Really nice little public course, I played here three years ago when I was visiting my friend in Boston. I didn't really get a good read on the greens, it was raining. Some were slow, some were a little faster, but they were tough. Fairways are in good shape and the tee boxes for the most part were also in good shape. Now that I'm traveling up to MA more often I definitely plan on coming back and giving it a go again. read more

misogynistic staff!!! Today was the third time our group has been treated disrespectfully by male staff. As a group of women golfers, we have consistently been talked down to and questioned about our play (jumping ahead of others, which we did not). Today our cart was not working well when we started, driving very slowly. On the second hole the cart stopped working and the battery light lit up. An older gentleman (the starter) approached us and said in an extremely condescending manner, "Ladies, if you put the cart in neutral it won't drive." I told him that we know how to drive a cart. He went on to say smugly, "Well it's working fine for me." I told him we were switching carts and proceeded to move my clubs. By the way, the cart wasn't working well for him either. We've been here many times, and this has been consistent treatment. Women beware! read more

I used to play here quite often. It is a decent public golf course that is in good shape but not great shape, which is expected for a municipal course. It is extremely over priced however in my opinion and is very busy and backed up on the weekends. At $55 to ride a cart on the weekend there are much better options in the Boston area for around the same price and better quality. NOTE: My review is for the 2015 season and not this year as I have not been to the course this year. read more

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Enjoyed this casual course. It was in reasonable shape given the amount of play it gets and the rain we have had this summer. Many par 3s and tight holes - staff was great, inexpensive place to practice your game. In great shape for a muni - will be back. Is it as nice as some of the more upscale courses ? no - but that's not what this is. read more

Maps pin takes you to the wrong place and haven't met a more rude starter in my life.

Albie and his staff couldn't have been more welcoming and helpful. I came in from out-of-town and was treated like an old friend. The course was beautiful - perfect for walking. If you're in the Boston area you've got to play a round there. read more

Newton Commonwealth Golf Course - Golf Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

A shout out for my favorite local course. Yes, some of the tees are pretty beat. And sometimes the rounds are endless. But a Donald Ross course in the city for what, $35/40 if you walk? The greens are always in good shape. The holes are interesting, good shotmaking required. And I have met some very nice, fun people over the years. If you pick your times right, this place is a great local option. read more

I would not recommend this course to anyone who likes a casual game. It's the most strict course I have ever been to. They check your cart up and down when you get there. They have about two decent tee boxes, the rest are completely aerated and tough to even get a tee in the ground. The 11th hole you are literally hitting off of football turf which you need some sort of miniature tee to even attempt a shot. Not to mention they have several holes with condescending signs like "THIS IS NOT A DRIVER HOLE YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE". The rangers asked us 3 times to play faster when the group ahead of us was clearly backed up as well. And I guarantee under this comment one of the managers will have a witty response to this. I'm all set with this course and please try to find a tee time elsewhere in the Boston area if you're reading this. read more

Newton Commonwealth is okay for a municipal course relatively close to the city, but my heart is still with Franklin Park. Regardless, NC does offer up a few decent holes on it's short, hilly course. The maintenance isn't anything to blink an eye at and the layout isn't spectacular. The club house offers more in the way of gear than does George Wright, but less in the way of refreshments and lounge area than Franklin. NC just feels like a very generic golf course. I guess what it's lacking for me is character. Sure, Franklin may have a few brown-bagging crazies who've escaped the nearby Shattuck hospital roaming around the back nine, but I'll take that over a couple tightwad finance dudes in Newton any day. Update: In hindsight, I had a realization that NC deserves more than three stars, because I do go back. And you know what, I'm still freaking golfing! read more

Newton Commonwealth Golf Course - View of the city from one of the front nine - Golf Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

I've been here two times and both times it was backed up like crazy. Took us 5.5 hours to finish a round both times. We were waiting at the tee box with two other groups for majority of the back 9 clearly overbooked. Also a very short course will never be back. read more

