateur Golf. You can listen to it here and watch it on YouTube.

News and Notes:

Courses Open: I’m going to defer to MassGolf for a list of course openings across the state. Here’s their running list.

MassGolf Championship Registration: Interested in playing in a MassGolf Championship? The Public Links registration just opened this week. Anyone with a GHIN of 8 or lower and who is not a member of a private club can tee it up in a qualifier. Here’s the full list of men’s championships. Here’s the list of women’s championships.

MassGolf Member Days: Another perk of being a MassGolf member is their Member Days, which provide access to private clubs. The lottery is open. It’s a great list of options including Whitinsville GC, Orchards GC, Oak Hill CC, Thorny Lea, and Kernwood. Check them out!

College Results: I’m tracking college golf results this spring across men’s and women’s Division 1 teams and individuals who left Mass. for programs to compete outside the Bay State. Check it out.

Valspar First Round: Michael Thorbjornsen shot 74 (+3) at a windy Innisbrook. He’s T98 and has some work to do to make the cut. He’s only made two cuts in six events so far this year.

Courses to help you break out of a slump

We’ve all been there - you’re struggling with your game. You can’t seem to shoot a good score. You’re losing money to your buddies, and your handicap is climbing.

It’s the worst.

Everyone has slumps, even the pros. At times, when the pros are struggling, they can get exposed by a tough course on the PGA Tour. Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass in back-to-back weeks certainly highlighted how poorly Max Homa is playing.

There are plenty of tough courses to play in Massachusetts and plenty of “easy” courses, too.

However, I think there’s another list: The Slump Busters.

These aren’t "easy” courses because easy courses provide a false sense of security and allow for too much margin of error.

A slump buster will offer some challenge, but it will also allow for some mistakes and give players a chance to gain some legitimate confidence from a narrow tee shot or a tricky par 3. It will provide good vibes and memories that players can carry with them.

If a player visits a slump buster a couple of times, they can find a groove and really develop some shots and confidence.

Here are three courses that meet the mark.

Hillview GC - North Reading, Mass.

A rather straightforward golf course. It’s open but will also make players hit a lot of different clubs in the bag because there are some short par 4s and a variation of par 3s. Holes 6-9 are probably the toughest, playing through some rolling hills and narrow corridors. The ninth hole is a long and tough par 3, which might be the hardest hole on the course. 12 is another tricky one.

The greens are big enough to have some birdie putts throughout the round, and while they have a few humps and bumps, they are rather straightforward and in good enough condition to actually make some putts.

I played Hillview on a lovely morning last October and filmed every shot on the back nine if you’d like to watch me play this course!

Bass River - Yarmouth, Mass.

Some people describe this course as a shooting gallery. There are plenty of spots where balls from other groups can end up zipping by your head. This Donald Ross design is a delight, though, and it provides all sorts of opportunities to round out your golf game.

There is plenty of space to hit a lot of tee shots. The front nine is a par 38 with three par 5s. Then, in a few corners of the course, like on the par 3-fifth hole and par-4 sixth hole, it gets a little tight. The back nine has less space to spray the ball especially on holes 13-18, but the short par-5 17th and three par 3s on the back will help players find some spots for success.

And don’t forget, you’re putting on Donald Ross greens.

Ledges GC - South Hadley, Mass.

Let’s ignore my rather embarrassing score of 87 in the Mass. Public Links at Ledges, shall we? An injury and a lack of practice exposed me because competitive golf is no joke.

However, as I drove home that afternoon, licking my wounds, I did want another crack at the course, maybe without the pressure of a MassGolf championship.

What makes The Ledges a slump buster?

There are a few driveable par 4s - the 305-yard fourth is wild but can be unlocked. Then hole Nos. 15 and 16 are both driveable, too. There is a nice push and pull to the round. The hardest hole on the course, the second, is followed by the 100-yard third and the 305-yard fourth.

If I lived in the area, The Ledges would be my “binky” when my game needed some confidence. It’s a good challenge; it has a nice mix of holes - some straight holes, a few doglegs that require a bit of accuracy and judgment, and then a couple that provides a touch of strategy and options.

I put together a video about these courses and three more.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

🍈 A good read on the food in the show Severance in the NYTimes.

I’m listening to…

🧠 I always enjoy it when Derek Thompson joins Bill Simmons to record their “The Future of Everything” podcast.

I’m eating…

🐔 Had an incredible Chicken Caesar Wrap at Brookline GC on Wednesday. House-cooked chips were incredible.

I’m watching…

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 We started Adolescence on Netflix. I typically don’t notice how a show or movie is shot, but this has a very distinct style.

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