#Eastward ho series#

The surrounding banks create an amphitheater effect. The approach to the 5th green, which sits so close to the 8th green that on first glance, it appears to be a shared green. The terrain over which these holes play is unlike anything I have ever seen before, and the expanse of this section of the golf course is literally breathtaking.

#Eastward ho series#

The 5th hole at Eastward Ho! begins one of the most remarkable series of holes that I’ve had the privilege of playing. The first par 3 on the course, and perhaps the prettiest, the 4th green hugs the cliff long and right. Looking back up the 3rd fairway from the green – note the tiered descent from the crest of the fairway. Those that don’t go at the green will likely have a half-wedge to a small putting surface that is well-guarded by both bunkers and slopes to all sides but the front. This hole is reachable for longer players, and that fact coupled with a blind landing zone make for an exciting combination. The tee shot on the 3rd is over a valley, and again the landing area is obscured. The excitement for the player is palpable as he knows that these four holes remain ahead. To the player’s left, the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th holes are visible, as is the expansive bay to the right of the 7th green. Walking across the small road from the 2nd green to the 3rd tee reveals one of the most incredible views that I have ever seen on a golf course. Upon cresting the hill, most players will have only a delicate wedge into a green defended by a banked fairway and collection area to the right, and a small but deep bunker short left.Īs is so often the case at Eastward Ho!, a look back down the fairway from the green shows the astonishing ground features that are present on almost every hole. Looking back toward the clubhouse from the first green reveals the tumbling nature of the land.Īfter crossing a small road to the second tee, the player is confronted with a tee shot over Crows Pond to an elevated fairway and a partially blind landing area. No such wait is required at Eastward Ho! As soon as you pull into the small parking lot, the first hole and ninth fairway are visible to the right of the gorgeous clubhouse, and you know immediately that you are in for a special round.ĭoglegging slightly left, the first plunges down into a valley and then back up to the green at the top of a long hill. Some courses, Maidstone and Fishers Island for example, hide their charms until several holes into the round. I thought the mix of holes and the terrain compensated well for the lack of overall length - the course played longer for me than the yardage on the card.

The course plays to a par 71 over 6,372 yards – short by today’s standards, but as the 71.7/135 rating and slope indicate, it is no pushover. It sits on a glacial moraine, which resulted in some one-off landforms rarely found in the United States. The course is laid out in a figure 8 routing, with the front 9 on the northeastern side of the clubhouse, and the back 9 to the southwest. The course was designed by Herbert Fowler and opened for play in 1922. It’s a quiet, peaceful area – ideal for golf. The anticipation builds as you get closer to the course, and you begin to get glimpses of coves and small bays. Set in Chatham, Massachusetts, the drive to Eastward Ho! takes you through some beautiful countryside. I can’t remember having such an enjoyable time on a golf course.ĮASTWARD HO! The incomparable setting of Eastward Ho! It’s an exciting, fun, playable and unique golf course that deserves more than the share of accolades that it currently receives. and Eastward Ho!, in my opinion, belongs on any list of such courses. I have had the great pleasure and fortune of playing some of the most “charming” golf courses in the east - Myopia Hunt, Garden City, Maidstone, Fishers Island, etc. The weather was perfect, and I enjoyed every minute of my time on the property. I arrived at 2pm on Sunday, and with sunset for Cape Cod creeping up to before 4:30pm, I knew that I had limited time to get a round in. After a very enjoyable round at Wannamoisett, and having been well and duly throttled by both my host and the course, I headed over. On my way up to the course that morning, I noticed that Eastward Ho! was a mere 90 minutes further along, and having missed an opportunity to play there a few months back, I decided to try to head over later that day. I was in the general area on for a round at Wannamoisett. EASTWARD HO! – A COURSE TOUR & APPRECIATIONĬhatham, MA – Herbert Fowler Homeward bound at Eastward Ho!