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Golfweek just listed the best private golf courses for each state in the U.S. for 2026.
Four Cape Cod and Islands courses made the list for Massachusetts — two on the peninsula itself and one each on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
Want to play? You might need to have an invite from an existing member.
The pre-requisites in order to be included on this list are as follows: they must be private and don’t accept daily-fee or resort play. An "m" next to its name means it's a modern course, built in or after 1960, and a "c" denotes a classic course built before 1960.
Best 1st holes on Cape Cod golf courses: 5 must-play first holes on Cape Cod and the Islands
Here's the full list of Massachusetts golf courses chosen by Golfweek.
Vineyard Golf Club, located in Edgartown, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, spans 235 acres and is comprised of a front nine and a back nine, creating a complete 18-hole course.
"All skill levels are able to enjoy the course while the challenge in navigating the 112 bunkers around the course is preserved," the Vineyard Golf Club website said. "Vineyard Golf Club is also one of the few 100% organic golf courses in America."
The greens on this course are diverse with varying shapes and sizes, challenging golfers to make different and interesting plays with its own costs and benefits.
"This forward-looking approach to the agronomy of golf makes the Club stand out among its peers," Vineyard said.
The website said the only people eligible to apply are those nominated by existing club members.
"If you would like to learn more about the club, please contact Elizabeth Rothwell, Sales & Marketing Manager [email protected]," it said.
Vineyard is one of the several golf clubs on the island that has been frequented by former President Barack Obama, according to the Washington Examiner. That report also said the club has a $350,000 initiation fee.
Located in Barnstable's Hyannis Port, the Hyannisport Club course is an invitation only course.
"Welcome! Hyannisport Club is a private golf & tennis club located on picturesque Cape Cod with magnificent views of Nantucket Sound," their website said. "Founded in 1897, it is enhanced by our premier classic Alexander Findlay/Donald Ross designed 18 hole golf course. Membership is by invitation only."
The Charles River Country Club was established in 1921 and its golf course was designed by the legendary golf architect Donald Ross.
"The members play the course from the back tees at a par of 72 and a playing distance of 6,701 yards," the country club website said. "The course rating is 73.4 with a slope rating of 143."
The club is also a returning entry to the list after missing Golfweek's 2025 best private courses list.
The club's website recommended asking a member of the club about membership information.
The Winchester Country Club was officially incorporated in 1902, five years after the Winchester Golf Club had first assembled. Its classic golf course opened in 1903. Donald Ross would bring bunkers into the course, from then on the club and the architect had a long professional relationship.
"Today, Winchester Country Club remains one of the premier courses in the state. Featuring views of both the Mystic Lakes and the Boston skyline, this Ross layout remains intact, providing both challenge and enjoyment for its members and their guests," the Winchester Country Club said.
You can find it at 468 Mystic St. in Winchester, Massachusetts.
"Information regarding membership is available only through an active member in good standing of the club," the website said. "No information is distributed publicly."
A classic course in Worcester, the Worcester Country Club was founded in 1901.
"In 1913 they relocated and contracted with renowned architect Donald J. Ross, who personally oversaw the design and construction of the golf course," the Worcester Country Club website said. "Ross crafted a gem that stretches to over 6,600 yards and plays to a par of 70. One unusual feature is the five par threes, which make the course play longer and tougher than the yardage indicates."
You can request more information about club membership through filling out and submitting a form at Worcestercc.com
In Northbridge, the country club known as Whitinsville Golf Club was first established in 1925.
Like many of the great courses on this list, this classic nine-hole course was designed by Donald Ross, their website said.
"The rolling landscape offers many natural environments that contribute to an exciting yet challenging golf experience. In laying out this course, Mr. Ross was given full authority to use the terrain as he saw fit to create a world-class golf course," the website said. "According to historical articles, Donald Ross considered the 'valley layout' of Whitinsville Golf Club to be one of his 'best efforts.'"
If you want to try your hand at this course, then you're going to need to become a member. You can learn more about becoming a member at their website.
Located in Peabody, this classic club's course was designed by Ross and has a difficult but rewarding 18 holes.
This course has rolling fairways, crowned greens, water hazards, difficult rough that leaves no room for error.
"Good shots are rewarded, and poor shots are appropriately challenged. This characteristic makes the course a delight for players of all abilities," the website said. "True to Donald Ross's vision, this classic Ross course is considered one of his finest enduring legacies."
Sankaty Head Golf Club in Nantucket is located on 100 Sankaty Road.
"Sankaty Head Golf Club is a private golf club with tennis and beach facilities that provide its members and their families with first-rate recreational and social activities in an understated and informal atmosphere," their website said.
