Best Public Courses within 1.5 hours of Boston

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1. Read this thread - http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1499124-golfwrx-crowdsourced-top-20-you-can-play-ma/ for daily fee courses that are worth playing in Boston area. I don't think that thread has missed much

2. While the HP pro moved on, I have been told there is structural reciprocity with Hyannisport and a bunch of good clubs on Cape Cod in shoulder seasons. Your in-laws can probably confirm. I would also guess that many Hyannisport members ALSO are members at courses in Boston, so just make sure you make the right friends once you join!

3. Another thought - If you're playing to a 2 and are youngish (assuming from your name), you should consider Boston Golf or Old Sandwich - both love to get young good golfers in their midst and the courses typically are a second course for many of the members. Obviously cost is a huge component, but if you're joining Hyannisport, maybe you can afford a second place!)

3. Another thought - If you're playing to a 2 and are youngish (assuming from your name), you should consider Boston Golf or Old Sandwich - both love to get young good golfers in their midst and the courses typically are a second course for many of the members. Obviously cost is a huge component, but if you're joining Hyannisport, maybe you can afford a second place!)

--kC

1. Read this thread - http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1499124-golfwrx-crowdsourced-top-20-you-can-play-ma/ for daily fee courses that are worth playing in Boston area. I don't think that thread has missed much

 

2. While the HP pro moved on, I have been told there is structural reciprocity with Hyannisport and a bunch of good clubs on Cape Cod in shoulder seasons. Your in-laws can probably confirm. I would also guess that many Hyannisport members ALSO are members at courses in Boston, so just make sure you make the right friends once you join!

 

3. Another thought - If you're playing to a 2 and are youngish (assuming from your name), you should consider Boston Golf or Old Sandwich - both love to get young good golfers in their midst and the courses typically are a second course for many of the members. Obviously cost is a huge component, but if you're joining Hyannisport, maybe you can afford a second place!)

Hyannisport gets you full reciprocity with its peer courses on the cape; so that's a good amount of quality golf down there.

BGC is an option (but I think back to big $$$). Old Sandwich, I think, is still enforcing its "second club" rule - they require members to maintain another club membership closer to home.

The "have the HP pro call" option is probably not a workable solution. Sure he can get you on a few of the better clubs in town. But it's not something he's going to do for you every two weeks, and it's also prohibitively expensive to play as an unaccompanied guest. Probably ~$400 - $500 a round once you add it all up. It's a fine solution when on vacation in unfamiliar territory, but not something you can do more than a couple of times a year.

1. Read this thread - http://www.golfwrx.c...ou-can-play-ma/ for daily fee courses that are worth playing in Boston area. I don't think that thread has missed much

 

2. While the HP pro moved on, I have been told there is structural reciprocity with Hyannisport and a bunch of good clubs on Cape Cod in shoulder seasons. Your in-laws can probably confirm. I would also guess that many Hyannisport members ALSO are members at courses in Boston, so just make sure you make the right friends once you join!

 

3. Another thought - If you're playing to a 2 and are youngish (assuming from your name), you should consider Boston Golf or Old Sandwich - both love to get young good golfers in their midst and the courses typically are a second course for many of the members. Obviously cost is a huge component, but if you're joining Hyannisport, maybe you can afford a second place!)

 

Hyannisport gets you full reciprocity with its peer courses on the cape; so that's a good amount of quality golf down there.

 

BGC is an option (but I think back to big $$$). Old Sandwich, I think, is still enforcing its "second club" rule - they require members to maintain another club membership closer to home.

 

The "have the HP pro call" option is probably not a workable solution. Sure he can get you on a few of the better clubs in town. But it's not something he's going to do for you every two weeks, and it's also prohibitively expensive to play as an unaccompanied guest. Probably ~$400 - $500 a round once you add it all up. It's a fine solution when on vacation in unfamiliar territory, but not something you can do more than a couple of times a year.

What are the must play and worth playing courses with some sort of public access in Mass? I have been in Boston for 3 years and I am really trying to get out more now that my job is less demanding.

 

The wife and I will be joining Hyannisport next year. Her family has a vacation home in HP, her parents and grandparents are members etc so it's not really a choice for me. Not that I dislike the course but I play to a 2 handicap and would like some other challenging and well conditioned courses to play. I know the pro who used to be at HP (just left) had pretty good pull for getting members on the higher end private clubs around town but not sure what is going to happen now. We now have a temp pro who is fairly young so I am not sure what else I will eventually be able to play private course wise so I am looking for all the high end public golf I can find to supplement my cape golf.

I think you are right about "having the pro call". I'll have that as an option 10 times a year max in my estimation but should be enough to satisfy me a little bit although no where near as much as I would like.

It doesn't really work that way. The premise of "have your pro call" is reciprocity - he is implicitly offering a future round at your club to the pro of the club you want to visit. He can't just put you onto every course inside 495, because all of those pros will call him back with members who want to play. It's easy for him to make the call to, say, Cherry Hills because you're visiting Denver. Some day, somebody from Cherry Hills is going to vacation on the cape, and their pro will know exactly who to call.

Add on top of it that you're a new member, and I wouldn't ask for more than one round on an uptown course. You'll be way better off playing in four balls all summer with other HP members who will be happy to host you back home.

I think you are right about "having the pro call". I'll have that as an option 10 times a year max in my estimation but should be enough to satisfy me a little bit although no where near as much as I would like.

