2026 Massachusetts Open Qualifying at Kernwood Country Club

Here in the first full week of May in 2026, qualifying for the 2026 Massachusetts Open is underway.

On May 4th, the first rounds commenced at Kernwood Country Club and Walpole Country Club. I was able to attend the round at Kernwood Country Club, and what a round it was.

Kernwood Country Club, located in Salem, Massachusetts, is a remarkable Donald Ross golf course on a stunning piece of land just off the ocean. The routing takes the player on a diverse journey to and from the waters edge, up and down enormous elevation changes inland, and on some extremely firm and special putting surfaces. The penalties for missing in the wrong spots here can be quite punishing, and if the wind picks up as it did on this day, it can test the best of players to hold an even par score.

The course played as a par 70, and measured 6456 yards in length. Each hole provided its own unique test, but there were a few that stood out to me the most.

The 420 yard par 4 2nd hole at Kernwood Country Club plays all uphill and into the wind. As the players make their way up the hill to the bowl-shaped green, special care was needed to not miss the green left on the approach. This hole introduces the player to a common feature around the greens at this course: steep drop offs that lead to extremely delicate pitches. It was easy to see how this hole is the number two handicap on the scorecard.

A few holes later, the players were introduced to the par 3 4th. The green at the 4th hole is dramatically elevated above the tee. To make matters even more interesting, the wind on this day blew sternly across this hole from right to left, and like the 2nd hole, there is a severely sharp slope off the left side of the green here. The putting surface itself is also pitched greatly from back to front with a major slope at the beginning of the green. Many of the players I spoke with agreed this was the day's most difficult shot.

Perhaps one of the course's signature holes, the beautiful par 4 5th hole is a sweeping left to right hole, with the Danvers river all down the left side. The water hazard just off the tee was not in play for the competitors, but those who worked to push the tee shot as far as possible had to factor in a curved bunker pinching in at about 50 yards from the green. The putting surface, situated just off the water's edge, is one of the most interesting on the course, featuring a large steep ridge on the back left, and sharp areas to the right that quickly send wayward shots into the rough. Being all on the water, the wind provided an added challenge to navigating this exceptional golf hole.

As the field moved further into the front nine the course continued to present the players with interesting approach shots. The green at the 7th hole is protected by a tremendous cross bunker up front and another steep slope to the left, and the 8th hole approach is guarded by giant mounds and a steep slope at the green's front edge.

After a short par 3 to close out the front nine, the course moves into an inland stretch with two difficult par 4 holes to start off the back nine, each measuring over 420 yards. The 10th hole begins with an elevated tee shot down to a valley, and the approach into the green is completely blocked out visually a massive mound. The players had to walk up to the top of the mound to plan their starting lines. The preferred miss on this hole was most certainly short and center.

The 11th hole sends the player back down into the same valley as the 10th hole, and the green is guarded by a large cross bunker and another to the right. The wind on this day made the approach shot difficult to judge, especially out of the right side rough. Players that went long on the green here were faced with a difficult shot back to the green. The backside of this green drops off considerably, and with the pin positioned not far from the back edge, not being long at all costs was paramount.

The second of the course's two par 5 holes is the all uphill 13th hole. Kernwood continued to challenge the field with enormous changes in elevation, and this hole was no exception. The fairway at this hole is sloped considerably from left to right, leaving a challenging shot up to the top of the hill where the green is located moving to the right. At the top of the hill, the green site is an extremely difficult one to navigate. The green is of a bowl style, is raised above the fairway, and features several raised areas and sharp runoffs. Only one player that made the cut would go on to make a birdie here.

The closing stretch of holes 16, 17, and 18 at Kernwood presents the player with two par 4 holes and a par 3 hole. Hole 16 is the number one handicap hole on the course, designed with a beautiful 430 yard right to left routing, marshland left, and a considerable approach over water to a raised, back to front sloped green. The climb towards the end continues on the par 3 17th hole, presenting yet another uphill shot to one of the smallest greens on the course. The small target is well protected by a deep bunker at the front and to the right, a false front and collection area, and mounding around the sides. The finishing hole is a brilliant par 4 hole back to the club house. While only measuring around 360 yards, the approach to this uphill green is best made from the right side of the fairway, as the green slopes heavily off the right side and can send balls all the way down to the base of the hill. Several players who were right of the flag were forced to chip or pitch back up to the green to try to not lose any furthers strokes.

In total, fifteen players made the cut to advance to the 2026 Massachusetts Open at Oyster Harbors Club. The low round of the day was achieved by Jake Peer. The amateur player from Winchester Country Club shot an impressive 72 in conditions that some said were the hardest they had ever experienced at this golf course. The day was a tremendous example of how Kernwood Country Club continues to shine as an exceptional test on the Massachusetts North Shore.

For the complete results of this qualifier, as well as those from other qualifiers for the Massachusetts Open, be sure to visit the Mass Golf website.