Fresh Pond Golf Course is a 9-hole golf course situated around the Fresh Pond Reservation in Cambridge, MA. It was designed by one of Donald Ross' associates, WI Johnson Jr. There are no blind shots on the course or sloping fairways to play the ball along like the George Wright Golf Course. Due to its proximity to the pond, there are some water hazards to play over and around. However, they are more in the peripherals of the hole design rather than being an intricate part. Most of the penalty areas can be easily avoided.
It is a lovely gentle walk in and around the reservation. There is not much to climb and holes remain close together. The length of the course is fitting to walk and will not tire you if even it's the first round of the season. The course keeps to a more naturalized look around the outside of the holes and around hazards, which is a good look but will make this course feel narrower and make recovering a par harder. The greens are always a focus on the Muni Tour and having played here in previous years, the course has improved upon their greens tremendously. The greens were running smoother and faster than ever before. Before, the greens appeared fluffy and rolled slow. Golf balls would sit in their own marks after approach shots looking like small meteorites had fallen from the sky. Take note that the course is next to a pond, and it is much lower than the surrounding area. That means that the course takes on a lot of water and can get very soggy after a rainy day.
There are naturalized areas all over the course where the course has let it do what it does. It had a nice touch but finding a ball in it is next to impossible. The third hole has a view of Fresh Pond and the city. It is the highest point on the course after the clubhouse. The course offers two par 5s, two par 3s and five par 4s which tallies to a par 36. The overall variety is there, just not in terms of yardage or strategy. It is not a course that will have you thinking on every shot, but you use most of your clubs when you play here. Also, the length of time it takes to play one round here can be time-consuming. If it's a busy day at Fresh Pond, remember that there is only 9 holes so people that are on the course already will most likely be making a turn to play another 9 holes. The view of Fresh Pond from the third tee that was once used to harvest ice. The value is alright. It is about $40 to walk 18 holes for non-residents.
For longer hitters there is less resistance to scoring as most will long hitters will be able to carry and avoid most of the obstacles on the course. For the shorter hitters, the longer carries from tee boxes or fairways will bring in more trouble if the ball is hit wildly. There is some water on the course that errant shots can find their way into; however, it should not pose a problem for the majority of golfers.
Conditions: The conditions were improved, and the course showed how improved greens can make playing here a lot more enjoyable. Difficulty: Easy course for most golfers. Golfers who struggle with spraying their golf shots will find the course more challenging than short, straight hitters. Practice Green: There is practice green located behind the ninth green that rolls like the rest of the course. Value: Good value to play here. The cost is about $40 for non-residents to walk the course on the weekdays and weekends. Range: There is no range to practice before playing. Wear a hard-hat: Definitely keep one with you here, especially if it is your first time. There are some dangerous zones that golfers will need to be careful when walking or riding on the course.
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