Harvard's Shaker Hills a top-notch venue

By Joe Gordon

COMMONWEALTH GOLF MAGAZINE

2007 Spring Issue

Shaker Hills Golf Club:  Harvard

In the pioneer days of black-and-white television there was a weekday show called Queen for a Day on which the contestant with the best sob story would win a brief respite from her hum-drum existence with a dose of royal treatment.

Sob stories may be commonplace on golf courses, but two things that are rare in the game are guaranteed at Shaker Hills-royal treatment for all and a majestic 18 holes golf experience.  Both can be purchased at the daily-fee facility for $75 Monday through Thursday and $85 Fridays, weekends and holidays.  All fees include your cart and warm up balls.  Tee times can be booked seven days in advance on an automated line (978-772-9900).

Architect Brian Silva was given more than 150 acres of pristine hills, valleys, ponds and woods, and was charged with designing a course commensurate with the beauty of the land.  His work was a complete success, good enough to earn national magazine rankings and awards.

Shaker Hills, which opened in 1991, is a strong test from its 6,850-yard par-71 back tees, carrying a 137 slope rating.  The course has hosted numerous tournaments, including Monday qualifying for the Champions Tour’s Bank of America Championship.

“It’s a traditional New England layout where you have to use every club in your bag,” says head golf professional Mike Herrick.

Proper tee-ball placement is essential to getting the best angle of approach to greens, many of which are elevated.  First-time players need to figure out the best lines on par-four and par-five holes and the ideal club selections on three of the par-threes-the 210-yard, downhill third, with water to the left; the 185-yard, downhill sixth; and the picturesque 164-yard, downhill 13th.

Silva provides ample bailout area, but there is not much place to bail out from the back of the 18th tee, a 460-yard par four which some feel is the signature hole.  There is a forced carry over a ravine that really requires only decent contact to keep the ball in play when playing from the proper tees.  The fairway is split into right and left portions, separated by an outcropping of ledge to create a high road and low road to an elevated green.

2009 US Pub Links Championship Sectional Qualifier coming to Shaker Hills Golf Club

Course Management As we all know golf is about as difficult a game as any sport in the world. A little ball that isn’t even moving can be very difficult to hit. Not all of us are born with superb eye hand coordination and not all of us have the luxury of available practice time. Without changing anything in the golf swing we can all improve just by managing the course better. If you take the average weekend golfer and watch them make their way around the course, five to six shots could be saved just by hitting different clubs. The average par four from the men’s tees is around 360 yards. Most people automatically hit driver because it is a par four. Why hit the driver if you don’t control it all that well? By hitting a club you can’t control you are putting bigger numbers into play by adding penalty stokes or having to pitch out of a difficult spot. If you take a four or five iron and hit it 180 yards you are still in play and only have 180 yards left. Even if you miss the green and have to pitch on you can still take two putts and make a bogey. By taking the penalty strokes out of play you won’t make that big number that kills the round and a good score. Next time you’re out on the course, try a little different course management and see how well you score!!!