Top Connecticut Public Golf Courses

🏌️‍♂️ Top Connecticut Public Golf Courses (Based on Wikipedia, Google Reviews & Course Profiles)

Connecticut offers a blend of classic New England charm and modern course design, making it a top pick for golfers who value variety and accessibility. The state’s public courses range from historic layouts by Donald Ross to championship-ready tracks used in PGA Tour qualifiers. Whether you’re teeing off near the shoreline or amid rolling inland hills, you’ll find scenic, challenging, and well-maintained options across the state.

1. Lake of Isles – Rees Jones
   📍 North Stonington, CT
   🌲 Set next to Foxwoods Resort Casino, nestled in dense forest
   ⛳ North Course (private), South Course (public): long, challenging, stunning
   🌊 Rolling terrain, elevation changes, and water in play
   💲 Premium public/resort course
   🗒️ Course site

2. Keney Park Golf Course – Devereux Emmet (renovated by Matthew Dusenberry)
   📍 Hartford, CT
   🏛️ A restored golden-age muni with classic routing
   🌳 Tree-lined fairways, walkable, with a great mix of holes
   🏆 Host to US Open and PGA qualifiers
   💲 Affordable public course with top-tier greens
   🗒️ Course site

3. Great River Golf Club – Gene Bates
   📍 Milford, CT
   🌅 Situated along the Housatonic River
   🎯 Scenic back nine, sharp bunkering, fast greens
   🏌️‍♂️ Excellent conditions and reputation for difficulty
   💲 Public daily fee (formerly private)
   🗒️ Course site

4. Gillette Ridge Golf Club – Arnold Palmer
   📍 Bloomfield, CT
   🌲 Arnold Palmer signature course with championship layout
   🔥 Strategic bunkering and rolling fairways
   🏆 Once host of pro and amateur events
   💲 Daily fee, known for toughness and conditioning
   🗒️ Course site

5. Oxford Greens – Mark Mungeam
   📍 Oxford, CT
   🌳 Heavily wooded with elevation changes
   🌄 Mix of long par 4s, reachable par 5s, and scenic views
   🏌️‍♂️ Rated among top public courses in CT annually
   💲 Affordable and popular
   🗒️ Course site

6. Wintonbury Hills Golf Course – Pete Dye
   📍 Bloomfield, CT
   🎨 Only Pete Dye-designed course in New England
   🏞️ Open front nine, wooded back nine, strategic layout
   💯 Walkable and loved for value
   💲 Public daily fee, high-quality muni
   🗒️ Course site

7. Shennecossett Golf Course – Donald Ross
   📍 Groton, CT
   ⛳ Classic Ross design with historic roots
   🌊 Coastal holes with views of the Long Island Sound
   🏛️ Built in 1898, but still relevant today
   💲 Public, well-priced with rich character
   🗒️ Course site

8. Lyman Orchards Golf Club – Robert Trent Jones Sr. & Gary Player
   📍 Middlefield, CT
   🍎 Two 18-hole layouts: Jones Course (more open), Player Course (more wooded)
   🌄 Set on a working orchard with beautiful views
   🏌️‍♂️ Great for casual or serious rounds
   💲 Public with full-service amenities
   🗒️ Course site

9. Fairview Farm Golf Course – Unknown (local design)
   📍 Harwinton, CT
   🌾 Wide fairways, great conditioning, rural charm
   🎯 Simple, honest layout that rewards good ball striking
   💲 Affordable and friendly public option
   🗒️ Course site

10. Richter Park Golf Course – Edward Ryder
    📍 Danbury, CT
    🌳 Tree-lined, hilly layout with water on 14 holes
    🏆 Consistently ranked among top public tracks in CT
    🏌️‍♂️ A test of shot-making, not just distance
    💲 Public with excellent value
    🗒️ Course site

🏌️‍♀️ Why Golf in Connecticut?

• ⛳ Home to classic Golden Age and modern resort designs

• 🌅 Beautiful fall foliage and coastal views

• 🏆 Courses used in qualifiers and amateur championships

• 💲 Great mix of affordable munis and upscale public layouts

• 🍏 Even golf among apple orchards!