Golf

at Shining Rock Golf Club

Shining Rock offers beautiful views while golfing on our challenging course. Each hole offers a new way to improve your game and golfing technique. Check out our course holes below!

Tour The Course

HOLE PAR 72

HOLE 1  PAR 4

KUTTUTUCK

A drop of rain falling at this point flows west to the Blackstone River valley floor below you. Known by the indigenous Nipmuc tribe as Kuttutuck or “Great River,” the Blackstone River played a significant role in the industrialization of the United States in the early 1800′s. This starting hole offers a generous landing area to get you started. Caution should be made to keep your shot a bit to the right in the fairway as shots tend to roll off to the left.

HOLE 2  PAR 4

BLACKSTONE

As you play your ball up this fairway, take a look to the west. Just below the base of the hill flows the Blackstone River, once called “the hardest working river in America.” From its source in Worcester MA to the mouth of the river in Providence RI, the mills along this river were responsible for the bulk of early textile manufacturing in the US. In 1986, the US Congress designated the entire watershed as a National Historic Corridor to preserve the rich heritage of the industrial past. Play a club that will safely bring you to the landing area, located between 130 and 170 yards depending on the set of tees that you are playing. Beware the second shot as there is a hazard just to the right of the green that is not clearly seen until you get closer to the green.

HOLE 3  PAR 5

LAY-UP

A classic risk/reward Par 5. A good drive can give you a shot to clear the ravine in 2.

HOLE 4  PAR 4

THE ROCK

Intimidating isn’t it? The rock formation in front of you yields a clue as to the amount of blasting that was required to cut this golf course across the face of this hillside. While some may think this is the namesake of the course, the real Shining Rock is located just behind the 16th green. For now, you may want to think of this hole as your own private Alcatraz. This short Par 4 is actually drivable with a precise shot. To carry the gorge, refer to the plates located in each tee box. If your ball enters the natural area below,  proceed to the drop area on the other side of the gorge. Carts must stay on the path once you get to the other side.

HOLE 5  PAR 3

QUARRY

The longest Par 3 on the course, many golfers will gladly take a four and move on.

The rock wall to the rear of this green is all that remains of a small granite quarry that operated at this site in the mid 1800′s. The abundance of granite in these hillsides made ready access to materials needed to construct the nearby Blackstone Canal or for foundations for the massive mills which blossomed along the river in the 1800′s. Pull your cart up to the steps cut into the quarry wall.

HOLE 6  PAR 4

GOAT

From the elevated tees – to the lower fairway – to the elevated green, this hole traverses the lowest spot on the course. In the lower fairway, you’ll be almost 200 feet below the point where you started on the first hole. While a relatively short Par 4, the three tiered green can offer a significant change in strategy depending on where the pin is located. Keep your second shot below the hole.

HOLE 7  PAR 4

EYRIE

A steep climb from the green below yields a perch on this elevated tee. In 300 feet you’ve just traveled from the green, you’ve climbed 80 feet in elevation. This uphill Par 4 should be played to the left as there is a bunker to the right that is just out of view.

HOLE 8  PAR 3

ROCKDALE

This hole is a long Par 3 to a narrow green. The ideal shot is to the right side of the green to avoid the deep grass bunker on the left.

Behind this tee is the quaint mill village of Rockdale, one of the five boroughs of the Town of Northbridge. The houses you can see through the trees on your left are reminders of an earlier time in New England, where rows of mill houses surrounded factories built on the banks of rivers.

HOLE 9  PAR 5

TURN

A well placed tee shot will yield an uphill shot to the green requiring at least an extra club to compensate for the hill.

HOLE 10  PAR 4

PEMAOGOK

The Nipmuc called a place like this Pemaogok, meaning “where the land is narrow.” Right is out of bounds, left is an environmental area. A well placed drive will yield a short iron into the green.

HOLE 11  PAR 4

FADE

As the name implies, a well played tee shot should be right on the fairway as the ball will tend to roll off to the left and into the nearby environmental area.

HOLE 12  PAR 3

AZALEA

A strong Par 3 to a green guarded by bunkers left and right. Don’t let the natural beauty of this hole lull you into a false sense of security. Stay right of the green as a left side shot tends to run off into the bunker or worse…

HOLE 13  PAR 5

SEDGE

From both the rear and front tees, you’ll need to clear the sedge swamp you see here. As a result of clearing the trees for construction of this golf hole, native sedge seeds which were dormant in the forest floor were exposed to ideal growing conditions. As the sedge became established, the original design of this hole had to be altered during construction to preserve this wetland. Once you clear the marsh, the second shot is long and uphill; make sure to bring enough club and you’ll have opportunity for birdie.

HOLE 14  PAR 4

TOWPATH


In 1823, the Blackstone Canal Company was chartered to build a connection from Providence, RI to Worcester, MA along (and sometimes through) the course of the Blackstone River. During its short 25 year history (1823 – 1848), the canal spurred the further development of industry along the Blackstone. Just ¼ mile from here, the remnants of the canal can still be seen, as well as the “towpath” which ran adjacent to the canal. Running slightly above the canal, the towpath was used by teams of oxen to pull the barges upstream. A similar arrangement is visible on this interesting Par 4. A player can choose either the lower or upper fairway which meet at the slightly elevated green.

HOLE 15  PAR 3

RELIEF


While still respectable at 194 yards from the rear tees, this is the shortest of the four Par 3s on the course. It will still pose a challenge, as it features a pitched green with bunkers surrounding. The green slopes from back to front, so stay below the hole for an uphill putt. Downhill putts will be quick.

HOLE 16  PAR 5

SHINING PATH

A wide open tee shot leads to progressively tighter shots as you approach the elongated green sited adjacent to Shining Rock. At 648 yards from the rear tees, this hole is a heroic test of golf.

HOLE 17  PAR 4

LEDGE

Go for it. A drivable Par 4 that is well guarded by bunkers. Keep your drive left and hug the ledge.

HOLE 18  PAR 4

HOME

A great finishing Par 4 that requires a precise approach shot to the green over a water hazard. Stay left on your tee shot for the best look at the green.

Course Overview

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Signature holes

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