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Course Information |
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| Province Lake Blends the Past and the Future of Golf in One Scenic 18 |
What you will find at Province Lake is a beautiful blend of the best of classic golf with outstanding modern design. The traditional and the new have been combined to create a wonderful playing experience for today's golfers. Along the way you'll also be treated to spectacular views of the lake, and occasionally you'll spot the wildlife that make their home in the area.
 The front nine, built in 1918, was designed by Lawrence Van Etten, who laid out a number of courses on the East Coast, including the Deal Country Club in New Jersey and the original Wykagyl Course in New Rochelle, N.Y.
In 1988, a second nine was built, which was designed by renowned East Coast architect Brian Silva. Silva's work includes the Captains Course at Cape Cod National in Brewster, MA, Black Creek Club, in Chattanooga, TN, Shaker Hills in Harvard, MA, and Cyprian Keyes Golf Club in Boylston, MA.
Michael Foster, the course superintendent, notes that since 1988, the front nine has been renovated bringing the greens up to USGA standards. Improvements were also made throughout the course adding irrigation, additional drainage and reworking many tee boxes. Some holes were lengthened, and each hole had four permanent tees built, so that golfers with any handicap or skill level can have an enjoyable and challenging round. There is also a fifth set of tees further forward for juniors and children. The course can truly meet any skill level successfully.
The first hole is a 402-yard par-4 from the back tees (237 yards from the front), which makes for a good opener. The generous fairway helps you start your game with relaxation.
The 2nd hole (461 yards from the back and 330 from the front) is a long straightaway. "The green is reachable for most golfers in two, making for a possible birdie or even an eagle," Foster said. The hole is lined with tall fescue on the left, which gives it extra definition.
One of the most outstanding holes on the front nine is the 6th, a par-5 nicknamed "Lakeside." Pictured here to the left, it measures 530 yards from the back and 327 from the front. "This is a hole with the lake in play and lots of beautiful views," Foster said. "You'll want to use your driver here, because it's an extremely wide fairway."
The par-4 8th, playing at 382 yards from the back and 276 from the front, is the well-known "Hour Glass" fairway. There you hit to a fairway with a wide-open landing area, which narrows slightly and then becomes wider again. A brook runs along the right hand side and then crosses the fairway about 275 yards from the back tees. "You'll want to hit as close as you can to that point, and then make your second shot over the creek and up to the elevated green."
You've probably heard this said before about golf courses: "Every hole is different." But our back nine certainly fits that expression in a way that few others can.
Take the 11th, a breathtaking par-3, which is 175 yards from the back and 113 from the front. You'll be hitting downhill to a huge green where the view is stupendous. There's a gorgeous sighting of the lake behind the green. As a matter of fact, you can see Province Lake from fourteen of the eighteen holes.
Another intriguing hole is the 12th, "Bullfrog," a slight dogleg right par-4, playing at 325 yards from the back tees and 240 from the front. The excitement here is the pond on the right near the green. "You can use your driver off the tee or lay up into the area near the pond with something safer. Some golfers choose to go for it and try to cut the dogleg and fly the pond," Foster said. "You're hitting to a 2,000 square-foot green that's undulating and elevated."
The 16th, 17th and 18th holes are truly a test of accuracy and strategy, featuring out-of-bounds areas on both sides of the fairways.
"Pond," the 17th, is a big dogleg left par-4 (382 yards from the back and 229 from the front). The thrill is hitting the green with your approach shot. The green is very large - 6,000 square feet. Take heed of the bunker behind the green and the water on the left. If you've got the long shot, you can take a risk-reward blast over the trees on the left aiming straight to the green. But cautious players will want to drive to the center of the fairway, and then hit a 150-yard approach to the green.
"Province Lake Golf is challenging," Foster said, "but all skill levels can play here." Come and try it!
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