Finishing Strong

North Shore Golf presents the area’s best finishing holes

Whether you’re Tiger Woods on the Sunday afternoon of a major championship, or a 21-handicap playing a $2 Nassau, when you step on to the tee of the 18th hole everything changes.

It doesn’t matter what you’ve carded on the last 17 holes; the final hole of the day represents a chance at salvation, or the opportunity to complete a career round. And if you happen to be in the midst of a close match, or if you or your opponent utters the magic word “press,” the adrenaline begins to flow even stronger.

With that said, what better way to finish off a match than on a hole that presents not only a challenge, but also provides a scenic venue and forces you to come up with a strategic plan. That was the criteria we used as we selected our list of the North Shore’s Best Finishing Holes.

We took nominations from area experts and golf professionals and, of course, you, our readers. We went out and gave the holes a test ride ourselves and when we came back, it was clear these are the five holes that stand alone as the best “Grand Finales” in the entire region.

While the holes vary in a number of ways (for instance, Essex County Club is the relic on the list, dating back to 1893 while The Meadow at Peabody was built a mere five years ago) they all share the required traits that we were searching for. To validate our choices, we asked a person who qualifies as an expert on each particular hole his thoughts about the hole and how he recommends playing it.

Disagree with our list? We’d love to hear your reasoning. Drop us a line at letters@northshoremassgolf.com and tell us where we went wrong. But until then, take a deep breath, grab your driver and step up to the tee box as we present The Best Finishing Holes on the North Shore.

#1 - Ipswich Country Club, Ipswich Par 4 Gold Tees: 455 Yards Blue Tees: 430 Yards White Tees: 403 Yards Purple & Red Tees: 338 Yards

Renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. had a philosophy that every hole should be a tough par. Ipswich CC’s 18th hole is the epitome of that statement.

This hole truly has it all. From the tee there’s the picturesque view of the crushed limestone bunkers in the fairway and the impressive clubhouse in the background. It has an elevated tee as well as a three-tiered green that has another elevation change of more than 40 feet. There are water hazards on both sides of the fairway and you always have to take a moment and ponder your tee shot before firing away, another key criterion for our list.

“On the tee shot you’ve got to keep it away from the fairway bunker on the left that’s about 250 yards away,” explains the club’s Head Pro Steve Carter. “But you also can’t go too far right because there’s the danger of rolling into the pond.”

Carter says that 70 percent of the club’s membership cannot reach the green in two shots from the back tees.

“What they’ve got to do is lay-up below the hole on the second shot and then pitch onto the green and make par the hard way,” he says.

But even with all of these components, Ipswich’s 18th is still fair to the golfer, which is Rule No. 1 if you’re going to call it a great “golf” hole.

“Oh yeah, it is a fair hole,” Carter says. “Realistically, if you hit two good shots there’s ample landing area to get it close. Then the key is getting your third shot close for a makeable par putt. That’s not asking too much.

“And even if you two-putt, a bogey is not a bad score there. A par basically acts like a birdie because you can pick up a shot or even a shot and a half on the field every time out.

“If you’re looking for a great finishing hole, I don’t think you can do any better.”

Neither do we.

#2 - Ferncroft Country Club, Middleton Par 5 Blue Tees: 563 Yards White Tees: 543 Yards Red Tees: 480 Yards

There are no two ways around it. Your tee shot on the Ferncroft Country Club’s stunning 18th hole will set the tone for what you do the rest of the way.

Because of the large body of water that runs across the entire fairway and in front of the elevated green, your tee shot will decide if you will go for the green on your second shot, or play it safe and lay up, hoping to make it safely onto the green in three shots.

“Yes, it’s all about the tee shot,” agrees Lisa Anderson, a five-time Ferncroft CC women’s club champion. “This hole is all about risk-reward. And you make your decision based on not only how long you hit your tee shot but what side of the fairway you’re on and what the pin placement is.”

The body of water, which is punctuated by a flowing water fountain, is about 300 yards away on the tee shot. Anderson concedes that for most players this is a three-shot hole to the green.

“Most players just can’t get there in two,” she says. “You might be in position to get there in two, but before you commit to actually doing it you have to take all of the factors into consideration.”

The first thing to consider, of course, is the wind. If you’re hitting into the wind and you’re not a long-bomber, you can forget about trying to earn yourself an eagle putt.

Secondly, the pin placement plays a major role in your decision. If, for instance, the pin is playing back right, a lay up shot may make for a tough third shot because you’ll be trying to carry the bunker that sits in front of the green to the right. If the pin is set in the back left, the lay up shot becomes more viable because the third shot will be straight on.

“If the pin is back-left it’s almost not even worth trying to get there in two,” Anderson adds.

As for the green, it slopes from back to front with most of the slope on the front part. That makes for an interesting approach shot when the pin in playing in the front.

“That’s what makes it a great finishing hole,” Anderson says. “There’s so much to consider and so many different options. It’s a hole that really makes you think.”

#3 - Gannon Golf Club, Lynn Par 5 Back Tees: 588 Yards Middle Tees: 563 Yards Front Tees: 475 Yards

Let’s get this right out on to the table: Mike Cole is partial to Gannon GC’s 18th hole, which is appropriately named “Homeward Bound.” Not only has the 51-year-old been a member at the former Happy Valley Golf Club since he was 12, but he’s also a seven-time club champ.

“The 18th at Gannon has been good to me,” he admits. “But that’s not the only reason I think it’s a great hole.”

As for the other reasons, we’ll start with the scenic value, which this hole provides from start to finish. From the tee and as you play into the sloping green, you get a great view of the majestic Gannon clubhouse, one of the classics of its kind in the area. And whether you pull off an unlikely birdie on 18 or three-putt and blow your match, the deck of the clubhouse is a fine place to retreat and settle up over a cocktail while taking in the view of the Boston skyline.

As for the actual hole, which is the No. 2 handicap hole on the scorecard, it is what Cole likes to call “a strong par 5.” First off, it requires a long, straight drive.

“If you want to give yourself a flat and even lie, you’ve got to hit it about 290 off the tee,” Cole warns. “If you hit it 270 or less you’re probably looking at a downhill lie.”

The landing zone for your second shot narrows as you get closer to the green, which is guarded by both sand and a small pond. Needless to say, there’s quite a bit of risk-reward to consider when making your second and third shots. As for the green, the high point is on the front, meaning it slopes away from you, which places even more importance on what is almost always a testy approach shot.

“It’s a classic golf hole,” Cole adds. “It takes three solid shots if you want to make par. If you get a par there, you’re probably not going to lose the hole. Birdie it and, in all likelihood, you’re going to win it.”

#4 - Essex Country Club, Manchester-by-the-Sea Par 4 Back tees: 414 Yards Regular Tees: 388 Yards

As far as Tom Waters is concerned, as soon as you step up on the tee box at Essex County Club’s 18th hole you know you’re about to play a special hole.

“The vistas are breathtaking,” says the club’s long-time head pro. “On a clear day you can see the Prudential Center in Boston. There’s probably not a prettier spot on our golf course.”

Spectacular views aside, if you’ve never played the hole before, the first thing you’re likely to say after taking in the views is, “Where the heck am I supposed to hit the ball?”

“Yeah, it can be visually intimidating, no doubt about it,” says Waters. “With the elevation change, right away you know that you have to hit the ball over the blocked left side of the fairway. And if you look further down the fairway the trees and the slope of hay coming in from the right side really catch your eye.”

From the tee, the hole requires you to have enough confidence in your driver to take an aggressive line and send your tee shot over the hill on the left hand side. If you push it just a little bit, you’re in the woods and looking at making a big number.

But while the key is hitting the fairway with your tee shot, the downhill approach shot to the green is not exactly an easy chip and putt. Not only do you have to carry water, but you’re also hitting onto a green that has what Waters calls “an upside down tea cup affect” with balls rolling off the front right and left back.

“Whether it’s stroke play or match play, it’s definitely a strong finishing hole,” adds Waters. “In my years here I’ve seen a lot of matches come to the 18th hole waiting to be decided and when that happens it’s always an exciting finish.”

#5 - The Meadow at peabody, Peabody Par 4 Championship Tees: 447 yards Blue Tees: 422 Yards White Tees: 420 yards Red Tees: 376 Yards

Jon Gagnon’s game is perfect for The Meadow at Peabody’s 18th hole.

“I’m a pretty conservative player,” admits the club’s three-time club champ who carries a scratch handicap. “But a lot of people get to the tee and think that can just whip out the driver and let it rip, especially if the wind’s at their back. But that’s ill-advised because it brings a lot of trouble into play.”

The primary dilemma from the tee box, which, by the way, provides a spectacular view because of its high perch, is that there is a large hazard that lines the right side of the fairway and a bunker conveniently placed on the left. When the wind is blowing in your face, this par 4, the No. 6 handicap hole at the course, plays more like a long par 5.

“Regardless of what the wind is doing, I usually use my 2-iron and aim to the right of the bunker,” says Gagnon, whose best round-ever at The Meadow was the 70 he shot during the winning round of the 2005 Club Championship. “If the wind is in my face, I land well short of the bunker. If it’s a down-wind, I’m still OK as long as I stay right. Either way I’m looking at a 6 or 7 iron into the green.”

Another option off the tee is to play it short of the hazard; however, that may leave you with a blind approach shot because of a huge boulder that sits to the right of the green.

The only tricky part of the green is that it falls off on the front-left so the play is almost always to the right-hand side.

“Par is a great score there,” adds Gagnon, a Peabody native. “If you can par the 18th at The Meadow, just walk off the green and be happy. Birdies are hard to come by.”