Atkinson Resort & Country Club - Championship Course

Atkinson is always in top shape, my only "complaint" is the rough was pretty high, hard to find your ball and even harder to chip out of the rough around the greens. Of course, who's fault is it to be in the rough anyway?

When I booked a Hot Deal, I was warned that there was an "Aeration Warning" but wasn't told that we'd have to play the back nine twice since the front was closed for aeration. No biggie but would be nice to know before I arrived at the course.

Otherwise, fantastic! Great Hot Deal even though I had to play the same side twice.

Tucked away in the soft woods of Southern New Hampshire you will find The Atkinson Country Club. Just minutes off Interstate 495 or 93 this hidden Gem appears out of know where on an inconspicuous road in and inconspicuous town. The Atkinson Country Club sits on a huge estate and hosts a full menu restaurant with outdoor deck overlooking the signature eightieth fairway and green as well as a casual 19th hole bar and grill. In addition to its 6580 yards Championship Par 72 golf course you will find a beautiful manicured 9 hole par 3 and two driving ranges. Furthermore, Atkinson Country club is home to the Willow Creek Golf Academy which accommodates 12 heated tee boxes for winter practice as well as four world class PGA instructors teaching and fitting in three instructional bays equipped with the latest in golf technologies including the must have and coveted Trackman.

As for the Championship Par 72 a more challenging and well-manicured course you will be hard pressed to find in New England. Granted there is TPC Boston and other course but for and average greens fee of $65.00 bucks with a cart it’s hard to beat Atkinson Country Club. The First hole presents an inviting Birdyable 350 Yard Par 4. But do not be fooled by this hole it is arguable the easiest hole on the course and number two, a beast at only 515 yard this par 5 with has hazards strewn throughout is just around the corner, and it is fair to say you’re lucky to come out with a bogey and the same ball you went in with on this hole, but golf is not fair. The remainder of the course is just as challenging. Fairways are paramount on this course although you can scramble your way to a good score but I would rather play from the fairways especially when they are kept in such great condition. The greens mimic the first-rate fairways and are as difficult as they are beautiful. Designed to trick, deceive and defy the laws of gravity you can bet that if you read the putting breaking left to right it will break right to left.

Bottom line, Atkinson County Club is a true hidden gem worth the ride form Boston. You can pass right by Granite Links and Salem Country Club and drive up 93 or 495 to Atkinson Country Club and if you like it as much as I did stay the night in one of the 12 hotel rooms located on campuses and play another 18 tomorrow.

Great course, well maintained and extremely challenging. Expensive, but you usually get a breakfast sandwich and range balls with the cost of the round. You get what you pay for here.

Played this course early spring in 2016

Course is very well maintained and has strict rules for cart paths only when the weather is inclement to protect the fairways from damage. The greens were in really good condition for the beginning of the season, most likely due to a mild winter.

Prior to the round check in was very easy in the pro shop and the staff takes your bag as you head in and prepares it for either walking or riding. The driving range, a chipping/pitching range and putting green are conveniently located to allow you to warm up prior to teeing off. The staff does a good job of calling out the groups to head down to hole #1.

Front nine plays pretty fast with short walks between holes and a good balance of Par 4s, 5s & 3s. The par 3s seem to play longer than yardage says due to elevations and wind effects that are not felt from the tee box. Conditions were pretty dry for early spring with only a few damp areas.

Back 9 has some nice scenic back drops from the tee boxes especially when the foliage hits in the fall. The holes are challenging with a number of blind shots. The pace of play slows down especially with a long walks around the 11th hole par 3 hazard and the bridge between holes 13 & 14. The par 5 hole 16 is long and up hill but the green location gives you a shot to make it in 2 if you are a long driver.

Finishing the course on 18 has the championship feel as you approach the green with the backdrop of the resort behind the hole. The patio was empty but you can imagine it full of people eating lunch, dinner or attending a wedding when the weather gets warmer.

After the round either the bar in the upstairs tavern or downstairs restaurant allows you to view other groups finishing on 18. Food selection, quality, pricing and service is very good. Great selection of beers on draft and in bottles. There is an adjacent billiards and virtual golf area next to the upstairs bar which looks like the place to continue playing when the New England weather hits.

Pro shop is well stocked with apparel in the event you forgot to wear a collared shirt or you wore jeans (strict rules).

