In Search of a Scottish Style Course in Connecticut

The British Open starts Thursday, which means we might get to see a professional golfer wearing a knit cap hit the ball down the middle of the fairway and wind up in a bunker with a face so high the television cameras can’t even see him.

For those who hack it around on public courses, it can feel gratifying to see the pros at the mercy of a bad bounce or two. Aside from that, the Open Championship (as it is called in the rest of the world) offers us a look at a completely different style of golf and golf course.

Now there are many fine public courses in our little area of Connecticut, and for those with the money to join a private club get to play , which is one of the finest layouts in the state. But no one will ever confuse Cedar Knob in Somers with a course where the British Open might be played.

The truth is there are few golf courses in the United States that offer true links golf. For that you need links turf, which has a sandy base and is impossible to replicate away from the ocean. The only way to get a real feel for the courses of Scotland is go to play them.

Since many folks have mortgages, this suggestion is impractical. Fortunately, there are other options for those with a few dollars, a car and a free afternoon.

For starters, an Internet search will reveal a number of courses that claim to offer links-style golf. Proceed with caution. For example, Wintonbury Hills in Bloomfield, an excellent daily-fee course, was designed by Pete Dye with a free-flowing, strategic style of golf in mind but there is not a moment when a golfer’s eyeballs will be tricked into believing they are in Scotland.

Well, maybe at Gleneagles but that is not what we’re going for here.

The place to start for an opportunity to recreate the illusion of being transported is to play Shennecossett in Gorton. The course was designed by Donald Ross, who always kept the principles of the Scottish masters in his heart, and offers several holes, especially the 2nd and 16th that might convince the easily manipulated that they are getting a different kind of test.

Best of all, the rest of the golf course is good and it’s affordable (under $50 for non-residents). The one drawback for those really looking for a Scottish experience is that the greenside bunkering is more akin to Florida than Scotland.

A short drive from Shennecossett is the Fenwick Golf Course in Old Saybrook, a nine-hole course that offers a more authentic, if not especially difficult, Scottish feel. The course was designed for Persimmon drivers and barely stretches to 3,000 yards but has views of Long Island Sound and feels more like a Scottish course than nearly any other course in the state.

For those who don’t mind a longer drive there is Longshore Golf Course in Westport. Again, this is not the most difficult course but the proximity to Long Island Sound, the bunkering and, especially, the par threes provide a sufficient Scottish feel.

These three are by no means comprehensive. There are Scottish touches on many courses, even if it’s for only one hole but they are the most affordable local options for a player thirsting for a different kind of golf.

LOCAL RESULTS:

Suffield’s Andy Mai was one of four to qualify for the 77th Connecticut Open at the July 5 qualifier at the Country Club of Woodbridge. Mai shot a 1-under 70 to finish in a tie for third with William Lee.

Brian Hughes and Nick Torrance each shot a 2-under 69 to lead the qualifying. The Connecticut Open is July 25-27 at Brooklawn Country Club.

The Connecticut Junior Amateur begins Monday at Watertown Golf Club.

The team of Diane Rothwell and Teri Mcgehan, who play out of , will compete in the Women’s Four Ball Tournament at Silvermine Golf Club in Norwalk.

HOLE OF THE WEEK:

As we continue to highlight area golf holes, we should point out a philosophical point. We’re not necessarily looking for hard holes but holes that are difficult to make par but easy for a golfer content to make a bogey to make it.

As a famous illustration, the 17th at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass – the famous island green – would not qualify because it offers one option and only one option. Hit the shot. While, this actually works pretty well on that golf course (asking one heroic shot a round is not too much) this is not what we are after here.

So this week we highlight the 6th hole at Ellington Ridge. (Yes, private clubs are included.) Ellington Ridge has a number of great holes, many use length as their primary defense. This hole is different. It measures just 347 yards from the back tees but offers all manner of difficulty for those looking to make birdie.

The tee shot must be placed down the right side of the fairway to offer the best angle at a green guarded by trees and bunkers. A golfer who pulls his or her tee shot can easily accept bogey by pitching back into the center and then hitting a wedge on to the green.

But some get greedy and that’s where the fun starts. The trees, which narrow the opening to the green, can deflect balls in a variety of directions, even into the water that is instrumental on the nearby 7th hole. The bunkers guard against an overly cautious approach and the green, once reached, is its own challenge.