Pine Brook CC (Private)
Weston, MA
Played on June 10, 2022
Yardages: 5,230 - 6,568
Any conversation I've ever had about Pine Brook starts with its immaculate grooming.
I can confirm that PB is certainly well maintained, the grounds crew was out in force mowing, filling divots by hand, and trimming grass on rock outcroppings.
The course isn't just nice grass, though. The greens are the highlight, with tricky interior slopes rippling through the massive complexes. Hitting greens isn't enough, as putts from long distance can traverse some serious humps and bumps.
There are 7 holes on the clubhouse side of the Newton St. (1,2,3,4,16,17,18). The other 11 are across the street.
The 11 hole stretch plays into and around land shaped like a bowl. It's the better collection of holes, as it's relatively open, with a few tricky tee shots.
The standout holes were the par 4 third hole where a blind tee shot reveals a wonderful approach shot into a green sloping from right to left.
The par 4 sixth hole is another great one. The par 4 rolls down hill, with trouble looming left and right off the tee. The green is perched on a plateau that can be hard to hit from the rough.
I also liked the par 3 13th hole. It plays over water, and the green has a massive false front and shaved area surrounding most of the green, too.
I did have the feeling during the middle stretch of the round that I had a lot of the same distance into the par 4s. Some awkward 120-135 yard shots after hitting driver off the tee. PB will certainly test your wedge/short game, and a few holes require good placement off the tee, as trees can come into play even if you're on the fairway.
PB is a solid test and in tremendous shape.