Golf Scrapbook Blog (More Recent Ones)

August 2026 – Baker Hill was the final (and best) course I played as part of a six-course smorgasbord of golf in Northern New England to celebrate my nephew’s 21st birthday. Three of those courses I had never played before (bringing my total to 747) and three were repeats.

Baker Hill is the number one ranked course in New Hampshire by Golf Digest in its latest ranking. Can a state-ranked #1 course actually be underrated? if so, Baker Hill is indeed underrated. GD does not have it in their top 200. Golfweek doesn’t even have it in its top 200 modern courses. What?!? This is no doubt a top 200 club and I have no idea why it doesn’t get more top ranking love from the mags. Then for a best-in-state course that has zero guest restrictions, you’d think this place would be jammed! But I played on a Saturday morning at 8:30 or thereabouts (there are no tee times) and we got right out; empty parking lot; no one in front nor behind us. Weather was perfect, too. Again, what?!? BH only has 200 or so members and for many this is their third or fourth course so play is light.

I played BH through Thousand Greens and my hosts, Tom and Kim, could have been two of the nicest people I have ever met. What a great relaxed round and Tom gave me great info throughout the round on the course and its history. One of the things I love about TG is the people I get to meet on the courses I get to play. I have not had a bad experience yet, either hosting or being hosted. And I am a bogey golfer who has played with a few really good golfers and all have been patient and let me suck at golf while taking pictures and soaking in the course. Tom and Kim were more in my range handicap-wise but knew the greens much better and didn’t suffer from three-putt-itis like I did.

So, Tom and Kim have a goal of playing in all 50 states. They’re at 44 – one behind me for now. It was great chatting about courses and states played and places to golf, which is the whole reason behind the blog part of this site – so I can share some of the cool courses and places I’ve played to those planning trips.

Baker Hill is located in central New Hampshire, not far from Dartmouth and the VT border at Rte. 4. This is close to Quechee where my family belonged to for years and Tom and Kim play there quite often (and even the day after we played BH). However, while I know that side of the White River, I am not familiar at all with the NH side nor Dartmouth (though I did get a really nice rejection letter from them when I was applying to colleges). Because I can’t give much info on the area then, I’ll talk Mt. Washington where we stayed before I came down to BH.

This is the Mt. Washington Omni Inn. Great resort. It features a Donald Ross designed course that is well maintained and a fun play. I comp it with the Broadmoor in Colorado. I was here back in the year of the Vid and it was much more open now – as you would expect. We ate at Bretton Arms and Stickney’s Steakhouse on property and both were very good – though not top 500 in my book. The Cave is a neat bar on property and the whole place gives off a Shining vibe.

There’s a lot to do in Mt. Washington but not a lot of great golf. Baker Hill is about two hours southwest of the resort. Sunday River is about an hour away in Maine but meh. If you’re coming up to play Baker Hill, I’d camp out in Quechee and play those courses along with here. Montcalm is a public course that is pretty nice close by to BH if you’re here.

To the course.

Like my hosts, the whole vibe at Baker Hill is laid back. Don’t worry about hat rules or putting your shoes on in the parking lot. The Club is named after the Benjamin Baker Farm that once operated on the site. Three of the barns have been restored and incorporated into the design of the course and are now in use as the Pro Shop, an equipment store and a halfway house. The clubhouse is equally laid back and like the rest of the course, there was no one there except the staff. In fact, I bet there was more staff on property when we played (a Saturday morning mind you) than golfers. What a hidden gem!

Overall and like I told my hosts, the course gave off serious Ridge vibes which IS a top 200 course. While the Ridge is a Tom Fazio design, BH is a Rees Jones design. Both topographies, clubhouse vibes, light golf traffic are eerily similar. I generally like Rees Jones courses with Cascata in Las Vegas along with Huntsville and Lookaway in PA being my favorites. He’s had a couple of clunkers in Gator Hole in Myrtle Beach (closed) and Broad Run in PA being two of them. BH is my second favorite of his now (after Cascata).

As you see above, there are no homes cluttering the property. The drive in is as unassuming as you get at Pine Valley. In fact, the look is that of a muni as you drive up the hill on Baker Hill Rd. and crest the hill and first see the course. However, it is f-a-r from a muni in every other way.

I will pull hole descriptions from the Baker Hill site and add my commentary thereafter. I’ll give distances from the whites though we played forward from there and I didn’t even keep score though would’ve been higher than my handicap because it took me a few holes to overcome the morning shakes and then I suffered from a bunch of three putts throughout the day.

#1 (377 yards/par four/#5 handicap): A little more than the obligatory shake of the hand to start your round, #1 is a challenging opening hole that climbs a gentle slope to a well guarded green with a deep bunker on the right and a deep grassy swale on the left protecting the putting surface. Jacko says, “A nice opening hole. You see the dew still on the grass. What a start. I had a decent drive early in the morning with only a moderate hangover but a little nervy. Then played my host’s ball. Found mine. Duffed it into the trap. Pounded it hard left into the fescue. Found a ball. Played it. Two chip. And then a three-putt. I bet they were dreading a full round of that.”

#2 (508 yards/par five/#13 handicap): A friendly par 5 that plays substantially shorter than its yardage as the second/third shots play downhill. Longer hitters will take a crack at reaching this green in two … if you are so inclined, be sure to wander up the fairway to see what lays waiting for you. Jacko says, “This is from my approach. Your approach is downhill and while I sliced my drive and couldn’t find my ball in the fescue, I dropped two, hit to here, skulled a seven iron that rolled onto the green and took a two-putt bogey.”

