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Rick Sides

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Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« on: April 13, 2023, 04:33:21 PM »
Was fortunate enough to play an 80 degree day in mid April at Bass Rocks Golf Club in Gloucester Massachusetts . It is only about 6200 yards from the tips but is everything right about a golf course . Besides the fun views of the ocean, it had many fun holes that were not long . Fescue and large boulders protect some of the fairways and make sure you hit decent shots . The greens were fun but not over the top crazy . I don’t know why courses insist on lengthening the course … my own course now is over 7300 yards with a par 3 of 275 and another of 260. Why can’t more courses be built like Bass Rocks? Also makes me love to think what would pro tournament scores look like at a course that requires more thought and less brut strength ??? A fun day !

Tim Martin

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Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2023, 04:51:44 PM »
It’s got the same kind of charm as Aiken GC or Cape Arundel. I can’t imagine getting tired of the golf course.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2023, 05:19:12 PM by Tim Martin »

Rick Sides

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Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2023, 04:54:24 PM »
Tim , it was a blast . Gets crazy watching so many golf courses pushing tees over 7000 yards when the average golfer has no business playing from the length . Slows down the game and take
 away the fun

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +1/-1
Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2023, 08:06:05 PM »
To be fair, not every piece of land has that kind of character.


I have not really seen much of the course, just peeked in years ago on a visit to the area . . . interesting property!

Rick Sides

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2023, 07:46:07 AM »
Tom, if you get a chance to go back if you’re in the area, it well worth it. The rocks, burms, and native grass weave throughout the property and make it a great piece of land . Leeds did an amazing job

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2023, 10:09:00 AM »
Leeds was remarkable, especially considering the time period.


Bass Rocks is on my shortest list.  Thanks for your post, Rick.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

jeffwarne

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Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2023, 01:53:10 PM »
Leeds was remarkable, especially considering the time period.


Bass Rocks is on my shortest list.  Thanks for your post, Rick.


Leeds may well have been remarkable...
But his "smartest" achievement may have been designing either for clubs with limited funds or working in areas(new England) populated by people with minimal desire to spend lavish amounts on renovations.
 ;) ;D

"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

MCirba

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2023, 03:22:50 PM »
Leeds was remarkable, especially considering the time period.


Bass Rocks is on my shortest list.  Thanks for your post, Rick.


Leeds may well have been remarkable...
But his "smartest" achievement may have been designing either for clubs with limited funds or working in areas(new England) populated by people with minimal desire to spend lavish amounts on renovations.
 ;) ;D


Jeff,


Let's not forget Palmetto.  ;)
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Brad Tufts

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2023, 09:53:49 AM »
Bass Rocks is a fun test of golf in a certainly old-world way.  It's unique in that much of it pre-dates even Myopia as there is no earthwork on many of the holes, letting the rocks, stone walls, and surrounding native vegetation influence play.  The mounding that exists seems right from the Victorian era.  It's very refreshing for match play in a "golf was never meant to be fair" sort of way.


My first play here in HS (it was the furthest course from our school so it was almost a mythical journey) was just before the big changes, but we only played the front nine.  In 2000 or so, they deleted several holes to insert a driving range next to the clubhouse and built f new ones in the middle of the property.  They aren't offensive but are perhaps the three least interesting holes on the current course.  I think they are the current 6-7-8-9.  6 used to dogleg hard left but there was a road and a home on the inside of the dogleg, and the second shot was completely blind.  The range contained a few holes (original 12-13-14) before the final 4 in the meadow, with one hole ending 150 yards up the hill behind the range tee/parking lot...and the practice chipping green was the green for a downhill par three...tough to imagine with all the potential road crossings and logistics and balls flying every which-way, but it was played that way for 100+ years!








So I jump ship in Hong Kong....

Rick Sides

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2023, 07:13:45 PM »
Brad thanks for the post. I would love to see the old aerials

MCirba

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Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #10 on: April 18, 2023, 07:50:15 AM »
Sounds like the original holes were even quirkier, if that's a word.

"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Rick Sides

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Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #11 on: April 18, 2023, 06:46:41 PM »
Quirky is fun !

MCirba

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Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2023, 10:31:53 AM »
Quirky is fun !


Indeed it is.


If you ever get to eastern PA let me heartily recommend the Quirk Duo of Galen Hall and Manor golf courses about 10 mins from each other west of Reading, PA.


It's a literal Quirkathon.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Rick Sides

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #13 on: April 19, 2023, 02:40:50 PM »
Mike I heard of Galen not of Manor. Both are fun ?

Ronald Montesano

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Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2023, 09:48:54 PM »
Any comparison/contrast with nearby Rockport Golf Club?
Coming in August 2023
~Manakiki
~OSU Scarlet
~OSU Grey
~NCR South
~Springfield
~Columbus
~Lake Forest (OH)
~Sleepy Hollow (OH)

Brad Tufts

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Re: Bass Rocks … Breath of Fresh Air
« Reply #15 on: April 24, 2023, 09:56:11 PM »
Rockport is pretty much a back-and-forth affair laid out over what feels like an old pasture.


One hole has a gigantic rock, think a pyramid of granite maybe 20' tall, that affects play on one hole but that's the only memory of an individual feature that I have.  I have only played it once maybe 15 years ago.


Rockport certainly wins out on the quirky gorgeous New England town comp over Gloucester, although Gloucester has its charm too.  In terms of Rockport, I'd head downtown or find one of the numerous coastal walking trails before I played gave time for golf.
So I jump ship in Hong Kong....

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