In 1971 Allie and Mary Newton opened the Rowley Country Club on a hilly and wooded 100-acre plot they had purchased from Marion Tompkins. They had already had a successful career building up the A.C. Construction Company, so they took that equipment and turned it loose on the land they had just purchased.
Noted North Shore architect Phil Wogan designed for them a relatively short 6,440-yard course that is still a golfing challenge. Wogan, head pro for the Essex County Club for some 28 years, had already proven he was able to take small parcels of land and turn them into interesting courses. Local tracts like New Meadows, Georgetown and some 40 other courses had been either designed or redesigned by him.
The property was then sold to Dave Brownell and the O'Neill brothers. Currently the golf course is leased from the Windover Corporation (who wanted their planned development named Carriage Pines) and managed by Burton Page.
This course features many doglegs and terrain challenges where course management is as important as making quality shots. Choosing the right club off the tee and placing the tee shot correctly in the landing zones will make a huge difference in your ending score.
For example, long ball hitters have to be careful on the first hole. This slight dogleg right fairway that leads to an elevated green is only 366 yards long, but there is a pond at the base of the hill that can collect a hard hit drive. You will want to stay a bit left to give yourself a good angle to the green,
The second shot should be a short iron to a flat putting surface that is set into a hillside. You can go a bit long here without worry, so don't be short of the green.
The second hole is a tough 194-yard, par-3. The green, guarded on both sides with bunkers, has a bit of a rise on the back which is helpful if you are a little long off the tee.
The next hole is a really tough dogleg right 353-yard par-4 that calls for both course management and a accurate second shot. The right side of the fairway off the tee is protected at the corner by a set of trees. The best shot would be middle-to-left, which opens up the green for your second shot.
It is this next shot that can be the toughest on the whole course. The green is protected in front with a pond and in the back with trees. Although there is a narrow bailout area to the left, this approach stroke has to be high, soft and accurate.
The 458-yard par-5 fourth hole has an intimidating look off the tee. Just stay left away from the swale hiding over the hump on the right. Two good shots here might bring you an eagle try. A nice green but don't be long.
The fifth hole is a very short 345-yard run to an elevated green. A good birdie opportunity.
The sixth is the prettiest hole on the course, and features an elevated tee with a fairway bunker to the right. Stay left and bring your second shot into a beautifully framed sunken green. A birdie opportunity.
A good tee shot over water to the 204-yard par-3 seventh should bring you a good result. A fairly flat green that runs very true is a putting delight.
The eighth is the second-most challenging hole on the course. Here it is all about choosing the right club off the tee. It is a short par-5 at 473 yards, but there is a creek and pond right in the middle of the fairway you can't see from the tee. Therefore, you hit short off the tee and then pound a long wood toward an elevated green that is guarded by a bunker on the right. The good news is that the green is fairly generous and easy with a little rise in the back that allows for a long second shot.
The ninth is a very pretty hole that should be a birdie chance. The fairway is protected on the right by a huge old weeping willow. The big sunken green has two large traps in the back, so don't be long.
Carriage Pines is an interesting golfing challenge. It is not a stand-up-and-bang-them course. It takes patience and thoughtfulness to get around with a low score.
The cart paths are not paved and are a jolting ride all the way around. Some of the fairways still show the effects of the summer drought. The teeing areas were generously designed which means they have plenty of space on which to place the teeing blocks, resulting in a nice playing surface.
At the end of the round you will be surprised by the high quality dining experience that awaits you at the Back Nine Tavern. Leased by Jill Cimino and Mitch Mitchell, they offer a full menu and bar. They can host weddings, receptions and other events in their meetings space.
The cost for playing during the week is a modest $19 for walking, $15 if you are a junior or senior. It is $32/28 on the weekends. A full cart is $15 per nine.
Dave Sartwell is an outdoors columnist for the Times. Contact him at davidsartwell@comcast.net.
