Tee Off: An Introduction to New England Golf Courses

Thanks to our region's diverse geography and distinct seasons, a day of New England golf is far more than your average stroll through the park. You can tee off with a backdrop of towering mountains or watch your drive soar along the shoreline, the highest object for miles. Natural bodies of water and rolling hills allow for attentively designed courses without the heavily landscaped feel found elsewhere. While natural obstacles offer new challenges to seasoned golfers, newcomers to the sport can find plenty of welcoming places to dial in their stroke. Here are some of our favorite places for a round.

New England Golf Courses with Mountain Views

New England golf courses complement the contours of some truly stunning landscapes. For the tallest mountain views, head to Vermont or New Hampshire. Warm up in the valley at the onsite 9-hole  Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa, then head to the award-winning course at Stowe Mountain Resort. To the south, get the full slopeside lodging and golf experience at Mount Snow, or head north from Stowe to Jay Peak. On the shores of Lake Champlain, mix equal parts boating and putting at Basin Harbor Club. You can also tee off in the Presidential Range of New Hampshire's White Mountains at Omni Mount Washington Resort. Don't overlook the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, either — you'll find luxury accommodations and world class golf at Wyndhurst Golf and Club. Catch some extra color at any of these courses with a fall foliage season visit or as spring buds come into bloom.

Seaside Golf in New England

Along rocky shorelines and sandy islands, New England golf courses accentuate some of the best seascapes in the country. Named the best public golf course on Cape Cod by Boston Magazine, Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club in Brewster offers emerald greens designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus. Catch stunning views of the bay and adjacent cranberry bogs at Wequassett Resort and Golf Club. Out on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Farm Neck Golf Club stretches across a peninsula that overlooks the Nantucket Sound. To the north, enjoy the tranquility of the Maine coast at Samoset Resort's stunning seaside golf course. In Rhode Island, the Newport National Golf Club offers panoramic views of Narragansett Bay. Whichever coastal New England golf course you choose, be sure to put that sea breeze to good use.

Family Friendly New England Golf

Most public golf courses in New England offer an academy or lessons for beginners. Lake of Isles in Mashantucket, Connecticut, is especially inviting, with chipping, putting, and bunker practice areas and an indoor training facility with video swing analysis and clinics. Unwind after a day on the course with a massage at the nearby Spa at Norwich Inn, which is also adjacent to the Norwich Public Golf Course. Fox Hopyard in East Haddam, Connecticut, focuses their junior program on developing the physical and emotional skills of young golfers. Stanley Golf Course in New Britain, CT, allows kids to ride along in the cart for free and features a 19 station driving range for those looking to learn to hit the long ball. The Mount Pleasant Course at Bretton Woods, NH, also has a 6-hole round option for families. When it's time to head for the 19th hole and beyond, you're in luck — a number of golf courses are located right on the grounds of New England resorts, and many more are easily accessible from nearby inns and hotels. Here's a full list of places to stay and play golf in New England. 

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