Five High-Quality Courses for a Golf Day With Dad
Just in time for Father’s Day, hit the links at these top-notch public golf courses.
Illustration by Jeannie Phan
If you want to walk through history
William J. Devine Golf Course at Franklin Park
Tee it up at one of America’s oldest public golf courses and swing where legends such as Willie Campbell, who won America’s first professional match, once played. The course sprawls across Franklin Park, with each hole offering a different challenge (think: sloping hills and trees).
$41 for a day pass, 420 West St., Hyde Park, 617-364-2300, cityofbostongolf.com.
If you want a private-club feel
Granite Links Golf Club
A driving range. A patio bar. Dramatic views of the skyline. As a public guest, you’ll be able to take advantage of nearly all of the amenities this private club offers its members. Built atop once actively mined quarries, the course is considered links-style even though it isn’t located along the coast, with water hazards and granite outcroppings to keep the game interesting.
Starting at $125 for a day pass (includes cart rental), 100 Quarry Hills Dr., Quincy, 617-689-1900, granitelinks.com.
If you’re looking for instruction
Brookline Golf Course
Sharpen your golf-stroke mechanics or work on your hook with a PGA head pro at this Brookline course, which offers instruction for all player levels, as well as clinics and junior programs. Constructed in 1933, the course was renovated six years ago to enhance the quality of play and provide new obstacles (check out the water hazards and sand traps). Bonus points for custom golf-club fittings and a restaurant that serves three squares a day.
Starting at $35 for a day pass, 1281 West Roxbury Parkway, Brookline, 617-730-2078, brooklinegolf.com.
If you’re short on time
Fresh Pond Golf Course
Easily accessible by the Red Line and only nine holes (including two par 5s), this course is ideal for a quick weekday outing to destress and unwind. It wraps around Fresh Pond in Cambridge, which means water comes into play on four of the holes, and even hosts tournaments throughout the summer should you want to get in on a little friendly competition.
Starting at $22 for a day pass, 691 Huron Ave., Cambridge, 617-349-6282, freshpondgolf.com.
If you have all Sunday to play
Red Tail Golf Club
Is your idea of a good Father’s Day getting the hell out of Dodge? Trade the city for this Devens club nestled between trees and ponds. Although the hilly 7,000-yard course is in the central part of the state, its features are similar to those of coastal courses, with sand dunes and open greens. Before making your way back into town, treat yourself to an ice-cold draft and the cheddar-and-bacon-loaded “Back 9” burger from the Red Tail Tavern.
Starting at $69 for a day pass, 15 Bulge Rd., Devens, 978-765-0743, redtailgolf.net.