It is very rare that I come across a course and when I walk off I tell myself I'll never return. Enter Newton Comm. It's really too bad because the course is in decent shape and it has potential to be challenging. But, no golf, no course, no challenge is worth it when you're waiting 2-3 minutes between each golf shot. Something is seriously wrong with the pace of play at this point. We continually waited for the groups in front of us. Average hole time was 17-19 minutes. Outrageous. We stuck it out for 8 holes but entering the 9th tee box at 2 hours and 45 minutes into the round was just unbearable. So, hit a stressful drive and head to your car. Never been so annoyed by a round of golf. We let the pro shop know we would be heading out early and I asked about pace of play and whether a five hour (plus) round was consistent. He said "Yup. Most weekends are 5-6 hours a round. That's how weekend golf is." What planet are we on? 5 hours plus 18 for holes? My grandmother is 106 and she could walk a round in under 4.5 hours. For the pro shop to say this is normal and "that's how long golf takes" is mind blowing. 17 minutes per hole? What are you smoking? And, can I have some? Never again. Six hours to play a round of golf. Get outtttttta here. Recommend... that you avoid it like the plague. read more

Love me some Donald Ross classic muni courses. A public course close to Boston gets a lot of rounds and it was in pretty good shape when i played it Friday morning after a heavy overnight rain. It's narrow and not long so a 3-wood and irons will get you along nicely. I think i paid $35 to walk nine and that's a good deal. read more

I was both pleasantly surprised and somewhat disappointed when I first played Newton Commonwealth. The quality of the layout and design given the tight quarters are impressive, as are most of Donald Ross's designs. Despite being short, many of the holes are quite challenging with the use of slope and elevation changes. It's actually quite idyllic at times with wonderful views of the surrounding areas. I would have been more disappointed had I not already been told many times how slow the play is and how many balls will fly over your head. Still, I couldn't help feeling let down with the experience somehow. Just for the course itself, play aside, I would be very close to giving four stars if it weren't for a few boring holes (100 yard par 3? eh) and small letdowns like an astroturf tee box on one hole and the lack of a real grass practice green. So why not three stars? The old starter here is extremely unpleasant and at times downright unprofessional. I don't want someone yelling at me to hit my tee shot when there are people standing in the fairway in front of me. If it's too far for you to see, take my word for it, there are idiots standing in the fairway and I will likely hit them. Further, there's no point rushing the people on the first tee because you know quite well that it's backed up with groups waiting on the tee for the next hole. Don't continue yelling at me even once they've cleared out of the way and I'm taking a swing. That's shockingly bad behavior for anyone, let alone a paid professional. read more

"FORE!!!" I'm not trying to be silly. Consider investing in a helmet when playing this course. A colander or stainless steel bowl will also suffice. Newton Commonwealth Golf Course has the good fortune of being conveniently located for Allston, Brighton, and Newton residents, and the folks at Sterling Golf Management have done a great job keeping the course up. The greens roll pretty well, and the fairways are always in good shape. That being said, this is far from my favorite Boston-area golf course for a few reasons. First, and most importantly, Newton Comm is a firing range. The holes are built almost right on top of each other on the side of a huge hill. You *will* find yourself ducking for cover at least once during your round, as even mildly spraying the ball in any direction will inevitably put someone in danger. The first time I played here, I almost had my head taken off twice, and I considered myself well out of the flight line of those players' shots. Hope you don't have a cold or a sore throat when you play here, as you'll need to yell "FORE!" several times. Second, some of the holes are jokes. The most prominent example is Hole 13, the "do not attempt to reach this 250 yard downhill par 4 or we will throw you off the course" hole. All but one of the par 5s are reachable in two (in some cases with an iron). Thankfully, even the more easily reachable holes have tough greens, which makes for a good challenge. Third, the pace of play on the course is not particularly good. The best times to get out are early in the morning or on a weekday afternoon. Weekend mid-day and afternoon times can be deadly slow, even though the course is relatively short. Be prepared. It's not the best golf course around, and it's not the worst, but it's 18 holes crammed into a space that probably (generously) fits 12 or 13. When that happens, you're going to encounter the problems that I have described in this review. It's an okay experience, but be cautious out there! read more

