Cape Cod golf has a rich history of visitors coming to the Cape and the Islands for more than a century to play the manicured greens, take in the stunning ocean views, and soak up the sea breeze wafting in off the ocean. Some were originally converted from cow pasture and maintained by sheep, others designed by the world’s best golf course architects.
Options include a golf course for every skill level from casual three-par setups to classic nine-hole courses, exceptional par-54 courses, and even championship courses. There are also driving ranges located around the Cape to practice your shot.
With a mix of public and private clubs and resorts, there are more than two dozen Cape Cod golf courses and several more on the islands.
Exploring the Top 20 Cape Cod Golf Courses:
“Top 100 in America” Golf Course in the Town of Sandwich
Holly Ridge Golf Club in Sandwich has been called one of the “Best Places to Play” with practice facilities that rank “Top 100 in America” by Golf Digest. In addition to the remarkable golf course and practice facility, it offers award-winning golf instruction and custom club fitting, as well as women’s, men’s, mixed, and junior golf leagues.
Town of Bourne
Pocasset Golf Course in Bourne is an 18-hole private golf course in Pocasset. The course – which dates back to 1916 – was originally designed by Donald Ross. The current course remains a testament to Ross’s style and vision. Club members enjoy a multitude of very active golf programs for both men and women.
Where to go Golfing in the Town of Falmouth?
Paul Harney Golf Club in Falmouth was designed in 1967 by the seven-time PGA Tour Champion Paul Harney. This executive-style, par-60 course measures just over 3,500 yards and includes many par-3 holes and six par-4 holes. It features rolling terrain, sweeping greens, and fairways lined with native pines and oaks.
Woods Hole Golf Club is a private 18-hole course that has a history reaching back to 1899. In 1919, this historic course was renovated and expanded to its current size. The course sits on the edge of Buzzards Bay, with greens located only a few yards from sandy beachfront property.
Cape Cod Country Club in East Falmouth is a spectacular public golf course on the edge of Coonamessett Pond. This 18-hole championship golf course spans a variety of undulating fairways and gently sloping greens. Every year, this course hosts the Cape Cod Senior Open and, in the past, it’s also hosted three USGA Massachusetts Opens.
Best Golfing in Mashpee
Quashnet Golf Course of Mashpee is located in the heart of the scenic Quashnet Valley, surrounded by cranberry bogs, and bordering the Quashnet River. This expansive course offers a series of holes set in meandering greens with tree-lined fairways, panoramic elevated tees, and tranquil ponds.
Golfing in the Town of Barnstable
Wianno Golf Club in Barnstable is an 18-hole, 70-par course perched on a bluff overlooking Nantucket Sound. This course measures 6,022 yards from the first to the last hole. It’s distinctive for its dramatic terrain and cool ocean breezes.
Best of Golfing in Yarmouth
Bass River Golf Course in South Yarmouth dates all the way back to 1900. In 1914, the course was completely overhauled by golf course architect Donald Ross. Ross created an 18-hole layout with multiple sets of tees and a total length of 6,138 yards. The course features a signature 169-yard par three that plays across a salt marsh to an elevated green.
Two Championship Courses in the Town of Dennis
Dennis Highlands is a par-71, 6,500-yard championship golf course open to the public. The course, which dates back to 1984, was designed by Jack Kidwell and Mike Hurdzan. It encompasses 175 acres of manicured greens bordered by wild pine and oak groves.
The Pines in East Dennis is a par 72, 7,000-yard championship golf course. Architect Henry C. Mitchell carved the expansive course out of 170 acres of pine forest in 1966. Many people consider the Dennis Pines layout (which utilizes water in several places) to be one of the toughest on the Cape.
Championship Golfing in the Town of Harwich
Cranberry Valley Golf Course in Harwich is an 18-hole public championship course operated by the Town of Harwich. It encompasses a large practice facility – including a putting green, two chipping/pitching greens, and practice bunkers. This golf course has hosted several state and national tournament qualifiers and championships.
Exciting Golfing in the Town of Brewster
Ocean Edge Golf Club & Resort is a private 18-hole course situated on 429 acres of oceanfront property in Brewster. Professional golfer Jack Nicklaus designed the course to feature his signature wide fairways, generous bunkering, and challenging greens.
Eastward Ho! Country Club in Chatham is an 18-hole course that reaches out into the Atlantic, with exciting nines that skirt the coastline. This course was designed by celebrated architect Herbert Fowler, who used the course’s rugged topography to pose unique challenges in stance, length, and depth perception.
Chequessett Yacht & Country Club’s 9-hole public golf course is set on a bluff overlooking the sparkling waters of Cape Cod Bay. It’s multiple sets of tees provide 18 different ways to approach this deceptively demanding course. Undulating greens, water obstacles, and strategically placed bunkers add to the playfulness of this semi-links course.
Highland Links in Truro is one of the oldest Cape Cod golf courses, founded in 1892. The golf course features deep natural rough and wide-open fairways that butt up against the Atlantic Ocean. From these fairways, golfers enjoy spectacular ocean views.
Where to Golf on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket?
The Edgartown Golf Club, founded in 1926, is a private course that’s open year-round to club members and their guests. Its historic club house and spacious greens offer many breathtaking views of Vineyard Sound. In the summer, this course hosts a junior program and benefit golf tournaments – both of which are open to non-members.
Vineyard Golf Club in Edgartown is a private club that sits in a 235-acre nature preserve on Martha’s Vineyard. This gorgeous walking course has many classic design elements, which were introduced by golf course architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner.
Mink Meadows Golf Club in Vineyard Haven is a 9-hole course featuring a challenging 18-hole layout. The course was designed by golf architect Wayne Stiles and built by banker Robert Bigelow in 1936. Bigelow founded the course on the principles of environmentalism and preservation, which continue to underline the course’s relationship to the surrounding land today.
Farm Neck Golf Club, set in a gorgeous 500-acre Oak Bluffs nature preserve, is a challenging 14-hole course. It winds through a striking variation of topography and vegetation, which ranges from woodlands to open meadows to salt marshes and stunning overlooks.
Miacomet Golf Course is the only 18-hole public golf course on Nantucket Island. Designed by Howard Maurer in 2003, this link-style course is operated by the Nantucket Island Land Bank. It offers ample fairways and greens of 3,000 to 6,000 square feet.
Cape Cod golf has been a popular pastime for many, including Presidents, celebrities, locals, vacationers, and summer residents alike. All have been known to enjoy the golf courses of Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Cape Cod. Cape Cod golf is an excellent way to take in the sights and explore the region.
