When I booked my photography work at Farm Neck Golf Club for September of 2025, I immediately circled it on my calendar. Not only is September the best month, but I had also heard some great things about the recent renovation at Farm Neck Golf Club on Martha’s Vineyard. I had never visited the island, so expectations were unnecessarily high. Fortunately, those expectations would be exceeded. Please enjoy this photography trip around every hole at Farm Neck Golf Club
Hole #1 - Par 4 - 409 yards
Like many other golf courses, Farm Neck opens up with a par 4 that offers a straightforward and simple challenge. A generous fairway allows golfers to get their bearings and a decent drive will allow for a good opportunity to attack this green protected by bunkers front and left. While the golf hole might feel ordinary, that feeling leaves you as soon as you step off of the first green and head towards the second tee.
Hole #2 - Par 5 - 528 yards
The views at Farm Neck begin to emerge when you step onto the tee box of the 2nd hole. This undulating par 5 spills out in front of the golfer and has several fairway bunkers that add to the strategy as well as the view. Two big shots and you could easily find yourself putting for eagle and a hot start.
Hole #3 - Par 4 - 362 yards
The golf is in full swing by the time you reach the 3rd hole at Farm Neck. The water comes into view and this short par 4 is on full display from an elevated tee box. There is a spectacular hazard to the left of the fairway which should be avoided at all costs. The smart play is to find the fairway with an iron and then loft a wedge into the green. Big drivers might opt to carry the bunker down the right hand side and push towards the green. Not only is this golf hole beautiful but it is a ton of fun to play.
Tee box view of hole #3
The view of the 3rd green from just below the tee box at morning light
Hole #4 - Par 3 - 173 yards
Even before the excitement of the 3rd hole has worn off, you will arrive on Farm Neck’s first par 3. This medium length hole plays directly towards the water and pumps up the scenery. Do not miss the green to the right as dense brush awaits the wayward shot. The green is large and undulated with several tiers challenging golfers to make par.
From above
From behind
From the tee
Hole #5 - Par 4 - 351 yards
By the time the golfer reaches the fifth tee box, they should have a sense of what to expect from the remainder of the golf course. Farm Neck isn’t overly long and won’t beat you up. Almost every hole gives you several options on strategy and how to play the golf hole. Most importantly, it places a premium on fun. The fifth hole is another one of those short holes that gives the player several options. You can go big with driver here and leave a short shot into this green or you can lay back in the fairway and approach with a mid iron.
Hole #6 - Par 3 - 207 yards
The second of three par 3’s on the front nine is the longest one on the golf course. Protected by 3 bunkers, the 6th hole provides a straight forward and ample challenge. The smart play is something to the middle of the green and try to leave the green with two putts for par.
Hole #7 - Par 4 - 391 yards
After a brief break from the waterfront, Farm Neck quickly escorts you back towards the good stuff. The manageable length of this par 4 allows golfers to decide from several different clubs from the tee, all of which must stop short of the pond fronting the green. The resulting approach shot is another heavy mixture of joy and scenery. The edges of the putting surface slope inward but several ridges running through the green can provide some difficult pin positions.
Hole #8 - Par 5 - 512 yards
From a photography perspective, the 8th hole was one of my favorites to photograph. The views from above give a great perspective on just how close the golf hole comes to the water’s edge. As a result, accuracy is important when navigating this short par 5. Two big and precise golf shots will give you another opportunity to putt for eagle. Most golfers will elect to layup and a well placed fairway bunker will make sure that no careless shots will find an easy road home.
One of the first things that a newcomer will be reminded of when visiting Martha’s Vineyard is that the movie JAWS was filmed here. The island most recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the iconic fish movie. In a good stroke of fortune, I was able to capture a rare aerial of the legendary beast. The 8th hole is full of surprises.
Hole #9 - Par 3 - 200 yards
The front nine finishes on a modest length par 3 that features a large water hazard on the front of the green. Take plenty of club and stuff one. With 3 par 3’s in the first nine holes, you will reach the halfway point at Farm Neck surprisingly quick. Don’t worry, plenty delicious treats still await you on the back nine.
From behind
From the tee
From the left with 18 green in the distance
Hole #10 - Par 4 - 426 yards
There are a couple of fairway bunkers to navigate on the back nine’s opening hole. If you aren’t careful, a prolonged stop at The Farm Neck Cafe and a case of lunch lag will prompt a visit from the bogey fairy. The ardent golfer hits two solid shots and walks away with a fresh start to the back nine.
Hole #11 - Par 5 - 557 yards
The longest hole on the golf course is a big beautiful sweeping dogleg. Find the fairway with your first two shots and enjoy an unobstructed angle into the green. My favorite feature on the golf hole is the newly created native area over the back of the green. There are a handful of these areas throughout the golf course and not only do they look fantastic but the also provide some fun options for exciting recovery shots.
Hole #12 - Par 4 - 404 yards
This medium length par 4 might look simple enough on the scorecard but there are a lot of things to be considered here. A big drive down the right hand side can dramatically shorten the golf hole but most golfers will play out to the left leaving a longer shot over the water hazard.
Hole #13 - Par 4 - 365 yards
What used to be a ninety degree dogleg surrounded by trees is now a much improved hole with increased visual appeal. Many of the trees on the right hand side of the fairway have been removed and replaced with bunkers and natural grasses. These changes open up several different options from the tee. You can challenge the right hand side with a big drive or you can lay out the left and leave yourself a longer approach into the green.
The 13th hole is just another one of the many shortish par 4’s that I really enjoyed. The fun doesn’t stop at Farm Neck.
Hole #14 - Par 4 - 348 yards
The 14th hole is another short par 4 and perhaps the signature hole at Farm Neck Golf Club. Not much should stop you from hitting driver and getting as close to the green as possible. The big drivers will challenge the front edge of the green and extreme precision is required in order to roll one onto the putting surface.
With the green placed on the water’s edge, any approach shot with a little too much heat will most likely trickle over the green and find a watery grave. The hole’s unique location on the edge of the property does a good job of making this one feel special.
Hole #15 - Par 3 - 188 yards
The lone par 3 on the back nine is a stunner surrounded by a trio of bunkers with water down the entire right hand side. Take a picture from the tee box and stuff one in there tight.
Hole #16 - Par 4 - 424 yards
The penultimate par 4 at Farm Neck requires some navigation from the tee box. If you can situate your drive in between the fairway bunkers, you will be rewarded with a straightforward approach into the green. To the left of the fairway are some more natural areas that add some additional beauty and increased playability. Now is the time to begin a strong march towards the finish line.
Hole #17 - Par 4 - 418 yards
I was able to confirm that a good round of golf can easily be ruined by the water hazard in front of the green. You are much better served by missing long and enjoying some of the finer features surrounding the green’s backside. Please enjoy the quote below from yours truly.
“A good drive offers little respite when you chunk your 9 iron into the pond like a damn clown.”
Hole #18 - Par 5 - 552 yards
The 18th hole offers one last good chance at birdie, especially for those that care to play aggressively. You can challenge the hazard line down the right hand side from the tee and go for the green in two… potential glory awaits. Three carefully executed golf shots into the green can also lead to a closing birdie. It all depends on what sort of fireworks you want to finish your round with.
Personally, I hit driver into the rough, driver out of the rough and then hit a wild and high flop shot to save my par. This finishing sequence was emblematic of my round at Farm Neck… fun, creative and filled with joyous options for exciting play. If you consider yourself a golfer and find yourself out on Martha’s Vineyard, it would be a crime not to book a tee time at Farm Neck Golf Club.
