There's lots of golf surrounding the Boston area, including Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth. (Courtesy of pinehillsgolf.com)

Destination Guide: Golf in Massachusetts

Massachusetts' golf season stretches from May through October. The hottest season is August, where highs peak at over 90 degrees. The Cape Cod region is generally a few degrees cooler than the rest of the state with the ocean breezes, keeping highs in the mid-80s. Boston is also the windiest large city in the nation, not Chicago. Winters are cold, and the central and western parts of the state receive heavy snowfall.

What is golf in Boston like?

There's lots of golf surrounding the Boston area. Many golf courses are private but still there are plenty of courses to choose from in Massachusetts and in neighboring states, all a reasonable drive from Boston.

South of Boston in Plymouth is Pinehills Golf Club, which has a Nicklaus and Rees Jones course.

Donald Ross makes his imprint all over the New England area, including Cape Cod Country Club (open to the public) and Franklin Park golf course located in Dorchester.

One of the unique things about the Boston area is the new courses built in the last several years (like the Pinehills layouts) and the over 100-year-old courses.

What is the Cape Cod region like?

Cape Cod and the islands Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard make up New England's most storied beach region. Beautiful ocean settings with views of wide dune fields with the charm of numerous harbors and quaint villages make up the Cape's unique attraction. History is served here with many sites marking the Pilgrims' arrival and the whaling era.

Where is Cambridge's place among the Boston area?

Cambridge is adjacent to Boston, which is home to Harvard and M.I.T. Cambridge only has 100,000 residents but makes up only a 6.5 square mile radius. The city is less commercial than Boston and is one of the most technological cities in America, with the two prestigious Universities. Leaves little room for golf, but Donald Ross' Fresh Pond Golf Course is a public nine-hole course built in 1930.

Can I golf in Martha's Vineyard?

There are a few on the island, but if it's golf you're looking for, you may be better off on the mainland. If you're cooped up on the island however, Mink Meadows Golf Club is the only public 18-hole course. Also, Farm Neck on Martha's Vineyard is a semi-private course and rated as one of the best in the northeast. The Martha's Vineyard Resort has an 18-hole putting course on its property as well.

Where else can I play in Massachusetts if I'm unfamiliar to the area?

Route 1, a funky route which extends along the northern border of Boston has a 15-minute saturation of golf options, which will make it easy to find golf for the traveler. Nine public courses, five driving ranges and three private courses are located off Route 1. Most are on the older side, such as Gannon Golf Club, built in 1932 and is the best on the route.

Where can I find phone numbers, locations and other information on all Massachusetts golf courses?

WorldGolf.com maintains a comprehensive guide listing all the golf courses in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts transportation

Logan Airport is located 3 miles from downtown Boston and is easily accessible by public transportation, taxi, and limousine services. A free shuttle bus marked "MASSPORT" stops at each airline terminal, the Airport "T" station, (blue line), and the water shuttle dock.

From the ground, I-95 goes around the metro Boston area through Massachusetts, while I-90, the Massachusetts Turnpike goes from Boston to West Stockbridge.

The MBTA, known as the "T," runs daily service on buses, trains, and trolleys throughout Boston and surrounding towns. The stations can be identified by a black "T" on a white circular sign. Tokens ($1.25 each) are available at downtown T stations. Above-ground stations require exact change. Bus fare is $0.90, exact change.

The "Boston Visitor Pass" provides unlimited travel on the four subway lines, (red, blue, green, and orange), locus bus, and inner harbor ferry. Passes are available at several locations throughout Boston, including the Logan Airport "T" station and the Boston Common Visitor Information Center.

The MBTA's suburban Commuter Rail (purple line) system provides service to towns north of Boston from North Station, and to towns south and west of Boston from South Station and Back Bay Station.

Bus service is widely available throughout Massachusetts. The bus terminals in Boston are South Station, Atlantic Avenue; and Back Bay Station, Dartmouth Street.

February 5, 2004