 

It doesn't really work that way. The premise of "have your pro call" is reciprocity - he is implicitly offering a future round at your club to the pro of the club you want to visit. He can't just put you onto every course inside 495, because all of those pros will call him back with members who want to play. It's easy for him to make the call to, say, Cherry Hills because you're visiting Denver. Some day, somebody from Cherry Hills is going to vacation on the cape, and their pro will know exactly who to call.

 

Add on top of it that you're a new member, and I wouldn't ask for more than one round on an uptown course. You'll be way better off playing in four balls all summer with other HP members who will be happy to host you back home.

Yeah you are probably right. Playing and networking with other members to get invited to other clubs is a better idea. First time joining a club so I am still learning.

My favorites in the Boston area are:

Pine Hills

Granite Links

Shaker Hills

Red Tail

Blackstone National (avoid in dry years)

Waverly Oaks

Played all of these multiple times. My favorite being Pine Hills. GL is fun, but is really tough most days.

BT

My favorites in the Boston area are:

 

Pine Hills

Granite Links

Shaker Hills

Red Tail

Blackstone National (avoid in dry years)

Waverly Oaks

 

Played all of these multiple times. My favorite being Pine Hills. GL is fun, but is really tough most days.

 

BT

My favorites in the Boston area are:

 

Pine Hills

Granite Links

Shaker Hills

Red Tail

Blackstone National (avoid in dry years)

Waverly Oaks

 

Played all of these multiple times. My favorite being Pine Hills. GL is fun, but is really tough most days.

 

BT

Shaker Hills was my first time on a golf course anywhere. Don't think I broke 100 in the front. Solid 62 on the back though. :)

May be traveling up North this week looking to play twilight golf. Is Granite Links open for the season?

May be traveling up North this week looking to play twilight golf. Is Granite Links open for the season?

Yes, GL is open and tee times are available on their website.

BT

Thank you

George Wright is a great public course done by Donald Ross...But if you're not into Hyannisport Club, I don't know if you would be into GW.

Can you guys make a suggestion or two coming North from the NY/NJ area?

Not a Yankee fan if that helps :)

I should add that I'll be staying in the Waltham area.

Do you want suggestions along the way? There are lots of good choices south of Boston in MA/RI/CT so would be good to know what route you plan to take. Once you're in Waltham you can reference courses already mentioned in this thread or the other one that is linked above.

George Wright sounds interesting.I was looking at Granite Links but it seems booked from 2-4:10

That's probably the best bet for something close. If you're willing to drive 30-45 min then there are more options.

Connecticut National in Putnam, CT is a very nice golf course. You will use every club in your bag. Greens are fast and undulating.

Leo J.! Leo J.! Leo J.!

Connecticut National in Putnam, CT is a very nice golf course. You will use every club in your bag. Greens are fast and undulating.

Playing there Saturday! One of my favorites, really looking forward to it.

Not a huge GL fan, but in terms of conditions, not much better close to Boston. In Waltham, you have some closer mediocre options in Sandy Burr, Wayland, and Leo J Martin. All are within 15 minutes of edges of Waltham, but all are typically in poor shape. That being said, Leo J and Sandy Burr are Donald Ross designs...

If you want to drive 45 minutes west, there are some options that have the conditioning of Granite Links but are better layouts IMHO. Red Tail and Shaker Hills are two of a handful of options I would pick over Granite Links

Not a huge GL fan, but in terms of conditions, not much better close to Boston. In Waltham, you have some closer mediocre options in Sandy Burr, Wayland, and Leo J Martin. All are within 15 minutes of edges of Waltham, but all are typically in poor shape. That being said, Leo J and Sandy Burr are Donald Ross designs...

You cannot possibly call Leo J mediocre. That is an insult to mediocrity.

Leo J is awful. Borderline not even golf.

Also no evidence that it was designed by Donald Ross, despite what the t-shirts in the “pro shop” say...

Not a huge GL fan, but in terms of conditions, not much better close to Boston. In Waltham, you have some closer mediocre options in Sandy Burr, Wayland, and Leo J Martin. All are within 15 minutes of edges of Waltham, but all are typically in poor shape. That being said, Leo J and Sandy Burr are Donald Ross designs...

 

You cannot possibly call Leo J mediocre. That is an insult to mediocrity.

 

Leo J is awful. Borderline not even golf.

 

Also no evidence that it was designed by Donald Ross, despite what the t-shirts in the “pro shop” say...

It’s better than a driving range, and there are no stupid houses around it.

Not a huge GL fan, but in terms of conditions, not much better close to Boston. In Waltham, you have some closer mediocre options in Sandy Burr, Wayland, and Leo J Martin. All are within 15 minutes of edges of Waltham, but all are typically in poor shape. That being said, Leo J and Sandy Burr are Donald Ross designs...

 

You cannot possibly call Leo J mediocre. That is an insult to mediocrity.

 

Leo J is awful. Borderline not even golf.

 

Also no evidence that it was designed by Donald Ross, despite what the t-shirts in the “pro shop” say...

 

It’s better than a driving range, and there are no stupid houses around it.

You think better than a driving range? The range at least has new mats to hit off of...

Connecticut National in Putnam, CT is a very nice golf course. You will use every club in your bag. Greens are fast and undulating.

 

Playing there Saturday! One of my favorites, really looking forward to it.

I think it's one of the hidden gems in southeastern New England. Enjoy!

Leo J is out, how about George Wright?