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{{outdated}}[[Category:Resources]][[Category:Athletics]]__NOTOC__Taconic Golf Club is owned by Williams College and is currently rated the #1 collegiate course in the nation by Golfweek Magazine. It also claims the 30th 28th spot in the best public courses in the United States according to Golf Magazine. Taconic is located at the southern edge of campus off of at 19 Meacham Street , next to [[Weston Field]]. It is less than a 5 minute walk from [[Spring Street]] or the [[Odd Quad]], and it is not uncommon to see students carrying golf bags across campus down to the course. The club opened on September 5th, 1896 as a 7-hole course, including the present diabolical 17th green. The primitive course layout was upgraded in 1928 by Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek to an 18-hole par 73 test. When the clubhouse was forced to move from South Street to its present location, the 2nd and 3rd holes were changed and the course became its current 6640 yard, par 71 design. Taconic is a venerable golf course, having hosted numerous national and state championships. The U.S. Junior Amateur was held here in 1956, and Harlan Stevenson of California defeated Jack Rule, Jr. of Iowa 3 and 1. Of note, Rule beat 16-year-old Jack Nicklaus in the semifinals 1 up. The 1963 U.S. Women’s Amateur was won by Anne Sander of Seattle, WA over 16-year-old Peggy Conley of Spokane, WA. More recently, in 1996, the U.S. Senior Amateur came to Taconic, and Gordon Brewer’s par on the 18th hole beat Heyward Sullivan 2 up. National college tournaments have been held several times in Williamstown – in 1999 Methodist College took home the championship with a team score of 1190, with Williams College in 10th place with 1246 strokes. The Massachusetts Amateur was contested in July, 2004, and won by Frank Vana with Williams College golfer Zach McArthur as his caddy.Taconic is renowned as one of the most beautiful places in the world to play golf in the fall, as tees and greens throughout the course provide stunning vistas of the Berkshire Mountains. The long views on the course combine with the wonderful small-town atmosphere of the club itself, highlighted by a faded sign on the pro shop reading “No Preferred Lies, We Play Golf Here.” Golfers at Taconic pride themselves on quick pace of play, and the compact routing allows singles and twosomes to often play 18 holes in closer to 2 hours than 4. Though the course is hilly, almost all golfers walk and carry their bag, as seeing 90 year old members walk is not an uncommon sight. Some other unique oddities of Taconic include a mirror behind the 10th tee to see the blind fairway, a birdhouse labeled “Suggestions” smack in the middle of the pond on the 4th hole, and the Latin phrase “medio tutissimus ibis” written on the scorecard, translating to “safer from the middle.” Taconic is the home course for the Williams College varsity golf teams, and the men have long been one of the best division III programs in the country. In the April 2005 District Shootout at Taconic, the Williams men’s varsity set a team single round scoring record of 289 counting a 70, 71, 71, and 77 as their best four scores. The course record from the back tees is 67, quite high for a relatively short course that has seen hundreds of high quality players compete the past half century. Chad Collins of Methodist College in the 1999 Division III National Tournament shot a 66 in his total winning score of even par 284, but several tee markers had been moved up from their normal back locations on that day. Taconic Golf Club defends par on and around the greens; it is possible to go rounds and rounds and rounds without losing a ball and still struggle for good scores. Almost every green is contoured to accept a shot accordingly from one side of the fairway or another, and on many holes there are certain areas around the greens that leave only the opportunity for the occasional miracle up and down. Experience is very important in knowing which direction a particular green is safe to miss to leaving the opportunity to recover. Following is a hole by hole description of the course from the back tees.

#1== History and Trivia ==[[Image: par 5Taconic_club.jpg|right|thumbnail|Taconic Golf Club]]The club opened on September 5th, 1896 as a 7-hole course, 475 yardsincluding the present diabolical 17th green. The first tee is only yards from the door of the pro shop primitive course layout was upgraded in 1928 by Wayne Stiles and outdoor patio, providing John Van Kleek to an intimate setting to begin the round18-hole par 73 test. A wide fairway greets When the player, only narrowing clubhouse was forced to move from South Street to a 20 yard wide neck at a shallow gully 275 yards off the tee. The generous fairway did not help Williams golfer Will Sirignano in 2003 when he blocked his tee ball over the trees right of the fairway, over the adjacent 18th fairwayits present location, over the out of bounds fence, 2nd and onto the football field – a mere 75 yards offline! The green tilts left to right 3rd holes were changed and the bunker 30 yards short of the green left is a poor place to leave second shotscourse became its current 6640 yard, par 71 design.

