Shuttle Meadow Country Club

Overview: At Shuttle Meadow in Kensington, Willie Park Jr.'s 18-hole design follows the natural Connecticut ground. The current directory lists par 71 and 6,542 yards. Park's Scottish design tradition appears in the variety of hole lengths, the way the routing works with the natural ground and the strategic questions posed by the green approaches. Mature trees and rolling terrain frame the course, but the central challenge is a thoughtful one: choose the correct side of the fairway, then use the next shot to make the putting surface manageable.

History: Shuttle Meadow was founded in 1899 and became one of the early organizations connected with the Connecticut State Golf Association. In 1916 the club made the decision to create a stronger course experience, and the current Kensington site was established in 1917. Willie Park Jr. designed the course in the Scottish tradition, while architect Kenneth Murchison designed the historic clubhouse. The club has since hosted U.S. Amateur qualifying and numerous Connecticut State Golf Association championships.

Did You Know? The club's official history records Bobby Jones describing the 14th hole as one of the prettiest he had ever played. It is a fitting observation for a course whose appeal comes from the relationship between land, design and proportion.