nugentmk

My brothers and I played here on a Saturday morning, and despite it being a busy day, the starter and ranger were very careful monitoring groups to keep pace moving. Unfortunately, all of their efforts run into a wall when you reach the third hole. It begins a run of a short par 4, par 3, short par 4, and par 3, which ends up backing up play for all golfers as there is simply nowhere to go.

Other than the layout, everything else is definitely worth going. Nice clubhouse, practice green and driving range, well-kept course, etc. A bit pricey for the average golfer, but it's worth it for a nicer course on a weekend morning. Really enjoyed it.

I played nine holes after work and was able to jump on quite easily by myself. The staff at the desk said that I had to take a cart (was included in price), presumably to keep up with pace of play, but afterwards I was told that it is normally not necessary.

The course was in terrific shape, albeit with tight fairways and landing zones. The greens were tough to read, as some were quick while others seemed slower. If it's your first time playing, be aware that some holes have unpredictable layouts that even the card can't properly show. I lost a number of balls because I anticipated a different landing space than what was actually in front of me.

Overall, was definitely a great course and would go back for sure.

The day started wet but turned out great. The front nine is mostly wide open in a giant area with a couple tight holes the sneak into the woods. It's very low-lying, tucked into the trees and with little wind, and the wet start to the day brought out a lot of mosquitoes. There was also some groundwork being done on a few of the beginning holes, the you might need to improve your lie a bit at the start. Once you get going, it's a really nice track. The back nine is tougher and cuts up and down, in and out, making it a challenge over the front nine.

It's off the beaten path and you have to navigate some back roads to find it, but check it out if you're in southern RI.

While not an overly challenging course, the open layout makes for a forgiving and fun round. It was in great shape when we played in May, and we had almost no trouble the entire round. The back-to-back par 3's on the back nine are inconvenient, and the pace of play can slow down there. Otherwise, the par 3 over the pond on the front nine is very nice and the 18th has a great shot up the final fairway to the green and clubhouse. Definitely worth a look if you're on the island and looking to get on a course.

Took a trip to DC with buddies for a bachelor party and played 18 here. It's early in the season and the course is in seriously rough shape. We started aiming for the rough because it was so difficult to play short iron shots from the 'fairway,' which are really just long stretches of dirt with a thin shade of green. However the convenient location to the city, holes right by the water, and views of sites like the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial make it a unique experience worth trying. The staff was very friendly and understood that we were there primarily for a good time rather than shooting low. If you're staying in DC and want to see cool views, drink beers, and hack around on a beat-up track, this is the place to go. Otherwise you're better off going farther out and paying more to play a real course.

I've had the good fortune of playing this course multiple times with friends, one of whom is a member. Although it is only nine holes, the course is far from simple. The challenging layouts combined with coastal winds make for an intriguing loop, requiring careful consideration on most shots. The open setting makes you think you won't lose a ton of balls, but a couple tight holes through the woods and two more lining the coast force you to swing carefully.

On clear days, be sure to take a moment at the ninth tee to look around and truly embrace your surroundings. You can see neighboring islands miles out to sea, as well as groups coming up the eighth fairway behind you.

I'm always grateful for the chance to play here, and look forward to the next time out.

About an hour's drive from Boston offers one of the most challenging and stunningly beautiful layouts you'll find in New England this fall. Although it offers many changes in elevation from tee to green, the views here are not of a distant landscape, but of the vibrant colors in the leaves surrounding the course. Even the trees that have yet to surrender their green are bold and blend nicely with the orange, red, and yellow lining each hole.

There are three nine-hole courses on the premises to choose from, and we were assigned the Fox and Hawk courses. The two had very different layouts but played equally tough. Fox had many doglegs while Hawk was almost exclusively straight. The real challenges on both were the dramatic changes in elevation. There are hardly any flat holes to play. Some begin up high while others start low at the base of a hill and are played straight up the side, with the flag remaining out of view until the second or even third shot.

The greens were by far the fastest and most difficult I have played on this year. They have clearly been kept in phenomenal condition, but hacks like myself will find that even tapped putts will roll off the green and back into the fairway quite easily. The speed and slope definitely gets into your head and you find that the holes seem much smaller than usual.

Pace of play was slow due to us being a riding twosome stuck behind a couple groups of shorter-hitting golfers, but I don't think it's something that would be commonplace.

My friend and I agreed that we would come back in a heartbeat, and the knowledge of the layout gained from your first time here will make future visits much easier to play. It's certainly a hike when you consider the amount of public courses near the city, but it's absolutely worth it if you are tired of playing the same loops over and over. And as I said before, the colors of fall can't be beat.

We played a Friday morning round and thought it was a nice experience. It is a fairly challenging course with a few blind shots and others with a risk/reward shot built in. For example: few of the par 4's were not really long, but forced you into a tough layup spot and an even tougher shot at the green.

Make sure you take a cart because there is a ton of elevation changes. It is a course that is squeezed into a small and busy area south of the city, so it will be narrow at times.