<insert picture Taconic is a venerable golf course, having hosted numerous national and state championships. The U.S. Junior Amateur was held here in 1956, and Harlan Stevenson of California defeated Jack Rule, Jr. of 1st Iowa 3 and 1. Of note, Rule beat 16-year-old Jack Nicklaus in the semifinals 1 up. The 1963 U.S. Women's Amateur was won by Anne Sander of Seattle, WA over 16-year-old Peggy Conley of Spokane, WA. More recently, in 1996, the U.S. Senior Amateur came to Taconic, and Gordon Brewer's par on the 18th hole> beat Heyward Sullivan 2 up. “Jeff Lin drives off National college championships have been held several times in Williamstown - in 1999 Methodist College took home the division III national title with a team score of the 1st tee”1190 - Williams College came in 10th place with 1246 strokes. The Massachusetts Amateur was contested in July 2004, and won by Frank Vana with Williams College golfer Zach McArthur '05 as his caddy.

#3[[Image: par 4Taconic_caddy.jpg|right|thumbnail|Frank Vana, 2004 Massachusetts Amateur champion, 407 yards. One of the best holes with caddy Zach McArthur on the course, 14th green.]]Williams College supports both strategically men's and aesthetically. The tee ball is over women's varsity golf teams - the corner of women are a field first year varsity program as of wildflowers to a fairway that dramatically narrows and twists to the right at the 140 yard mark. To hit a driver2005, you must fade while the ball, yet a ball too far to men have long been one of the right may kick into best division III programs in the creek that meanders 20 yards right of the fairwaycountry. This tee ball would be better if three large oak trees on In the right were taken outApril 2005 District Shootout at Taconic, as they block the landscape Williams [[Men's Golf Team]] set a team single round scoring record of the mountains 289 counting a 70, 71, 71, and only help contain balls that would otherwise find the hazard on the right77 as their best four scores. The hole concludes with course record from the back tees is 67 -- surprisingly high for a great hilltop green with Gale Road out relatively short course that has seen hundreds of bounds hard on high quality players compete the right and Phoebe’s Creek gathering balls hit too far left of the putting surfacepast half century. The green itself is severely slanted to Chad Collins of Methodist College in the front 1999 Division III National Tournament shot a 66 included in his total winning score of the green on the first halfeven par 284, and then right to left but several tee markers had been moved up from their normal back locations on the upper tierthat day.

<insert picture Taconic is renowned as one of 3rd hole> the most beautiful places in the world to play golf in the fall, as tees and greens throughout the course provide stunning vistas of the Berkshire Mountains. The long views on the course combine with the wonderful small-town atmosphere of the club itself, highlighted by a faded sign on the pro shop reading "No Preferred Lies, We Play Golf Here." Golfers at Taconic pride themselves on quick pace of play, and the compact routing allows singles and twosomes to often play 18 holes in closer to 2 hours than 4. Though the course is hilly, almost all golfers walk and carry their bag, so seeing 90 year-old members walk is not an uncommon sight. “the 3rd hole”

#4: par 4, 358 yards. The first Other unique oddities of three excellent 360 yard par fours, the 150 yard walk back to Taconic include a mirror behind the 10th tee takes the golfer as far from the clubhouse as he will get during the round. A slight dogleg left with the creek along the left before slicing in front of the green, a long iron or 3-wood to see the right side of the blind fairway is preferred. If the tee shot is too far right, though, the short iron must avoid a large old willow tree guarding birdhouse labeled "Suggestion Box" smack in the right side middle of the hole. The approach should stay below pond on the 4th hole, yet anything short of and the putting surface will roll back toward Latin phrase "medio tutissimus ibis" written on the creek for a blind pitch back up the hill. Friendly kicks onto scorecard, translating to "safest from the green can be found off of the slightly elevated and beautifully sculpted left hand greenside bunkermiddle."

