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<\/a> Looking back down the par-five 8th hole at the wonderful Country Club of Fairfield. (Photo by Robert S. Fagan)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Country Club of Fairfield is one of those special exclusive private golf clubs that inhabit the northeastern United States.\u00a0 Opened in 1921, it is located on a spit of land adjacent to Long Island Sound that was once onion fields and marshes.\u00a0 Highly regarded golf course architect Seth Raynor in one of his first solo efforts fashioned a wonderful linkstyle layout that ranks with the best \u201chidden gem\u201d courses in America.\u00a0 Speak to any local golf professionals in the metropolitan area about great golf courses and mention the Country Club of Fairfield, and their eyes will inevitably light up.\u00a0 Despite its overall short yardage, it has admirably hosted many a high-level local competition.\u00a0 In the land of magnificent golf courses that surround New York City, this Connecticut layout easily ranks alongside the best of them.<\/p>\n
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The property was once known as \u201cMosquito Hill\u201d due to its proximity to the swamps, and before a golf course could be built, a massive landfill was necessary to fill in the swampland on the lower part of the property.\u00a0 “CCF” is just another example, albeit an early one, of golf transforming an ugly piece of unusable land into something artistic and fun.<\/p>\n
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The look and feel is one of a low-laying course with mostly flat bunkers.\u00a0 There are no steep push-up greens as one would encounter at Raynor\u2019s Yeaman\u2019s Hall outside of Charleston \u2013 due to the cost and availability of fill in the area at the time.\u00a0 Raynor took what nature provided for as you encounter the hill on the east side of the course, you will find some deep bunkers carved into the side of the hill.\u00a0 Otherwise the layout is a peaceful mostly flat walk in the same unforced manner and look of the inland holes at Long Island\u2019s Maidstone.<\/p>\n
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Unlike many old layouts that have been lengthened and stretched their frames to accommodate the few powerful modern players, the Country Club of Fairfield caters to its membership, the 95 percent of players who play the game.\u00a0 Its 6,400 yards may first appear as a pushover, but with good strategy, fast greens, and the breeze by its waterfront location, it is usually testing and always interesting.\u00a0 And when the breeze turns into wind, the layout becomes downright tough as there is nothing to impede this invisible defense.<\/p>\n
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The likes of A.W. Tillinghast, Robert Trent Jones Sr., and Bruce Hepner have refined the layout with Tillinghast moving the par-three 4th<\/sup> green right up next to the water hazard for a rather intimidating little shot and also moving the 6th<\/sup> green closer to the adjacent lagoon.\u00a0 Jones then adjusted the fifth hole to play more to the water in the same manner as Tillinghast had earlier done.\u00a0\u00a0 Jones\u2019 also revamped the order of the routing and suggested some other changes that the club\u2019s maintenance crew affected.\u00a0 And that treacherous eighteenth green is Jones\u2019 design.\u00a0 Hepner\u2019s contributions were more to restore the look and feel of the course to its original design.\u00a0 Many trees that had overgrown the landscape and impeded the views were thankfully removed.\u00a0 Today the architectural spirit of Raynor continues to shine.\u00a0 As was his style, he copied many of his other famous holes and would often employ angles and provide choices to constantly make you think \u2013 a reason why Fairfield is always so entertaining and timeless.\u00a0 One could even say the layout is invigorating!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n