North Haven Golf Club

Favorite Hole

No. 5, par 5, 554 yards

The par-5 fifth hole at North Haven is an adventure, traversing 554 yards of canting, rolling terrain at the northern boundary of the property. The back tee is tucked deep in the woods, where only the start of the fairway is visible. Tee shots hugging the high right side of the fairway gain an advantage. At the landing zone, the hole turns right, against a right-to-left slope. The fairway then travels up and over a small hill; second shots must be well hit to reach the top and gain a view of the green. 

The approach shot is a thrill. The land tilts hard to the left, feeding into a small green at the bottom. When conditions are firm — as they usually are in the summer — a ball played low and well out to the right will scamper along the ground toward the target, rewarding golfers who embrace the ground game.

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Overall Thoughts

Last month in our discussion forum, Fried Egg Golf Club member Dale Miller posed an excellent question: “What would be some small or big things to look for on a golf course to know the architecture has good bones?”

Saying a golf course has “good bones” is, admittedly, something of a backhanded compliment. The implication is that the original architect did fine work but that the course has deteriorated to the point that only the bones remain. Bunker shapes, mowing lines, and green contours have melted away, or become hidden under careless tree plantings. In order to appreciate the virtues of the underlying architecture, you have to pay attention — and perhaps exercise a little imagination.

I find that process enjoyable. That’s why I don’t use “good bones” as an insult, and why I’m always looking for courses that could be great with a bit of TLC. When I find one, I feel like I’m getting away with something.

North Haven Golf Club is just such a course. 

So, to address Dale’s question, here are a few senses in which North Haven has good bones:

1. Topography and routing

These are the most important criteria: is the topography varied and interesting, and does the routing use that topography in varied, interesting ways?

At North Haven, the topography is compelling but relatively simple. The course occupies a single, broadly sloping hill overlooking the thoroughfare between the islands of North Haven and Vinalhaven. One hole, the 137-yard sixth, sits hard against the ocean.

What makes this property come alive, however, is Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek’s routing. Each hole has a different topographical profile. No. 1 travels ridge to ridge, turning softly to the left; No. 2 plays downhill, bending with a left-to-right slope; No. 3 climbs sharply uphill; No. 4 plays up and over a rise; No. 5 turns against, then with, a right-to-left slope; No. 6 jumps across a small inlet to a triangular cape jutting into Waterman Cove; No. 7 climbs gradually uphill while tilting from left to right; No. 8 slopes from right to left while ascending to the highest point on the property; and No. 9, a long par 3, returns players to the base of the hill.

The lack of repetition in this routing is a clear sign of quality architecture.

2. Different kinds of green sites

Similarly, I look for variety and balance in green-site selection. Less expertly designed courses might overuse ridge-top locations for greens, or simply overlook suitable natural spots. At North Haven, Stiles and Van Kleek found a range of green sites, from hilltop (1, 3) to subtle rises (6, 9) to sidehill (5, 7) to relatively flat ground (2, 4, 8). Again, this is an indicator of thoughtful design.

3. Distinctive green contouring

If you have interesting greens, you have an interesting golf course.

Now, I will say that North Haven’s greens are not particularly varied or inventive. Most are either flat or straightforwardly tilted and built up on the edges with prominent, berm-like shoulders. This style of construction becomes slightly overfamiliar by the end of the round.

At the same time, there is a winning simplicity to Stiles and Van Kleek’s green architecture at North Haven — one that suits the course’s rustic identity. If the putting surfaces were expanded back to their original dimensions and the green-side bunkers restored, I bet they would feel just varied enough.

Indeed, it’s hard not to daydream about how good North Haven could be with a low-cost, light-touch restoration. Stiles and Van Kleek’s plan shows dozens of since-lost bunkers, the earthworks for many of which are still in the ground. It also shows a range of green sizes and shapes that could be easily recovered with better mowing practices. 

These changes could be made at little cost to the club. Unlike many courses of its era, North Haven does not have significant tree-management issues. The playing corridors are wide, and the fairway turf is a testament to the delights of an unirrigated polystand. So the course is close to its ideal form. With a nudge in the right direction, it could rival Stiles and Van Kleek’s other great northeastern nines, Hooper in New Hampshire and Olde Salem Greens in Massachusetts.

In the meantime, though, the bones are still there, and they're good.

0 Eggs

(How We Rate Courses)

North Haven’s fine, sloping land, seaside location, and strong design lineage make for a lovely round of golf. The course’s dead-simple presentation and lack of agronomic embellishment are also key to its charm. In some ways, however, Stiles and Van Kleek’s architecture has been neglected. I hope the club takes a close look at the 1925 plan and considers reviving certain features. Still, playing North Haven — in any form — is a unique experience that I would recommend to all adventurous golfers.

Course Tour

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