National Member Club Championship

Westfield Country Club recently conducted back-to-back renovations on its South Course followed by the North Course. Both were substantial transformations that included new holes and alternative routings, but while the South retained a more traditional parkland presentation, the North was radically changed from a cousin to the South into a prairie-style course infused with pot bunkers, fescue roughs and other Scottish-themed elements, though the playing surfaces are bluegrass. While less epic in scale and ambition, the new North Course recalls elements of the work Mike Hurdzan did at The Paintbrush (formerly Devil’s Paintbrush) in Ontario in the early 1990s with former partner Dana Fry. This time around he had a different partner—his son Chris.

Panelist Comments: “It exuded fun: executing run-up shots and avoiding those steep-faced bunkers…Aesthetics should improve as decorative grasses grow in. Wonderful set of forward tees heightens "fun”…The course had a fairly confusing routing but did sport some fun holes…It is easy to keep the ball on the ground and bump it up. It's a nice set of par 3 holes, and I love the risk-reward short par 4 holes…The greens are the show's stars, combining major breaks and minor twists and turns.