#5, par 3, 172 yards. Another good green cascading from back left to front right, the mid-iron approach should be careful not to short side the pin. == The front left bunker gets a lot of play for shots going to middle left pins, and is quite deep.Course ==

#6, Taconic Golf Club defends par 4, 361 yardson and around the greens; it is possible to go rounds and rounds and rounds without losing a ball and still struggle for good scores. The uphill tee Almost every green is contoured to accept a shot may look tight at first, but the sixth hole in fact is accordingly from one side of the easiest driving fairway or another, and on many holes on there are certain areas around the greens that leave only the course. Both fairway bunkers are out of play opportunity for the good player, just 200 yards off the tee, occasional miracle up and many tee shots will end up within only pitching or sand wedge distancedown. However, now the approach Experience is with very important in knowing which direction a spinning club to perhaps the best particular green on the course: a large false front, a hump on the middle right, and a tongue extending is safe to form the back left portion of the surface. A shot finishing anywhere above the hole will require perfect touch just miss so as to keep the subsequent putt on leave the green. Many seasoned Taconic members will lay up short of a front pin even with a wedge and rely on chipping opportunity to produce a 4recover. In Following is a 2004 Massachusetts Amateur match, Frank Vana and Jim Renner (who recently lost to Michelle Wie in hole by hole description of the PubLinks) halved the hole with bogeys after both being 100 yards course from the green with their drivesback tees. Commented Renner to Vana, “I don’t know how to hit a shot into that green!”

#7, par 4=== 1 ===[[Image:Taconic1.jpg|right|thumbnail|Jeff Lin drives off of the 1st tee.]]'''Par 5, 402 475 yards. ''' The seventh first tee shot is only yards from the hardest on door of the pro shop and outdoor patio, providing an intimate setting to begin the course: round. A wide fairway greets the player, only narrowing to a 20-yard wide neck at a shallow gully 275 yards off the tee box annoyingly slopes . In the Fall of his sophomore year, this generous fairway did not help Will Sirignano '06 as he blocked a ball to the left while the hole angles sharply right and demands a fade. The approach plays uphill, so most players hit driver to minimize distance for over the second shot. Once in playtrees, over the second shot calls for 1-2 clubs more than 18th fairway, over the yardage would indicate for an aerial approach into a wild 2 tiered green complete with a 3 foot mound in out of bounds fence, and onto the back middle sectionfootball field. This combination did not prove tough enough He then proceeded to salvage a miraculous par. The green tilts left to right and the weekend bunker 30 yards short of homecoming in 2002 when Zach McArthur holed out an 8 iron for an eagle twothe green left is a poor place to leave second shots.

#8, par === 2 ==='''Par 4, 394 391 yards. ''' The second of back A short hike up and across the 17th tee brings the golfer to back dogleg rightsa secluded, this elevated tee box for the second hole complements . Though the seventh by tumbling downhill with hole bends to the campus as a backdrop for right, the tee shot. Amazingly, in 2003, Aaron Flink drove favors a slight draw over the creek into the left hand side of the green fairway from which the tee with a driver that somehow avoided every tree and bunker green angles to end up amidst another team on the putting surface. For mere mortals, Faded balls into the drive has no reason to go too far right, as rough contend with a depression from which the second shot plays short down the hill green may be blind and should be bounced on if reached only over the ground is firmright hand greenside bunker. The green itself is wonderfully sloped from on the crest of a hill, and except for the front portion, is extremely flat and hard to back foiling many first time playersread. An approach or chip that uses the ground contours to slowly feed to a recently recovered back left pin location The 360 degree view from this green is great fun hard to watchtop in the game of golf.

#9, par === 3===[[Image:Taconic3.jpg|right|thumbnail|The 3rd hole.]]'''Par 4, 188 407 yards.''' One of the best holes on the course, both strategically and aesthetically. The tee ball is over the corner of a field of wildflowers to a fairway that dramatically narrows and twists to the right at the 140 yard mark. The ninth prudent play is often a drop shot par 3 -wood to the back left side of the clubhousefairway which leaves a perfect angle to the difficult green. If deciding to hit a driver, you should fade the ball slightly, and often is played with yet a crosswind left ball too far to the right may kick into the creek that meanders 20 yards rightof the fairway. This wind takes many a tee ball into would be better if three large oak trees on the front right bunker which is almost as big were taken out, as they block the landscape of the mountains and only help contain balls that would otherwise find the hazard on the green itselfright. Overcompensated shots to The hole concludes with a great hilltop green with Gale Road out of bounds hard on the right and Phoebe's Creek gathering balls hit too far left will find an unkempt hillside or two squiggly bunkers that are difficult sand savesof the putting surface. The benches on green itself is severely slanted to the hill 40 feet above front of the green are prime viewing areas for college on the first half, and club matchesthen right to left on the upper tier.