A classic 18-hole course designed by Emerson Armstrong, it may be one of the most enticing golfing opportunities on the island, as it's one of the last real links golf courses you can play on.
For the uninitiated, links is the oldest form of golf course, first developed in Scotland.
"The course must be along the coast with sandy soil underneath. Links golf is where the game was founded as this sandy soil was perfect for the game and not great for much anything else," Golf.com said. "The land wasn’t of any use for agriculture so people started looking for a different use for it. The sandy soil drains remarkably well, keeping the ground firm — ideal for a golf course."
Sankaty Head Golf Club said that they have in the past kept an open admission to suitable sponsored membership applicants.
"To maintain the family orientation of the membership, properly sponsored legacies are given some priority toward membership," the website said. "However, the Club believes that it is important that a constant flow of new members are admitted to membership and attempts to avoid becoming inbred by the applications of a legacy policy."
Kittansett Club in the South Coast town of Marion features a classic 18-hole course.
Club play began in 1923; founding member Frederic C. Hood built the course while William Flynn planned the route.
"The land provided well-drained and unusually fine fairways and greens," the website said. "The course layout originated and concluded at the unprotected ocean end of the Point."
Kittansett Club has seen some real heights of competitive golf, hosting several Massachusetts Golf Association championships as well as hosting the 1953 Walker Cup, which saw the U.S. beat Great Britain and Ireland.
Named after the Massachusetts road, the Old Sandwich Golf Club in Plymouth was opened in 2004, according to BlueGolf.
"Our commitment at Old Sandwich was to create an interesting golf course of traditional character, a course that would reward thoughtful and skillful play and most of all, a course that would provide enjoyment on a long term basis to players of varying abilities," Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw on their website said.
It's an 18-hole modern course with 6,908 yardage and 71 par.
Boston Golf Club, located at 19 Old County Road in Hingham, Massachusetts, was opened in 2005.
Opening in 2005, the club's course has 18 holes and was designed by Gil Hanse.
"The course was designed for the passionate golfer who appreciates a classic experience which honors the traditions of the game," the Boston Golf Club said. "BGC's membership embraces this passion in a comfortable and fun environment. The club prides itself on being approachable while building traditions through competitive and spirited events."
With an 18-hole course designed by Ross, why wouldn't any golfer want to play at this course?
First established in 1893, Essex Country Club, located in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, is a private club that was the sixth-ever to join the United States Golf Association.
"It starts with the elegant, but certainly not opulent clubhouse and moves to a golf course that looks as if it hasn’t been touched since architect Donald Ross completed his design in 1917," BlueGolf said.
Eastward Ho! is a family-friendly golfing club with one of the most impressive courses you'll find in Massachusetts.
"Located in Chatham, Massachusetts on Pleasant Bay, our 18 hole, links style golf course offers Members and their guests breathtaking vistas and challenging play," their website said.
Play first officially opened in this club on July 3, 1922, meaning we'll be coming up on its 104th birthday very soon.
"The links are in the form of an hourglass, with the Clubhouse located at the waist. The first nine holes stretch away to the east toward the Atlantic, which is visible from almost any point; the second nine lie to the west and, for the most part, are closely tied in with the shores of magnificent Pleasant Bay," the website said.
South Hamilton's Myopia Hunt Club is both a foxhunting club and a private country club that also has a golf course.
"Myopia Hunt Club is the only course in the United States to have been listed by Golf Magazine as having two of the United States's top 100 signature holes, Myopia's fourth and ninth," BlueGolf said. "The U.S. Open was held at the Club in 1898, 1901, 1905, and 1908."
According to Golf.com, the yardage is 6,539 and is 72 par.
Established in 1882, The Country Club is among the oldest country clubs in the nation.
It's accolades include:
This club's course has seen many famous golf architects from Willie Campbell, Rees Jones, and Gil Hanse.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 4 Cape Cod, Islands golf courses make Golfweek's best-in-Mass. list
Continue reading...
Four Cape Cod and Islands courses made the list for Massachusetts — two on the peninsula itself and one each on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
Want to play? You might need to have an invite from an existing member.
The pre-requisites in order to be included on this list are as follows: they must be private and don’t accept daily-fee or resort play. An "m" next to its name means it's a modern course, built in or after 1960, and a "c" denotes a classic course built before 1960.
Best 1st holes on Cape Cod golf courses: 5 must-play first holes on Cape Cod and the Islands
Here's the full list of Massachusetts golf courses chosen by Golfweek.
15. Vineyard Golf Club — Martha’s Vineyard (m)
Vineyard Golf Club, located in Edgartown, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, spans 235 acres and is comprised of a front nine and a back nine, creating a complete 18-hole course.
