Province Lake Golf was originally built in 1918 as a 9-hole course along the shores of Province Lake by Joseph Emery and his friends and business associates. Emery, a native of Dover, N.H., served as president of Lord & Taylor in New York City and visited Province Lake each summer. The original course was designed by Lawrence Van Etten, who laid out a number of courses on the East Coast, including a course at Deal Country Club in New Jersey and the original Wykagyl Course in New Rochelle, N.Y.

In 1988, a second nine was built, designed by renowned East Coast architect Brian Silva. Silva's work includes the Captains Course and Cape Cod National in Brewster, Mass., Black Creek, outside Chattanooga, Shaker Hills in Harvard, Mass., and Cyprian Keyes Golf Club in Boylston, Mass.

Although the back nine is shorter than the front, it is a more challenging set of holes based upon tighter fairways, smaller landing areas, and the water hazards that were introduced. Over the years, many other improvements have been made in our irrigation and layout. We've also renovated many of the original buildings on the property.

 Province Lake Blends the Past and the Future of Golf in "One Scenic 18".

The first hole is a 400-yard par-4 from the back tees (237 yards from the front), which makes for a good opener. The generous fairway helps you start your game with relaxation. The 2nd hole (461 yards from the back and 330 from the front) is a long straightaway. The hole is lined with tall fescue on the left, which gives it extra definition and the green can be reached in two offering an early birdie or even eagle attempt.

One of the most outstanding holes on the front nine is the 6th, a par-5 nicknamed "Lakeside Belle." Pictured here to the left, it measures 530 yards from the back and 327 from the front. It's a challenging hole which travels along beautiful Province Lake.

The par-4 8th, playing at 382 yards from the back and 276 from the front, is the well-known "Hour Glass" fairway. There you hit to a fairway with a wide-open landing area, which narrows slightly and then becomes wider again. A brook runs along the right hand side and then crosses the fairway about 275 yards from the back tees. "You'll want to hit as close as you can to that point, and then make your second shot over the creek and up to the elevated green."

You've probably heard this said before about golf courses: "Every hole is different." But our back nine certainly fits that expression in a way that few others can.Take the 11th, a breathtaking par-3, which is 175 yards from the back and 113 from the front. You'll be hitting downhill to a huge green where the view is stupendous. There's a gorgeous sighting of the lake behind the green. As a matter of fact, you can see Province Lake from fourteen of the eighteen holes.

The 16th, 17th and 18th holes are truly a test of accuracy and strategy, featuring out-of-bounds areas on both sides of the fairways.

"Temptation," the 17th, is a big dogleg left par-4 (382 yards from the back and 229 from the front). The thrill is hitting the green with your approach shot. The green is very large - 6,000 square feet. Take heed of the bunker behind the green and the water on the left. If you've got the long shot, you can take a risk-reward blast over the trees on the left aiming straight to the green. But cautious players may want to drive to the center of the fairway, and then hit a 150-yard approach to the green.