Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews

Designer: Donald Ross (1916), Unknown (1980s, Holes 6-8), Ron Forse (2003, Renovation)

Location: Pocasset, Massachusetts

History: Pocasset is a Donald Ross design that opened as a public course in 1916 as one of the Cape’s oldest courses. Tough times in the 1940s forced the Club to sell some of the waterfront holes which were replaced in the 1980s. In 1989, Pocasset became member-owned and private and has since thrived. Ron Forse was brought in the early 2000s to restore Ross’s original green complexes and lengthen the course.

Conditions: 9/10, The conditioning at Pocasset is excellent with pristine teeboxes, bunkers, and fairways. It especially stands out with its Bluegrass greens, which were firm, true, and speedy, running about a 13 on the stimpmeter.

Value: N/A, This is a private course.

Scorecard:

Tee                           Par         Yardage         Rating          Slope

Gold                         72           6525 .             72.0              130

Blue                         72           6236               71.0              128

Green/Members  72         6058               69.6              123

White                      72           5665               68.2              120

Red                          72           5253               71.2              127

Hole Descriptions: I was invited to Pocasset last minute for a one-day tournament, and admittedly I knew very little about the course before the invite. I quickly read online that it was a Donald Ross design and immediately grew excited. Having grown up on a Ross course, I had an idea of what to expect – tricky green complexes, strategic bunkering, and an excellent routing.

At only 6525 yards from the Tips, and just over 6000 from the Members tees we played, I fully expected to overwhelm Pocasset with modern technology. In fact, I did just this, hitting over half the fairways and leaving myself plenty of short irons and wedges in. But…it wasn’t good enough to post a decent score. One thing that makes Donald Ross one of the best designers ever is the fact that his classic courses continually challenge players not because of their length, but because they are often demanding around the greens. Too often modern designers rely on 7000+ yards and target golf to challenge golfers, but Ross proves you don’t need to do this. The approach shots at Pocasset are difficult enough, but getting up-and-down on these fast greens is borderline impossible.

We played a shotgun and didn’t begin on the 1st, but I wish we had. At only 475 yards, this short par 5 provides an opportunity to get your round off to a good start. This fairly straightforward hole is tree-lined the entire way with no real danger until the final 70 yards. At this point, the fairway narrows and slopes left with multiple bunkers on either side. Golfers will be given a risk/reward option on just their second swing of the day. Like many at Pocasset, this green slopes back-to-front with a bunker left.

The 2nd is an interesting hole and one I quite enjoyed. With gorgeous fescue lining a snaking fairway, it feels like you’re on Eastern Long Island on this part of the course. This 368 yard par 4 features a blind teeshot over a plateau to a fairway that bends right. At about 280 yards, the fairway ends with a small pond, necessitating an approach over water. This water absolutely comes in play for longer hitters, and they won’t be able to see it from the teebox. This green is one of the flattest at Pocasset and is defended by bunkers long and short left.

The 150 yard par 3 3rd appears level from the teebox, but this green is actually slightly elevated and runs severely back-to-front. To give you an idea of the green speeds and slope, I hit short iron to the middle of this green and spun it back a good 50 feet to where I was chipping almost straight uphill. Danger on this hole includes a small pond on the left side of this fairway and a deep bunker left of this green. Getting up-and-down from the shaved banks on the right is no picnic either.

There are many shorter, interesting par fours at Pocasset beginning with the 4th hole. At only 323 yards, this hole appears easy on the scorecard but plays considerably more difficult uphill and usually into the wind. Club selection on the tee is tricky, as two deep bunkers line the left at 180 yards, two guard the right at 215 yards, and one lies smack dab in the middle of the fairway at 250 yards. Hitting any of these bunkers leads to a very difficult approach to an infinity green. This green is large and receptive but you cannot go deep, as a steep embankment drops off long.

The 5th hole is another short par 4 at 324 yards. Just a stone’s throw from the water on the right, the wind usually whips on this downhill teeshot. Tall trees line the left while dense fescue and a solitary tree at around 200 yards guard the right. This approach then runs back uphill to a tricky back-right-to-front-left sloped green defended short left by several bunkers.

The stretch from 6-8 was added in the 1980s to compensate for some of the lost holes and for the most part fits in well. Seemingly built on the beach, the sandy 189 yard 6th hole is the longest par 3 at Pocasset. With trees and dunes lining the hole the entire way, this narrow green is also guarded by three massive, deep bunkers on either side. Par is a good score here.