"All skill levels are able to enjoy the course while the challenge in navigating the 112 bunkers around the course is preserved," the Vineyard Golf Club website said. "Vineyard Golf Club is also one of the few 100% organic golf courses in America."
The greens on this course are diverse with varying shapes and sizes, challenging golfers to make different and interesting plays with its own costs and benefits.
"This forward-looking approach to the agronomy of golf makes the Club stand out among its peers," Vineyard said.
The website said the only people eligible to apply are those nominated by existing club members.
"If you would like to learn more about the club, please contact Elizabeth Rothwell, Sales & Marketing Manager [email protected]," it said.
Vineyard is one of the several golf clubs on the island that has been frequented by former President Barack Obama, according to the Washington Examiner. That report also said the club has a $350,000 initiation fee.
14. Hyannisport Club — Hyannis Port (c)
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Located in Barnstable's Hyannis Port, the Hyannisport Club course is an invitation only course.
"Welcome! Hyannisport Club is a private golf & tennis club located on picturesque Cape Cod with magnificent views of Nantucket Sound," their website said. "Founded in 1897, it is enhanced by our premier classic Alexander Findlay/Donald Ross designed 18 hole golf course. Membership is by invitation only."
13. Charles River Country Club — Newton Centre (c)
The Charles River Country Club was established in 1921 and its golf course was designed by the legendary golf architect Donald Ross.
"The members play the course from the back tees at a par of 72 and a playing distance of 6,701 yards," the country club website said. "The course rating is 73.4 with a slope rating of 143."
The club is also a returning entry to the list after missing Golfweek's 2025 best private courses list.
The club's website recommended asking a member of the club about membership information.
12. Winchester Country Club — Winchester (c)
The Winchester Country Club was officially incorporated in 1902, five years after the Winchester Golf Club had first assembled. Its classic golf course opened in 1903. Donald Ross would bring bunkers into the course, from then on the club and the architect had a long professional relationship.
"Today, Winchester Country Club remains one of the premier courses in the state. Featuring views of both the Mystic Lakes and the Boston skyline, this Ross layout remains intact, providing both challenge and enjoyment for its members and their guests," the Winchester Country Club said.
You can find it at 468 Mystic St. in Winchester, Massachusetts.
"Information regarding membership is available only through an active member in good standing of the club," the website said. "No information is distributed publicly."
11. Worcester Country Club — Worcester (c)
You must be registered for see images attach
A classic course in Worcester, the Worcester Country Club was founded in 1901.
"In 1913 they relocated and contracted with renowned architect Donald J. Ross, who personally oversaw the design and construction of the golf course," the Worcester Country Club website said. "Ross crafted a gem that stretches to over 6,600 yards and plays to a par of 70. One unusual feature is the five par threes, which make the course play longer and tougher than the yardage indicates."
You can request more information about club membership through filling out and submitting a form at Worcestercc.com
10. Whitinsville Golf Club — Whitinsville (c)
You must be registered for see images attach
In Northbridge, the country club known as Whitinsville Golf Club was first established in 1925.
Like many of the great courses on this list, this classic nine-hole course was designed by Donald Ross, their website said.
"The rolling landscape offers many natural environments that contribute to an exciting yet challenging golf experience. In laying out this course, Mr. Ross was given full authority to use the terrain as he saw fit to create a world-class golf course," the website said. "According to historical articles, Donald Ross considered the 'valley layout' of Whitinsville Golf Club to be one of his 'best efforts.'"
If you want to try your hand at this course, then you're going to need to become a member. You can learn more about becoming a member at their website.
9. Salem Country Club — Peabody (c)
You must be registered for see images attach
Located in Peabody, this classic club's course was designed by Ross and has a difficult but rewarding 18 holes.
This course has rolling fairways, crowned greens, water hazards, difficult rough that leaves no room for error.
"Good shots are rewarded, and poor shots are appropriately challenged. This characteristic makes the course a delight for players of all abilities," the website said. "True to Donald Ross's vision, this classic Ross course is considered one of his finest enduring legacies."
8. Sankaty Head — Siasconset (c)
You must be registered for see images
Sankaty Head Golf Club in Nantucket is located on 100 Sankaty Road.
"Sankaty Head Golf Club is a private golf club with tennis and beach facilities that provide its members and their families with first-rate recreational and social activities in an understated and informal atmosphere," their website said.
A classic 18-hole course designed by Emerson Armstrong, it may be one of the most enticing golfing opportunities on the island, as it's one of the last real links golf courses you can play on.