The fourth tee has an outstanding view of the city on a clear day. It really is very cool to see and we were totally shocked by it. Worth a few photos for sure.

It's a course that you will definitely play better the second time around, but still fun and challenging to begin with.

The course was in great shape for late August. The best and most notable feature of this course was the constant elevation changes from tee to green. Often you would find yourself looking up at the flag while toiling over your approach shot. It's not an easy task by any means and a wayward hit will leave you in the trees scrambling to get it up and down from practically nothing.

One knock on the front-nine is the back-to-back par threes which can slow play down a bit. Fortunately one is fairly long and keeps it interesting, but it's something to remember when you see the groups backing up.

Overall it really is a fun course that's more difficult than easy. Definitely one to play when in the area.

My friends and I played here as the first leg of a bachelor party trip and we were all impressed with everything the course had to offer. Even with some light rain for half an hour, we all thought the layout was fun, challenging, and in great shape.

There are some holes that run parallel to each other (always a risk for boredom), but they make it interesting by adding in small challenges to overcome. Whether it's a short fairway that narrows at the end or a patch of bunkers to avoid, there is always something to keep you thinking. I really enjoyed the long par five 18th hole, finishing with an elevated green by the clubhouse.

The whole place is very well maintained with a friendly staff. I would absolutely come back and play here again.

The course itself is not inherently difficult, but the changes in elevation and constant out of bounds lurking off to the side ensure that you need to play smart.

The best part about this course is the variety of layouts for the holes. You never feel like you are replaying the same holes over and over. On the contrary, each hole is able to stand on its own and provide a unique experience on every tee to green.

The hardest part when we played was the speed of the greens. It hadn't rained in a while and it was impossible to putt well. All things considered, it didn't detract from the day and we just figured it was part of the challenge.

The food in the clubhouse is quite tasty and the staff is friendly, but service can be painfully slow on weekend afternoons. So much that you'll regret wasting time sitting and just decide to head somewhere else to eat. If it doesn't look too crowded, give it a try.

Despite the heavy stuff that started coming down while we were on the 7th hole, I really enjoyed my first round here. It's short and easily walkable, with a great backdrop of the mountain.

The first and third are par 3's and a few more holes later on are marked as par 4's, but could easily be reached in one shot. You still can break out the driver on a few holes, but many can reach the green in two without it. Mostly I was impressed with the quality of the course. It seemed like it was pretty well maintained in most parts.

Had it been a nicer day, I'd imagine that the course could get backed up a bit with the lack of length. Still, $20 for nine holes on a Saturday is a great deal anywhere.

When you don't have time for a full round or want to work on your approach shots and short game, this is the place to be. You don't need your woods but with seven holes over 185 yards, there is still some work to be done from tee to green. The first hole is quite short, but it opens up nicely once you get past that. I'm always impressed with how well-kept the course is. Despite being only a par-3, everything is cut well and very clean. The price tops out at $28 for 18 on the weekend, each one different so you don't need to loop the same nine twice. One thing to consider is that because the course is short and affordable, you can get a lot of different ages and abilities in front of you. You might need to ask to play through so you don't get stuck behind slower players. If you haven't played here before, check it out.

It's convenient if you live in Brighton and holes 14-18 aren't bad, but that's all this course has to offer. The front nine snakes up the side of a steep hill, making for a tough climb (or good leg workout) without a cart. The holes are packed in right next to one another and wayward balls flying your way should be expected. The cost isn't helping things either. We paid $27 for nine on Friday afternoon, when you can pay less and get on at better courses at the same time for 18. Ultimately the location near Boston College and the young professional crowd in Alston/Brighton still attract a fair number of players, but if you can play anywhere else, don't hesitate.

My friends and I discovered Wayland last summer and it's become one our regular spots and preferred twilight course during the week. I was surprised at how well maintained everything was compared to other public courses in the area. Usually I keep my expectations low for the local public ones but this played much better than anticipated. The rough is manageable and the fairways are open. As of late April, the greens are still being prepped for the season and it can get backed up at times with multiple short holes clumped together on the front 9. Also it's a little bit longer of a drive compared to spots closer to Boston, but overall I've always been pleased and recommend it to friends who are new to the area.

Possibly the definition of a local course, anyone who has recently moved to the area and is looking for a cheaper alternative can always rely on Leo J. The course has seen some improvement in the last few years, with a couple brand new greens added where once it was overgrown and unplayable. The back-9 offers more intrigue than the front with some nice bending holes requiring long second shots to reach the par-4 greens. Some of the greens and bunkers need some serious TLC and play can get backed up after regular work hours during the week, but it's really meant to be a course that all locals should know and frequent anyways when looking to get out and take some hacks.

You really can't go wrong with a quick round on the Par-3 course at Swansea CC. Easy enough for beginners but still enjoyable for more frequent players. It's short enough for anyone to reach easily, but still has a few places where you need to carry a hazard and land softly. Definitely a go-to course to work on your short game or to just get on and play whenever.