Nine of the Best Golf Courses You Need to Try near Boston
Hit the links and practice your swing. It's all in the hips.
Photo via Getty Images/NiseriN
Whether you just want to hit a quick nine or spend all day on the green, here are the best golf courses in Boston to practice your swing.
1. 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).
18 holes: $57, 9 holes: $35, 1 Circuit Drive, Dorchester, 617-364-2300, cityofbostongolf.com.
2. 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.
18 holes: $150 (includes bucket of balls), 9 holes: $80 (includes bucket of balls), 100 Quarry Hills Dr., Quincy, 617-689-1900, granitelinks.com.
3. 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.
Weekdays: 18 holes $40, 9 holes $30, Weekends: 18 holes $52, 9 holes $30, 1281 West Roxbury Parkway, Brookline, 617-730-2078, brooklinegolf.com.
4. 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.
18 holes: $35, 9 holes: $24, 691 Huron Ave., Cambridge, 617-349-6282, freshpondgolf.com.
5. 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.
Dynamic pricing, 15 Bulge Road, Devens, 978-765-0743, redtailgolf.net.
6. Newton Commonwealth Golf Course
Nestled in a picturesque valley between Brighton and Chestnut Hill, Newton Comm. is a well-groomed gem of a course. The front nine presents the topographical challenge of being mostly on a side slope, while the back nine meanders around water hazards and finishes up with a truly breathtaking hole—a swooping downhill to a wide green surrounded by water and a wall of pines.
7. George Wright Golf Course
This Donald Ross-designed course in Hyde Park is the perfect diamond in the rough. The imposing clubhouse recalls a staid Victorian manor, but the staff is downright friendly, whether organizing weekday tee times (reservations are accepted only for weekends and holidays) or teaching chip-shot fundamentals. The par-70 course—5,131 yards from the red tees, 6,096 from the whites—covers a beautiful, hilly terrain, and includes the breathtaking 10th hole, whose green lies in a serene, tree-ringed dale.
8. Stoneham Oaks Golf Course
Located just eight miles north of the city, this course, established in 1994, is open to the public and spans 1,125 yards. Neighboring Unicorn Golf Course, under the same management, is popularly for those who just want to get in nine holes. The length of the course provides golfers, of all abilities, challenges and play suitable for their level.
Weekdays: $15, weekends: $17, 101R Montvale Ave., Stoneham, 781-438-7888, stonehamoaks.com.
9. Boston Golf Club
Designed by the architect Gil Hanse, this course reflects his appreciation for the game’s roots in the British Isles as well as it’s minimalist design. Although membership is required, you will get one of the most high quality golf experiences as everything from the green to the clubhouse are finely manicured and thoughtfully fulfill members every need. The club is currently accepting members.
Members only, 19 Old County Rd., Hingham, 781-741-5127, bostongolfclub.com.
