Best golf courses: New England

New England: the table below provides brief details about the top golf courses in this country or region. Each golf club has been visited and/or researched by Where2Golf. Click on the course name below to discover more. The course ratings below range from 5 highest, to 2 lowest. They attempt to provide an indication of the golfing experience you might expect at the course (based on its design, condition and surroundings). Hover your cursor above the Rating Key for the rating definitions.
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Plymouth, MA
Cornish, Silva & Mungeam

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Plymouth, MA

Designer

Geoffrey Cornish, Brian Silva & Mark Mungeam

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Manchester, NH
Jones, Rees

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Manchester, NH

Designer

Rees Jones

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
(Closed in 2011)
Portland, ME
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

(Closed in 2011)

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Donald Ross

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Clark, Clive

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Clive Clark

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Providence
Jones, Rees

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Providence

Designer

Rees Jones

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Boston
Hanse, Gil

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Gil Hanse

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Manchester, NH
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester, NH

Designer

Brian Silva

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Manchester, NH
Cornish & Barrett

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester, NH

Designer

Original 18-course designed by Geoff Cornish (1968), with a further 18 holes added by Hugh Barrett.
North course: original back-nine of Cornish layout (1969), plus nine holes by Barrett (1989).
South course: original front-nine of Cornish layout (1968), plus nine holes by Barrett (1995).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Travis, Walter

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Current layout designed by Walter Travis (1921).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Rsrt guests only
Barnstable, MA
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Barnstable, MA

Designer

Brian Silva of Cornish, Silva & Mungeam.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Barnstable, MA
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Barnstable, MA

Designer

Brian Silva of Cornish, Silva & Mungeam.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Barnstable, MA
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Barnstable, MA

Designer

Brian Silva of Cornish, Silva & Mungeam.

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Boston
Campbell, Willie

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Original 6-hole course designed by three club members (1893). Extended to nine holes (1894) and then 18 holes (1899) by the club's first professional, Scotsman William "Willie" Campbell. The course was lengthened by Alex Campbell* (1902) and later revised and renovated by Rees Jones (1988). 9-hole Primrose course designed by William S. Flynn (1927). *Willie and Alex Campbell were not related, other than by the clan Campbell name.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Barnstable, MA
Cornish & Robinson

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Barnstable, MA

Designer

Geoff Cornish & William G. "Bill" Robinson (1974), with later improvements by Mark Mungeam.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Plymouth, MA
Hurdzan/Fry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Plymouth, MA

Designer

Hurdzan/Fry Design (Dr Michael J. Hurdzan & Dana Fry).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Boston
Rulewich, Roger

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Roger Rulewich (back-nine opened 1978; front-nine in 1989).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Boston
Mungeam, Mark

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Mark A. Mungeam (of Cornish, Silva & Mungeam, Inc.).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Maples, Dan

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Dan Maples

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Barnstable, MA
Fowler, Herbert

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Barnstable, MA

Designer

Original design by English course architect Herbert Fowler (1922); modifications by Keith Foster (2007).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Rutland
Travis, Walter

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Rutland

Designer

Original design by John Duncan Dunn assisted by Walter J. Travis (1899). Later improvements by Geoff Cornish (1960) and Bruce Hepner (2005).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Rutland
Travis & Jones

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Rutland

Designer

Original design by Walter J. Travis (1926); full-course renovation by Rees Jones (1991).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Boston
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Designed by Donald Ross (1917); modifications by Tom Doak (2008).

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Newport, RI
Cornish, Robinson & Mulligan

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Newport, RI

Designer

Front-nine designed by Geoff Cornish & William G. "Bill" Robinson (1978); back-nine designed by Patrick Mulligan (1980).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Hartford
Rulewich, Roger

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Roger Rulewich

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Myshrall, C. Lennie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

C. Lennie Myshrall in consultation with Geoff Cornish.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Boston
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Donald Ross's design work started in 1928, but the project was shelved due to the Wall Street Crash. Course eventually opened in 1938.

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Visitors welcome
Hartford
Palmer, Arnold

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Arnold Palmer & Ed Seay

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Boston
Sanford, John

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

John Sanford

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
New Haven
Fazio, Tommy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

New Haven

Designer

Tom Fazio II (aka Tommy Fazio).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Rutland
Bates, Gene

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Rutland

Designer

Gene Bates

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Barnstable, MA
Small, Isaac

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Barnstable, MA

Designer

Original layout by Isaac Small (1892); redesigned by J. Henry McKinley (1913).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Boston
Cornish / Fazio

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Pines course: designed by Geoffrey Cornish with input from Francis Oiumet (1956); modifications by Robert Trent Jones Sr (1972). Redesigned by the firm of Coore & Crenshaw (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw) (2021).
Oaks course: original design by Tom Fazio (2001); modifications by Tripp Davis (2021).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Burlington
Cooke, Graham

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Burlington

Designer

Graham Cooke

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Leeds, Herbert

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Original 9-holes designed by Herbert C. Leeds (1891-96). Course extended to 18-holes (1920). Also credited with design inputs over the years: club member Waldron Bates, pro Shirley Liscomb, and golf course architect Donald Ross (1926).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Providence
Flynn, Hood & Hanse

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Providence

Designer

Original design by William S. Flynn & Frederic C. Hood (1922); renovated by Gil Hanse (1998, 2012).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Hartford
Jones, Rees

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Rees Jones designed both the North and South courses.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Booth, Brad

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

William Bradley "Brad" Booth

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Hartford
Jones Sr, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Sr.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Hartford
Player, Gary

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Gary Player

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Newport, RI
Marble & Maurer

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Newport, RI

Designer

Original nine designed by Ralph P. Marble (1963); extended to 18-holes by Howard Maurer (2003).

