Course 72: Stow Acres North
Stow Acres North was once a very popular and sought after tee time. Back in 1995 it hosted the USGA Public Links Championship and was ranked as a "Top 50 Public Golf Course" by Golf Digest.⠀
People swarmed and it always felt like Stow Acres didn't know what to do with the fame. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, rounds could take 5.5 hours, and people started to sour on both courses, which were overplayed and growing tired. ⠀
Stow North has some character to it and a few memorable holes. The entire course weaves through tall pines, and players have to navigate endless doglegs and a few blind tee shots. It's on relatively flat land and is an easy walk.⠀
The memorable holes are probably the par 4 third hole, which descends into the woods. ⠀
The fourth hole, which isn't a good hole, per se, but it will stick with a player. A blind shot with water lurking on the left and then curling in front of the green, makes it a challenging hole.
The par 3s on the front, holes 6 and 8, are pretty good. The 6th is a long iron or hybrid from the back tees, and the 8th is a mid iron that delivers you from a wooded set of holes back into the open meadow for the very challenging ninth hole, which could be one of the harder par 4s in the state.⠀
Every hole on the back nine is a dogleg, the best is probably the 15th, as the approach is downhill to a big green set in the trees. ⠀
There is a nice rhythm to the round, as it starts and ends out in the open, and the middle holes on each nine play through the trees. ⠀
Rumor has it that Stow North is going to be turned into a nine hole course and the rest of the land will be repurposed for housing after next year. So if it has been on your list, 2022 might be your last chance.⠀
Comments