New England is such a special corner of America.
The people and places are bonded by a lifestyle all their own. There’s a lot to love, from clam chowder to legendary sports franchises and long winters that give way to beautiful summers. Not to mention the incredible history.
All six New England states are small in stature, yet big in pride. Golfers should be especially proud of their golf scene. It’s a diverse collection of courses, one celebrated by our newest addition to Golfers’ Choice 2026: the best 25 public golf courses in New England.
The best public golf courses in Massachusetts were the clear winner in our new ranking, landing nine different courses among the top 25. The best public golf courses in New Hampshire fared surprisingly well with five to edge out the best public golf courses in Maine and the best public golf courses in Vermont (four apiece) for second place. Connecticut and Rhode Island also had at least one course make the list.
We create our annual Golfers’ Choice lists by curating the reviews submitted by everyday golfers. We use GolfPass’ Ratings Index logic that weights newer reviews and combine it with a course’s subcategory averages.
We make our Golfers’ Choice best-of lists user friendly for the public golfer. Simply click on the photo of each course to learn more about the facility or to book a tee time (in most cases).
Want to get involved with determining the top public golf courses in New England or any other future Golfers’ Choice lists? Click here to review your latest round.
How the Rankings Are Determined
We analyzed thousands reviews of top New England public golf courses published on GolfPass in 2025 (until our Dec. 1 cutoff date) to determine the list. Each course needed reviews by real golfers to be eligible.
This was created to provide a more accurate indication of a golf course’s current overall rating. Newer reviews are weighted heavier than older ones, as are reviews from golfers who leave more reviews. (In this way, they become trusted sources).
Who This List Is Best For
Golfers’ Choice measures what every day golfers think makes a course great, including playability, enjoyment, value and service not just architectural prestige or pedigree. Golfers’ Choice ranks the best golf courses based on real golfer reviews – highlighting prestigious, architecturally significant courses alongside hidden gem public golf courses that everyday golfers genuinely love and recommend.
Best public golf courses in New England
New England states in Golfers’ Choice 2026
Public golf courses from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont helped create this ranking of New England’s best courses for Golfers’ Choice 2026. For each state’s individual rankings, see below.