Hey Josh,

Welcome to Mass.  Here are a few suggestions that might be worth checking out. Not sure how far some of these are from you but figured they are a few worth sharing and some of my favorites (in alphabetical order).

Blackstone National
Butterbrook
Cyprian Keyes
Granite Links
Highfields
Pinehills 
Red Tail
Shaker Hills
Shining Rock
The Meadow at Peabody

I guess I could go on for a while... but that's a start and these are all worth the ride in my opinion.

Josh,

Welcome to the area.  I grew up just a town over from North Reading and live out in Shrewsbury now.  There are a couple courses in your area that are nice but I always found the best courses were a little bit of a drive from that area.  Here are some courses within your hour each way time frame that are worth checking out.  Sorry for the lack of review on each but time is short for me right now.  If I can I will add more later.  For me though, greens are my top priority and these courses shouldn't disappoint.

Shaker Hills, Harvard, MA (always a local favorite and ranked high)

Red Tail Golf Club, Devens/Ayer, MA  (very nice but too pricey IMO, worth playing though every so often but I usually play during edge season rates)

Meadow Creek, Dracut, MA (Good conditions and overall nice track)

Butter Brook, Westford, MA (played a couple times and liked it)

Trull Brook, Tewksbury, MA (some odd 90 degree dogleg holes but overall a nice place to play)

Cyprian Keyes GC, West Boylston, MA (My 'home club' - about 50 minutes from you, good conditions, TOUGH layout that makes you place the ball, only hit driver a few times a round if you want to score)

The Pinehills, Plymouth, MA (always rated well,  2 courses worth playing)

Crosswinds Golf Club, Plymouth, MA (great value, cheaper than others in that area and good conditions)

Sagamore Springs, Lynnefiled, MA (haven't played in a LONG time, but I recall as being decent and it is close to you)

Gannon Municipal, Lynn, MA (haven't played in a long time, good course though and has a view of Boston)

The Meadow, Peobody, MA (have not actually played but heard good things - they held a qualifier for one of the MGA tourneys last year or the year before.)

Shining Rock, Northbridge, MA (just started playing here....newer course, GREAT greens, good value for $)

Highfields, Grafton, MA  (can be tough to get out weekend mornings due to blocked times for inner club members)

Campbells Scottish Highlands, Salem, MA (I played in a league here for a few years, pretty good conditions and you can go low)

There are actually some courses in Southern Maine that are great and not far from you as well.  Outlook and Ledges come to mind.

Good luck.

Awesome list!  Thanks so much for the info.  It's so refreshing to have some options now.  I'll be sure to post anything else that I find, but these courses should give me plenty to work with.

Thanks again

Josh

I grew up in North Reading and I live in North Andover now.  You moved into a great town to live and raise a family.  As for golf in the area people have given you some great suggestions.  My personal favorite is Red Tail, but as someone already mentioned it is a bit pricy and it's a good sized ride from NR.  My suggestion to you if you are looking for a challenging course that is maintained very well that you look no further than the private club right in North Reading -- Thomson CC.

Thomson is a reasonably priced private club with a next to nothing initiation fee ($100).  The golf course is 6500 yards from the tips, and it features tight fairways and beautiful big greens.  It is very narrow with condos lining most fairways, but it is a great test of golf with a blue collar membership that is very friendly.  This option would solve your problem of not having many playing companions here in MA, as there are many groups that play at many different times throughout the week.  If you are interested the club is listed in the phone book and I would suggest you talk to the Head Pro, Tim Talbot about playing the course before you decide.  Just another option.

--Mark

Thanks so much for the suggestion.  I live less than a minuet and a half from there.  I had no idea it was affordable, because it looks really nice, and most country clubs in Colorado (where I moved from) are very expensive and exclusive.  I'll definitely look into membership options as well.

Thanks so much for your advise

Josh 

I would lean towards RED TAIL and GRANITE LINKS for two great public courses. If you are looking at Private Clubs in that area there a e a number that would be nice. Thompson is close, but I really do not like how close the homes are to EVERY fairway. You could also look at Meadow Brook in Reading (9 hole, but tough), or Andover Country Club and Indian Ridge CC (also in Andover).

Good Luck!!!!

Thanks!  I've been hearing a lot about Red Tail, and that's next on my list.  I have yet to look into membership options, but Thompson is really close to me.  I played Sagamore Springs last week and that was pretty good.  It was in good shape and definitely a good value.

Thanks

Just played Sandy Burr just west of the city and although I liked the layout the course was in pretty poor condition.  I've played most of the courses on your list and have to say that Peabody Meadows is my favorite.  Thompson is having a town day, so I'm going to get out there this month which I'm really excited about.  I've also gotten out on Granite Links and love that course too.  If it was a little less cash I'd play there all the time.

Stow, MA is about 33 miles away.  I remember playing a course called "Stow Acres Country Club" in the 1970s with my dad.  They literally carved a golf course into a forest (on a lot of the holes you either are in the fairway or the forest).  There are some doglegs that are so sharp you have to use an iron off the tee (one was a 90 degree bend with 200 yards or so from the teebox to the center of the fairway and about 160 or so to the pin).  Appeared to be a well kept course.

I figured I would resurrect this thread.  There's some great memories from this list.  I did get to play Stow and loved the 18 I played there.  I don't remember which one it was.  It was a tournament, and my team did a fair amount of celebrating.  I need to get out to the other side.  I also played Pine Hills with Mike D and the TT guys.  That's a great course too.  I have yet to play Red Tail, but I'd like to get out there soon.  I also joined Thomson CC, so if anyone wants to tee it up there, let me know.  We play pretty much every weekend.

I would reccomend Pinehills golf club (a bit pricy but in my opinion two of the best courses in massachusetts, Nicklaus course is my favorite.) Red tail Golf Club is also a really nice course. May very well be the best layout I have played. Granite Links is also a great course.  Taconic (expensive but could be the very best in Massachusetts.)