#10=== 4 ==='''Par 4, par 5, 506 358 yards. ''' This hole may best identify The first of three excellent 360 yard par fours, the 150 yard walk back to the tee takes the thinking golfer as far from the clubhouse as he places his three shots to will get during the greenround. The drive is partially blind down a hill that often leaves the good golfer A slight dogleg left with 220-250 yards to the green. Now, creek along the golfer is put to the test. Should he go for left before slicing in front of the green, even off a slight downhill lie? Should he attempt long iron or 3-wood to clear the bunker 40 yards short right side of the green? fairway is preferred. Should he hit to his favorite wedge distance? These questions are relevant because If the green tee shot is sloped 5 feet back to front and any second shot going for the green misplaced too far right, leftthough, or long will have much work just to make parthe short iron must avoid a large old willow tree guarding the right side of the hole. Case in pointThe approach should stay below the hole, Matt Slovitt, sitting at 4 under par through 9 holes chose to lay up from 220 yards out, making birdie with 2 wedge shots and a putt instead yet anything short of the putting surface will roll back toward the creek for a reckless long iron or 3-woodblind pitch back up the hill. Fifty years ago, however, a young man made a different decision, going for Friendly kicks onto the green, and it paid can be found off: 16 year old Jack Nicklaus eagled of the hole in a practice roundslightly elevated and beautifully sculpted left hand greenside bunker.

#11=== 5 ==='''Par 3, par 4, 470 172 yards. ''' A classic driving hole Another good green cascading from an elevated tee, the drive will probably end up about 200 yards from the green at the base of a slight hill. From thereback left to front right, the green is partially blind, and the long mid-iron shot approach should be played careful not to short and right of the green to allow side the ground to funnel the ball left to the holepin. Because many second shots start to the right, the right greenside The front left bunker gets a lot of play – it is a large horseshoe style bunker that is shared with the 8th green. A grove of pine trees behind this bunker should be taken out for shots going to enhance the feeling of openness between the 8th middle left pins, and 11th holesis quite deep.

#12, par === 6 ==='''Par 4, 363 361 yards. ''' More than 100 yards shorter than the eleventhThe uphill tee shot may look tight at first, but often plays harder stroke-wisethe sixth hole in fact is one of the easiest driving holes on the course. The Both fairway bunkers are out of play for the good player, just 200 yards off the tee ball offers a cape dilemma, with the option to hit 3 wood and many tee shots will end up within only pitching or driver long left near out of bounds to reward a straightforward sand wedge into distance. However, now the green, or bail right or short for approach is with a more difficult approach over spinning club to perhaps the edge of best green on the menacing right hand greenside bunker. course: From a large false front, a hump on the middle right of the fairway, and a fade is preferred into tongue extending to form the small, elevated green to hold back left portion of the putting surface. Balls just carrying A shot finishing anywhere above the right hand side bunker hole will funnel require perfect touch just to keep the center of subsequent putt on the putting surfacegreen. The Many seasoned Taconic members will lay up short of a front pin here is extremely difficult even with a wedge and rely on chipping to produce a 4. In a 2004 Massachusetts Amateur match, Frank Vana and Jim Renner (who recently lost to stay underneath of without having Michelle Wie in the ball take PubLinks) halved the false front 10 hole with bogeys after both being 100 yards back down from the hillgreen with their drives. A great challenge for 360 yards.Commented Renner to Vana, "I don't know how to hit a shot into that green!"

