Granite Links - A Good One

On Friday I played Granite Links a relatively new "upscale" track very close to downtown Boston.

It's 27 glorious holes built upon an old quarry. At $125 to play, it may be the most expensive course in the entire area.

High atop the border of Milton and Quincy, the course offers great panoramic views of the skyline and the ocean.

I had three birdies while carding an 82. Obviously, the course is not that hard! Next time I will have to play the 6,800 yards from the tips. Many of the holes were downhill and the wind wasn't particularly fierce.

Apparently, despite the great golf, convenient location, and a fabulous clubhouse, I believe Granite Links is, like most country clubs, hurting for members. The one time non-refundable initiation fee runs around $30,000 and annual fees are ONLY $4,900. That's as cheap as I have seen around here - for a course that surpasses most others. I believe there are no monthly minimums and no charge for a cart. My buddy, who lives in Charlestown, was tempted right then and there to threaten his marriage and plop down his Amex to buy a membership.



But, as you can see, he needs to spend some more time on the range.

AND, the math simply doesn't work. He'd have to play 40-50 times a year just to break even versus paying $125 as a daily fee customer. (Note that the golf season in Boston is only 5-6 months long.)