GolfWRX Crowdsourced Top 20 You Can Play - MA

With the release of the GD "Best in State" list, there has been some commentary that it would be nice if there was a list of the "Best You Can Play".

I think that we know the courses of our state better than any rater who visits them once or twice and fills in their ballot...so let's build a Top 25 you can play in MA...and then try to rank them...I think the candidates are (in alphabetical order):

Bass River

Bayberry Hills

Blackstone National

Butter Brook

Captains (Port)

Captains (Starboard)

Cranberry Valley

Crumpin Fox

Cyprian Keyes

Farm Neck

George Wright

Granite Links

Hyannis

Kettle Brook

Miacomet

Pinehills (Jones)

Pinehills (Nicklaus)

Presidents

The Ranch

Red Tail

Sandy Burr

Shaker Hills

Shining Rock

Stowe Acres (North)

Stowe Acres (South)

Taconic

Wachusett

Waverly Oaks

Any that should be added or removed?

I would add Atlantic CC, Crosswinds, Poquoy Brook, Acushent River Valley and Highfields.

Remove Sandy Burr and both Stow courses. I'd also remove Shining Rock but that's just a personal dislike and most probably wouldn't agree.

I would add Atlantic CC, Crosswinds, Poquoy Brook, Acushent River Valley and Highfields.

 

Remove Sandy Burr and both Stow courses. I'd also remove Shining Rock but that's just a personal dislike and most probably wouldn't agree.

Agree on adding Crosswinds and Poquoy Brook (never played Atlantic or Highfields). What about:

Butternut Farm (very tight but normally in good condition when I played it years ago)

Maplegate

Pembroke

As someone who has played both 10+ times, I would delete Hyannis and replace it with Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds. OB is easier, but just a much better layout, better conditions, and a much more enjoyable course

(BTW, love this thread - great idea)

Great idea, and agree with the additions so far. Love kettle brook making it, hidden gem imho.

I'd remove cyprian personally. Not a fan.

Add Highland Links, just because it is unique. Also, it might be too early, but The Cape Club (the old Ballymeade) is probably worthy of discussion.

I don't think Sandy Burr belongs on the list (with the caveat that I haven't played it in 20 years).

 

Agree on adding Crosswinds and Poquoy Brook (never played Atlantic or Highfields). What about:

 

Butternut Farm (very tight but normally in good condition when I played it years ago)

Maplegate

Pembroke

Butternut is OK, but wouldn't consider it a possible top 25. Maplegate? I think it's a nice layout and haven't played it in quite a while but conditions there are typically awful. And the people that run it? Don't get me started....

Agree on adding Crosswinds and Poquoy Brook (never played Atlantic or Highfields). What about:

 

Butternut Farm (very tight but normally in good condition when I played it years ago)

Maplegate

Pembroke

 

Butternut is OK, but wouldn't consider it a possible top 25. Maplegate? I think it's a nice layout and haven't played it in quite a while but conditions there are typically awful. And the people that run it? Don't get me started....

I haven't played Maplegate in several years but when I played it, I would have considered it a top-25 potential. Conditions used to be pretty good except certain beat up tee boxes but it also had a decent grass range.

Alas, if the management has let the course degrade maybe it doesn't belong on the list or perhaps the votes would keep it out of the Top 25 anyway. I enjoy other courses more on this list, which may also prove your point! ;-)

Great feedback from everyone. I think the process should be to establish the pool of ~30 courses that should be considered "Top 20", and then try to rank them in order. Courses that are clearly below the cut line will be cut at that point, but I think it's important to include just about every credible course at this stage. Also, your most recent experience with a course that you're commenting on should be in the past 5 years, at most.