#13, par === 7 ==='''Par 4, 391 402 yards. World-class. ''' The view off the 13th seventh tee shot is of three hills rising in the distance and a fairway canted right to left. hardest on the course: The ideal the tee shot will hug box annoyingly slopes to the left side, perhaps even getting over while the ridge 250 yards off the tee for hole angles sharply right and demands a look down the length of the greenfade. This is a very bold shot thoughThe approach plays uphill, as so most players hit driver to minimize distance for the out of bounds along the left certainly discourages such a playsecond shot. Most approaches come from Once in play, the right hand side of second shot calls for 1-2 clubs more than the fairway to the elevated green benched yardage would indicate for an aerial approach into the hillside. The a wild 2 tiered green slopes hard back to front and left to right, and it is common to see putts from complete with a 3 foot mound in the front tier wind up 20 or 30 feet short right of back hole locations for first (or second or third!) time Taconic golfersmiddle section. Great hole locations abound, including This combination did not prove tough enough the back right which turns the hole into more weekend of a par 5 than 4homecoming in 2002 when Zach McArthur holed out an 8 iron for an eagle two.

=== 8 ===[[Image:Taconic8.jpg|right|thumbnail|The approach to #148.]]'''Par 4, par 3, 173 394 yards. ''' The narrowest target on second of back to back dogleg rights, this hole complements the seventh by tumbling downhill with the campus as a backdrop for the coursetee shot. Amazingly, in 2003, Williams senior Aaron Flink drove the 14th green is accessed from the tee with a short driver that somehow avoided every tree and bunker to mid iron hit from the most elevated spot end up amidst another team on the course prone to crosswindsputting surface. The hole plays across a ridgeline and is defended by 6 bunkersFor mere mortals, some simply candy for the eyes. Of interestdrive has no reason to go too far right, as the second shot plays short down the green hill and its surroundings were the basis of an illustration should be bounced on if the cover of Money Magazine a number of years agoground is firm. The green is wonderfully sloped from front to back foiling many first time players. Between An approach or chip that uses the gold and blue tees ground contours to slowly feed to a recently recovered back left pin location is embedded a plaque honoring Jack Nicklaus’s hole in one here in the 1956 Junior Amateurgreat fun to watch.

#15=== 9 ==='''Par 3, par 4, 426 188 yards. ''' The fun continues with ninth is a significantly elevated tee, where drivers hang against drop shot par 3 to the distant face back side of Pine Cobble on their way the clubhouse, and often is played with a crosswind left to earthright. Despite This wind takes many a wide fairway, Taconic pro and Williams varsity golf coach Rick Pohle believes ball into the 15th fairway to be front right bunker which is almost as big as the most missed on the coursebowled green itself. Maybe it is Overcompensated shots to the lack of focus from the gorgeous viewleft will find an unkempt hillside or two squiggly bunkers that are difficult sand saves. The iron approach will bounce to the left once benches on the ground, and right pins on hill 40 feet above the green are difficult to access without a hard fade holding the right to left slopeprime viewing areas for college and club matches.

#16=== 10 ==='''Par 5, par 4, 430 506 yards. ''' Equally long This hole may best identify the thinking golfer as he places his three shots to #15, but playing much longer back up the green. The drive is partially blind down a hill that #15 came downoften leaves the good golfer with 220-250 yards to the green. Now, the sixteenth hole golfer is a demanding second shot holeput to the test. A good tee ball leaves anywhere from Should he go for the green, even off a mid slight downhill lie? Should he attempt to long iron up a 50 foot incline clear the bunker 40 yards short of the green? Should he hit to a hilltop green. his favorite wedge distance? The These questions are relevant because the green, as with many at Taconic, flows with the land is sloped 5 feet back down the hill making to front and any second shot going for the green very quick front misplaced right, left, or long will have much work just to backmake par. Many second shots end Case in point, during the 2005 District Shootout, Matt Slovitt was sitting at 4 under par through 9 holes and chose to lay up shortfrom 220 yards out, which leaves simple pitches up to the hole – second making birdie with 2 wedge shots and a putt instead of a reckless long leave the golfer iron or 3-wood. Fifty years ago, however, a young man made a delicate lob back to different decision, going for the green with , and it paid off: 16 year old Jack Nicklaus eagled the hope of just holding the green, let alone entertaining thoughts of parhole in a practice round.

<insert picture === 11 ==='''Par 4, 470 yards.''' A classic driving hole from an elevated tee, the drive will probably end up about 200 yards from the green at the base of 16th a slight hill. From there, the green is partially blind, and the long iron shot should be played short and right of the green to allow the ground to funnel the ball left to the hole> . “looking back down Because many second shots start to the 16thright, John Kildahl has left his approach the right greenside bunker gets a lot of play - it is a large horseshoe style bunker that is shared with the 8th green. A grove of pine trees in perfect position just short front of this bunker should be taken out to enhance the feeling of openness between the green8th and 11th holes.”