#3 (158 yards/par three/#15 handicap): A strong (albeit downhill) “redan”-style hole where the left front of the green is protected by a large deep bunker. Jacko says, “Don’t take on the bunkers unless you’re good. I played my fade to the right side of the green and took a ‘gimme’ bogey putt.”

#4 (468 yards/par five/#3 handicap): The second par 5 on the front climbs some 80 feet in elevation to an extremely well bunkered green. Most mortal golfers are more than satisfied in reaching this green in regulation. Par is a good score on #4. Jacko says. “You see the conditioning here. Traps were nasty on the right as you see as well. I think I got my second up to just before the traps but a short chip then another that left me a two-putt away for a bogey.”

#5 (142 yards/par three/#17 handicap): A challenging downhill par 3 that requires golfers to carry a deep bunker that runs the width of the green. The shallow green accepts well struck shots. Jacko says, “I don’t hit well-struck shots and was short of the trap, then chipped short of the green before another double that was a pretty generous self gimme.”

#6 (348 yards/par four/#1 handicap): An excellent two-shotter that requires the player to maneuver over two marshes to a green tucked into a hillside. One of the best par 4’s in Northern New England. Jacko says, “Not only did I not lose a ball, I got onto the green in three before a three putt ruined things.”

#7 (320 yards/par four/#9 handicap): A picturesque short par 4 that starts from a ridge, falls to a fairway in a valley then rises again to a green tucked into another ridge. The hole can be played conservatively or aggressively … the sign of a great short par 4. Jacko says, “Photo is from back tees. Great golf hole. Forget what I did but have a feeling this was a bogey.”

#8 (326 yards/par four/#11 handicap): Perhaps the only breather hole on the course. While there is plenty of room to the left off the tee, a bailout to the left leaves you with a more challenging approach to a green that slopes from back right to front left and is guarded by a deep Sahara of sand to the left. Jacko says, “Check out the stone wall to the left. Was a super cool feature throughout.”

#9 (373 yards/par four/#7 handicap): A great finish to the front side … a slight dogleg to the left then up a gentle rise to a well guarded thee-tiered green. Jacko says, “You’ll see my approach with the clubhouse in the background. I think that’s the pro shop you see in the distance here. Tom said this was originally the 18th until they rerouted the nines. I know I would finally par here.”

There’s the clubhouse in the background from nine.

#10 (397 yards/par four/#6 handicap): A strong long par that plays slightly downhill from the tee. A long approach is then required into a green that angles away from the golfer to the right. Jacko says, “I would par my second straight here.”

#11 (500 yards/par five/#4 handicap): Another fun (and potentially reachable in two) par 5 that meanders through a series of natural contours and bunkers. The challenging green forces the golfer to make strategic layup location decisions if the hope is to get the ball close for a birdie try. Jacko scoffs at the notion of getting on here in two.

#12 (370 yards/par four/#10 handicap): Another challenging par 4 that plays from a tee on a ridge down to a humpback fairway then up again slightly to a natural green tucked into a hillside. Jacko says, “I hit a really good drive here but screwed up the rest. Here’s where it really hit me how much this course reminded me of the Ridge.”

#13 (429 yards/par four/#2 handicap): What Rees Jones refers to as a one-putt par 4 … a very long two shotter that plays down over a ridge to a green that has a friendly bailout to the right that will work the ball to within easy chip and putt range. Jacko says, “Rees Jones is dreaming if he thinks any of these holes are of the one-putt variety.”

#14 (153 yards/par three/#18 handicap) A scenic par 3 that plays over a large wetland down to a challenging green complex with at least six distinct putting areas. The challenge is getting your ball into the right area for a reasonable birdie putt. Jacko says, “I am playing so bad on the threes anymore but after a mental wrecker of a tee shot, I chipped up almost to within gimme putt range but think I still missed it. Tough pin positions and fast greens!”

#15 (466 yards/par five/#16 handicap): A risk-reward par 5 that plays down to a fairway that works around to a green guarded by a pond. It can be played conservatively using the contours of the fairway to keep away from the water but what fun is there to that? The aggressive players will enjoy the challenge of taking the more direct route to the hole to set up an eagle opportunity. Jacko says, “Well I sure as hell ain’t an aggressive player so went right still giving me a little chip which I really long-putted from the fairway instead and a bogey.”

#16 (345 yards/par four/#12 handicap): A shorter (and depending on what tees are in play, drivable) par 4 that requires precision when approaching the hole on this slick deceiving green. Birdies, bogeys (or more) are all in play on this hole. Jacko says, “A nice drive to the left of the bunker left me an awkward uphill stance but was able to aim right and let it rip onto the green right. I think I would three putt for bogey though.”

#17 (154 yards/par three/#14 handicap): A picturesque one shotter that plays over a wildflower-filled wetland. The deep green-front bunker and front right to back left angled green present a significant challenge for the penultimate hole. Jacko says, “Took this from the back tees. We played it much closer and I would actually put a really nice shot on finally for a makeable birdie putt, but par.”

#18 (364 yards/par four/#8 handicap): A wonderful finishing par 4 that climbs slightly off the tee to a fairway that is pinched by sand on both the right and left, then climbs even more dramatically to a green perched on a plateau. Good luck. Jacko says, “I think I three-putted for a double but both Tom and Kim parred.”

In all, Baker Hill was great and definitely in my top 200. I got to play with folks who loved their course and were happy to show it off. And had wonderful weather to really cap off a great golf week in Northern New England. Play here if you can.