Just nine years after opening, Ledges Golf Club in South Hadley has quickly established itself as one of the golfing gems of Western Massachusetts. Designed by Howard Maurer, the 6,500-yard course is flanked by the college towns of Amherst and Northampton in the beautiful Pioneer Valley and is considered by many to be as challenging as it is picturesque.
From hard doglegs, to dozens of bunkers, to thick hay-like brush, the course offers golfers with plenty of challenges so be sure to bring your short game, long game and an ample cache of luck. And all of that comes amid picturesque views of the surrounding hills, accented by tufts of birch, oak, maple and evergreen. In the fall, the classic cornucopia of New England foliage graces the course and the surrounding valley. Formed by a prehistoric glacier, the valley is home to some of the most uniquely fertile soil on the East Coast, as the nearby tobacco farms in Hadley can attest to. The course itself is in pristine shape. The bent grass greens are neatly manicured, the fairways are plush. There are multiple elevated tee boxes and greens. The bunkers number 78. Scrabbles of rocky ledge outcroppings and boggy swaths of wetland marshes give the course character. Some of the holes are weaved among the woodlands of the site, while others are links-style holes.
The challenge starts with the first hole. This 400-yard Par-4 will force you into a slender landing area right off the tee. A tee shot down the left side of the sloping No. 2, a Par-4 that offers very little in the way of error, should serve you well. The 3rd hole is a short Par-3, a bunker threatens to swallow up short shots. But don’t go too long, or else you’ll be staring at a difficult shot up an embankment. If you’re a gambler, No. 4 is a prototypical risk v. reward hole over water and more often than not into the wind. A manmade pond hugs the left side of the fairway to the green.
Stroll through a scenic 400-foot stretch of idyllic wetlands forest to the Par-5 No. 5. It’s reachable if you’re on point. A solid tee shot will leave you with 180 yards to the green. The second shot is crucial. The green is narrow so bring your A-game. No. 6 is a Par-4 dogleg left. Lay up on the top of the hill to leave yourself with a doable approach shot. Try to make the green off the tee on the Par-3 No. 7, as a bunker gobbles up short shots. Once on, make sure you finish strong on the 7th, as the undulating green makes par a good score on this hole. Three hundred seventy yards from the back tee, No. 8 has a sharp dogleg left. Clear the corner off the tee if you want to avoid an initial headache on this Par-4. The green slopes from back to front, so try to place the second shot below the hole. The Par-5 9th presents a rigorous challenge. It’s long, uphill and features a dogleg left. The drive is uphill. The elevation change is about 60 feet. A solid drive and the challenges have only begun. You’re still probably looking at an uphill lie with your second shot. A string of bunkers dot the fairway’s right side. This will come into play during the third shot. The hole culminates with a two-tiered green. Once again, if you make par, leave with a smile on your face.
The challenges don’t cease with the back nine. On the Par-5 10th, which is 579 yards from the back tees, it will likely take three shots to make the green, which is well-guarded by several bunkers. The course’s brass touts the next hole, the Par-4 No. 11 as the toughest. Four hundred twenty yards from the back tees, this hole features a sharp dogleg. Bunkers menace the landing area. The green has bunkers to the front and intimidating stands of trees to the left and right. No. 12, a 230-yard Par- 3, has similar design leaving little wiggle room for a wayward shot. To the left of the green there are trees to contend with, while a boggy wetland makes an errant shot to the right equally unappealing. On 13, you must pass the gauntlet of bunkers that pock both sides of the hole’s tee shot landing area. This hole, a 430-yard Par-4, features a slight dogleg left.
After that a reprieve perhaps? Not quite, but No. 14 is a sold Par-3. One hundred ninety nine yards from the tees, this hole features bunkers to the right and left of the green. Just make sure you keep the ball below the hole. That will bring you to No. 15, a Par-4 that often poses more questions than answers. Wetlands border the left of the hole. Too far right, however, and you’re out of bounds. If you can grip it, rip it, and make the green off the tee, then you’re looking at an eagle. If it was only that simple. Miss in any direction and you’ll likely walk away with a double bogey. The 16th gives you a breather. Touted locally as the easiest hole on the back nine, this Par-4 stretches 298 yards from the back tees. Onto 17, where’ you’ll want to stay left. A bunker looms in front of the green on this 397-yard Par-4. You’ll end the day with a Par-5. Bunkers on the left side of the fairway and again about 60 yards out from the green.
After your round, stop by Valley View at the Ledges, the course’s full-service restaurant that is considered one of the region’s most delectable eateries. It serves breakfast, sandwiches and entrees. The restaurant features a covered deck and adjacent outdoor pavilion. Course amenities include a driving range, practice putting and chipping green, and a fully stocked pro shop. The clubhouse is handicap accessible. The Ledges can handle outings and tournaments. Course rates vary. For more information, check out www.ledgesgc.com