#17=== 12 ==='''Par 4, 221 363 yards. ''' A challenging and exacting long iron is a must for More than 100 yards shorter than the penultimate holeeleventh, which features a heavily tilted green back to frontbut often plays harder stroke-wise. The green was part tee ball offers a cape dilemma, with the option to hit 3 wood or driver long left near out of bounds to reward a straightforward wedge into the original course in 1896green, and while green speeds have quickened or bail right or short for a bit since then, more difficult approach over the slope edge of the land has not, producing many bogies and double bogies around this greenmenacing right hand greenside bunker. The tee ball should be played short of From the green –a hill short right of the fairway, a fade is preferred into the green can be used to kick the ball up onto best hold the putting surface if the pin is back. Once Balls just carrying the tee shot is in play, hopefully below right hand side bunker will funnel to the hole, center of the second shot must stay below smallest putting surface on the hole as well to leave an uphill putt for parcourse. In The front pin here is extremely difficult to stay underneath of without having the 1970’s, ball take the house behind false front 10 yards back down the green was occupied by a Williams student, who also happened to be the Shah of Iran’s sonhill. Any shots long of the green in this era were subject to inspection by security and bodyguards who made sure golfers did not threaten the house in any manner!A great challenge for 360 yards.

#18=== 13 ===[[Image:Taconic13.jpg|right|thumbnail|2005-06 co-captains Matt Slovitt and John Kildahl play the 13th.]]'''Par 4, 510 391 yards, par 5. ''' A great home hole to finish the round as large swings between competitors are possible on this reachable par 5World-class. Though slightly longer than #10, The view off the green 13th tee is not nearly as diabolical of three hills rising in the distance and thus more players do go for the green in two shotsa fairway canted left to right. The drive is ideal tee shot will hug the left side, perhaps even getting over a pond to a plateau fairway, where the right center acts as ridge 250 yards off the tee for a speed slot propelling look down the ball closer to length of the holegreen. The risk in hitting This is a long very bold shot to the green is though, as the out of bounds parking lot 5 yards along the left certainly discourages such a play. Most approaches come from the right hand side of the fairway to the elevated greenbenched into the hillside. Years ago, a Williams College golfer hit 3 balls out of bounds, eventually taking a 12, resulting in a lost Little Threes championship The green slopes hard back to front and left to Amherst by one shot. In 2004, Coach Rick Pohle pulled off a little magicright, winning beers off of captains Matt Slovitt and Zach McArthur by sticking a 5 iron one foot it is common to see putts from the front tier wind up 20 or 30 feet short right of back hole locations for birdie after a horribly topped 3-woodfirst (or second or third!) time Taconic golfers. Anything can happen on #18 at TaconicGreat hole locations abound, including the back right which turns the hole into more of a par 5 than 4.

Taconic Golf Club is a great resource for Williams College, and the students=== 14 ==='''Par 3, faculty, and staff seem to treasure their opportunity173 yards. ''' The narrowest target on the course , the 14th green is very popular accessed with students, who pay just $125 a semester for unlimited golf – compare this short to Yale University which has a similarly excellent golf mid iron hit from the most elevated spot on the course and charges students $725 - a semesterspot very prone to strong crosswinds. The unique opportunity of students playing with their professors hole plays along a ridgeline and is reinforced defended by 6 bunkers, some simply candy for the current college president, Morty Schapiro, who hosts a scramble tournament each spring and fall pairing staff, faculty, and students togethereyes. In recent historyOf interest, teams including Kevin Kellert ’07 have been particularly successful. The Taconic experience is completed by Cathy and Rick Pohle’s welcoming environment in the clubhouse for all, and Kent Lemme and Matt Berger green and its surroundings were the grounds crew’s work keeping basis of an illustration on the course in pristine condition. The members cover of the course are considering Money Magazine a bunker renovation project in the near futurenumber of years ago. Depending on Between the work, this could be gold and blue tees is embedded a positive or negative turn for Taconic: actions such as restoring the old Stiles and Van Kleek cross bunkers on the 7th plaque honoring Jack Nicklaus's hole or perhaps moving the obsolete 6th hole bunkers further uphill toward the green would be a step in one here in the 1956 Junior Amateur. Bunkers right direction, but major relocation of bunkers and greens could sour the wonderful ambience and fluidity the course currently enjoys. A better step would be left take soft sand shots to start with clearing get out unnecessary tree plantings and open up more vistas across fairways and to distant peaks. The course was originally built on farmland, and while find the majestic pines add separation and isolation to holespin, opening up selective cross-course views would add to the classic nature of the layout. In sum, Taconic Golf Club and Williams College is a perfect match. There is nothing better than a Saturday afternoon spent golfing on Taconic with the crisp air, changing leaves, and the roar of Williams College football heard as their shoulders help kick blasts across the entire course. Every student should play a round at Taconic sometime during their four years heregreen.