For the uninitiated, links is the oldest form of golf course, first developed in Scotland.
"The course must be along the coast with sandy soil underneath. Links golf is where the game was founded as this sandy soil was perfect for the game and not great for much anything else," Golf.com said. "The land wasn’t of any use for agriculture so people started looking for a different use for it. The sandy soil drains remarkably well, keeping the ground firm — ideal for a golf course."
Sankaty Head Golf Club said that they have in the past kept an open admission to suitable sponsored membership applicants.
"To maintain the family orientation of the membership, properly sponsored legacies are given some priority toward membership," the website said. "However, the Club believes that it is important that a constant flow of new members are admitted to membership and attempts to avoid becoming inbred by the applications of a legacy policy."
7. Kittansett Club — Marion (c)
You must be registered for see images
Kittansett Club in the South Coast town of Marion features a classic 18-hole course.
Club play began in 1923; founding member Frederic C. Hood built the course while William Flynn planned the route.
"The land provided well-drained and unusually fine fairways and greens," the website said. "The course layout originated and concluded at the unprotected ocean end of the Point."
Kittansett Club has seen some real heights of competitive golf, hosting several Massachusetts Golf Association championships as well as hosting the 1953 Walker Cup, which saw the U.S. beat Great Britain and Ireland.
6. Old Sandwich — Plymouth (m)
Named after the Massachusetts road, the Old Sandwich Golf Club in Plymouth was opened in 2004, according to BlueGolf.
"Our commitment at Old Sandwich was to create an interesting golf course of traditional character, a course that would reward thoughtful and skillful play and most of all, a course that would provide enjoyment on a long term basis to players of varying abilities," Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw on their website said.
It's an 18-hole modern course with 6,908 yardage and 71 par.
5. Boston Golf Club — Hingham (m)
You must be registered for see images attach
Boston Golf Club, located at 19 Old County Road in Hingham, Massachusetts, was opened in 2005.
Opening in 2005, the club's course has 18 holes and was designed by Gil Hanse.
"The course was designed for the passionate golfer who appreciates a classic experience which honors the traditions of the game," the Boston Golf Club said. "BGC's membership embraces this passion in a comfortable and fun environment. The club prides itself on being approachable while building traditions through competitive and spirited events."
4. Essex — Manchester-by-the-Sea (c)
With an 18-hole course designed by Ross, why wouldn't any golfer want to play at this course?
First established in 1893, Essex Country Club, located in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, is a private club that was the sixth-ever to join the United States Golf Association.
"It starts with the elegant, but certainly not opulent clubhouse and moves to a golf course that looks as if it hasn’t been touched since architect Donald Ross completed his design in 1917," BlueGolf said.
3. Eastward Ho! — Chatham (c)
You must be registered for see images attach
Eastward Ho! is a family-friendly golfing club with one of the most impressive courses you'll find in Massachusetts.
"Located in Chatham, Massachusetts on Pleasant Bay, our 18 hole, links style golf course offers Members and their guests breathtaking vistas and challenging play," their website said.
Play first officially opened in this club on July 3, 1922, meaning we'll be coming up on its 104th birthday very soon.
"The links are in the form of an hourglass, with the Clubhouse located at the waist. The first nine holes stretch away to the east toward the Atlantic, which is visible from almost any point; the second nine lie to the west and, for the most part, are closely tied in with the shores of magnificent Pleasant Bay," the website said.
2. Myopia Hunt Club — Hamilton (c)
South Hamilton's Myopia Hunt Club is both a foxhunting club and a private country club that also has a golf course.
"Myopia Hunt Club is the only course in the United States to have been listed by Golf Magazine as having two of the United States's top 100 signature holes, Myopia's fourth and ninth," BlueGolf said. "The U.S. Open was held at the Club in 1898, 1901, 1905, and 1908."
According to Golf.com, the yardage is 6,539 and is 72 par.
1. The Country Club (Composite) — Brookline (c)
You must be registered for see images attach
Established in 1882, The Country Club is among the oldest country clubs in the nation.
It's accolades include:
- 1913 U.S. Open, won by amateur and Brookline-native Francis Ouimet, which began the golf boom in America
- The 1999 Ryder Cup that featured the U.S. team’s dramatic Sunday comeback
- 1902 U.S. Women’s Amateur, the club’s first national championship, won by Genevieve Hecker;
- Four U.S. Opens (1913, 1963, 1988, 2022), three of which finished in playoffs."
This club's course has seen many famous golf architects from Willie Campbell, Rees Jones, and Gil Hanse.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 4 Cape Cod, Islands golf courses make Golfweek's best-in-Mass. list
Continue reading...