Also, I think the standard of judgement is: given course A or B, which one would I rather play my next round on, excluding travel or cost considerations. The list as it stands is (36 courses):

Acushnet River Valley

Atlantic CC

Bass River

Bayberry Hills

Blackstone National

Butter Brook

Butternut Farm

The Cape Club

Captains (Port)

Captains (Starboard)

Cranberry Valley

Crosswinds

Crumpin Fox

Cyprian Keyes

Farm Neck

George Wright

Granite Links

Highfields

Highland Links

Hyannis

Kettle Brook

Maplegate

Miacomet

Old Barnstable Fairgrounds

Pembroke

Pinehills (Jones)

Pinehills (Nicklaus)

Poquoy Brook

Presidents

The Ranch

Red Tail

Sandy Burr

Shaker Hills

Shining Rock

Stowe Acres (North)

Stowe Acres (South)

Taconic

Wachusett

Waverly Oaks

Another cape course I might add to the list is Brookside in Bourne. I'd definitely play that over a couple of the list above. Agree on the Highland Links addition (although I've never played it, just have heard such good things from my cape friends who have)

Another cape course I might add to the list is Brookside in Bourne. I'd definitely play that over a couple of the list above. Agree on the Highland Links addition (although I've never played it, just have heard such good things from my cape friends who have)

Haven't played there in ages! Mean to get back every year and never do. As I remember it, it was an awesome track.

Also this is an excellent idea. Saw that list last week or what ever and was bummed because they are all private. (Besides GL)

OK, we're at 37 (including Brookside) and I think we need to cut down to 20...then we can argue about the order within that 20.

I would suggest that there are a group of clubs that we can *all* agree are "Top 20" (though we might debate where, exactly in the Top 20 they stand):

Crumpin Fox

Farm Neck

Miacomet

Pinehills (Jones)

Pinehills (Nicklaus)

Red Tail

Shaker Hills

Taconic

Any objections to giving these 8 courses a "bye" into the Top 20? A single vote will throw them back into the pool - these should all be "obviously" Top 20 courses, and if you don't think they meet that standard, let's judge them against the other 29. Also note, this is not per se the "Top 8" - just that I can't see having a Top 20 list that ignores these ones.

I would take stow acres South off the list and replace with wachusset cc.

OK, we're at 37 (including Brookside) and I think we need to cut down to 20...then we can argue about the order within that 20.

 

I would suggest that there are a group of clubs that we can *all* agree are "Top 20" (though we might debate where, exactly in the Top 20 they stand):

 

Crumpin Fox

Farm Neck

Miacomet

Pinehills (Jones)

Pinehills (Nicklaus)

Red Tail

Shaker Hills

Taconic

 

Any objections to giving these 8 courses a "bye" into the Top 20? A single vote will throw them back into the pool - these should all be "obviously" Top 20 courses, and if you don't think they meet that standard, let's judge them against the other 29. Also note, this is not per se the "Top 8" - just that I can't see having a Top 20 list that ignores these ones.

I wouldn't be so quick to put Shaker Hills on the "Bye" list especially without Blackstone National getting a bye. I say let the voters vote on Shaker Hills but I'm not losing any sleep over it. ;-)

I wouldn't be so quick to put Shaker Hills on the "Bye" list especially without Blackstone National getting a bye. I say let the voters vote on Shaker Hills but I'm not losing any sleep over it. ;-)

Interesting. I've played both in the last month - Shaker for the first time since it's ownership transition a couple of years ago.

Ten years ago, Blackstone would have been on my "no brainer" list, but I feel like it's slipped a bit.

Conversely, five years ago, Shaker would have been on my Top 20 bubble, but when I played it a couple of weeks ago, I was impressed with how it's turned out.

But, one vote punts a course, so we're down to seven "byes".

Haven't played it personally, but I hear the ranch is top 10 level.

Blissful Meadows is another one I would add.

OK, I'm going to be so bold as to make the first cuts. Keep in mind that there are 212 public courses in the state, so even the ~40 named represent the top 20%. Courses that are only above average are going to need to get cut.

Byes

Crumpin Fox

Farm Neck

Miacomet

Pinehills (Jones)

Pinehills (Nicklaus)

Red Tail

Taconic

Remainder - Strikethroughs are Cuts This Round

Acushnet River Valley

Atlantic CC

Bass River

Bayberry Hills

Blackstone National

Blissfull Meadows

Butter Brook

Butternut Farm - Conditioning is decent, but the layout is so tight and quirky; better than average course, but not among the best.

The Cape Club

Captains (Port)

Captains (Starboard) - The Captains courses are nice for a warm day in January...but top 10% in MA at their best? No.

