Father and Son Open the Doors
In 1941, Leo J. Martin captured the Mass Amateur at Longmeadow by defeating Milton Reach Jr.—whose father founded the club. The drama echoed the club’s deep family roots and competitive spirit.
The verdict
A Ross Classic for Purists
Longmeadow Country Club delivers an authentically preserved Donald Ross experience with a storied regional tournament history. Its rolling fairways, subtle doglegs, and challenging, crowned greens test precision and poise—not just power. An elite regional championship venue, it's a must-play for classic-course enthusiasts in New England.
Course DNA
Difficulty
84
Scenery73
Conditioning81
Shot Variety78
Walkability77
Green Complexity88
Wow Factor74
Design Quality86
Don't miss
Between rounds, check out the original Ross course routing map displayed in the clubhouse—an artifact rarely found as intact as this.
At a glance
Quick facts
Course architect
Donald Ross
Championship pedigree
Host of Mass Open and USGA Junior championships
Region
Pioneer Valley / Western Massachusetts
Original routing
Virtually unchanged since 1924
Typical green style
Ross push-up, well-bunkered
Private status
Members & guests only
The design
The architecture
Longmeadow Country Club is a living showcase of Donald Ross’s timeless design principles. The course invites strategic thinking off every tee, using gentle elevation changes, well-placed bunkers, and classic push-up greens that demand precise approaches and short-game creativity. Despite tree management and modest lengthening over the years, the original routing and shot values still define the experience—rewarding players who prize position and discipline over brute force. Rolling fairways and subtle doglegs put a premium on course management, and crowned greens require deft touch to hold and recover. It’s a humble but deeply satisfying window into Golden Age design, as pure to Ross’s intent as nearly any surviving club in New England.
Donald Ross’s unaltered routing remains the soul of Longmeadow—an ideal showcase of his shot-making demands and classic New England sensibility.
Defining features
- Crowned, well-defended greens
- Strategic doglegs and angle choices
- Deep, flashed fairway bunkers
- Rolling parkland terrain with classic sightlines
- Short par 4s placing a premium on position
- Modest but purposeful elevation changes
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 3
Endurance Test Par Five
PAR
5
YARDAGE
601
The longest hole on the course sprawls out for 601 yards, demanding both strategy and stamina. A double-dogleg shape tempts bolder hitters, but most will lay up to a comfortable wedge yardage for a precise third into a well-guarded green.
Play it smart
Play for position with your second shot, leaving your favorite yardage; don't force a risky carry if you're out of position.
Where it bites
Flanking bunkers and a narrow green entrance can turn an aggressive approach into a costly number.
Course management
Shots to think about
Tee shot on hole 2
Favor the side that opens your angle to the pin, as Ross greens demand precision from the fairway.
Approach to the 3rd green
Don’t push for the green in two unless the lie and wind are perfect—wedge play from your favorite yardage is safer.
Club selection on hole 13
Accept the long iron or hybrid and aim safe; bogey is better than a disaster in deep bunkers.
Greenside short-game all round
Be ready for chips and pitches off tight turf to elevated targets—get comfortable with soft touch and trajectory control.
Navigating the 5th hole
Lay back off the tee for your chosen comfortable approach angle, resisting the pull to take on the green.
Putting on crowned greens
Err on the short side and stay below the hole—downhill Ross putts can run away fast.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Firm and fast turf with subtle, meticulously manicured greens—especially true in championship weeks.
Pace
Efficient private-club pace, usually under four hours for alert players.
Vibe
Refined but unpretentious New England private-club atmosphere; tradition rules and the Ross mystique is strong.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Brush up on Ross greens
Practice chips and bump-and-runs to tight, crowned targets—precision trumps creativity in your short game here.
02
Go in with patient expectations
Fight the urge to overpower; placement over length pays, especially with approaches.
03
Walk if possible
The classic routing and rolling ground deliver an ideal walk—soak in the course as Ross intended.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1922
Longmeadow Country Club founded by local golf enthusiasts including Milton Reach Jr.
- 1924
Donald Ross course officially opens to membership
- 1941
Hosts first Massachusetts Amateur, won by Leo J. Martin
- 1946
First Massachusetts Open held here
- 1995
Hosts U.S. Girls' Junior Amateur Championship
- 2005
Hosts U.S. Junior Amateur Championship
- 2022
Massachusetts Open returns to Longmeadow
Stories & legends
What makes it special
Ross Routing Endures Nearly Century
Despite decades of championship play and modest modernization, Longmeadow’s routing and strategic backbone remain fundamentally as Donald Ross conceived. Players still face classic shot values true to the 1920s.
Mass Open’s Return Rings Out
In 2022, the Massachusetts Open celebrated a return to Longmeadow. The club’s fairways echoed with both new and historic echoes as it again took the stage as western Massachusetts’ championship host.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Virtually all of the routing remains as Donald Ross originally designed it nearly a century ago.
2
The club hosted both the U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Junior Amateur—rare for any course, especially in New England.
3
The founder's son played in and lost the club’s first big tournament final.
4
Classic push-up greens require precise short game touch.
5
Tree management and strategic lengthening have preserved original shot values.
Build the trip
If You're Crafting a Pioneer Valley Golf Trip
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Wintonbury Hills Golf Course
Public
Top regarded municipal by Pete Dye, just under an hour away
Crumpin-Fox Club
Public/Resort
Acclaimed classic with a strong tournament vibe, worth the drive north
The Orchards Golf Club
Public
Uniquely enjoyable New England parkland, great for a weekend loop
TPC River Highlands
Limited public via resort
PGA Tour venue, popular with traveling golf nuts
Downtown Springfield or East Longmeadow for the shortest hops to Longmeadow and easy access to regional courses.
Course DNA
If You Like Longmeadow Country Club
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match8.3
Beverly Country Club
Chicago, IllinoisWhy it matches: Beverly Country Club is a natural next stop after Longmeadow Country Club: it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Strong DNA Match7.5
Texarkana Country Club
Texarkana, ArkansasWhy it matches: There is real overlap here. Texarkana Country Club a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Longmeadow Country Club.
Strong DNA Match8.1
Inwood Country Club
Inwood, New YorkWhy it matches: If Longmeadow Country Club is your kind of course, Inwood Country Club is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Community Sentiment
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