Course 114: Marion GC
Marion, Mass.
Played: Sept. 15, 2023
Yardage: 5390/4178
Tier: Fast Casual
Rating: 4
Charm and quirk tend to be overused when discussing golf courses these days.
However, Marion GC is drenched in both.
The charm comes from the simplicity. A small clubhouse and putting green sit near a first tee with one of those spiral contraptions that pre-date online tee time systems.
The charm also comes from the old spirit of the course. The 1904 George Thomas design feels unique in the shots players have to hit.
The line between charm and quirk can be thin. If you find funny bounces, some shaggy spots, and blind par 3s charming, then you'll appreciate them for their quirkiness, too.
As players gathered on the first tee for a laid back Golfers Journal event on a windy Friday evening, some wondered where the first green was. Hands pointed in a rough direction, without any real specific line. "Just kind of hit it right of those mounds out there," one person said.
The quirk is full-throttle on holes 2 and 3.
The 2nd tee box aims players at the 7th green. Many have assumed it's the second green... instead, the hole bends 180 degrees to the right. A 190-yard shot will leave a short approach to the green. Players will have to navigate two trees that block the line to the green, more quirk.
The third hole is a par 3 over a stone wall to a green 185 yards away. An unanointed visitor might have no clue where to go, as the wall obstructs the view of the pin aside from the fluttering flag, which peaks just over the stones.
Holes 3-8 play out across an open field. A berm runs across holes 4 and 5, and a fence runs behind the 4th green and then along the right of the 6th green. The sea salt air begins to tickle the nostrils as the water and boats come into view behind the 6th green.
The par-3 8th also requires a tee shot over a stone wall, and after a walk through the woods, players arrive at the 9th tee to hit a 115-yard shot to a blind punchbowl green.
The walk is easy (and charming!), and after charting it once and understanding the lay of the land, Marion will pull you back for more.
Looking forward to seeing what Gil Hanse does when he gets his hands on it in the near future.
留言