Probably the rudest club house staff in all of greater boston. I was a regular there, frequenting the place about three-four times per week as my gracious summer vacation permitted me to do so. They act as if they're doing me a favor by allowing me to play golf. I've called them a few times to ask about the conditions of the course IE pace of play, can i come down as a single and hop on on short notice, they tell me to go look online. Very unhelpful. Also, I was there with my handicapped friend who had lost a leg last summer in a boating accident. He was taking a cart and I was walking with my push cart. The guy at the front desk accused of me trying to cheat the system and get a cart for free. I then explained to him i use a push cart. He charged me for the cart and non-resident (i live in newton). I told him he overcharged me, he then asked for my card to reimburse me, literally threw the receipt at me and i was still overcharged by $5 dollars. I generally don't write bad reviews on places but i've had it with this place. They are rude and over pack the course. Honestly, the dude with a sweet goatee and tats probably doesn't belong in the club house if he's going to be a jerk. read more

I love it here . I have been playing in this league for a few years and will be playing this year too. I feel they are so accommodating if they can . If they can't, they can't for a good reason . I have gone alone and they would throw me in and the starters are amazing . Mike , Albie are terrific !!! If you walk prepare for a good workout .. very hilly !!! read more

Played on Feb 1st. Even in the middle of winter, the place was in solid shape!! Tight, tricky course that poses nice challenges. Really nice layout for a short course. I really don't understand all the bad reviews. It is not a premier course, obviously. But they are not pretending to be. For the price and location you really cant beat it! Recently they have kept in in great shape. They are also currently going through some renovations. Solid track close to boston, smack in the middle of brighton/newton. For the price, you cant go wrong. read more

A Boston/Newton staples. Great people. Great play. No complaints!

First a few things to disclose about my review: 1) I grew up across the street from the 15th hole 2) I golf a lot 3) I golf a lot at Newton Commonwealth OK now that I got that out of the way, here's what you're getting at Newton Commonwealth: A really (and I mean really) short course, a really hilly course, some difficult holes, some holes that don't seem like they should be on a golf course, a few too many par 3s, and an enjoyable round on a course playable by any skill level golfer. If you go early to midday on a nice weekend day, be prepared to wait. The plethora of par 3s (4 on the front), combined with some less than stellar golfers and holes that are close to each other adds up to some long wait times and long rounds. But if it's nice out, who cares? There isn't much to this course in terms of a clubhouse. They have a few bags, clubs and accessories in the pro shop. The snack bar has decent, cheap sandwiches (really good breakfast sandwiches in the morning), and hot dogs. They have beer... sometimes, I'm not sure what the rhyme or reason to their liquor license is. The bottom line is that this is a golf course 15 minutes from downtown Boston, it is fairly cheap (max rate is $37, and they have a Newton resident discount), and it's not too demanding to be really frustrating. If you're playing on a weekend, enjoy being outside. If you have time before work, a round at Commonwelath is a fantastic way to start a day, just don't hold me up! read more

Conveniently located near Boston. Tee boxes, fairways, and greens are in really good shape (except for the 3rd hole, the tee box is turf... kinda cheesy). The front 9 is a lot better than the back 9, but overall it is a fun course. Lots of par 3's on the back 9. I would come back. read more

This review is based off service, not course. My car was accidentally damaged from someone on the course. Purely an accident, but the staff was more than helpful with me. Hats off to them. The course is also fun to play! Other golfers are also friendly. read more

I played here for my first time today. Short but really fun layout. Punishes you if you're missing off the tee, yet very Scoreable if your game is on. Highly recommend for all skill levels. read more

Could easily give this course 2 stars but awarding 3 due to location and uniqueness. With that being said I live in Brighton just about a 5 or 6 minute drive from the course and would prefer to drive 30+ minutes to play somewhere else. While I agree with some of the pictures recently posted about the quality of various Tee Boxes, the course is generally in decent shape. The course is very short, they're multiple par 4's that are reachable with driver and multiple par 3's that are a stones throw from the tee box (close to 100 yds). If you need to improve your iron game Newton Comm would be a solid course to check out. With the course being so short pace of play is UNBEARABLE on weekends. I understand they're running a business but for all the golf I play (at least once a week) I've never witnessed more groups loaded on a course waiting on par 4s than at Newton Comm. Clubhouse staff is the rudest of any golf course I've ever played at. This is partly the reason I've just flat out stopped playing here. I stopped by to play a quick round after work last fall (Twilight Rate). The clubhouse staff member charged me full price, when I politely asked for the difference to be refunded on my card I was given the worst attitude, was told a refund wasn't possible, and was given the difference in a "rain check"... That's $20 I'll never see again. PRO TIPS: There is no real surface practice putting green here only a slick astro turf patio area that probably does more harm than good. Remember to bring a helmet. Its very rare to play a hole in its entirety here without ducking for cover as the holes are stacked up on each other. read more

