Wenham CC's Seventh Hole Reinvented Itself

Hole: Seventh
Course:
Location: Wenham
Par: 3
Yards: 229 (white); 142 (red)

Wenham Country Club has seen three different centuries, opening in 1899. So it is not a surprise that some holes don’t look exactly as they did back when the clubs were rudimentary.

The hope is always that the change will be for the better. In the case of the 7th hole at Wenham Country Club, a total reinvention of the tricky par 3 couldn’t have worked out better.

About 10 years ago the now-153 yard hole was a straight-forward, no-hazards blip on an otherwise fun and at times challenging 18-hole course. But moving both the fairway and green to the right, with a big tree and sand trap in both the front right and back left of the green has made a boring hole now memorable. And even though the hole is slightly downhill, it plays to its full yardage, sometimes tricking golfers into using less.

“There is no bail-out here. Short and to the left is your only spot to miss,” said Jason Greene, assistant pro at Wenham CC. “I always look at short par threes and needing to have some character, and this hole certainly has that.

“When the pin is on the right the tree certainly will cause some havoc.”

Even when you get past the trees and the traps you aren’t in for a picnic. A slightly undulating green will present problems if the hole placement is close to the edges.