Farmington (East)

Farmington Country Club was nearly a century ahead of the curve when it approved Fred Findlay’s short course design during 1927. Although par three additions to hip destination courses like Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley have made irregular hole counts en vogue, Findlay’s 10-hole East course can claim to be way ahead of the trend. The designers of those aforementioned par 3 courses, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, have also taken part at Farmington East, where they completed a renovation during 2016.

The course makes no bones about its relaxed demeanor, an alternative to the championship layout at the Main course. The longest hole at the East plays as a par five...tipping out at just 412 yards. It’s an optimal route for exercising a young golfer, or for working out the kinks in one’s own fairway wood and iron games.

That is not to say the course is a pushover...the contributions of Coore and Crenshaw mean that bunkers are newly strategized, and ready to bite for players who attempt to drive every one of these short par fours. Respect the short course!