The Ridge Country Club

The Ridge is a challenging layout that, technically speaking, gets pretty much everything right. The holes are varied but also frequently tough. They are interesting, and some were designed, quite nicely, through outside-of-the-box thinking. The bunkering is plentiful and strategic, and water hazards are used appropriately–yet not overused. The greens, shaped with variety and often raised above grade, are also large, allowing for multiple pin positions. Fairways are always broad enough to allow fair room for tee shots, and there are strategic or risk-reward propositions that surface periodically. The golf, then, is hardly one-dimensional.

Yet what shapes this course–and makes it well worth playing–often lies beyond what its talented architect, Geoffrey Cornish, achieved over a rolling, hilly terrain: it also comes from the world of this mountainous and scenic “Lakes Region,” here and visible in the distance.

It almost goes without saying that the classic setting here epitomizes Northern New England golf, an aspect noticeable by the second or third hole. It so happens that the site of the Ridge was built on what had been a handsome piece of hillside farmland, which not only made for some flexibility in how the holes are routed but also where trees, now mature, could be planted most effectively between those holes. It so happens that Lake Winnisquam and sections of Lake Winnipesaukee are each about a mile and a half away (as the crow flies), which makes them quite visible from many of the holes here, adding another dimension to the terrific countryside views on both front and back sides.

Front side:

These nine holes, traversing a huge hill to a large, semi-plateaued area, are well-routed, sporting excellent green sites and views of the natural beauty that is both around and far below them.

Each of the five par-4s is a good hole, and the toughest two are bookends: the steeply uphill first, which bends slightly left from the green and concludes on a somewhat perched green, and the ninth, which plummets from the tee to the clubhouse, with its treelines leaving a view of the landing zone somewhat obscured. The most interesting of these, however, are the shorter par-4s. A short but testy hole at 302 yards, the angular fifth will test both your tactics and your nerves. Here the tee shot is awkwardly angled–favoring a fade–and requires a lay-up to the offset fairway that concludes prior to a pond. The green, set at 30 degrees to the fairway and backed by marshland, sets up a ticklish pitch. The downhill seventh may also make life difficult, given its woods-encircled perimeter and doglegged fairway, but the green is still driveable by those who can smash an outstanding tee shot. The putting surface, receptive and huge, is two-tiered.

While the par-3 second seems to me the best hole (see below) on this layout, there is also the eighth hole–a downhill tiger with an astonishing view of both the green and beyond, making it both tough and pleasing.

The two par-5s, each well-crafted, each well over 500 yards, carry the highest stroke indexes on the front. But of the two, the sixth is more likely to thwart a par or birdie, because its broad fairway is nonetheless quite tilted and woods lurk all around, but also because its putting surface is well-protected and fairly narrow.

The Back Nine:

The back side, which climbs over and drops down a tall, steep hill on the northern half of the property, will essentially require a more workmanlike approach than the front. The rugged terrain means uneven lies of all types, but it is especially difficult when it comes to the uphill approach shots on a similar trio of par-4s: the eleventh, fourteenth, and sixteenth. To make matters more harsh, the huge and sloped greens on 14 and 16 demand well-schooled skill with the short stick to avoid three-putts.

These three holes, fortunately, are the only (slightly) monstrous ones on the back. Seventeen tests you mainly by its tricky driving zone, and the par-3s average 195 yards long, but they are manageable rather than punishing.

My favorite back-niner is the par-5, 520-yard 10th, with its open, tantalizing fairway that allows you to grip and rip it. Helped by the fast fairways today, I nearly reached the putting surface in two. Scottie Scheffler, if he were to play here, would probably drive the green.

Best Hole: The par-3 second, a classic-looking hole with a contoured green set behind a huge pond, is a tough par. Behind the green is woods; to its right-front lies a gaping trap; around it, chipping or pitching will likely be tricky. Depending on where you land on the green, however, putting can be the supreme challenge on this hole.

Hardest Hole: A par-4 of 395 yards, the 11th plays uphill from tee to green. While the drive is a bit awkward and encourages a fade, it is the brutal second shot—straight uphill into an utterly blind green–that is more testing. At least the green is open in front, yet bunkers lie in wait both left and right. And it plays 40 yards longer than the card’s listed length.

Conditions:

Average overall: The weeks-long drought has not been advantageous to course conditions: a majority of the fairways were dried-out; several of the tees on the back nine have become virtually dirt-based. Still, the beautifully manicured greens, fringes, and greenside roughs were all lush despite the dryness. The bunkers were very good.

Some Conclusions:

–The Ridge will accommodate a fairly wide range of golfers. A few forced carries on the front side will be the biggest challenge for higher-handicappers.

–Friendliness was outstanding on my visit, including interaction and discussion with four or five staff members. Liz, whom I met and talked with at check-in, is simply an “A-one” representative of The Ridge (one of the best course staffers I’ve met in 2025, and helpful in every respect).

–The course conditions should recover before long as long as it begins raining at “normal” intervals. Above all, the layout itself is a fine test of golf from start to finish: here, you really need to ride the ridge.

The group of four golfers couldn't believe with the temperature 93 degrees that there wasn't a single water station on the course. Looked like several places to put water on the course but none. The weather has been so hot and dry which also made the course very dry. Still had a good time and enjoyed playing here.

Great course to play - user friendly for the most part. Greens were in great shape the fairways not so much. A lot burnt dried up areas and some "hardpan"

Talked with I believe the owner and he said they had irrigation issues and focused on the greens. Super nice guy and very transparent.

Water cures everything

We will be back in the fall

Views of the lakes and mountains are worth it

Played in a twosome and some clowns in a foursome jumped in front on 10 but other than that we had a great day

Weather good and course in good condition considering lack of rain. Old course could use some updating. Mid week did not seem busy and the Golf now price at 1/2 found this to be a a great value.