The Brookside Club (public)
Bourne, Mass.
Date Played: April 28, 2023
Yardages: 4,542 - 6,333
The Brookside Club is a taste-test golf course. It has some strong flavors that, for some, go together and for others, leave an odd taste.
It was described to me as having some "absurdly quirky" holes. That feels like a fair statement. The course weaves through a housing development with long trips from greens to tees. They let me walk, but it feels very much like a riding golf course, as holes 1-6, 7-13, and 14-18 are all in their own areas.
The greens and most of the landing areas are small. The design almost feels skinny, the fairways slither up and down hills on the front 9, creating a lot of blind shots. But it's not quite target golf.
The back nine has some L-shaped doglegs and some straight, narrow holes.
A lot of the greens are also narrow, some are deep and others are shallow.
The par 3s are an absolute bore, all measuring between 110-155 yards, the 2nd and 17th are mirror images of each other.
The 5th hole deserves it's own post. It's a really poor design that borders on unfair.
The standout holes are in that middle portion of the routing. The 8th is a tough driving hole and the longest on the course. Not a lot of holes require driver, but the 8th does. The approach is back uphill to a small green protected by three bunkers short right.
The 9th is another good hole with a cool green that had a slope with short grass as a backstop to catch long approaches.
The approach on 12 was a memorable one, as the green has three tiers and a brook that protects the left side of the green.
It's abundantly clear Brookside is well maintained. It was bouncy and had that Cape Cod sandy feel. However, the "absurdly quirky" design didn't do it for me over 18 holes. 9 of the 12 par 4s measured between 350-379 yards. Not enough variety for me, and too many houses.
If your taste is a well-conditioned course that doesn't really require a lot of length with Cape Cod vibes, then Brookside is a fine option.
If you're looking for a course with a variety of intriguing shots with various clubs, Brookside is probably not going to meet the mark.