Golf came to the Wentworth hotel as a nine-hole “Scottish links” in 1897, attributed locally to George Wright (a key early New England figure) with Alex Findlay also named in the club’s summary of origins. This version functioned as a resort amenity for hotel guests on the open, seaside flats.
During the next growth spurt in American resort golf, the hotel’s owner Harry Beckwith is reported to have commissioned Donald Ross to rebuild the Wentworth Links—the club places this “around 1911,” while other sources, including area histories and golf directories, report 1921. A hospitality history of the hotel states that Beckwith “hired the famous Donald Ross to design the finest nine-hole course in New England,” reinforcing that Ross’s remit concerned a comprehensive upgrade of the existing nine rather than a greenkeeping tweak.
The venue remained nine holes through the mid-20th century. In 1964 the club retained Geoffrey S. Cornish to add a second nine and organize 18 holes on the compact seaside acreage—this step is consistently reported in both the club’s description and independent course profiles. Cornish’s work created today’s basic 18-hole framework.
By the late 1990s, Brian Silva (a former Cornish associate) executed a modernization program described by multiple sources as creating “a handful of new holes,” phasing out others, and adding length and coherence within the tight corridors; a travel piece likewise refers to a “complete” late-1990s renovation by Silva. These accounts are secondary and do not list an exact project year or hole numbers; the club site does not publish Silva’s scope.
Unique Design Characteristics
Even in its modern, layered form, the course’s identity remains that of a short, wind-swept seacoast layout where angles and trajectory dominate. The six par-3s define the rhythm—on the front nine, the 2nd (142–130 yards) and 3rd (170–140) typically play with a crosswind; the 9th (200–92) turns back toward the clubhouse. The back-nine one-shotters—12th (160–128), 15th (175–141), and 17th (200–115)—probe different exposures and elevations, a sequencing that makes club selection and wind management the course’s central problem.
Short par-4s and reachable par-5s provide counterpunch opportunities when conditions cooperate. The 10th plays 293 yards from Blue, tempting a driver when downwind but punishing misses; the 11th (516–434) and 16th (493–330) are classic “maybe” par-5s where the second shot trajectory is at the mercy of the breeze; the 18th (380–295) is a modest-length finisher balanced by its exposure and angle into the prevailing wind.
Where, specifically, might Ross’s handiwork linger? Given the Cornish expansion (1964) and later Silva edits, intact Ross bunkering or green perimeters are unlikely to survive wholesale; however, the routing sensibility on the hotel-side nine—short two-shotters punctuated by one-shotters into or across the wind—remains consistent with period accounts of the course as a rebuilt nine for resort play. Without a Ross plan or early aerials laid over current LIDAR, any hole-by-hole attribution would be speculative.
Historical Significance
Wentworth is historically notable not as a pure Ross time capsule but as a case study in layered New England seaside golf: Wright/Findlay 1897 hotel links → Ross rebuild (c. 1911 or 1921) → Cornish’s 1964 build-out to 18 → Silva’s late-1990s consolidation. That sequence illustrates how a resort nine of the 1890s evolved to meet mid-century membership needs and modern presentation, while preserving the essential wind-driven, small-scale character that originally drew hotel guests. Published summaries and travel features regularly cite the Ross and Cornish phases; some go further in crediting Silva with “a handful of new holes” or a comprehensive late-1990s renovation. There is no record on the club site of major championships; the property’s significance is architectural continuity under changing expectations rather than tournament pedigree.
Current Condition / Integrity
Routing & yardage. The present score tables show a par-70 at 5,795 yards (Blue), with a compact footprint and short walks between greens and tees. The six par-3s remain the structural signature.
Greens & surrounds. The course tour does not publish green drawings; however, hole-by-hole yardage, par, and handicap reveal that scoring pressure derives from exposure and angle rather than sheer length, which comports with a long history of seaside resort play on this site. Determining which green platforms (if any) trace to Ross’s rebuild would require either (a) an original plan set from the Tufts Archives or (b) early aerials to compare contours and perimeters through the Cornish and Silva eras.
Later alterations. The Cornish nine (1964) almost certainly introduced new green sites and corridors on the inland half of the property; Silva’s late-1990s work reportedly re-ordered certain holes and added length. Because neither the club nor the architects’ websites present a published, hole-numbered scope, the degree to which Ross’s rebuilt nine survives in today’s hole sequence is uncertain; the prudent inference is that the corridors and general scale of portions of the historic side persist, not their exact bunkering or green lines.
Facilities. Practice amenities—including a range with targets, chipping/putting green by the first tee, and a putting green by the clubhouse—support the modern member experience alongside a three-hole Seaside Course for juniors and casual play.
Sources & Notes
Wentworth-by-the-Sea CC — Golf (official site): “around 1911” Ross rebuild; Cornish 1964 expansion; facility/practice descriptions; six par-3s, eight par-4s, four par-5s.
Wentworth By the Sea
Wentworth-by-the-Sea CC — Course Tour / Slopes & Rating (official): hole-by-hole yardages; Blue total 5,795 yards, par 70; CR/Slope by tee.
Top100GolfCourses profile (United States → New Hampshire → Wentworth by the Sea): 1897 Wright nine; Ross revision; Cornish 1960s nine; Silva late-1990s edits.
Top 100 Golf Courses
Hospitality Net, “Hotel History: Wentworth by the Sea” (July 13, 2022): Beckwith “hired the famous Donald Ross to design the finest nine-hole course in New England.” Brian McCallen, travel pieces (The A Position / LINKS/GolfPass references): characterization of Silva’s late-1990s work (“handful of new holes,” added length; “complete renovation”). (Secondary.)
Club narrative naming early architects: original 1897 links attributed to George Wright (with Alex Findlay also named). (Secondary/club history capsule.)
Community research thread (GolfClubAtlas): questions about evidentiary basis for Ross involvement and dates—useful as a pointer to the documentation gap. (Secondary; not determinative.)