The Kittansett Club (Private)
Marion, MA
Played on July 7, 2022
Yardages: 4,940- 6,835
Standing on the ninth hole, our host for the round said, “the easy holes are done.”
This was due to the wind. Much like running down the Charles River, we were going to battle the wind coming home.
Kittansett Club isn’t all about the wind, but it’s a big piece of the intrigue. With a plethora of cross hazards and run-out areas across fairways, the wind can bring certain penalties into play while allowing players to blow it past others.
It all depends on which way the wind is blowing.
The course is stunning visually. Water views, flowing fescue, and clever mounding delight the eyes.
The land is rather flat, but the cross hazards and mounding help make the routing interesting and give shots different illusions. Bunkers appear closer, or farther, then they actually are. The mastery of William Flynn is evident.
All the greens are raised, creating collection areas no matter where you miss a shot. With the firm and fast conditions, playing short was a must. It felt, however, like every approach had the same strategy. Which can make the second shots a bit less interesting or just a tad monotonous. A small gripe.
However the wind does increase the overall engagement with how and where you want your ball to fly and land.
There are options off tee boxes: take on bunkers and mounds or avoid them and play safe.
The rough was deep and the fescue was nasty. I explored both.
Kittansett is a course I left feeling like I wanted another shot at right away. The course frustrated me to an extent. It’s more body blows than haymakers, and I imagine it reveals itself with every round.
The par 3s are outstanding, even though only one of them is near the water.
The par 4 16th returns the players to Buzzards Bay. The pivot from 15 green to 16 tee is jaw dropping.
I did wish I had played one tee farther back or tried the combo tees, as I felt I was maneuvering around some cross hazards and run outs that I wouldn’t reach from another tee.
If you’d like to see Kittansett, it’s hosting the US Senior Men’s Am in late August. Go watch some of the best Senior Ams in the world!
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