Lakeville CC (Public)
Lakeville, MA
Played on May 13, 2022
Yardages: 6,335 - 4,863
Lakeville CC's clubhouse gave me a strong sense of childhood golf experience - A Keno board was alight on one of the walls and the air smelled of 45 years of fried food.
Lou checked me in at the bar, as there is no pro shop; he was a kind man who has been working there for 27 years.
The place had the vibes of an old-fashioned hang.
But on this particular morning it was quiet. I hit a few putts through the morning dew; the greens were running at about a 3 on the stimpmeter. A sign of things to come.
The course had some bright spots, but 47 bucks to walk on a weekday (59 on the weekends) felt steep.
Lakeville is not a boring course. You'll play up and down and around some rolling hills and weave through tree lined holes, and you'll hit the majority of the clubs in your bag.
The long 4th, a par 4, is probably the best on the course. It sweeps up a hill to an hourglass green that is 40 yards wide and about 10 yards deep.
I did get "lost" due to the poor signage and routing on the front nine. The 7th tee is right next to the fourth green, so I skipped holes 5 and 6 and returned to them when I realized my mistake.
That isn't the only place one could get lost, the back nine holes are rather congested, thankfully signs direct people to the proper holes, unlike the front nine.
I imagine on a busy day, the 16th hole is quite a scene. It's a downhill, 130 yard hole. The tee box is in the middle of everything, a bit like the opening tee shot at Bethpage Black. Probably a lot of bets won and lost on that hole over the years.
The 17th hole is another par 3 out in a marshy piece of land. It's a tough 175 yard hole with a forced carry. It's unlike any shot on the course, which is kind of cool.
I learned that the owners are trying to sell the course to a solar company or another buyer. The course has that tired feeling that some other courses up for sale have - Chipped paint, abandoned buildings, and bad grass from tee to green.
Lakeville has dive bar vibes, and for a cheaper price, could be a fun hang. But if you're looking for good value and decent conditions, it might not be the place for you.