This course is great if you're looking for a course close to the city, but other than that I try to avoid it whenever possible. If you like to walk courses, DO NOT expect to have any energy left after playing here. It is hills, hills and more hills. You will get a workout, it's more like hiking with golf clubs in tow. Also, the course is extremely tightly packed. You will get your head taken off by players on the next tee on certain holes if you're not paying attention. The course itself isn't bad, but if it weren't for its location it wouldn't get half the business it does. The staff is friendly enough, and they have good sunset specials in the summer, but paying around $40 without a cart to play here is not worth it in my opinion. read more

Like the last reviewer I have no experience golfing, and can make no comparisons to other courses, but what I can with confidence comment on is the politeness of the staff. From the moment our group of 4 entered the clubhouse to pay, and get our carts we were met with rude staff members, and the attitude we received throughout the day was the same. For the money people pay to golf, I expect to at least be treated kindly. The course itself could be marked a little better, as it was hard to tell where the next hole was being there for the first time, but it seemed well maintained. read more

Love playing this course! Always in great shape but what is best is how easy it is to get to for a quick round!

This is the first time I've ever felt it necessary to write a yelp review. I've played at NWC a few times, and will NOT be going back. We played twilight hours on the weekend. They don't rent carts during twilight hours, which is fine, no issue with that. The issue is that two guys who work at the course played through (they had a golf cart), and completely screwed up the flow. We ended up having to wait for them, which caused the people behind us to catch up and follow us for the rest of the round. We then had ANOTHER group (looked like 2 staff or friends of club) try to jump in front of us on the 9th hole. We end the round on 13, and the green is near the club house. While we're putting there's about 10 loud golf carts (mostly driven by workers) driving around for no apparent reason. read more

I didn't even know this course existed till I looked it up. This is an OK course, it's got a decent amount of par's spread out. I liked the short par 3's. Most of the holes are very hilly. Some I could not see the flag when teeing off. They could use some better markings for the first few holes but towards the end of the 9 they are very close together and easy to find. The greens could of used some maintenance here and there. There are some water hazards so prepare to fish out a ball or two from the creek. I thought service was good. The guys in the pro shop were very nice. The weekend rates were $37 for a non-resident plus $9 for a golf cart. They offer a better rate for Newton residents with ID. They offer some lower rates towards sunset . It's one of the more reasonable courses for the city and there is plenty of parking. read more

So keep in mind that this is a review of this course in mid march. Who knows what's going to happen when the season picks up and the weather (hopefully) gets better. I knock it two stars for two problems that stand out in my mind: 1.) I heard more "FOUR"s than I've ever heard during a round of golf in my life. literally multiple times each hole. Balls were flying through tree branches, like it was their job. Also did I mention I got hit by a ball while I was putting? yea. that happened (no one said four that time...). 2.) the Greens were super inconsistent. Some dry and super fast, some wet and really slow, some in between. I realize that this is probably because of all the rain we've been having, but if there's one thing a golf course should have it's consistent greens. Hopefully this will be resolved as the season progresses. Other than that, I like the layout for the most part. VERY hilly (as most people have said). Pretty challenging course. I'll be back -- mosty because the course beat me this time. Three Stars pending an update later in the season! read more

Keep your head up! Have never played a course where I've almost been hit by so many golf balls. It's a very short, very hilly course, with a lot of 280-320 yard par 4s, so often times the group behind you will hit into you as you get ready to hit your approach shots. Pace of play here is a big problem as well - I know there's no happy medium, but you either get people hitting into you, or waiting for the green to clear before they tee off and pop one up 200 yards down the fairway. However, the price is right, and is close to downtown Boston - just don't expect it to be the most fun round of golf in your life. read more

