With 376 courses to its name, Massachusetts has the second-highest concentration of golf courses per square mile in the country, and Cape Cod boasts some of the best ones.
So, if you're an avid golfer looking for a vacation property that can offer you hours of enjoyment on the course, Cape Cod is an excellent place to start your search.
You'll find a golf course to suit every skill level and preference in this part of the world. Here's your guide to the best golf courses on Cape Cod.
The Cape Club, East Falmouth
The Cape Club is about 8 miles from the prestigious Falmouth community, with its luxurious properties surrounded by a thriving arts community and a wealth of seaside activities.
This golf course stands on the site of the old Ballymead Club and has undergone extensive refurbishments at the hands of Jim Fazio. It boasts expanded playing corridors, re-contoured fairways, and brand-new green complexes.
The new Cape Grille and renovated clubhouse turn a day at The Cape into a family affair with outstanding dining opportunities. In the future, the club will boast a resort pool and a plush spa to add an extra element of luxury to the fray.
Cape Cod Country Club, East Falmouth
Cape Cod Country Club offers a classic Cape Cod golf experience. You can play on the pristine greens of this 18-hole championship course year-round.
The signature 9th hole has a misleading par-3 rating. It measures 165 yards and boasts a tee-off over the water, plus two huge bunkers guarding the green.
On this course, subtly sloping greens and undulating fairways meander through a delightful landscape of woods, lakes, and wonderful views.
Eastward Ho! Private Golf Course, Chatham
Eastward Ho! offers an exclusive golfing experience, just minutes from the premier communities nestled on the shores of Ryder's Cove and Crow's Pond. It has a classic, engaging design, crafted by Herbert Fowler, that meanders around an isthmus in the Atlantic Ocean.
With each nine looping out and back along the shore, the 18 holes of this charming course boast a chance to catch expansive sea views from high vantage points.
Eastward Ho! is a particularly beautiful course with an understated design. It has delighted players since 1921 with its straightforward greens and minimalist bunkering.
Here, the challenge lies in the naturally rugged lie of the land, which presents ample tests for golfers with very view flat areas.
The 395-yard par-4 ninth hole is a favorite, played from the property's highest point toward a ridged landing area alongside the green.
Holes 4, 7, 10, and 15 are exceptional short par 4 holes, with hole 15 taking the honors as the signature hole.
Seaside Links, Chatham
Another nearby option for those vacationing in the luxe Chatham area, Seaside Links is a nine-hole public course. It's perfect for a quick morning round or to brush up on your skills, courtesy of the resident on-site pro.
The course operates on a first-come-first-play basis, so get there early to enjoy a game before heading off to enjoy the rest of the activities on offer around Cape Cod.
While it's by no means a premier course, Seaside Links is compact and infinitely playable, offering challenges for all levels of golfers.
The holes are mostly par 3s and par 4s and its greatest charm lies in providing great value for money, short wait times, and a convenient seaside location.
The Captains Golf Course, Brewster
The Captains Golf Course proudly proclaims itself, the “golf capital of the Lower Cape”. It has two par 72, 18-hole golf courses named the Port and the Starboard.
Brian Silva designed this course with tree-lined fairways and surprisingly few water hazards, naming each hole after a famous New England mariner.
Most players consider the Port Course the more challenging of the two.
After your game, you can enjoy a meal and something refreshing to drink at the Captain's Café, while the outdoor patio provides glorious views of the first tees.
Highland Golf Links, Truro
Highland Golf Links overlooks the Atlantic Ocean from a lofty vantage point on the bluffs of Truro. It's one of the oldest golf courses in the area, having opened in 1898.
Owned by the National Park Service, Highland Golf Link is the only course on the Cape Cod National Seashore and is also part of the Truro Highland Historic District.
This course maintains a genuine Scottish links tradition, complete with heath, deep natural rough, and Scotch broom. It's a fun, 9-hole course measuring 2,579 yards and a bucket list item for travelers to Cape Cod.
Although the course poses very few serious challenges apart from the stiff offshore breeze, it's a scenic gem. The final hole is a showstopper, winding gently down toward the Highland Lighthouse, the oldest and highest in Cape Cod, standing tall amid the sea of green.
If you have young children who would like to join you for a round of golf, this is the perfect place to spend some time with them.
Before or after your scenic round, you can pop into the Lighthouse Café for breakfast or lunch.
Ocean Edge Golf Club, Brewster
This is the only Cape Cod course designed by Jack Nicklaus. It's awash with dramatic elevation changes, tree-lined fairways, and breathtaking views.
Most players rate Ocean Edge as a difficult course due to its undulating aspect, but they all agree it's spectacularly well-maintained.
Some features include:
- Wide fairways
- Punishing rough
- Few turns
- Many elevation changes
- Large sloping, multi-level greens
- Multiple bunkers per hole
The par 5 9th hole is a test, even for accomplished golfers, featuring a downhill dogleg, rough lateral hazards, and a difficult angle toward the green.
It's the signature hole 17 that holds the distinction of being the most difficult hole on the course, but you can navigate it by keeping well away from the left-hand bunkers and not falling for the green's false front.
Blue Rock Golf Course, South Yarmouth
This immaculate course first opened in 1962, after the founder commissioned Geoffrey Cornish to build the area's inaugural championship par 3 course.
Blue Rock Golf Course welcomes both the public as well as members to enjoy its expansive facilities, including two chipping and putting greens, a private range for lessons, and a full-service Pro Shop.
The holes vary from 255 to 103 yards and the course suits players of all abilities and ages. The signature hole 9 is 169 yards over water, culminating in a kidney-shaped green.
Blue Rock traverses 3,000 yards of wooded terrain set among residential neighborhoods. It has four challenging but pretty waterholes.
Oyster Harbors Club, Osterville
Oyster Harbor is a private golf course built in the roaring 20s. It's an exclusive, beautifully-kept course nestled in the elite gated community of Oyster Harbors on Grand Island.
The Donald Ross-designed course underwent a major revamp in the late 2000s under the auspices of Bruce Hepner.
Three holes stand out on this exceptional course, i.e., the par three 3rd hole with its oddly shaped bunker, the 434-yard 11th with water left of the green, and the sharply doglegged 410-yard 18th.
Other challenges include greens with natural falloffs and intermittent breezes from the distant ocean. This is one course where you should take your playing angles very seriously.
Cranberry Valley Golf Course, Harwich
Designed by Cornish & Robinson, Cranberry Valley Golf course may be relatively flat, but it's still full of challenges. Left and right doglegs and double doglegs abound to make up for the scarcity of water obstacles.
There are plenty of opportunities to fine-tune your strategy thanks to an abundance of deep, masterfully-placed bunkers.
Cranberry Valley lacks the dramatic scenery of some of its peers, but it has plenty of pines and sand which are so typical of the Cape Cod landscape.
The practice areas are outstanding, featuring a pretty putting area, chipping area, and driving range. There is also a space set aside for private lessons from the resident pro golfer.
Overall, the stand-out feature of this cleverly designed course is its friendly, welcoming ambiance, which you can revel in at the cottage-style clubhouse after your round.
Enjoy the Best Golf Courses on Cape Cod
With 15 private and 27 public golf courses to choose from, Cape Cod is a prime destination for lovers of the Gentleman's Game. Here you can enjoy long and short, testing and gentle courses, gorgeous sea views, and well-manicured surroundings.
Plus, there's no shortage of highly-rated accommodation options for a vacation on Cape Cod, along with excellent investment properties up for grabs.
If you invest in an elite home in this prestigious area, you'll enjoy easy access to the best golf courses on Cape Cod. Get in touch today to discuss your property needs.
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