BOSTON'S #1 COURSE

[TightenUpROOKIE]

a CGT tour stop

If anyone is from or is around Boston you have to play Granite Links in Quincy which is around 5 minutes south, right off I-93. The course is magnificent, they have another 18-holes going up & the view of the city is un-real. Although I must say this is the worst course to play a professional event at due to all the blind tee shots & hilly lay out really makes for long long tournament rounds with us players & caddy's walking. To do this course justice I'll compare it to my favorite course, which is Kittansett located in Marion, it's one of those super private courses but since becoming friends with Ron Philo Jr. I've been lucky enough to play there a lot, with 14 of the 18 holes lined by the Cape Cod bay. This course is right up there & is a must play, it was built out of an old quarry with dirt from the Big Dig, one of the few good things to come from the dig! I'll post a picture of just one of the many great sights of the city, it was taken with my phone on the 1st tee while I was waiting to tee off in my practice round. Anyone who has played there can tell you this is a must play track.

[freddiec]

i've played it and Granite links is totally a great course. The original 18 built a couple of years ago, does have a few blind shots, but its a real fun course. here is a pic. I took a ton of pics last year there.

[Oaks]

I do agree that Granite Links is a GOOD golf course... but to mention it in the same breath with Kittansett? I wholeheartedly disagree with you comparing the two. I will give Granite Links one thing... the views of the Boston area skyline are unreal... I think that is the real reason why so many people enjoy the golf course. The layout and the course are an exceptionally enjoyable course... but if you want to mention it as one of the best... there are others that I would suggest playing... Carnegie Abbey, Wannamoisett, Newport National, Newport CC (2006 Womens Open -1995 US Amateur) are some of the finer ones in Rhode Island...

 

Overall, Granite Links - Good/Enjoyable Golf Course but it certainly isn't one that I would like to play everyday.

 

BTW: Good Luck with your tournament there... it is a Challenge

[freddiec]

I would agree, although i have not played Katanset down the cape, just heard great things about it. You can't even compare the 2 courses, talk about Jeckel and Hyde. Granite is a fun course to play, the views are spectacular, i was amazed when I played it last year. Pinehills in Plymouth imo is the best in the area, but its about a 45 minute drive from downtown Boston.

[WCD]

Granite Links is a decent course. Nothing spectacular. Pinehills is definitely better IMO.

[strat1410]

Best courses in the Boston area. Definitely Pinehills, both courses. The Ranch in Southwick. If you don't mind a little drive, check out Belgrade Lakes in Maine. Spectacular.

[wolfgame]

I checked the Cleveland Golf Tour site, but did not see your name as a player for Granite Links on Oct 5-7....what gives?

[theinsider]

I checked the Cleveland Golf Tour site, but did not see your name as a player for Granite Links on Oct 5-7....what gives?

63320[/snapback]

 

Let the squirming begin - seen this on a few other sites with this guy.

[shook23]

I checked the Cleveland Golf Tour site, but did not see your name as a player for Granite Links on Oct 5-7....what gives?

63320[/snapback]

 

Let the squirming begin - seen this on a few other sites with this guy.

63350[/snapback]

 

 

While on the topic of Boston area courses, I'll chime in.

Red Tail is awesome, especially in the fall, and Shaker Hills is right there too. Newport national is pretty sweet too, but I just don't think that anything would compare to Newport CC. The history and course are awesome. Most underated course, Green Valley in RI.

[freddiec]

Red Tail is without a doubt one of the best public in the State, i'd agree. I love that place. redtailgolf.net I think is the site. If you throwing private coures into the mix. Salem CC in Peabody has hosted several US Opens including the 2001 Senior open and 84 Womens open. Its a Donald Ross gem and used to be ranked in the top 75 in the country back in the day. Its a true classic.

[Oaks]

I checked the Cleveland Golf Tour site, but did not see your name as a player for Granite Links on Oct 5-7....what gives?

63320[/snapback]

 

Let the squirming begin - seen this on a few other sites with this guy.

63350[/snapback]

 

 

While on the topic of Boston area courses, I'll chime in.

Red Tail is awesome, especially in the fall, and Shaker Hills is right there too. Newport national is pretty sweet too, but I just don't think that anything would compare to Newport CC. The history and course are awesome. Most underated course, Green Valley in RI.

