Course 68 in my quest was Blue Hill Country Club in Canton, MA. ⠀
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Blue Hill hosted the 1956 PGA Championship. Jack Burke Jr. won $5000 in this match play major that included Sam Snead. It also hosted the Ping/Welch's Championship from '1991-'97 won by the likes of Dottie Pepper and Beth Daniel. ⠀
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The 6,600 yard course from the tips (we played at 6,300) as a whole has the teeth of a course that would have challenged the best players in the world back in the day. The greens had subtle breaks, and some of our putts snapped hard around the cups. The Skip Wogan design also has big, penal bunkers with massive faces.
During the round, players have to navigate rolling hills, tree-lined fairways, and water hazards scattered about off of tee boxes. ⠀
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The holes are rather varied: doglegs both ways, some straight away holes, and each par 3 is a different length, all of them challenging especially the 220-yard thirteenth. You have to golf your ball to get it around at Blue Hill.⠀
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The opening three holes will grab a player's attention. Three solid par 4s that make a trip to the range beforehand a very good idea.⠀
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Reflecting on the round, there wasn't any true standout hole or crescendo. The holes as a set of 18 were solid and playable, and I didn't walk off any green annoyed by a design feature. The holes seemed to fit the land and I hit nearly every club in my bag. Even the front and back felt equal in my assessment. ⠀
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I enjoyed the par 5 8th hole. A tee shot to a narrow landing area that provides a wonderful view of the green and lay-up area, where large bunkers sit 100 yards from the green, awaiting an indecisive swing.⠀
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The par 3s were tough, ranging from a 130 yarder (the sixth hole) to the 220 yard thirteenth that plays downhill to a catcher's mitt green site. I hit 8 iron, pitching wedge, 7 iron, and hybrid into those four greens. A nice mixture.
As we walked down the 16th hole, I asked my playing partner Dave if he could play here every day. He admitted he could. It's that type of course. Subtle in it's challenge, enjoyable, but it won't blow your socks off.⠀
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