Wannamoisett Country Club

Built on just 89 acres, barely room for 18 holes, no room for even a small practice range, with lots of bunkers and tiny greens, the Donald Ross-designed Wannamoisett has long held the reputation of the Sugar Ray Leonard of golf courses, compact but carrying plenty of punch. A few years back, consulting architect Ron Forse and his associate Jim Nagle restored Wannamoisett’s gnarly, knobby bunkers that demand respect on every shot, and they somehow also managed to lengthen a few holes. The par-4 second, for example, is now 505 yards long. A long-time host to one of amateur golf’s premier events, the Northeast Amateur Invitational, Wannamoisett is considered today the best par 69 layout in the land.