Shennecossett is a historic course located on the shore in Groton. Founded in 1898, the course was originally only a four-hole layout. Over the next 18 years, the course was enlarged to a six, nine, eleven, and eventually an eighteen-hole track. Then, in 1916, famed golf course architect Donald Ross redesigned the course layout (one of only five courses in the State of Connecticut that he designed). The course remained this way until 1997, in which a land swap with Pfizer gave the course the property to build three holes overlooking the water. While the course is well known for the water holes, it is only a small piece of its beauty. My first time playing here I was let down right away. The first tee box requires you to hit over a road and the green has chain link fence behind it. As my round went on though I saw why its a top 5 course. With almost 100 bunkers and high rough, Shenny is an old style course. Its beauty is a reason why it hosts many  state tournaments. Hole 4 very well might be the toughest par 3 in the state. Sitting on top of a “volcano” is a blind green that you must stick in order to make par. Hole 16 is my favorite here. The tee box is on a “pier” and it’s green has the best view in the state(see pic below).

Side note- so as you may know I collect pencils from every course I play. Shennecossett’s were blank(maybe to keep its historic feel). I told my story to the guys I was playing with and at the crossover to the water holes one of the guys said he was gonna run into his beautiful home on the 17th green to grab beers.  When he returned he sure enough had a 12 pack  AND a Shennecossett engraved rocks glass to store my pencils. THANKS MARTY!!

Tee times can be made on their site   https://register.parksreconline.com/wbwsc/groton.wsc/wbsplash.html?wbp=4

Overall the course gets a 9 from me and I highly recommend getting out to play the only Ross designed course in the state open to the public. While walking it think of the many pros that possibly stepped where you just did( Arnie, Bobby Jones, and Francis Ouimet)  I would have loved to play this course before the surrounding area was taken over by the homes and business now here.

• layout-9
• condition-8
• food- NA
• staff- 9