Newton Comm is an OK course with nothing really horrible and on the flipside nothing really all that great either. This is a fine place to get in 9 if you just need to get your fix before or after work, and does offer some holes that might give you a little bit of heartburn. It is a bit hilly but can be walked without too much trouble because it is kind of short. Some holes on the front do get a bit soggy due to the wetlands that are present, and you need to know where to hit on a few holes, so getting out with someone who has done a round or two there is useful. The things that aren't the best about the course are that the ratio of par 3, 4 and 5s are a little out of whack , and on one of the holes on the back 9 you have a very reachable par 4 with a hugely elevated tee shot that would be a fun hole, except for the big warnings that tell you that you're not allowed to actually go for the green (due to clubhouse proximity) or they'll come after your firstborn. Kills me each time we come to that hole. Its a fine course for a muni in a great central location, and I'll be back just because its located where it is. read more

This is definitely the front runner of the Sterling courses that I have played since moving here. The course is very short but provides some challenges at times. There is a lot of undulation on many of the holes, almost to much at times. There are a couple holes that you can pipe a drive down the middle of the fairway and end up in the left or right rough due to elevation change. The course is always in great shape, very green grass, fairways, greens, and seems to be well kept. No practice facilities to warm up so come ready to play! The course has plenty of character and is priced fairly. The cart fees are too much though and should be included in the price ($50+ weekend 18 with cart per person). The staff is great for the most part; the service staff (food and bev) can have some better days but overall good people. The fact that the beers are served in cups from the clubhouse is interesting but from what I understand, that is a Newton issue rather than a course rule. They have a handful of cigar offerings on site and are reasonably priced as well. read more

One of the worst managed courses I've played at. Tried to play here twice, first time was a struggle to get on the course even though we called the day prior confirming. Second time, called 2 days prior to confirm we could play, we show up ready to play and they refused to let us play because they had had a league. When we called they mentioned the league but said it wouldn't be an issue. I will never TRY to play here again. Poor management, they couldn't run a put put if they tried. read more

Showed up early for a tee time I booked a week ahead of time, but Unfortunately they had overbooked the course and I ended up having to wait over an hour before my group could start. The workers there seemed disorganized and aloof. They also did not seem very friendly. The course itself is not in good shape. Many of the greens are sandy and full of divots. It is tough to hit a good shot when the course is that uneven. I would suggest that you try another course rather than wasting $40 to play here. read more

RUDE RUDE RUDE! Went there on Saturday with my 8 yr old nephew to play and they gave me crap for bringing a kid on a Saturday. Most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The guy at the counter wouldn't even hand me the receipt, instead tossed at me. This place thinks that golfers should feel privileged to play there...ITS A RUN OF THE MILL PUBLIC GOLF COURSE! I have been going there frequently with my nephew...not anymore. Asked for a full refund for acting like a jerk and went to Freshpond (a better course) and they welcomed us with open arms delighted to see an 8 yr old playing golf. read more

I have very little to say negative about this place... I started playing last year so maybe its just a good beginner course. My first 18 were played here and it was alot of fun. I just went to chek out the conditions this past weekend, and while the course is looking slightly roughed up from this long cold winter, I know it will only be up from here. The pro shop has some great deals on single clubs (Tim got a nice putter for 65 dollars on sale there). They have always done their best to accomodate our tee times and can honestly say I DONT agree with the reviewer who said the staff was unfriendly.. maybe it was an off day. Another thing about this place is the lessons I have had with golf pro Bob. I love Bob. He's so friendly and makes you feel so comfortable. He complimented all the GOOD things about my swing and helped me tweak the things I was doing wrong. By the end of the lesson I was driving far and feeling confident. I think it was 100 dollars for the hour lesson. After the lesson we went to the pro shop where they told us we could go play a few holes if we wanted to. It was about to rain so we got a couple holes in. The snack shop inside is the basic snack shop... I usually grab a chicken salad sammy mid round. The course it self is VERY hilly. I think hole 14 is straight downhill to the green. Its alotta fun. I like the hillyness because its a bigger challenge for my beginner status. I only played this course for about 4 months until my trip to play in Florida and I was prepared. As far as a municipal golf course goes, all of my expectations were met. read more