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Rsrt guests only
Hartford
Cornish, Kay & McNeil

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Original design by Geoff Cornish; redesigned by Stephen Kay and Robert McNeil.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Originally designed by Donald Ross (1915) and restored by Brian Silva (2008).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Boston
Leeds & Cornish

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Original design by Herbert C. Leeds (1894); modifications by Geoff Cornish (2005) and Gil Hanse (2013).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Boston
Cornish & Silva

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Original design by Geoff Cornish (1961); renovation by Rees Jones (2012).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Newport, RI
Davis & Tillinghast

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Newport, RI

Designer

Original nine-hole layout designed by the club's first professional, William F. Davis (1894), and extended by him to 18-holes (1899). Later improvements by Albert W. Tillinghast (1924) and Ron Forse (1999). Although Donald Ross was thought to have been involved at some stage in Newport's design, this was not apparently the case.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Newport, RI
Hills, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Newport, RI

Designer

Arthur Hills and design associate Drew Rogers.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Rutland
Durkee, Steve

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Rutland

Designer

Steve Durkee

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Barnstable, MA
Cornish, Silva & Mungeam

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Barnstable, MA

Designer

Geoffrey Cornish, Brian Silva & Mark Mungeam

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Brian Silva

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Plymouth, MA
Coore & Crenshaw

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Plymouth, MA

Designer

Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Manchester, NH
Cornish, Silva & Mungeam

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester, NH

Designer

Geoff Cornish, Brian Silva & Mark Mungeam

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
New Haven
Mungeam, Mark

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

New Haven

Designer

Mark A. Mungeam (of Cornish, Silva & Mungeam, Inc.).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Plymouth, MA
Jones, Rees

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Plymouth, MA

Designer

Rees Jones

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Plymouth, MA
Nicklaus II, Jack

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Plymouth, MA

Designer

Jack Nicklaus II

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Manchester, NH
Jones Sr, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Manchester, NH

Designer

Original design at this location by Robert Trent Jones Sr (1956).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Portland, ME
Stiles, Wayne

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Original 18-hole course designed by Wayne Stiles (1924).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Hartford
Pascuzzo, Damian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Damian Pascuzzo

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Boston
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Brian Silva

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Newport, RI
Cornish & Silva

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Newport, RI

Designer

Geoff Cornish, Mark Mungeam & Brian Silva (of Cornish & Silva, Inc.)

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
New Haven
Ryder, Edward

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

New Haven

Designer

Edward Ryder

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Visitors welcome
Hartford
Zikorus, Al

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Al Zikorus

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Rutland
Lowe, Stiles & Van Kleek

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Rutland

Designer

Original nine hole course designed by George Lowe (1902); extended to 18-holes by Wayne E. Stiles & John Van Kleek (1927).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Boston
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Course designed by Donald Ross (1925), when club moved to its current Peabody site.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Elder & Booth

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Originally a 9-hole course (1902). Rebuilt as an 18-hole course by Robert Elder (1974). Revamped by Brad Booth (2000).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Boston
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Brian Silva

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Manchester, NH
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester, NH

Designer

Brian Silva

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Rsrt guests only
Burlington
Cupp, Bob

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Burlington

Designer

Bob Cupp.

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
New York City
Gordon, William

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

New York City

Designer

Original design by father/son team of William and David Gordon (1962); modifications by Tom Fazio (2017).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Burlington
Mitchell, William

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Burlington

Designer

Original design by William Mitchell (1950) with later improvements by Walter Barcomb (1961).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Albany
Cornish & Robinson

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Albany

Designer

Geoff Cornish & William G. "Bill" Robinson.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Burlington
Jones Sr, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Burlington

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Sr.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Jr

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Portland, ME
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Portland, ME

Designer

Robert Trent Jones II (lead designer Ty Butler).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Albany
Stiles, Van Kleek & Hanse

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Albany

Designer

Original design by Wayne E. Stiles & John Van Kleek (1927). Renovated by Gil Hanse (2009).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Providence
Palmer, Hanse & Faxon

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Providence

Designer

Original design by Arnold Palmer (2002); redesigned by Gil Hanse in consultation with Brad Faxon (2007).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Hartford
Dye & Weed

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

The former Edgewood CC course was completely redesigned by Pete Dye (1982), and renamed TPC of Connecticut (later TPC River Highlands). Second renovation Bobby Weed (1989) with PGA Tour players Howard Twitty & Roger Maltbie as consultants.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Providence
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Providence

Designer

Donald Ross

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Restricted
Burlington
Cooke, Graham

Visitors?

Restricted

Nearest city

Burlington

Designer

Graham Cooke

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Providence
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Providence

Designer

Original nine-hole course designed by Willie Campbell (1898), which was folded into the original 18-hole Donald Ross design (1914). In 1926 Ross returned to further improve his original design. Restoration project led by Ron Forse (2008).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Plymouth, MA
Silva, Brian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Plymouth, MA

Designer

Brian Silva

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
New Haven
Emmet, Devereux

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

New Haven

Designer

Original design at this location by Devereux Emmet (1923), with minor modifications and lengthening by Tom Fazio (2006).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Hartford
Dye & Liddy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Hartford

Designer

Pete Dye & Tim Liddy

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Rutland
Jones Sr, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Rutland

Designer

Original designs by Alex Findlay (1898 & 1900), William H. Tucker (1905 & 1912) and Wayne E. Stiles (1925). Current layout designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr (1961).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Boston
Ross, Donald

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Boston

Designer

Current layout designed by Donald Ross (1913).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
New Haven
Macdonald, Charles Blair

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

New Haven

Designer

Original design by Charles Blair Macdonald, in collaboration with Seth Raynor and Charles Banks.

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