Hole-by-Hole breakdown of The Country Club through the eyes of a caddie
The "Open" course at The Country Club takes players through a gorgeous natural landscape where rolling fairways are cut through ancient rocks on their way to small, firm, sloping greens. Stunning topographical features can take a player's breath away while challenging blind shots will test a player's nerves.All facets of a player's game will be tested at Brookline:• Power and accuracy off the tee are needed to set up ideal angles of approach and avoid deep rough and long, gnarly native grass.• Precise, crisp iron play is required to negotiate the many uneven lies and elevation changes players will encounter throughout the round. • Players out of position will find themselves in a variety of hazards and will need to use a combination of creativity and finesse to scramble for pars.This unique course with a varied architectural lineage will reward players who embrace its quirks. Players who prefer playing "driving range golf" will likely be trunk-slamming on Friday night.
From its spot directly below the starter's hut, the long dogleg left first hole is the flattest on the course -- not surprising considering the first fairway used to be a racetrack for horses! While the player won't see many more flat holes after he leaves this green, he also won't actually see this green from the tee box - and that is something he'll need to become quite comfortable with throughout the round.
A long, accurate tee shot is always a good way to start a round, and it's especially important here. Two large fairway bunkers protect the dogleg - and a shot pulled even further left can find low-hanging trees or even worse - out of bounds. The fairway subtly slopes into these bunkers to penalize players who overcook a draw. With a trailing southwest breeze, some players could try to fly the bunkers on the left - but that will require a massive carry of more than 330 yards from the back tee. The reward for that would be a wedge in hand... will anyone be brave enough to try this on the first shot of the day?
The player who misses right could find himself hacking out of some of the most penal rough on the course and hoping to escape with a bogey. For those who draw a playable like in the rough, the green is open in front and will accept running shots, but be careful to play well short of the green or risk running through.
For those finding the fairway, this hole should provide a decent birdie opportunity. The green is relatively large by TCC's standards, pitched back to front and protected by bunkers on both sides.
