Course 126: Siasconset
Nantucket, Mass.
Played: July 26, 2024
Yardage: 5,206/4,218
Tier: Fast Food
Rating: 3
Known to the locals as Sconset and Skinners, Siasconset is subdued and simple. An old clubhouse sits atop a hill, with the first and seventh tee boxes within arm’s reach of the pro shop. Folks mill about, and Adirondack chairs sit behind the ninth green. It’s a lovely place to take in some golf at golden hour.
It’s a par 33 where par is rather irrelevant, with 200+ yard par 3s and driveable par 4s.
As many nine-hole courses do, it starts untraditionally. The first par 4 isn’t until the fourth hole, as players start with a par 3, then battle the long, boomerang-shaped par 5, and then try to whack a long iron onto the tough par-3 third.
The fourth is the toughest par 4 on the course. A tight fairway lined with fescue requires accuracy on the blind tee shot. The uphill approach back towards the clubhouse to a sloped , sqaured-off green is scenic and devilish, and it usually has a gallery on the first tee.
The fescue is rather penal, making an enjoyable layout for a beginner a little less so. Yes, the open land needs some protection as there aren’t but a handful of bunkers on the course; the long grass keeps people honest and in the confines of their hole. It also adds to the length of time it can take to play nine holes.
With watering limited to the tees and greens, the course is delightfully bouncy even after a bit of rain the week I played. Shots can roll onto greens from long distances. The conditions were dusty in spots, but the tees and greens were in nice shape.
I really enjoyed the 8th and 9th holes.
The 8th has a blind tee shot and a pair of long bunkers guarding the green. The approach needs to land in the space between the bunkers and the front of the green which slopes front to back.
The 9th returns players to the clubhouse with a short uphill par 4 with a green that is sure to entertain the folks in the Adirondack chairs, especially if balls are above the hole.
While I wouldn’t suggest a day trip from the mainland to play Siasconset, it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a bit of history and charm if you’re on Nantucket.
Comentários