Golf Massachusetts
Massachusetts, where the original colonists settled, is proudly boasts over 250 public-access golf courses ., and at least a hundred private or semi-private courses. There has always been something pleasantly different about the Old Colony State, and that difference is exemplified in its golf courses.
Near the top of the list is the classic Stow Acres Country Club. Challenging comes to mind almost immediately. Though it’s a bit of a drive to the west-northwest of Boston, their 36 holes make it worth the drive.
Hopping about a bit now, driving south out of Beantown from the Boston Harbor on 93 towards Quincy, you’ll find the President’s Golf Course at the eastern edge of the Neponset River State Reservation, Furnace Brook, and Granite Links Golf Clubs all within a short distance of each other, each with its own unique feel and flavor. Beantown’s full of golfing destinations! South Shore Country Club and Cohassett, Hatherly Country Club Greens, these all follow close to the shoreline as you continue along the south and east end of the bay.
One rather unusual course worth mentioning is the New England Country Club in Bellingham. The southern edge of this course sits on the state line between Massachusetts and Rhode Island. You could quite literally drive a ball right on out of the state! This Hale Irwin designed 18-hole championship course feels like a private club and offers membership, but is actually open to the public. Maintaining a state-of-the art perspective within this beautiful New England environment, the golf carts are all fitted with GPS yardage systems that bring up handy advice. Voted "One of the Best 18" by the Boston Globe, this uncommon location deserves a spot on your itinerary.
Bouncing all the way to the west side of the state, just north of I-90 on the way to Albany, NY, one finds another gem. Cranwell Resort, Spa & Golf Club will give you the pampering you want, need, long for and deserve. Formerly a Jesuit school, it has been beautifully converted.
Hosting Golf Digest schools, this Berkshires location has had several awards heaped upon it. Spacious rooms and a cornucopia of culinary delights round the resort experience off. Within the area are the Norman Rockwell museum, and a Shaker living history museum which offers live exhibits of weaving and other lost arts. The course is pleasant enough, slope at 125 on a par-70, and the resort experience is a pleasure that the ladies will adore. Available discount packages for golf, skiing and the spa make Cranwell easier on the pocketbook.
Throughout the state, courses blend beautifully with the natural landscape, providing the relaxing pleasant environment that makes golf such a great game in the first place. Each course or club’s distinct features are best tasted and savored first-hand. From the historical Boston area, and on across the state (and its nearby neighbors,) rich rewards await those who take the time to explore, and that’s what makes for a truly great golf vacation destination. In a place like Massachusetts, you’re free to meander amongst the many courses, enjoying the journey. There are plenty enough selections available to make some favorite return destinations, while allowing for further exploration next time. From the verdigris hills in springtime, through the comfortable summer months and on into autumn’s riot of sylvan color, the Bay State makes for a great golfing vacation.