Played here twice now and both were great experiences. Bagdrop and great service right away. Played once with the early bird special for $55 a sandwich cart and range balls and the other on a Friday afternoon at 2:45 for $50 (cart and range balls). Really not much better value than that. Course is nice, somewhat tight, but rewards good shots. Greens were a little slower this time than the last time I played but probably due to dry and hot conditions the past few weeks so they have been watering them and keeping them healthy. Clubhouse and restaurant are immaculate, worth going even if you aren't playing golf. Call ahead though because they will be busy.

We had this booked for many months... A overnight stay to play par 3 Sunday and championship 18 Monday. Both courses were in great shape. Tee boxes ,fairways and greens!! Par 3 was a nice warmup with irons and putting. Very picturesque 9 hole course with covered bridges and ponds. The championship course was really a tough test of golf. I played the white tees for a yardage of 6088. Front 9 plays longer but it's more forgiving with everything right in front of you. # 2 ,4 and 6 are interesting holes. The back nine is tough. Shorter on card but with many blind shots. # 13 and 15. Play less than driver and just place it in a good spot # 16 and 17 are tough beautiful holes. # 18 is a straight forward short par 4 but plays over a creek into a fantastic clubhouse with patio of people right over the back of green. Plenty of places to grab a snack with Cart girl out and a snack bar on turn with a snack shack on 10th tee. Overall a great fun course. Definitely will be back to try again now I have the a round behind me

I did not eat here, but I'd like to start by saying this is one of the most beautifully laid out public courses I have ever see. A challenging course, especially the back 9, where elevation changes and risk/reward are in play almost every hole. The fairways are well maintained, the rough is in perfect condition, the tee boxes could pass for a high end private club. The clubhouse looks like this place should be a private course, and the view on 18 should be on a post card. Every aspect about this golf course is a 10 out of 10 in my opinion, except one HUGE problem. The greens on this course are 100% abysmal, atrocious, unacceptable, and a major disappointment. First, the greens are so chewed up and dead, the holes are purposely positioned away from the bad areas, which are 80% of the whole green in most cases. When your putter strikes the ball, it will look like your ball has been dropped down a plinko board from the price is right. And trust me, this is NOT due to the irritation of the greens. The breaks on the greens are bizarre, like there are small sunk in depressions everywhere and cannot be predicted. I have seen faster greens at a par 3 pitch n'putt, and seen truer lines rolling a ball down a rocky cliff.(ok the cliff comment is a stretch, but i'm so disappointed right now) You're better off bringing a sledge hammer than a putter, my whole putting game is probably ruined after putting these greens. I cannot believe that last year people said these greens were great. How could they completely lose the greens in one season?? I've never said this before, but they are almost unplayable. I feel this course right now is the biggest let down I have ever witnessed, on the sole fact of how awesome the rest of the facility is. How can EVERY other aspect of the course be pristine, and the greens a complete disaster?? Its almost sad. I honestly do not think they can even save them at this point. I never write reviews, but I felt everyone should be aware of what they are paying moderately high prices for. I can only hope a miracle happens by September, because I would consider this course one of the best in the region.

I do not play Atkinson that often even though it is just 20 minutes from me, It is a very demanding course and extracts extreme punishment on those whose games do not measure up. They have cleared hundreds of trees in the past few years to make some holes friendlier. I do think even if less skilled players are playing the forward tees, the call of the woods and hazards is just too strong. They have also taken the GPS out of their golf carts. The GPS was great for seeing where the group in front of you was on the blind holes and for calculating how far it was to carry the blind hazards. I hope they reinstall them soon. The course is always in great shape and the greens are some of the finest around. The 7th is a great par 4, that has a key hazard and a green that is tough to hit. It is less daunting now with dozens of trees gone, but it still challenges all players. The 10th is a tough driving hole with rock and trees on the left and run offs into the woods on the right. A layup with a hybrid will leave you a short iron into a raised green at the bottom of a steep hill. They have done a great job improving some of the odd holes on the back 9, but there are still holes with blind second shots and hazards that meander out of your view. I am not sure if they can make further corrections to these holes that would improve player safety and help to speed up play. One reason I avoid Atkinson in the prime time is the 5 hour plus rounds that are seemingly unavoidable. I intentionally played during the early twilight special, after 2 PM, on a Wednesday and it was very quiet. I would recommend this course out of prime time or if you are a very patient person. I would also be sure to play one tee set shorter than you think to help with your enjoyment of the course. The food and beverage is exceptional at the clubhouse and I would not miss an opportunity to eat at the pub or fine dining restaurant.