At 371 yards, the par 4 7th is one of my favorite holes at Pocasset despite not being an original. This slight dogleg right features danger on the right, with trees and two fairway bunkers beginning at 200 yards. From here, the fairway is constricted further with bunkers on either side 50 yards short of an elevated green.

Although one of the more picturesque holes on the course with a teeshot over water, the 383 yard number 1 handicap 8th is probably my least favorite hole on the course and doesn’t really feel like it belongs. Extremely tight and tree-lined, this dogleg left turns sharply at about 230 yards. There are no bunkers on this hole, but missing the fairway in any direction likely necessitates a punchout. This green features a flatter back portion but slopes back-to-front on its first half.

Running parallel to the 8th, the 465 yard 9th plays back towards the clubhouse as a legitimately reachable par 5. This dogleg right is tree-lined but features a fairly generous fairway lined by bunkers on either side around 220 yards. From here, this fairway slides right and narrows, with a series of fairway bunkers lining the right for the final 75 yards. While hitting into these bunkers is undesirable, they actually save a lot of golf balls from tumbling all the way down a steep embankment. This green is interesting and slopes right-to-left with a right plateau.

Although only 344 yards, the 10th hole is another difficult short par 4. This sharp dogleg left requires an immediate short carry over water to a tight fairway lined by OB right and bunkers on both sides. Anything that doesn’t carry at least 200 yards might be blocked out by the dogleg. This classic, undulating Ross green is slightly elevated and guarded on either side by deep bunkers.

The 11th hole is a straightaway 375 yard par 4 that plays blind to an elevated fairway. OB lines the entire right side, but there’s not much danger down the left. This back-to-front sloped green is open up front but guarded by six deep bunkers on the other three sides. In particular, the bunkers behind this green are especially devastating.

The 12th is the shortest hole at Pocasset at 124 yards, but is a fantastic little par 3. Reminiscent of the famous 3rd at nearby Wannamoisett, it’s absolutely essential to hit this green if you want to make par. Giant bunkers defend short and right, but the real danger here is due to the severe back-to-front slope on this green. Two-putting is difficult and getting up-and-down is nearly impossible.

There are many short par fours at Pocasset but the 13th offers the best chance to reach the green for longer hitters. At 316 yards, this hole is fairly straight with several bunkers lining a sloping, tight fairway. As you near the green, the bunkers become even more numerous, culminating in seven surrounding a back-to-front sloped green.

The 348 yard par 4 14th is one of my favorite holes on the course with very pretty visuals from an elevated teebox. This straightaway hole features a generous landing area with tall trees on the periphery. The difficulty on this hole comes with an approach towards a green perched high above the fairway. This putting surface is also quite undulating, sloping hard back-to-front and left-to-right with deep bunkers short on either side.

At 158 yards, the par 3 15th is an intimidating one-shotter playing straight uphill through a chute of trees to a perched green. This green mostly slopes left-to-right but features lots of movement and is difficult to putt on.

The finishing stretch at Pocasset is excellent beginning with my favorite hole on the course in the 479 yard par 5 16th. From an elevated teebox, this picturesque hole looms below with a fairway full of swales. Fescue and trees line either side, but this isn’t the toughest teeshot. Depending on what part of the fairway you’re in, you could face a completely blind 2nd shot to a tiny green and narrow lay-up area. Thick fescue surrounds this bunkerless green and is quite penal.

At 485 yards, the 17th is another par 5 and probably the most difficult three-shotter at Pocasset. This slender dogleg slides left the whole way and plays uphill on each shot. Compared to the previous hole, this is a difficult teeshot with water to the right and fescue and trees jutting out down the left at 250 yards. After this point, the hole opens up a bit, leaving a fairly easy lay-up. Like most holes at Pocasset, your work is not complete once you reach this green, as this slippery surface slopes hard back-to-front.

The closing hole at Pocasset is a strong, straightaway par 4 at 381 yards. This tree-lined fairway is tight with a long fairway bunker on the left ranging from 170 to 240 yards. As you near the green, the fairway begins to slope left-to-right, leaving awkward lies. Deep bunkers surround this left-to-right sloped green on all sides, and the best miss is short.

General Comments: We played in a member-guest so I can’t speak to normal pace of play, but I can attest to the strong practice facilities at Pocasset. The range lies between the 1st and 18th holes and a reliable putting green can be found near the 1st. Also of note is a fantastic short-game practice area behind the parking lot. The clubhouse at Pocasset is cozy, with a nice balcony overlooking the course.

Verdict: Impeccably conditioned, Pocasset is an under-the-radar Donald Ross charmer located in Cape Cod. While on the shorter side, the course features challenging greens and is the type of course I could envision myself playing everyday.