<insert === 15 ==='''Par 4, 426 yards.''' The fun continues with a significantly elevated tee, where drivers hang against the distant face of Pine Cobble on their way to earth. Despite a wide fairway, Taconic pro and Williams varsity golf coach Rick Pohle believes the 15th fairway to be the most missed on the course. Maybe it is the lack of focus from the gorgeous view. The iron approach will bounce to the left once on the ground, and right pins on the green are difficult to access without a hard fade holding the right to left slope. === 16 ===[[Image:Taconic16.jpg|right|thumbnail|Looking back down the 16th, John Kildahl has left his approach in perfect position just short of the green.]]'''Par 4, 430 yards.''' Equally long to #15, but playing much longer back up the hill that #15 came down, the sixteenth hole is a demanding second shot hole. A good tee ball leaves anywhere from a mid to long iron up a 50 foot incline to a hilltop green. The green, as with many at Taconic, flows with the land back down the hill making the green very quick back to front. Many second shots end up short, which leaves simple pitches up to the hole - second shots long leave the golfer a delicate lob back to the green with the hope of just holding the green, let alone entertaining thoughts of par. === 17 ==='''Par 3, 221 yards.''' A challenging and exacting long iron is a must for the penultimate hole, which features a heavily tilted green back to front. The green was part of the original course in 1896, and while green speeds have quickened a bit since then, the slope of the land has not changed, producing many bogies and double bogies around this green. The tee ball should be played short of the green - a hill short right of the green can be used to kick the ball up onto the surface if the pin is back. Once the tee shot is in play, hopefully below the hole, the second shot must stay below the hole as well to leave an uphill putt for par. In the 1970's, the house behind the green was occupied by a Williams student, who also happened to be the Shah of Iran's son. Any shots long of the green in this era were subject to inspection by security and bodyguards who made sure golfers did not threaten the house in any manner! === 18 ==='''Par 5, 510 yards.''' A great home hole to finish the round as large swings between competitors are possible on this reachable par 5. Though slightly longer than #10, the green is not nearly as diabolical and thus more players do go for the green in two shots. The drive is over a pond to a plateau fairway, where the right center acts as a speed slot propelling the ball closer to the hole. The risk in hitting a long shot to the green is the out of bounds parking lot 5 yards left of the green. Years ago, a Williams College golfer hit 3 balls out of bounds, eventually taking a 12, resulting in a lost Little Threes championship to Amherst by one shot. In 2004, Coach Rick Pohle pulled off a little magic, winning beers off of captains Matt Slovitt and Zach McArthur by sticking a 5 iron one foot from the hole for birdie after a topped 3-wood. Anything can happen on #18 at Taconic. == The Future of Taconic ==[[Image:Taconic3rdhole.jpg|left|thumbnail|Proposed changes to the 3rd hole]]The greens committee of Taconic is currently considering a course restoration project to be completed during the winter of 2006-2007. They are working with architect Gil Hanse, who has had a hand in restoring such classic courses as Merion East, Kittansett, and Fenway. One exciting proposed change is adding a lower tee for #12 to the left of the existing tee. This would make the tee ball more intimidating, as the angle would be sharper and the shot semi-blind up and over the steep falloff; hopefully Hanse will also consider removing the huge oak that currently constricts the dangerous long left driving alley. The second major change will involve the third hole - adding fairway bunkering on the left while reconfiguring the landing areas. This proposed change alters one of the best par fours on the course, so hopefully the resulting hole will not fall anything short of excellent. The third drastic proposed change is to cut down 37 pine trees behind the 16th green to make it a "skyline" putting surface - this will provide a thrilling long iron shot to a flag flapping against the sky while also opening up dramatic views across the front nine. Other changes include adding fairway bunkering on 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 15 while removing the current bland oval fairway bunkers on 6, 7, and 8; adding greenside bunkers on 5, 15, and 18; recapturing lost green space on almost every hole; stretching fairways back out to their original width to tie them to bunkers that now lie disconnected in the rough; and adding new back tees to 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18 - in total adding 200 yards to the course. The tees on 16, 17, and 18 will bring those already punishing holes to 460 yards, 245 yards, and 535 yards, respectively - should be quite the tough finish to the already demanding back nine! Sketches of the master plan can be seen here: http://www.taconicgolf.com/CourseMasterPlan/index.htm.  