Somerset Hills Country Club

This course is private, but I grew up caddying on it and was lucky enough to recently play it again in August '15) at nearly 50 years old as a courtesy to my current private club.

If I had only 1 course to play on my final day on earth, Somerset Hills would be it. It's an elegant and wonderful Tillinghast track and largely untouched since 1918, when it first opened. Tom Doak restored it recently and removed many trees that were detracting from the lines of play and the long views of the course. Its incredibly creative green contours are its primary defense, as it's not too much longer than its original length, playing about 6800 from the tips. There's a Redan hole with its severe right to left sloping green; a Biarritz hole, with its bisecting gully in the middle of the green, as well as a host of others with huge swales and slopes, none of which seems too severe. Each hole is a gem and postcard worthy. Each is unique and leaves a lasting impression. Each seems to be the only hole on earth as you play it. Each seems like nothing you've ever seen before. It's fun but challenging.