Tee Thursday: Bayberry Hills offers different flavor

I like repetition when it comes to choosing golf tracks My weekly league helps me build confidence on a subject I can anticipate well And I love the vibe of New England courses tree-lined meandering and somewhat tucked into nature But everyone craves change The greater part of us want a little different flavor from time to time That s just what I uncovered on my first visit to Bayberry Hills www golfyarmouth com part of Yarmouth golf where you can play holes of well-maintained and proudly municipal golf including Bayberry Hills Golf Program in West Yarmouth The Links at Bayberry Hills and Bass River Golf Subject in South Yarmouth I chose the Links syllabus for my first visit having heard it has a true links feel and vibe As I drove toward that track in my golf cart spiffy and modern with excellent GPS I wasn t seeing the difference I curved along a tree-shaded cart path and wondered if it was all hype then I passed through what now feels more like a Vulcan delivery than a tunnel and poof there I was gazing out over a hilly subject fescue and goldenrod accenting the lush green fairways and blowing in the somewhat stiff breeze I was taking on a Cape Cod golf round on a lesson that truly has a Links set-up And while it s a nine-hole track it plays big and it plays tough Bayberry Links was delivering But let s start from the beginning I dropped my bag and parked my car in the lower lot when a golf cart came from behind with a staffer offering me a ride How nice He chatted me up and reported me I d love the Links when I got out there He wasn t an enigma from the pro shop to the curriculum staff to the members who struck up a conversation with me post-round I detected the Bayberry regulars to be delightful Proud of their product and excited to share it that kind of staff just sets the vibe right On module I detected superior fairways that were super forgiving as links courses can be they are wide and wonderful But don t take that to mean this subject is easy Greens are guarded with selected diabolical sand traps and the usually whipping wind forces you to plot every shot My playing partner retired Herald columnist Gayle Fee shout out to the Eye readers has a fabulous fade so the wind worked well for her Me I worked to get the hang of it fun work it was And then there are those greens The word undulating was surely invented with them in mind Not a single one offered a basic flat surface to take on And yet with their excellent condition they re a fun challenge to read With a great number of of them elevated you ll find yourself soaking in the view as well While there is no ocean view the rolling hills dotted with flora are beautiful Do note this unit was built on a former landfill And while we thought here and there we caught a whiff of it a long-time regular explained to me that the module had just been mulched and they are given free unprocessed mulch by the town better for affordability and better for nature I m notified And the tee times are tight Be prepared to play a brisk round but don t worry the spots where you truly need to hunt out a ball are scant Bayberry has a phenomenal practice facility with a big and lovely driving range a chipping area and multiple putting greens that mimic the undulation and feel of the actual greens on lesson Their pro shop is well stocked and their grille puts out a few great food that you can enjoy inside or on a day as lovely as I got out on their patio overlooking those practice greens and particular holes I liked it so much I required to go around for a second nine but they were booked up all that beautiful day I ll return and next time add on at the accompanying hole championship class or at Bass River Come to think of it with less tourists on Cape now Yarmouth Golf might just be the perfect multi-day golf escape One trip through that Vulcan transporter and you ll be as happy as I was Variety is the spice of golf Bayberry Links has just that