Blink and you’ll miss the small white sign for Marion Golf Club, which sits just off the side of Point Road in Marion, Massachusetts.
Even after pulling into the parking lot it’s still not clear you’ve arrived, as the pro shop is hidden behind a copse of trees and there is little to indicate you are at a golf course at all. That is, until a group of golfers emerge from the trees and step onto the ninth tee across a small road from the parking lot, and it’s then you know you’re in the right place.
Located 35 miles west of Cape Cod and 60 miles south of Boston, the nine-hole golf course situated behind Sippican Harbor has been attracting both locals and visitors for over a century for its quirk, charm, and the architect whose name is featured on the front of the scorecard..
Established in 1904, Marion Golf Club was designed by George C. Thomas, Jr., and if the name sounds familiar, it’s for good reason. Thomas designed some of the most famous and exclusive courses on the west coast, including Riviera, Los Angeles Country Club and Bel-Air Country Club. And while it doesn’t host PGA Tour events like “the Riv” or major championships like L.A.C.C., Marion Golf Club has the distinction of being the first course that the famed golf course architect designed on his own.
“The first course I ever constructed by myself was for a small Club sponsored by William Bullivant, of Marion, Massachusetts. I have often wondered why he trusted me, and admired his sportsmanship in doing so.” – George Thomas
The nine-hole par 34 course measures 2,695 yards and consists of three par threes, five par fours (only one of which is longer than 365 yards) and just one par five. But what Marion Golf Club lacks in distance it makes up for with strategic design that requires every bit of the golfer’s attention—and in return, Marion Golf Club delights at every hole.
Trees, bunkers and rock walls placed at thoughtfully calculated distances from the tee make you reconsider if driver is the best play off the tee—opting for less than driver is not a bad play on any of the par fours and even the par five. Several greens are either partially or completely hidden from view by one of many rock walls on the course, adding difficulty to what might otherwise be a straightforward short iron approach.
The course’s greatest defense is its greens. Not as undulating as they are mounding and fast downhill, you’ll quickly learn you want to keep your approach shots below the pin if possible. Thomas’s brilliant design maximizes the character of the small plot of land on which the course is designed. It plays a lot like a links course and allows for varied shot-making that works through the entire bag.
Before teeing off on the first hole make sure to get a good look at the ninth green to your right, and take note of the pin position—it’s the only time you’ll see it. The ninth green is completely hidden from view from the ninth tee, obstructed by a bunker and a rock wall.
“When you play a course and remember each hole, it has individuality and change. If your mind cannot recall the exact sequence of the holes, that course lacks the great assets of originality and diversity.” – George Thomas
While this may not be a bucket-list destination course, it’s certainly worth going out of your way to visit should you find yourself in the greater Boston or Cape Cod areas. With harbor views, a generously open tee sheet and reasonable rates, Marion Golf Club is a diamond in the rough—a course you will remember for a long time.
