NORTON, Massachusetts – On a recent trip back to Massachusetts, I had a chance to golf with three friends at Norton Country Club, a semi-private, 18-hole par 71 course. The course is located 45 minutes south of Boston and 20 minutes north of Providence off either I-95 or I-495. A vehicle GPS system is recommended to negotiate your way to Oak Street where the course is located, especially if you are unfamiliar with the Norton/Mansfield area.
Norton Country Club course is a classic Parkland layout that is indigenous to the New England area. Carved through the woods are fairways lined with trees and unique hazards that will capture your attention and shot making creativity on every hole. The fairways offer a constant rise and fall of undulating terrain causing players to continually adjust their stance and swing to account for the uneven terrain found on most holes. This makes almost every fairway shot a unique challenge that needs not only the proper club selection but a dance between precision and instinct.
The course originally opened in 1955 as 9 holes and was completely redesigned by architects Brian Silva and Geoffrey Cornish in 1988, when it was expanded to 18 holes. Fifty-eight pot bunkers surround this course, which fluctuates from tight and tree-lined to a stretch of holes on the back nine that closely resembles a Scottish-style links layout.
The property includes an on-site clubhouse, restaurant, and a 1,600 square foot pro shop stocked with all the essentials. Daily Green Fees fluctuate depending on the season and time of day. There are two practice greens available for putting and chipping but no driving range on site. The course is set up to accommodate all levels of golfers with four sets of tees, the tips play to 6,548 yards, 73.4/136, course/slope ratings.
FRONT NINE
The front nine quickly draws your attention to the uniqueness of this course and just how difficult it is to adjust to the tight fairways and gnarly rough. Be prepared to use every club in your bag on this extremely difficult 18-hole tract, which measures 5,258 yards from the white tees with a rating of 68.8 and a slope of 129.
The first three holes are an introduction to the adjustments needed to survive the next fifteen. The trees lining the fairways will cause you to adjust your fades and draws off the tees. The 4th and 5th holes are both par 5’s with exact opposite personalities. The 4th hole has a wide-open tee shot but the rest of the hole will leave you scratching your head. If you get away with a bogey and still have your same ball, consider it a success. Enjoy the beautiful user-friendly 5th hole awaiting your arrival.
The final four holes on the front nine are enjoyable and will offer you an opportunity to grab a birdie or two. The only hole that will give you a little trouble will be the par 4,360 yards; 8th hole that has a slight dogleg right with a large tree sitting at the corner awaiting your tee shot. Next Up! The back nine.
BACK NINE
The 10th hole brings you back to civilization and the clubhouse. You will also be pleasantly surprised to see a wide-open fairway and even a condominium or two behind the green. This is the beginning of what could closely resemble a Scottish-style links layout. The par 4, 328 yards 10th hole is a great beginning to what should be a more friendly back nine, but let’s not get too excited yet.
Following the pattern set by the front nine, the first three holes on the back are user-friendly and give you a chance to enjoy playing on two wide open fairways along with the course’s par 3, 138 yards Signature Hole at the 12th. This hole is worth the price of admission as you are hitting over water to a kidney-shaped green with out-of-bounds stakes sitting behind the green.
Unfortunately, there are still 6 more holes to play and each of them will have a little something to say about how the rest of your round will go. The par 4 13th green is invisible from the tee box. The fairway has a slight dogleg right heading to a green with bunkers protecting the entire right front of the green.
The par 5 14th and 15th holes are two of the most challenging holes on the back nine. Each have their own uniqueness and cross fairway hazards that will have you talking to yourself heading to the 16th tee. The last 3 holes are great finishing holes and give you a chance to recharge your batteries and enjoy the memories of playing one of the most intriguing and challenging golf courses in Massachusetts.
Norton Country Club, at times, resembles a target golf course that requires accuracy and patience off the tee. The greens rolled nicely but were also interesting with plenty of slopes and odd shapes to keep your imagination and patience on high alert. This is not an easy course, even from the shortest tee boxes. Bring an extra sleeve of golf balls and some patience when you play here, if the wind is blowing, it just might be one of your biggest golfing challenges of the year!
https://nortoncountryclub.com/
