Boston area: 72 holes in 72 hours
By Mike McAllister
SI.com
 |  Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth, Massachusetts, offers golfers a choice of two courses. |
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| | BOSTON-AREA COURSES | Pinehills: Yardage/par: 7,175/72 (Jones), 7,243/72 (Nicklaus). Greens fees: $60-$100 (cart included). (866) 855-4653. http://www.pinehillsgolf.com
Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds: Yardage/par: 6,503/71. Greens fees: $40-$60, $16 for cart. (508) 420-1141. http://www.obfgolf.com
Farm Neck: Yardage/par: 6,815/72. Greens fees: $50-$135, $13 for cart. (508) 693-3057.
Waverly Oaks: Yardage/Par: 7,114/72. Greens fees: $65-$85, cart included. (508) 224-6016. http://www.waverlyoaksgolfclub.com
Alternate courses: Franklin Park, Olde Scotland Links at Bridgewater, Red Tail, Shaker Hills, Widow's Walk, Stow Acres, Ocean Edge. |
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(CNN) -- There's no better time to be a sports enthusiast in Boston than right now.
The Red Sox broke their curse last fall and won the World Series for the first time since 1918. The Patriots continue to be the dominant force in the NFL, winning their third Super Bowl in four years. The people in Boston haven't been this puffed up since they decided to dump a load of tea in the harbor a few years ago.
That incident, you may recall, is known as the Boston Tea Party. But what about the Boston tee party?
Golfing in Boston certainly has its limitations. The weather rules out several months during the winter. The plethora of private clubs means you're out of luck if you want to test one of the historic layouts, such as the Country Club, host of the 1999 Ryder Cup. And with open land scarce near the center of Boston, you'll have to spend some time on the highways to find a wide selection of courses.
But it will be worth it. Head toward Cape Cod and hug the coastline -- you'll encounter several top tracks with a distinctive New England feel.
After flying into Boston's Logan International Airport
here's how we'd play it the rest of the weekend:
Friday afternoon
Pinehills: After driving about 45 miles south to Plymouth (sorry, no time to check out the city's famous rock), you can have your choice of two fairly new courses by two big-name golf course designers. The Jones course, crafted by Rees Jones, is the older of the two, having opened in 2001. The Nicklaus course -- you've probably heard of that guy -- opened the following year and is just slightly longer from the back tees. Both received rave reviews for challenging, yet fair play. Please note that if you want to lock in a tee time well in advance, it will cost you a $20 premium. But it might be worth it, especially on the weekend when Boston-area golfers have more time to drive a little farther out to play.
Saturday morning
Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds: Despite what the name implies, this Cape Cod course is not really that old -- it debuted in 1992. Rated four stars by Golf Digest, the course has hosted several local and regional tournaments, and it gets heavy play on the weekends, so make your tee times as early as possible. The design team of Geoffrey Cornish, Brian Silva and Mark Mungeam have crafted many of the Cape's better-known golf courses, and Mungeam was the chief architect at Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds, so you can bet they've taken full advantage of the terrain that can be picturesque but susceptible to harsh winters. It's definitely a local favorite.
Saturday afternoon
Farm Neck: Now it's time to really enjoy a Cape Cod experience. In this instance, that means taking the Woods Hole ferry over to Martha's Vineyard, a 45-minute boat ride. Once you're there, you can enjoy a 4.5-star course (designed by Cornish) with great ocean views. Farm Neck can be tough, with water coming into play on several holes, but when you feel the sea breeze and smell the salt air, you won't mind that a few balls will end up in a watery grave. Writes Boston magazine: "There's nothing not to like, from the shingled clubhouse to the expansive range to the glory of the golf itself."
Sunday morning
Waverly Oaks: Time to leave Cape Cod and return to Plymouth to play another 4.5-star course. Waverly Oaks is ranked sixth on the New England Journal of Golf's Top 100 list, thanks to Silva's design that includes wide fairways, a wide variety of greens and some traditional touches. Check out the view of Plymouth Bay from the 10th hole.
