Five 9-hole courses in Mass. to play in 2025

+ News, Notes, and Weekly Favorites

Author

Sean Melia
December 20, 2024

Hey Everyone,

I hope some of you stole some time to play a little golf this week. Even with all the rain, the warm weather must mean some courses are open. Don’t forget, I have compiled a list of courses that remain open in the winter. Keep an eye on those five-day forecasts and keep those golf clubs nearby.

This week, I also put together a video of six courses that are worth checking out this winter.

News and Notes:

MassGolf rolling out 2025 Qualifying Sites: For competitive golfers, it’s time to start planning the 2025 schedule. MassGolf is rolling out some qualifying dates and venues for their 2025 Championships. The Mass Open and Mass Amateur. (Personal note: Incredibly, I am currently a 3.7 handicap. 3.6 and lower can qualify for Mass Amateur. Would be the first time I’m not eligible to qualify since high school… might have to make a trip down south and chase a low score…).

Massachusetts Junior Team Announced: The USGA has been slowly rolling out a U.S. Development Program. One initiative is to create more consistency and opportunities for the best juniors in the country. A handful of states were selected to create junior teams, and Massachusetts announced their team this week. You can see them all here.

South Beach International Amateur: Ryan Downes and Tyler Bruneau are playing down in Miami this week. Ben James is the defending champion. The event usually boasts one of the five strongest fields in amateur golf every year. Downes shot a first-round 69 (-2) at Miami Beach GC and sits in T46. Bruneau shot 71 (+1) at Normandy Shores Golf Course and is in T123. Live Scoring.

Five 9-hole courses to play in 2025

This week, the USGA released its “2024 Golf Scoreboard,” which compiled the data from its GHIN app. 3.5 million golfers posted 77 million scores. Last year, the GHIN began allowing people to post scores from rounds at par 3 and short courses, too.

A record of 13,798,174 9-hole scores were posted. That’s 8% more than 2023 and 40% more than 2020.

9-hole rounds take less time and usually cost less. In this day and age, those two advantages can greatly outweigh the lure of playing 18 holes, which tend to take 5-6 hours these days. Another nice part about nine-hole rounds is that they offer a chance to play more golf while also providing the chance to eject and head home.

Massachusetts is not short on excellent nine-hole courses. Here are five 9-hole courses you should put on your “must-play list” in 2025.

Cape Ann GC - Essex, Mass.

Rates:

  • 9 holes: Weekday and weekend $35

  • 18 holes: Weekday and weekend $50

This family-owned course is a blast. The views of the marsh are exceptional, and the fourth hole is one of the best in the state. It’s a simple design that is certainly rough around the edges. It’s open year-round, so go check it out on a warm winter day!

Marion GC - Marion, Mass.

2024 Rates:

  • 9 holes: Weekday $23; Weekend & holidays $25

  • 18 holes: Weekday $31; Weekend & holidays $35

  • Unlimited: Weekday $45; Weekend & holidays $50

Marion GC is an open, easy walk.

A course that has been rejuvenated over the last couple of years, Marion is brimming with charm and quirk. Golfers will hit shots over walls and berms. It’s an incredibly easy walk, and even across the rather flat land, there is intrigue due to obstacles along the way. The architect, George C. Thomas, used this site as a testing ground for his ideas before bringing them to places like Los Angeles CC and Bel-Air CC.

Furnace Brook - Quincy, Mass.

2024 Rates:

  • 9 holes: Weekday $40; Weekend & holidays $50

  • 18 holes: Weekday $55; Weekend & holidays $65

The fifth hole plays downhill

A former private club (and ski hill), Furnace Brook GC has a Jekyll and Hyde vibe. The first six holes are fairly open and play up and down hills, which would be great for snow sports. The final three holes are tighter, and the seventh hole is a par 3 during school hours and a par 4 when school is out of session due to the proximity of the playground. The greens are small and challenging to hit, especially when the wind kicks up. The brand-new clubhouse and patio, which should be done this spring, could be a great spot to grab a meal and watch players finish their rounds.

Olde Salem Greens - Salem, Mass.

2024 Rates:

  • 9 holes: Weekday $22; Weekend & holidays $25

  • 18 holes: Weekend & holidays $40 (no nine-hole weekend rate)

Looking back up the par-3 second hole.

Olde Salem Greens has some superb holes that run up and down heaving land. The opening hole is the perfect introduction to what’s to come. Rock outcroppings, blind shots, and rolling land welcome golfers. The blind, long, downhill par-3 second is unique and polarizing. The par-5 fourth hole is one of my favorites in the state. Olde Salem hits a lull in the middle and gets a little tight and wonky, but it’s a great experience and absolutely worth a visit.

North Hill - Duxbury, Mass.

2024 Rates:

  • 9 holes: Weekday $25; Weekend & holidays $27

  • 18 holes: Weekday $37; Weekend & holidays $39

The third hole is a tough uphill par 4.

A sneaky demanding 9-hole course. The opening holes are tough, especially the second and third holes. Aside from the long, uphill second hole, it’s a rather open course that allows players to spray their ball a little bit. The greens are interesting, and even over a 9-hole round, players will hit plenty of clubs in their bag.

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When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

  • A good read about Utah, sports, BYU, and money, “Utah's sports profile gets an upgrade, with Ryan Smith leading the charge” by Michael Rothstein on ESPN.

  • While this isn’t “reading” because I’m listening to the audiobook, Day Trading Attention by Gary Vaynerchuk is super interesting. It’s a marketing book that focuses on social media. Vaynerchuk reads the book, and he’s a high-energy guy who will stop reading to talk for a minute if something occurs to him while he’s reading. There are some good nuggets in there for anyone trying to grow a business and market on social media.

I’m listening to…

  • Went back and listened to my 2023 Spotify Wrapped (yes, 2023), and it brought me back to Lorde.

  • I don’t love holiday/Christmas music. But Sufjan Stevens’ Songs for Christmas is one album I do like listening to.

I’m eating…

  • Wegmans cannoli dip is delicious.

I’m watching…

  • We’ve been watching Get Millie Black on Max. It’s a very good crime thriller set in Jamaica created and written by the author Marlon James.

  • Southern Charm is back… that is all.

  • I’ve been watching a lot of TPI videos, and this one with Tron from No Laying Up is something else. He’s built like a fossilized tree.

New here? Reached the bottom?

Hell Yeah.

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