Cranberry Valley

Crosswinds

Cyprian Keyes Typically in good shape, but quirky layout (with a ton of ESAs to lose your ball in...).

George Wright

Granite Links

Highfields

Highland Links

Hyannis

Kettle Brook

Maplegate

Old Barnstable Fairgrounds

Pembroke

Poquoy Brook

Presidents Everything a muni should be...but not in the conversation for the best courses.

The Ranch

Sandy Burr

Shaker Hills

Shining Rock

Stowe Acres (North)

Stowe Acres (South) There may have been a time for the Stowe Acres courses, but that time is not 2017

Wachusett

Waverly Oaks

It feels like the Cape (and Plymouth) are over represented here. Can you possibly have 5 of "the best" public golf courses within a couple of miles of each other in Plymouth? Every muni on the Cape (Bayberry, Bass River, CV, Hyannis, et. al.) can't make the cut.

Who's willing to make the next round of cuts?

I need to get out more! Not a mass native but have lived here for 20 years and haven't heard of many of these. As for the ones I can speak for, I'd argue that crosswinds and acushnet are just as good if not better then either of the pine hills courses.

Great stuff - I personally would put George Wright on the bye list. Yes, conditions aren't great and the club house amenities suck, but the layout is too darn good. If that course had the resources of a private club it would be right up there with the best (but that is not what you asked, so...)

I would cut Granite Links. Great shape - yes, great views - yes, close to Boston - yes, but everything else about it stinks. Tough layout, blind shots, gimmicky holes. They did what they could with the land, but some land shouldn't have a golf course!

It a very tough decisions not having played about 50% of the remaining courses. Should we have some criteria to make the cut, are we just talking about the course (layout and conditions) or the whole package?

Take Shining Rock, I personally like the course but 1.) it is quirky 2.) It's not walkable. For those reasons I think it gets cut.

Some may disagree but I would also cut Bass River as well. Yes it's a classic Ross design, has a picturesque par 3, but outweighing those two things are its length, (very short by today's standard), the clubhouse (dated and there aren't many amenities) and the size of the putting green.

Great stuff - I personally would put George Wright on the bye list. Yes, conditions aren't great and the club house amenities suck, but the layout is too darn good. If that course had the resources of a private club it would be right up there with the best (but that is not what you asked, so...)

 

I would cut Granite Links. Great shape - yes, great views - yes, close to Boston - yes, but everything else about it stinks. Tough layout, blind shots, gimmicky holes. They did what they could with the land, but some land shouldn't have a golf course!

I agree. I played it once (for free), and didn't think much of the course.

It a very tough decisions not having played about 50% of the remaining courses. Should we have some criteria to make the cut, are we just talking about the course (layout and conditions) or the whole package?

 

Take Shining Rock, I personally like the course but 1.) it is quirky 2.) It's not walkable. For those reasons I think it gets cut.

 

Some may disagree but I would also cut Bass River as well. Yes it's a classic Ross design, has a picturesque par 3, but outweighing those two things are its length, (very short by today's standard), the clubhouse (dated and there aren't many amenities) and the size of the putting green.

Agree with you on Shining Rock, greens are pretty small and they have way too much undulation in them.

I also have a hard time ignoring cost. I mean, I like Shaker Hills, but do not think it's worth $95 on a weekend. I think Kettle Brook is a better course and it's only $70. Or Highfields at $65. Of course, location plays a big part there. The Ranch would be an easy bye list choice for me, but the last couple times I played it, conditions weren't great (again, considering the price).

Lot to process here.

(1) I really think you have to ignore cost. Cost is both fluid (in the GolfNow era) and transparent. People can make a choice about whether they should pay $95 at Shaker Hills vs. $65 at Highfields - they know how much that $30 means to them.

(2) I do think we need a consensus on what we're trying to rate. My intent was to capture the full experience of the round, not just the quality of the course in the ground (so, for example, a surly pro shop staff should count against a course). This is "best places to play", not "most impressive golf course architecture".

(3) Let's cut Bass River, Shining Rock, and Granite Links.

