SOUTHERS MARSH GOLF CLUB PLYMOUTH, MA
Date Reviewed: July. 2012
Southers Marsh Golf Club is an 18-hole, executive-style golf course located fifty minutes from both Boston and Providence. At 4,111 yards from the tips, this par 61 track is the longest and arguably the most challenging executive golf course in New England. Opened in July 2001, Southers Marsh was built on the uplands surrounding the Stearns family's 100-year old cranberry farm as a way to keep business going when the cranberry industry collapsed in the late 90's.
Careful attention was given to minimize disturbance during construction, resulting in a number of challenges that set this course apart from others in the “executive” category. More than half of the holes play over or alongside cranberry bogs, leaving ten forced carries throughout the round. Many greens are elevated and/or surrounded by steep falloffs to prevent flooding, requiring precision iron play to avoid awkward recoveries. In other words, you need to play well to score well here, something that isn’t typically said for an executive layout.
Careful attention was given to minimize disturbance during construction, resulting in a number of challenges that set this course apart from others in the “executive” category. More than half of the holes play over or alongside cranberry bogs, leaving ten forced carries throughout the round. Many greens are elevated and/or surrounded by steep falloffs to prevent flooding, requiring precision iron play to avoid awkward recoveries. In other words, you need to play well to score well here, something that isn’t typically said for an executive layout.
Course Information
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Course Rating
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Course Layout & Scorecard
(Click to Enlarge)
Hole 1
The opening hole favors a drive played right-of-center, avoiding a cranberry bog (lateral hazard) that lines the entire left side of the landing area. A solid drive leaves an approach between 90-130 yards to a slightly elevated green guarded by hazards long and right. The safe miss is short as the green slopes generally back-left to front-right.
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Hole 2
The short second plays over a cranberry bog to an elevated green guarded by sand short-right and left. The safe miss is short-left as the green slopes generally right-to-left. A false front will reject any balls coming up just short.
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Hole 3
The long third plays over a large cranberry bog to a slightly elevated green with little room for bailout. Missing on the hillside long leaves a difficult recovery as the green slopes generously back-right to front-left.
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Hole 4
The fourth plays downhill from the tee to a generous landing area guarded by a hazard left and two bunkers right (200-yards to carry from the tips). Longer hitters should note the fairway ends 270-yards from the tips. A solid drive leaves an approach between 110-140 yards over a cranberry bog to an elevated green guarded by sand short-left and right. Missing long should be avoided as the green falls away sharply towards the woods. The putting surface is multi-tiered and slopes generally back-left to front-right.
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Hole 5
The fifth plays out of a narrow shoot of pines to a slightly elevated green guarded by sand short-left and right. Anything missing right will likely kick into a hazard. The safe miss is short as the putting surface slopes generally back-right to front-left.
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Hole 6
Leave driver in the bag as the short sixth plays to a narrow landing area lined by dense woods left and a hazard right. A play just short of the bunker in view is ideal (230-yards from the tips), leaving an uphill approach between 110-140 yards to a large green guarded by a lone bunker right. The safe miss is short as the green slopes generally back-right to front-left.
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Hole 7
The short seventh plays downhill from the tee to a deceptively large green guarded by sand short. Missing long or left should be avoided as the green falls away sharply towards the woods. The putting surface slopes generously back-right to front-left.
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Hole 8
The quirky eighth plays downhill from the tee to a landing area hidden from view. Longer hitters should note that the fairway runs out 275-yards from the tips. A good drive leaves a pitch approach to a green guarded by sand short-right and steep falloffs right. The safe miss is short as the green slopes generally back-left to front-right.
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Hole 9
The ninth plays over a cranberry bog to an elevated green guarded by deep bunkers left and right. Missing long leaves a difficult recovery as the putting surface is bowl-like and slopes generously back-right to front-left.
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Hole 10
The tenth plays over a small valley to a large, elevated green guarded by sand right and short. Missing long should be avoided as the green falls away sharply towards the woods. The putting surface is multi-tiered and slopes generally back-right to front-left.
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Hole 11
The short eleventh plays to a shallow, but wide green guarded by three bunkers short. Missing on the hillside long should be avoided as the green is two-tiered and slopes generally back-right to front-left.
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Hole 12
The twelfth is all carry and plays to a peninsula green guarded by cranberry bogs short, right and long. The putting surface is relatively flat with subtle undulations, leaving a reasonably birdie opportunity for players finding the green in regulation.
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Hole 13
The thirteenth plays dramatically uphill from the tee to a landing area pinched by two fairway bunkers (220-yards to clear from the tips). A solid drive leaves an uphill, semi-blind approach between 110-140 yards to a deep green guarded by four bunkers right. The safe miss is short as the green slopes generally back-left to front-right.
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Hole 14
The short fourteenth plays downhill from the tee to a large green guarded by a lone bunker long. The safe miss is short as the green slopes generally back-to-front.
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Hole 15
The fifteenth plays downhill from the tee to a generous landing area guarded by a lone bunker left (235-yards to carry from the tips). A solid drive leaves an approach between 80-110 yards to a deep green guarded by sand left and a hazard right. The safe miss is short as the green slopes severely back-left to front-right and is defined by a centered mound.
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Hole 16
The sixteenth plays over a large cranberry bog to a shallow, but wide green that is nestled into a small hillside. The safe miss is short as the green slopes significantly back-right to front-left.
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Hole 17
The last of the short holes plays back over the cranberry bog to a large, bunkerless green surrounded by shallow mounding. The safe miss is short as the green slopes generally back-to-front.
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Hole 18
The closing hole favors a drive down the middle, avoiding tall fescue right and a drainage ditch left. Longer hitters should note that a pond right narrows the landing area 220-yards from the tips. A solid drive leaves an approach between 120-150 yards to an elevated, narrow green guarded by sand short and right. Missing long should be avoided as the green slopes generally back-to-front.
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