Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Myopia Hunt Club
South Hamilton, Massachusetts, United States
18 Holes · Par 72 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Parkland
— About
About Myopia Hunt Club
Myopia Hunt Club is a private club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, north of Boston. Herbert C. Leeds designed the golf course in 1894, and it has kept the look of that era: tall mounds, deep bunkers, blind shots and plateau greens on fast putting surfaces. The layout is a par 72 of about 6,539 yards, short by modern standards, so its defense rests on the bunkers, the blind shots and the greens. Myopia held four of the first fourteen U.S. Opens, in 1898, 1901, 1905 and 1908. Fred Herd won the first of them. The 1901 championship produced a winning score of 331 by Willie Anderson, still the highest ever recorded, and in that event no player broke 80 in a round. Golf is only part of the club's identity. Myopia also keeps one of the oldest polo fields in the country and runs a drag hunt, in which hounds follow a laid scent instead of a live fox. The club is private, so this is a course most golfers will see only through history books and press accounts.
- Myopia hosted four U.S. Opens in 1898, 1901, 1905 and 1908, four of the first fourteen ever held.
- Willie Anderson's 331 at Myopia in 1901 remains the highest winning score in U.S. Open history.
- Herbert C. Leeds designed the course in 1894, and its tall mounds, blind shots and deep bunkers survive today.
- The club has kept one of the oldest polo fields in the country and operates a drag hunt.
- The par-72 course measures about 6,539 yards, short by modern standards, and relies on bunkers and greens.
History of Myopia Hunt Club
Golf came to Myopia in 1894, when the club set up a golf committee and Herbert C. Leeds designed the first course. The club soon became a stage for the national championship, hosting the U.S. Open in 1898, 1901, 1905 and 1908, four of the first fourteen played. Fred Herd won the first of them with a score of 328. Willie Anderson took the 1901 title in a playoff over Alex Smith after posting 331 over four rounds, the highest winning total on record, and Anderson won again in 1905. No Open has returned since 1908. In the following decades Myopia stayed private, while its polo field and drag hunt continued as part of club life alongside the golf. The course is a par 72 of about 6,539 yards, and its mounds and bunkers still follow the character of the 1894 design that Leeds built.
Signature holes at Myopia Hunt Club
The 4th is the hole most often singled out at Myopia, and it appears on a list of the country's top 100 signature holes. Beyond it, the course is defined less by individual showpieces than by its character as a whole: tall mounds, deep bunkers, blind shots that ask for a real carry, and plateau greens that putt fast. At about 6,539 yards and par 72, it is short by modern standards, so the round rewards careful planning and accurate iron play rather than power off the tee. In the 1901 Open, not one player broke 80 in a round on it.
When to play Myopia Hunt Club
Myopia is private, so timing depends first on whether a member can host you, not on a season or a public tee sheet. Its four U.S. Opens were played between 1898 and 1908 and none has returned, so there is no championship week to plan around. The club's polo field and drag hunt are part of its identity, so ask your host whether either affects your visit. There is no walk-up play at any time of year.
Playing Myopia Hunt Club: tips
Myopia is a private club, and the practical way onto the course is as the guest of a member, so the connection has to come first. The club is in South Hamilton, north of Boston, and Boston Logan is the nearest major airport. Ask your host about caddies, dress, arrival time and how the day is run, because the club does not publish its arrangements. No green fee is published, and there are no public tee times, so treat any round as an invitation rather than a booking.
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Myopia Hunt Club
Can the public play Myopia Hunt Club?
No. Myopia is a private club, and the practical route onto the course is as the guest of a member. No green fee is published, so an outside visitor needs a member host.
How many U.S. Opens were played at Myopia?
Four: 1898, 1901, 1905 and 1908, which made Myopia the host of four of the first fourteen championships. No U.S. Open has been played there since 1908.
Who designed Myopia Hunt Club's golf course?
Herbert C. Leeds designed it in 1894, when the club set up a golf committee. The course has kept the character of that era, with tall mounds, deep bunkers, blind shots and plateau greens.
What is the highest winning score in U.S. Open history?
Willie Anderson's 331 at Myopia in 1901. He beat Alex Smith in a playoff, and in that championship not one player broke 80 in any round.