From an interview on golfclubatlas.com, a few of Hanse's thoughts on restoring classic courses such as Taconic: "I think that the restoration of any classic courses should not be constrained in any way by what is considered reasonable in this day and age. I think that the true charm and character of these courses can often be found in what has been removed or altered from the original design. Most often the reason that these features have been removed is that they were considered unfair or obsolete. It is our contention that what is often considered unfair by the mainstream member, is the very stuff that you want to reintroduce. Because these features must have had a very real influence on the playability of the golf course for them to be so controversial. The fact that someone had to think about a feature is what every architect should be striving toward.  So often these courses have been emasculated through the removal of 'controversial' features, and then tree lined so that the destruction of any form of recovery or angle of attack is removed from the course. In essence, golf on many of these courses has been reduced to hit it in play or in the trees. If you hit it in play, it would be unfair to have anything in front of you i.e., cross bunkers, berms, or a natural feature that obscured your view. If you hit it in the trees, you really don't deserve a chance at recovery, so chip it out sideways. I truly believe that the introduction of way too many trees and the eradication of classic features have seriously eroded the quality of these old courses. The beauty of many of these courses is that the architect set the course up to make recovery shots more difficult, through the angling of a green, the locations of bunkers, etc. Difficult, yet not impossible as it is from the tree lined courses of today." Hanse's ideology and experience appear to be an excellent fit for Taconic as it moves forward with course changes. Thinning out trees and adding long-forgotten cross bunkers such as on the par four 7th are a necessary step in making Taconic an even purer golden-age golf course than it is currently. With well-thought out restoration strategies completed, Taconic will shine even brighter as one of the few true jewels of New England golf. == Taconic and Williams == [[Image:Taconic_foursome.jpg|right|thumbnail|A "typical student group," after their first shot, fall 2003. Photo taken by Rick Pohle, Head Professional, who sped down to the foursome after their first shot and said, "I have to have a picture of Clubhouse> you." Two years later, the polaroid still hangs in the clubhouse.]]Taconic Golf Club is a great resource for Williams College, and the students, faculty, and staff seem to treasure their opportunity. The course is very popular with students, who pay just $165 a semester for unlimited golf and club storage - compare this to Yale University which has a similarly excellent golf course and charges students $725 a semester. The unique opportunity of students playing with their professors is reinforced by the current college president, [[Morty Schapiro]], who hosts a scramble tournament each spring and fall pairing staff, faculty, and students together. In recent history, teams including Kevin Kellert '07 have been particularly successful. The varsity men's team competes yearly against the best members of Taconic in the Shultz Cup, a match play competition named after Williams alumnus George Shultz. “Taconic After losing for decades, the college kids claimed victory against the savvy members in the [[Fall 2002|Fall of 2002]] for the first time, and have not lost since. The Taconic experience is completed by Cathy and Rick Pohle's welcoming environment in the clubhouse for all, Greg Canales' excellent selection of BBC beer and food in the restaurant, and Kent Lemme and Matt Berger and the grounds crew's work keeping the course in pristine condition. The golf at Taconic Golf Club”Club and the academics at Williams College are both among the best the United States has to offer. There is nothing better than a Saturday afternoon spent golfing on Taconic with the crisp air, changing leaves, and the roar of Williams College [[football]] reverberating across the entire course. Every student should make it a point to play a round at Taconic sometime during their four years here.