Right from the first glimpse of the Cape Cod Country Club, you can begin to feel what it’s like to play on a course built in the 1920s, the Golden Age of golf architecture. The course is like a graceful old lady with classic good looks and a pedigree rooted in the history of American golf.
The short first hole plays down and then up to a very elevated green where the surface cannot be seen from the fairway. The following hole is a terrific 207-yard par 3, where pinching bunkers and overhanging trees challenge all shots.
The par-3 ninth, at 165 yards, is the signature hole that plays over an isthmus between the Coonamessett and Round ponds.
The back nine leads off with an excellent pat 4 that requires a long drive followed by a precise mid-iron into a well-bunkered green. The eleventh and thirteenth holes are dogleg left par-fives. Sandwiched between them lies the monster par-3 twelfth hole of 230 yards.
The 14th is probably the most remembered hole on the course. It is often referred to as the “volcano hole,” because the green sits atop a mesa. The second shot to this green will give you fits. Next come two par threes, with the first being much better than the second, at 190 and 205 yards respectively. The finishing hole is very similar to the first, where hitting the green is a must to make par.
The course is surrounded by a quiet residential neighborhood not far from Mashpee Commons. It offers a modest snack bar, a well-equipped pro shop, and a staff that will make you feel glad for the visit and pleased to have played this good, old-fashioned Cape Cod course.
