Ipswich CC (private)
Ipswich, MA
Date Played: May 26, 2023
Yardages: 7,023 - 5,159
Ipswich CC demands one skill above all: accuracy. The course winds through thick woods and a housing development. Out of bounds and water hazards come into play on a majority of the holes.
The front nine begins with three tee shots that are nearly identical - 230 yards (from the blues) to a tight landing area on a hard dogleg left.
After that, players must navigate narrow holes that allow for players to hit driver, but any spraying shots will result in penalties.
The back nine releases the pressure valve, as holes open up a little bit.
Bunkering on some of the shorter par 4s creates some risk/reward. Players can try to push driver down the fairway and have wedges into the big, undulating greens.
I think the par 3s at ICC are very good. The 5th is a mid-iron over water. The 7th and 16th are downhill holes that require good judgment due to the wind and elevation.
The 11th is my favorite hole on the course. A lovely little par 3 set into a hill. Players hit a short-iron uphill to the green, which is probably the smallest on the course. A massive deep bunker protects the right side of the hole.
Another hole I liked was the par-4 8th. A dogleg right, the green is protected by a slithering creek that cuts right up to the edge of the green. It's an intimidating shot as the trees create shadows that make it tough to really trust the yardage or the target.
The course doesn't have a lot of connective tissue from hole to hole due to the housing development. There are a lot of long walks from greens to tees, which can be distracting and makes it hard to recall every hole clearly.
Overall, the course is in exceptional shape and from what I've heard it always is. The greens at ICC were the highlight for me. They are large and interesting with tiers and slopes that provide tough pin positions and would make any member a better short game player in short order.
It's the type of course that I couldn't imagine playing a qualifier or any competitive round, but it does provide a specific challenge that can help expose some weaknesses in your game.