Island life has never been so good, especially on the tiny island of Nantucket, where both the avid amateur golfer and the professional can gather at “The Meeting Place,” for an amazing golf experience. Located on land originally inhabited by the Wampanoag Tribe one mile from the ocean, Miacomet is a pristine 18-hole course public facility where golfers of every skill level can play what is widely considered one of the best courses in the Bay State.
The History:
In 1956, Ralph Perkins Marble Jr, a Michigan transplant to the state of Massachusetts, spent a few years traveling around the state, before eventually ending up in Nantucket. Marble would purchase over 400 acres of land, on the southern shore of the island, with the intent of starting a dairy farm. However, with the recent closure of local 9 Hole favorite Tupancy Links and shutting down his dairy farm, Mr. Marble, began the process of converting the farmland into the 9-hole Miacomet Golf Course, eventually opening to the public in 1963 as a year-round option for island locals and visitors alike. The Marble family would continue operations of the course before selling the course to the Nantucket Island Land Bank in the mid 1980’s.
In 2003, under the direction of Nantucket Island Land Bank and architect Howard Maurer, the course was expanded to another 9 holes, becoming the islands only 18-hole public course. In the spring of 2007, the original 9 holes underwent a complete renovation, propelling the course to the award-winning condition it is today. In 2021, Miacomet along with the beautiful Sankaty Head Golf Club, located on the island’s eastern shore, the two had the honors of hosting that years talented U.S. Mid-Amateur championship. A fitting accomplishment for two of the state’s great courses.
The Experience:
Miacomet is a relatively flat, but thought-provoking course with visually stunning bunkers that separates many of the fairways. Long golden fescue will often gobble up any arrant tee shot while the sandy wind-swept terrain is not only firm, but responsive as well. Course routing is an unavoidable topic when discussing play. The long walk can leave players feeling a bit disjointed when traveling from the previous green to the next tee box. The walk from the second green to the third tee is the first that comes to mind. Once you finish on the second, one must walk past the putting green, past the clubhouse, through the parking lot and down a little trail to the par three 3rd hole in a secluded section of the course. If not for the starter greeting players as they walk by and giving them specific directions on where to go, one could easily get lost.
Another is the long walk from 15 to 16, which left me wondering if we made a wrong turn at some point. Once we found the tee box, which was a good one hundred yards away, we were able to continue on to the 17th tee. Although the greens were rolling very well this day and were somewhat interesting, I did notice a feeling of repetition due to similar contouring and features.
The 13th green is one of the few exceptions to the norm. A welcomed sight breaking up a bit of the monotony, however, it almost feels out of place compared to the rest. But regardless of these minor shortcomings, few courses in the Bay State can offer the type of experience, customer service, and quality of golf Miacomet provides.
Greens roll at a quick pace and feature enough contouring to make putting an adequate challenge. The large bunkers & waste area that give the course its signature look can appear intimidating to golfers, making them think twice about going for the green or laying up. And yet, after the first few holes, you’ll realize that yes, there are tons of bunkers around, but very few are in a place that are very penile. The fairways are large and easy to hit. The greens are big and inviting, while the trouble is deceptive. If given the choice to layup or go for it, go with the ladder. As long as you have the distance, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how often “on in two” can be realized.
Final Thoughts:
Cape traffic can easily cause a traumatic reaction to those in the know, due to the mind-boggling numbers of visitors that dramatically increase the summer populations of towns up and down the coast. When coming from Boston, the 70 miles traveled south can take anywhere from an hour and a half on a good day, to upwards of 3 hours or more on a Friday afternoon. Add on the fact that Nantucket is located another 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, it would appear getting to the island would be extremely difficult, if not nearly impossible. However, with the frequent running of ferries from Hyannis, Harwichport/Chatham and New Bedford as well as the Island airport, visitors have a plethora of travel options.
With Miacomet open year-round, players can choose the season that would work best for them in getting out to the course. While peak season summer rates are expensive to the casual golfer, especially on an island where everything else is already pricy, winter or shoulder season rates are a great option at a fraction of the price. Rest assured, visitors will experience no loss of quality or service when it comes to the course and its staff. Miacomet is clearly “The Meeting Place” – a course available every single day.
The Numbers:
Golf Digest Best in State: Ranked #24, 2021-2022 season
Golf Week Best Courses You Can Play 2022: State-by-state rankings for public-access – Massachusetts: #3 for the 2022 season
A par 72, tipping out at just under 6,900 yards. Miacomet offers golfers 6 different tee options.
Red forward tee’s at 5145 yards 70.6/121 slope, combo red/white tee’s 5451 yards
White tee’s at 5928 yards 70/124 slope
Combo white/blue tee’s 6169 yards
Blue tee’s at 6393 yards 71.5/121 slope
Gold tee’s at 6890 yards 73.6/128 slope
Winter Rates (November 23 – April 30)
9 or 18 Holes – $70
Shoulder Seasons (May 1 – May 23 & October 15 – December 8)
9 Holes – $95
18 Holes – $145
In Season (May 24 – October 14)
9 Holes – $150
18 Holes – $245
Design: 3/5
Views: 4/5
Conditions: 4/5
Difficulty: 3/5
Value: 5/5 (Off-season) or 3/5 (In-season)
Total: 19/25 or 17/25
For tee-times and more visit www.miacometgolf.com.
