#76 - Myopia Hunt Club - Match Play Mecca

At the turn of the 20th century, Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts was at the center of the American golfing scene. Four of the first 15 U.S. Open tournaments were hosted at the club, which was founded in 1882 with a golf course designed by Herbert C. Leeds. Incredibly, for over a century, the course has remained mostly unaltered. The classic New England style clubhouse and the minimalist course map on the scorecard are a portal back in time to the turn of the century when the greatest golfers in the world were battling it out for the toughest test in golf.

Myopia was such a stiff test that it holds the record for the highest winning U.S. Open score (331) set in the 1901 tournament by Scotsman Willie Anderson. With rounds of 84-83-83-81, both Joe and I would have beat him on every day of the tournament and we are happy to lie to ourselves that technology barely plays a factor.

The course itself is unique in many ways, but also shares some obvious similarities with nearby Essex County Club in terms of the overall aesthetic. The opening stretch contains consecutive half-par holes that use expected par to play mind games. The short par 5 second hole is followed by a massive par 3 that had us thinking about pulling drivers out. Navigating that stretch in 8 shots or less is a success no matter how you get there.

The standout feature of Myopia, and of all great courses, is the amount of thinking required beyond simple distance and club selection. One of the best examples of this is the par-5 8th hole. An perfectly placed mound on the right side of the fairway forces second shots from the right to be blind. The approach is exceedingly difficult due to an elevated green sloping precariously from right to left. You must land your approach right of the hole, but not so far right that it remains above the hole and leaves you with a prayer for a two-putt. As you think your way around the hole, you cannot help but reflect on the perfection of this game.

Waiting for us between the 8th and 9th holes were a cooler of iced tea and a cooler of lemonade to craft our own Arnold Palmers. Channeling Arnie’s spirit, we took on the short par 3, 9th hole, a wedge approach to a green no wider than 10 yards at any point. The bunkers waiting for a misplaced shot are deep and unforgiving. This hole was reminiscent of the 9th holes at Erin Hills and Quaker Ridge.

In my mind, the back nine plays out as pairs of holes with the par-3 16th standing alone. Holes 10 and 11 are roughly out and back. Hole 12 plays down into a valley and 13 plays dramatically back up a hill. Holes 14 and 15 again run parallel out and back. Finally, the 16th hole returns toward the clubhouse with an incredible downhill par 3 that I would love to play again after seeing how it works. Holes 17 and 18 again go out and back. The closing trio is quite fun, but lacks some of the drama that other courses build into the finish.

Despite its early run as a U.S. Open hub, Myopia Hunt Club is now a perfect match play layout. Our game of hammer went back and fourth until things blew up for our host and I losing big on some back and forth fortunes on the 15th hole. We finished the day with Transfusions on the patio and reviewed the round as the sun fell in the sky.

Hole #1 - "First" - Par 4 - 276 Yards

The uphill blind starter hole has a large tree to use as an aiming point. A good drive leaves a short approach, but the sloping right to left green makes for a tricky beginning of the round.

Hole #2 - "Lookout" - Par 5 - 488 Yards

The first of 2 half-par holes, this par 5 plays more like a 4.5. The elevated tee box opens up the expanse of the property, and the downhill drive makes the hole play shorter than the number on the card. A downhill slope to the green feeds balls down to the putting surface, yet the framing mounds make most approaches blind.

Hole #3 - "Brae" - Par 3 - 252 Yards

Similar to the 8th hole at Oakmont, this par 3 has the average golfer thinking about pulling driver just to reach the green. Playing as more of a par 3.5, the intimidating tee shot has you wishing you made the easy birdie on hole #2. This stretch of holes stands out as part of what makes Myopia such an fitting course for match play.

Hole #4 - "Miles River" - Par 4 - 385 Yards

The sharp dogleg left is has the corner guarded by the hazard. The wide fairway leaves room to be gained based on how the aggressiveness of the line off the tee. The green slopes so severely right-to-left that, when the greens are running their fastest, a slightly overhit downhill putt can run all the way down the slope and into the water. Today, 2 of our group went pin hunting.

Hole #5 - "Lone Tree" - Par 4 - 417 Yards

This longer par 4 is tricky when the pin placement is on the right side of the green. A long iron approach over the sever front-right bunker is less than ideal, but is essentially unavoidable.

Hole #6 - "Brook" - Par 4 - 255 Yards

Playing only 3 yards longer than the par 3, 3rd hole, this par 4 is a spectacular shorty. Another hole that cements Myopia as a match play heaven, an eagle is just as likely as a double bogey.

Hole #7 - "Myopia" - Par 4 - 401 Yards

The namesake hole is fittingly blind up and over the hill. After reaching a plateau, the hole descends toward a large green.

Hole #8 - "Prairie" - Par 5 - 473 Yards

There is more than meets the eye to this par 5, where every shot needs to be positioned correctly to set up the next shot. The semi-blind drive needs to be on the left side of the fairway to have a view of the next shot. The approach needs to come from the left side as well because the elevated green slopes about as extremely as possible right-to-left as well as front to back.

Hole #9 - "Pond" - Par 3 - 136 Yards

This short hole has plenty of teeth to it, with a green only a few paces wide. Deep bunkers surround the green and they do not have pleasant lies. Stay confident in your wedge and hit it straight.

Hole #10 - "Alps" - Par 4 - 404 Yards

The back 9 starts with another blind drive. Danger lurks to the right, and the green is deceptively fronted by a cross bunker 40 yards short of the green.

Hole #11 - "Road" - Par 4 - 349 Yards

The fairway funnels every drive down to the right hand side, and anything that starts too far to the right can dangerously run into the bunkers. The green slopes back to front.

Hole #12 - "Valley" - Par 4 - 451 Yards

The curvy par 4 was reminiscent of the closing hole at the nearby Essex County Club. The turtleback green adds some extra bite to the long par 4.

Hole #13 - "Hill" - Par 4 - 358 Yards

A shorter version of #15 at Bethpage Black, the extremely elevated green makes for a standout hole. In comparison to Bethpage, the smaller green compensates for the shorter distance, and the version at Myopia is more beautiful.

Hole #14 - "Ridge" - Par 4 - 393 Yards

Fairly straight away, the front-to-back slope of the exceptionally hard to hold green makes this a difficult hole to score on.

Hole #15 - "Long" - Par 5 - 529 Yards

Straight and long with bunkers dotting the journey home. Our game of Hammer exploded here, with the original bet being doubled 4 times!

Hole #16 - "Paddock" - Par 3 - 192 Yards

Simply a beautiful par 3 framed incredibly by the classic clubhouse.

Hole #17 - "West" - Par 4 - 394 Yards

The 17th hole heads out from the clubhouse before the closing holes bring you back home.

Hole #18 - "Home" - Par 4 - 400 Yards

The closing hole brings us back to the clubhouse. The fairway slopes right-to-left. A deep bunker fronts the green. For a match that comes down to the final hole, the 18th can dash your hopes in heartbreaking fashion, especially with a front pin placement.