The best public-access and private golf courses in Massachusetts, ranked

Looking to play the best golf courses in Massachusetts? Welcome to our annual Golfweek’s Best ranking of public-access and private courses.

Following are the rankings for both types of courses, as judged by our nationwide network of raters. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on the first list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.

KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.

* indicates new or returning to the rankings

Best public-access courses in Massachusetts

1. Cape Cod National

Brewster (m)

2. Miacomet

Nantucket (m)

3. Farm Neck

Oak Bluffs (m)

4. Red Tail

Devens (m)

5. The Ranch

Southwick (m)

6. Crumpin-Fox

Bernardston (m)

7. George Wright Municipal

Boston (c)

T8. Cranberry Valley Golf Course*

Harwich (m)

T8. Pinehills (Nicklaus)

Plymouth (m)

10. Granite Links

Quincy (m)

Best private courses in Massachusetts

1. The Country Club (Composite)

Brookline (24)

2. Myopia Hunt Club

Hamilton (T31c)

3. Eastward Ho!

Chatham (40c)

4. Essex

Manchester-by-the-Sea (42c)

5. Old Sandwich

Plymouth (29m)

6. Boston GC

Hingham (33m)

7. Kittansett Club

Marion (52c)

8. Sankaty Head

Siasconset (T89c)

9. Salem CC

Peabody (91c)

10. Whitinsville GC

Whitinsville (T92c)

11. Winchester CC

Winchester (T122c)

12. Taconic

Williamstown (T128c)

13. Worcester CC

Worcester (T138c)

14. Nantucket GC

Siaconsett (T167m)

T15. Charles River*

Newton Centre (T149c)

T15. Hyannisport Club

Hyannis Port (T149c)