Beautiful golf courses are usually akin to beautiful properties and Shaker Hills in Harvard, MA is no exception. Although the dynamics of the extraordinary 2012 renovations accomplished by new owner Fred Curtis, Jr. and company truly set this golf course apart. A classic New England layout is only the starting point of adjectives to describe Shaker Hills. It is in the details of the creative renovations that one truly finds its splender.
How could anyone improve on what was previously the #1 ranked public course in Massachusetts and the #2 best new course in America? Vision.
Standing in front of the club house and looking out Curtis recounts the instant feeling of potential. To his amazement, the 18th hole was nowhere to be found, finishing “a mile” away from the clubhouse. The driving range stood between the 18th hole and the club house on the right and the electric cart charging station on the left. There was an opportunity! The trick was to make it happen.
Intensifying Curtis’ confidence was the beautiful land lying directly in front of the clubhouse. The Shaker Hills property sits on over 250 acres. The 30 acres in front of the club house are unique as they are “tilted” like a natural “amphitheatre” towards the clubhouse. The problem was this beautiful natural theatre of golf was distorted by the placement of the driving range and cart charging station.
Curtis’ plan was hatched. He purchased the property, retained a professional golf course construction company and immediately repositioned the driving range and cart charging area making way for his new layout. Today the older Par 4, 444 yard 18th hole is now a sweeping 560 yard dogleg Par 5 finishing at the club house. Replacing the cart charging area is a creative 10,000 square foot practice green. But most importantly, is the new serene and wholesome “natural theatre” of golf that has been created as clearly depicted in the panoramic photo on the top of this page.
An impressive new top deck allows dramatic single seat views of this “ampihtheatre” of golf including views of the 1st, 9th, 10th and 18th holes. The renovations at Shaker Hills also make this championship course stretch to over 7,000 yards and change it from a par of 71 to a par of 72.
