I live about the same distance from Red Tail, Butter Brook, and Shaker, and I’m always hesitant to go to Shaker. For a few years it was in real rough shape for what they were charging, and I don’t find the layout that fun - especially the back.
Butter Brook is a much better deal for the money IMO. Even thought they did raise rates last year. Walking Butter Brook during the week used to be an absolute steal.
I haven’t played Shaker since, I think, 2009. I think they closed down for a bit due to the recession.
I don’t remember the rough being like that, but it was always an extremely tight golf course.
I could be a little harsh on the rough, given the dry weather the last few weeks, but even if it was lush I don’t think my opinion would change. Too many trees to gobble up golf balls.
A bomb could get dropped on Shining Rock and I wouldn’t shed a tear. It’s been a few years since I’ve played it, but I remember the layout being way too penal and too many goofy holes out there as well.
It’s pretty tight and lots of forced carries, but it’s different and atleast there are tee times available and don’t have to compete with the cape traffic on the weekends. It’s got a brutal 235 par three from the middle tees.
If you gave me 10 rounds to play between Shining Rock and nearby Highfields, I’d probably play 8 of them at Highfields. I’d get to use a driving range and be saving a good amount of cash, too.
Only played the front 9 at highfields, but can’t speak enough of it. It is gettable and a ton of fun
55 minutes from the city…Sounds like I’m headed here in a few weeks. Thanks for the input @moreholden @jamiesontw
Hey thanks everyone for your input, I definitely appreciate it. Butter Brook seems to be the top recommendation, unfortunately, there and Highfields already had booked tee times for the time that we needed.
We decided to go with Merrimack Valley GC which works for location, tee time, and price and I am intrigued about playing a course with 7 par 3s.
That course isn’t a slouch either. I always enjoy playing there.
Any guidance on where/how I can book a Saturday morning (6:30 to 8:30) 18 hole tee time somewhere within 30 minutes of Needham on August 1? I know those times book quickly or are already filled by ticket holders/local residents at most of the public courses, so I am just trying to figure out where I have a realistic chance of booking if I time it right. Putterham, Brookmeadow, Sandy Burr, Newton Comm, where else? I find their websites pretty unhelpful for when exactly tee times become available, or what they even have open to the general public.
My father in law wants to play in the morning because we can’t get into our rental house on the Cape until 4 pm, so I am trying to time things properly for purposes of getting home, packing the cars, and driving down to arrive in Brewster as close to 4 as possible. He is chronically impatient/early, so if I don’t book us golf he will end up going insane waiting around the house and almost certainly leaving way too early, then getting frustrated when they won’t let him into the house, which I understand is a pretty strict policy for sanitizing purposes this year.
Check out D.W. Field Golf Course in Brockton. Right at about 30 minutes from Needham, but plenty of times for 8/1 on their website right now.
It is in awesome shape, I can’t get enough of it
I’ve actually never played it, it’s been on my list for awhile. I always point people to it down that way because I know its a great course. Maybe I’ll play in a few weeks.
Turf looks great, it was so dry leading up to the 4th too! They need to take a few trees out along the edges of those corridors…
Great suggestion. Of course, I got through registering and went to book, and got “you are not allowed to book that far in advance” with no information on when I can book for that date. Which is completely typical of every online tee time system.
Yeah they’ve been doing a ton of work over the last few years. It’s 1000% better than it was 3 years ago. Taken out a ton of trees already and I’m sure there’s more to come.
If you call they might help you out
I hit balls there a lot because I live pretty much across the street but I agree on the slope. I am not sure I have ever seen anyone using the grass tees because the fitting studio is back there as well.