63364[/snapback]

 

 

Not just the squirming... pretty impressive numbers put up in the two events played this summer... :tongue:

[OrangeCrush]

Ya know guys this is getting f**king old about questioning Jon's play in the 1st 2 Cleveland Tour events! There were issues on the other messagebaord with people trying to "call him out" and I don't get it. At no time has Jon gloated or belittled anyone, so why the hostility/jealousy?

 

I have played with Jon on 3 occassions and trust me HE CAN PLAY!!!! For the rest of us it is too flippin easy to see someone shoot a high number in a Pro Event and then say they suck. As he has stated in some other threads, he had a torn ACL that needed to be fixed but he tried to play thru the pain but realized it was not possible. He took some time off, had the surgery, and now is hitting the ball MUCH better then when he & I played in May.

 

There is a HUGE difference between going out and shooting a sub par round with your buddies vs. playing for your living. For all you nay-sayers, put your $$$ where your mouth is and play Jon for some $$$. Then we will see if he sucks. I'd be putting up a good chunk of my own $$$ on that game if my daughter wasn't born last weekend!

 

Until you all do this, please refrain from member bashing when you know NOTHING about the person!

[wolfgame]

Agreed....huge difference in playing for a living and playing with your regular group. I play with several "plus" golfers, yet none of them mention tour "history" or "tour van" experiences...and one of them has Monday qualified on the PGA (failed to make the cut). Regarding your comment about hostility….no hostility here…just looking for realilty…which is why I check in from time to time. Your comment about jealousy……unwarranted...I am a recreational golfer and my dreams about going pro are long gone.

 

I rely on this site for reliable information. I do not want to bash anyone. I wish Golfwrx well on his attempt to become a professional golfer....at least he has tried. However, if you can read these excerpts and tell me they are warranted given his history (and not a participant of events he said he was playing a "practice round" in), and doesn’t come across as arrogant with no "back-up"....I am missing something. I prefer reality.....

 

"Although I must say this is the worst course to play a professional event at due to all the blind tee shots & hilly lay out really makes for long tournament rounds with us players & caddy's walking."

 

"well your right equipment isn't a big deal to us. me personally i don't really like to sell any of my stuff unless someone is bugging me for it & really wants it, if im done with it then ill sell it. id hafta say that at almost every tour event ive had a driver or something built & know that if i dont keep it the guys working on the van take it, if i do take it back it usually ends up in my caddys hands or ill give to to a club maker, as a payment for the tweaking of my clubs when the van isn't around or im at home. theres so much stuff that comes through my hands that i usually just leave it for the guys on the tour van unless my caddy wants something. i dont like taking stuff to sell because its like biting the hand that feeds you & i feel terrible about selling stuff that i am getting for nothing because my job is to play golf, not selling the stuff. if they ever found out a staff player was selling stuff for profit anywhere they'd be in deep sh*t & cut em off. theres no room in my house for all the stuff i get, the girlfriend who happens to be Brad Faxon's neice got some old CLeveland stuff of mine, if it doesnt go back to them it usually stays in the family! "

 

….and to completely contradict himself......

 

“LOL, id sell them but the only problem is I don't think Burberry sells those pants anywhere! I guess the motto "everything in my bag is forsale" now should be everything you see is forsale. ”

 

Not many professional golfers on a website looking for nails……

 

"I am having trouble with keeping metal spikes tight & finding replacements. They seem to come loose a lot in my FJ Classics, any suggestions on how to keep them in there. Also does anyone know where I can find replacements? They are quite hard to get from FJ with most of them going to PGA Tour players, I had a set that a friend off the tour gave me but the treads were a tad bigger than the ones I currently have."

[Martin]

Back to the topic.

 

I have played:

 

Red Tail

Blackstone

NE Country club

Shaker Hills,

Kettlebrook

 

all recently. I played Red tail when it opened and needed a bit of maturity. But boy, it is a great course now!

Shaker hills is also excellent and is is Kettlebrook.

 

I am trying to play anywhere that is open before the season ends here in NE. phefff

 

You go HoMStYLz! I wish I could play for a living! :tongue:

[tricky]

a bit off topic, but I moved to boston late last year, and would love to find other golf nerds to play with :tongue:

 

I was a 1 hcap when I was playing in Germany last year but can't find many people to play with over here.

[adam10]

wow, didn't realize there were so many MA golfers on this site. i've played red tail and blackstone a bunch. love them both. i play weekly at kettlebrook last 4 years, a nice silva design but it gets old after a while.