(4) George Wright. I knew this would come up. The course is the darling of the GCA set of late. I've played it a few times over the past year, and have really mixed feelings. My perspective is that everybody who loves GW is grading on a massive curve. The conditioning is not good. But it is SOO much better than (a) it used to be; and, (b) other urban municipal courses. The routing has its ups and downs, (1&2 are nothing special, the 7/8/9 pocket is a little clunky) but does have some very fun holes - and some amazing holes, for a municipal course. The grand clubhouse is impressive, from the outside. People love George Wright both for its potential (what it could be!) AND for its abject rejection of that potential (its a real muni course, with real muni maintenance and real muni pace of play). It is the antithesis of the amazing private club that it could be. In the end, I put it in a category with Highland Links. It's an experience that every golfer should seek out. But is it a Top 20 round of golf? I'm not saying that it's not...but I can understand how some people would think we're crazy for putting it ahead of some of the others.

I would absolutely cut Maplegate. That place is a dog track these days in my opinion. I would also personally take Atlantic CC off. I played it a few weeks ago and was really disappointed in the condition that the course was in, especially for what they charge.

Also agree with eliminating Maplegate.

I play almost all my golf in the greater Springfield area. I'd say Crumpin Fox + The Ranch are the clear best 2 around here.

Below them but still great public tracks- Crestview CC and CC of Greenfield

Bit off-topic. The Orchards in South Hadley has a public shotgun July 3. $65 golf/ cart/ prizes + a return round of golf w/ cart for $20 coupon. Reservations required. Just throwing that out for anyone interested.

Has anyone played Cape Club yet always thought Ballymeade was vastly overrated but interested to hear about the renovations Troon did there?

Great idea! I will make a few suggestions for further cuts. First remove Balleymeade(The cape club), Bayberry Hills, Pembroke and Blissful Meadows. Those course while decent are just not of similar quality to the rest on the list.

Now it's starting to get tough'and I am sure my next suggestions will have plenty of push-back but here goes... I think Crosswinds is decent but just not in the same league as Pinehills and Waverly. Crosswinds seems to get good reviews but they always mention value and that it's much cheaper than Waverly.

If you need any more cuts after that then I would drop Porqouy Brook and Highfields. Both have more than their share of quirky holes

After various cuts, we're down to:

Byes

Crumpin Fox

Farm Neck

Miacomet

Pinehills (Jones)

Pinehills (Nicklaus)

Red Tail

Taconic

Remainder - Strikethroughs are Cuts This Round

Acushnet River Valley

Atlantic CC

Bass River

Bayberry Hills

Blackstone National

Blissfull Meadows

Butter Brook

Butternut Farm - Conditioning is decent, but the layout is so tight and quirky; better than average course, but not among the best.

The Cape Club

Captains (Port)

Captains (Starboard) - The Captains courses are nice for a warm day in January...but top 10% in MA at their best? No.

Cranberry Valley

Crosswinds

Cyprian Keyes Typically in good shape, but quirky layout (with a ton of ESAs to lose your ball in...).

George Wright

Granite Links

Highfields

Highland Links

Hyannis

Kettle Brook

Maplegate

Old Barnstable Fairgrounds

Pembroke

Poquoy Brook

Presidents Everything a muni should be...but not in the conversation for the best courses.

The Ranch

Sandy Burr

Shaker Hills

Shining Rock

Stowe Acres (North)

Stowe Acres (South) There may have been a time for the Stowe Acres courses, but that time is not 2017

Wachusett

Waverly Oaks

Next step, I'm going to rank only those courses that I have played, leaving the others on the bottom. For those who have played them, insert them in what you believe to be the appropriate place. If you don't agree with my rankings, post your own.

1. Taconic

2. Farm Neck

3. Crumpin Fox (note for those who have not played it in 2017 - they did a bunch of tree work over the winter that improved the course a bit)

4. Red Tail (I've heard - but not seen personally - that conditioning can get dicey here)

5. Shaker Hills

6. Blackstone National

7. Highland Links

8. The Ranch

9. Pinehills (Jones)

10. Waverly Oaks

11. Cranberry Valley

12. George Wright

13. Kettle Brook

14. Pinehills (Nicklaus)

Remainder that I have not played:

Acushnet River Valley

Butter Brook

Highfields

Miacomet

Old Barnstable Fairgrounds

Wachusett