At GOLF.com, writing about the sport you love is our job. But so is playing it. Here are three courses our writers stumbled upon (and loved) last month.
Wentworth By The Sea Country Club (Rye, N.H.)
At just under 5,800 yards from the back tees, Wentworth By-The-Sea (semi-private; open to hotel guests) may not look like much on the scorecard, but it’s a good thing courses are more than the card. The first 13 holes of the course — which has been worked on by George Wright, Alexander Findlay, Donald Ross and Geoffrey Cornish — meander through trees and exposed granite across Little Harbor and Witch Creek. But the final five-hole loop around the edge of the property with four stunning links holes and a unique and short par-4 finisher over water. Wentworth features two outstanding cape holes with stunning views of the Harbor, Whaleback Light, the famous Wentworth Hotel and the massive homes that line (but don’t intrude) the layout. The string of short par-4s, four par-5s and six par-3s (one playing straight over the harbor!) tested just about every shot in the bag. — Jack Hirsh
Lehman 18, Cragun’s Legacy Courses (Brainerd, Minn.)
I played Tom Lehman’s most recent Minnesota design, the Lehman 18 at Cragun’s Resort, in pouring rain back in April, but a couple of weeks ago I returned and was greeted by slightly better weather and the same wonderful golf course. Cragun’s already had two very good 18-hole courses (both Robert Trent Jones Jr. designs) but recently spent $14 million to make them even better. Every hole was tweaked in some capacity, and at least a dozen were built or reversed. There’s now a Lehman 18 and a Dutch 27 that has three nines, with the final nine holes set to open this fall. The Lehman 18 ($189 peak, with discounts for resort guests) is everything you want in resort golf. Large, rolling fairways with big greens, picturesque Northwoods views and a reward for creative shot-making. It’s forgiving enough for the high-handicapper and challenging enough for the better players. It plays somewhat like a hilly links course at times, with speed slots in fairways and runoffs or mounding around greens. It’s my new favorite course in an area rich with great golf. — Josh Berhow
Glasgow Hills (Cavendish, PEI, Canada)
Last month my wife and I visited Prince Edward Island and teed it up on several courses in the Cavendish region of the island province in Canada, and Glasgow Hills was a standout. The sweeping fairways that draped over the rolling hills offered playable conditions for all handicaps while also providing a challenging test when played from the proper yardage. The par-3s featured dramatic elevation changes and, thanks to the firm ground and large greens, Glasgow Hills allowed for a lot of creativity in shot selection and shot shape. It should be noted that beyond the golf, the restaurant was also fantastic. With peak rates at just $102, it’s top of my list to play again very soon. — Ryan Barath