 

i like atkinson too (in NH), believe the cleveland tour has played there in the past.

 

i've heard great things about Pinehills, believe that is where TJ was teaching. got a buddy that swears by it.

 

i've only played once this year and these recent snow squalls are killing me!!

[Gub]

here's another vote for Granite Links as a 'must play'... personally I like it better than either course at The Pinehills but that could have been due to the views and the good round I had at Granite Links. :lol:

 

Atkinson (NH) Country Club is my 'home' course - sure hope the new green complexes on 15 & 16 are in play this year!

[freddiec]

I posted that great pic above. I've played granite just once 2 years ago and really loved it. I agree, its one of the best public-upscale in the boston area, but my all time fav. is Pinehills-Nicklaus. The whole facilty makes you feel like your in the carolinas. Granite has a few awkward shots, but i'm only talking about maybe 2 or 3 the entire round, its a very unique track and its in superb shape. The views of boston harbor and the financial disctict are insane. You'd never know your only 10 minutes from downtown Bean Town.

 

See ya on the linx.

[maguy1970]

Wow, we do have a lot of Boston folks here. I am west of Boston, out towards Westboro, but I like Blackstone National. Also, I have a fondness for New England Country Club in Bellingham. Now I know neither one of these is the #1 course in the area, but they are teo pretty nice tracks.

[skroll37]

How about another from the Boston area. I plan on playing Granite Links for the first time this year, but would have to give my vote to Redtail. Blackstone is a nice run and I hope to play some more courses down toward the Cape this summer.

[freddiec]

I would put Red Tail right up at the top as well. I absolutely love that place. Red Tail is a blast, I love the layout, its really one of a kind and that 18th is a thrill ride.

[shook23]

+1 for Redtail, especially in the fall. Nice color on the leaves, and they drop their rates considerably!

[Konklifer]

I look forward to trying the ones mentioned here. Some other pretty good tracks are Cyprian Keyes, Maplegate and Stowe North (if you can get around in under 5 1/2 hours).

[TaylormadeR5]

I also am from the Boston area and am fortunate enough to spend my whole summer at the Cape. Some great courses down there. I am playing in the Junior PGA this summer and will get to play in 8-10 tourneys all at different courses. It will be a great way to see some of the great course's on the Cape. As for the Boston area does anyone know of any higher end golf courses up near the Woburn area. I have played at course's around here and most of them are dried out or not well kepped up compared to the other courses I have played throughout the Country. Thanks Alot.

[maguy1970]

I finally got to play both Red Tail and Pine Hills (nicklaus). Both are fantastic, as many here are aware. But just to keep it in mind of people who might be heading up MA way for vacation, these are two great places to play

[bgolfing]

Have to agree with some others - Kittansett is worlds apart from Granite Links.

My Top few in MA that I have played:

1. TCC

2. Salem

3. Kittansett

4. Charles River

5. New Seabury (when windy)

[raywutang]

I look forward to trying the ones mentioned here. Some other pretty good tracks are Cyprian Keyes, Maplegate and Stowe North (if you can get around in under 5 1/2 hours).

Has anyone played Maplegate recently? I used to play there when I was in HS around 98-99 and the course was kept in fanstatic condition. When I went back to play about a year ago, the course just wasnt the same as before, fairways had a lot of weeds growing on them, and overall the course didnt look well kept. Did the course change management or something?

[P.Lay]

I have played most of the "better" "upscale" public courses in Massachusetts and Granite Links doesn't crack my top ten. Sure, it's a good course and it does have a few good holes but too many are tricked up with weird blind shots. I haven't played the back tees (I have only played the second to last tees) but maybe its a different story back there. Ten courses that are, in my mind, all better are (in no particular order and without adding courses on the Cape):

 

Red Tail

Pinehills Nicklaus

Pinehills Jones

Blackstone National

Waverly Oaks

Shaker Hills

Crumpin Fox

The Ranch

Kettle Brook

Porquoy Brook

[freddiec]

Kettle Brook and Porquoy Brook both look good on the internet. i have not played those. If you have some pics could you post a couple.

[P.Lay]

Sorry - no pics but you will most likely not be disappointed by either. Well conditioned, good greens and less than half of what they charge out at the landfill (i.e. G.L.) :drinks: