Although Blue Hill Country Club is turning 100 years old, there was a point in its history when things looked bleak. Members were trying to find a way to pay down the club’s bank debt and, at the same time, make some necessary improvements. Blue Hill had just completed a $5.9 million irrigation system renovation and golf course improvement project in 2003-2004, but the clubhouse still looked like something out of the 60s, and the golf maintenance building wasn’t up to code. Membership was decreasing, while dues and assessments were increasing. It seemed hopeless.
One thought was to sell off the 9-hole short course to real estate investors, which would pay down their debt considerably. Things didn’t look great, but the members were determined to salvage what they could, preferably keeping the short course.
Concert Golf Partners stepped in and, in 2015, purchased the club, and saved the day…and the short course! They paid off all club debt, slashed dues by 30%, and promised the membership base that there would never be another assessment. Ever. They also invested over $3 million in capital projects.
Blue Hill Country Club was back! Former members were returning in droves. People who had considered a membership were now reconsidering, and total membership grew by 38%. Today, membership levels are back to what they once were before the recession.
Since taking ownership of the Club, Concert Golf Partners expanded the driving range and short-game practice area, created a new 19th hole member lounge, and renovated the 250-seat banquet room on the 3rd floor with views of downtown Boston.
Blue Hill Country Club would make most states’ Top 10 list of private clubs, but this is golf-rich Massachusetts, so it never gets its props! It offers what many of the higher-rated courses offer: rolling, undulating turf in the fairways and greens, good soil for growing and maintaining turf, very few water hazards, mature, tree-lined fairways, and elevated greens. The Club is located just 15 minutes outside Boston at the bottom of Blue Hill, and gets its name from the bluish hues of the visible granite faces.
Blue Hill Country Club was designed by Eugene “Skip” Wogan and opened for play in 1925. As you can imagine, after 100 years, the course has fully matured! Blue Hill has hosted several big tournaments, including the 1956 PGA championship, the LPGA’s PING/Welch’s Classic from 1991-1997, and many Massachusetts Golf Association qualifiers and championships.
Although it was restored in 2003 by renowned golf course architect Ron Prichard, the lush, rolling terrain and tree-lined fairways have stood the test of time and are more picturesque than ever.
Using all of the knowledge gained from a lifetime of working side-by-side with his dad, the 9-hole Challenger course was designed by Skip’s son Phil and debuted for play in 1961. This short 9-hole, par 35 layout is a test of skill and is considered more difficult than its sister course.
From the Black Tees, the Championship Course plays 6,646 yards with a course rating of 73.0 and a slope of 130. With five sets of tees and yardages that range from 5,388 to 6,646 yards, there’s a suitable yardage for every type of player from novice to pro. The White Tees at 6,138 yards were a fitting challenge and let me leave with some self-respect. There’s a full-service driving range and a practice green where you can warm up before your round or hone your skills.
The first three holes can help get your round off to a great start…or not! Other than being long, the 417-yard opening hole is straightforward. There are fairway bunkers in the landing area on both sides, and a good drive over the traps is going to leave a long approach shot into a green fronted with a bunker about 40 yards short of the putting surface and two others greenside that guard the front. The green slopes back to front, so leave it below the hole for your best shot at par or better!
Number 2 is a 364-yard par 4 that plays uphill with bunkers on either side of the fairway that are very much in play. Your approach shot plays uphill and should be considerably shorter than on the first hole. The green is large and slopes off on all sides. Any approach shot that is hit short can easily roll back down the slope 20 to 30 yards. As you stand on the green and look back towards the tee box, you can see why this hole is rated the toughest on the course for men.
Things don’t get much easier with the 398-yard par 4, 3rd hole. It’s a long dogleg left with bunkers on either side of the landing area. Playing your tee shot over the left side fairway bunker can tremendously shorten your approach shot. There’s a bunker on the left about 65 yards short of the green, and a large greenside bunker on the right guards the putting surface, which slopes left to right with some notable undulations.
The 2nd hole on the Challenger Course is a tough par 5, dogleg left that plays 490 yards from the Gold Tees. It’s a tight, tree-lined hole with a trio of deep bunkers on the right about 100 yards from the green that need to be avoided on your layup shot. A 4th deep bunker guards the front right of a small green with some significant slope to it. A front left pin position can be tough.
If the winter weather has you down, get a few friends together and book a few hours at Burke’s Lounge. You can test your golf skills against each other on the Trackman Simulators, shoot a game of pool or darts, and watch your favorite team on their 75” TV while unwinding with your favorite drink or one of their signature crafted cocktails. It’s like a man cave at the Club!
Blue Hill’s Fitness Center has everything you’d find at a traditional gym: treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, a rowing machine, and a wide variety of weight training equipment. The Fitness Center is safe, comfortable, and clean, and makes staying active easy and fun, regardless of your fitness level!
The Blue Hill clubhouse, with its large facilities and first-class service, is a focal point for social and dining activities. There’s a large dining room in the clubhouse that features a full-service bar and some interesting menu items. Two menu items caught my attention. The Wagyu Hot Dog – Snake River Farms Wagyu beef topped with diced red onion and deli mustard and served on a butter-grilled brioche roll. The other is the Carne Asada Fries, French fries served with guacamole, pico de gallo, pickled red onion, and queso. Simply delicious.
The pool at Blue Hill Country Club is a beehive of activity during the summer. It’s open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day and brings families together. The resort-style pool is heated for members’ comfort, and there’s a pool bar with a limited menu and cold beverages. The friendly pool staff will make you feel like you’re on vacation, so you and the family can enjoy lunch while spending the day together.
Kids are what sets Blue Hill Country Club apart – capture the interest of the kids and the parents will follow! Blue Hill is “kid-friendly” and offers a bevy of activities and events designed specifically for children. During the summer, there’s a lot going on poolside. Parents can register the kids for the Club’s KE Camp and Junior Golf Clinics. During the winter, there are several kid-focused events such as Brunch With Santa, The Winter Festival, and more!
The Club also prides itself on bringing families together with a year-round social calendar and many family-centric events. Summer is the holiday party season with Memorial Day, a 4th of July pool party, and a season-ending Labor Day party. Regardless of your age, there’s an event to put a smile on your face.
If you like what you see on your visit to Blue Hill Country Club, why not consider becoming a member? There are a few options to choose from. A full golf membership gives you and your family members access to the 18-hole Championship Course, 9-hole Challenger Course, practice facilities, pool, and dining facilities. You’ll have access to all club-sponsored tournaments and reciprocity at all Concert Golf Partners properties and the Links2Golf network of clubs.
A great introductory Golf Membership. A Challenger Membership is a great introduction to club membership. You can play at will on The Challenger Course, hit balls at the practice facilities, and use the pool and dining facilities during all hours of operation. With a Social membership, you have access to the pool and dining facilities.
As a Member of a Concert Golf property, you have membership privileges at all Concert properties across the country – 39 and counting! That’s important for Members and prospective Members at Blue Hill Country Club because Concert just purchased the iconic Club at New Seabury on Cape Cod, a 300-acre golf and beach club was once called the “Pebble Beach of the East” by legendary U.S. Open Champion Francis Ouimet.
To learn more about everything that Blue Hill Country Club has to offer or to arrange a visit, give them a call at 781.828.2000 or visit them online at www.bluehillcc.com.