the two most common sounds heard at ncgc: (1) fore!!!! and (2) the distinctive plock!! of golf balls hitting tree trunks. at least it keeps you on your toes. i'd say newton comm is a good course for beginners, but that would really just be because it's short. with few exceptions on the 4's and 5's, a good drive off the tee leaves you with a mid or short iron to the green. the course, however, is tight and hilly leaving little to no margin for error and making it challenging for someone of middling ability. a lot of beginners tend to golf here, and that's really the main hazard. these aren't i-drive-the-ball-50-yards-so-no-harm-no-foul beginners. they're i-drive-the-ball-200-yards-but-have-no-idea-where-it's-landing beginners. a couple of holes require climbing a perch to see where your drive will land, and not many people (even more experienced players) seem to do that. the tight layout and tricky sightlines leads to balls flying and falling willy-nilly and so many people yelling "fore!" that it loses significance. that's the long way of saying, keep your wits about you. none of these are the fault of the course or the staff, but it is a factor when playing there which ultimately makes it less enjoyable and sometimes a little scary. ncgc a fun and reasonably well-maintained course, though, and i will definitely return. huge plusses for ncgc are the location (a full 18-hole course right on the edge of brighton is pretty frikkin' cool), online booking of tee times, and the deals they offer. ncgc participates in groupon and they have email specials such as the one i bought recently - $99 for 2 rounds with carts and a $50 gift card which can be used for anything, including a 3rd round of golf. not bad. read more

So we booked a tee, time on line, for 18 holes with a cart. We got there between 1:00 - 1:20 and was told we could only use the cart for the first 9 holes. It was never mentioned on line. It only states that Monday - Sunday walking after 3:30, which I assumed meant if you show up at that time, not when you are in the middle of a game you started at 1:10. We were paried up with another couple and had to wait for the group of 4 in front of us each hole. On the 4th hole we were greeted by a worker who told us the group, behind us, called to complain that we were taking too long. He knew the group in front of us was holding us up, but this was the first time someone actually called the club house to complain about us! The worker did say he explained to the group behind us that we were all 8 minutes behind and the group in front of us was holding us up. There was a time when we were still on the green and the group behind us hit their ball on the green too close to us. The man we were playing with, had to go and talk with them and explained we were all being held up and please don't do that anyore. So we finished at 3:45 after the 9 holes and the sun was still shining and we asked if we could keep the cart and they said no. They needed time to clean them and didn't want carts out when it got dark! I tried to reason with them as the couple we were playing with, was finished, but they said no. So since we both took off work, we figured we would just rent pull carts, but of course there were none! We attempted to carry our golf clubs, but some of the hills are really steep and we gave up and left. Needless to say we were very dissapointed. So much for a relaxing game of golf to end a hectic week at work! Had we known we would have to carry our golf clubs after the 9th hole, up front, we would never have booked a tee time. It's a good way to make us pay for 18 and only be able to play 9 as we had no choice, because they didn't even have the walking carts available. It was the most dissapointing days of golf I've ever experienced. We won't be going back any time soon. read more

This course is decent, but very hilly and narrow in some areas. Pricing is somewhat reasonable, although the "per rider" cart charges are pretty steep. read more

Be sure to get a cart, that's all I have to say. This is one of the hilliest courses around Boston, though the views up at the top of the hills can be pretty spectacular, and they take good care of the course given how many people play it. That brings me to the downside - the traffic on the course. Don't be surprised if the front nine backs up with a foursome or two ahead of you waiting. The ranger appears to be AWOL most of the time, leaving some groups of teenagers or seniors to wander aimlessly and allow the course to get backed up. Usually it clears up in the back nine but it's still a pain in the butt. As for difficulty, the course is very short at only ~5300-5400 yards. The challenge mainly lies in the slopes of the fairways. Seeing as how they're on the side of a large hill, if you hit your tee shot on the wrong side of the fairway, it will end up rolling into the rough. Only other complaint I'd have is the layout - it's a VERY small footprint to fit 18 holes in. Be prepared to hear "FORE!" often. The 8th hole alone is directly adjacent to four(!) other holes. For $37+$16 for a cart for non-residents on the weekends, I enjoy playing here when I've got a lot of time on my hands. It's not too challenging given how short it is and the views can be fantastic. read more