Blue Rock Golf Course in South Yarmouth, MA is a beautiful, well-manicured par-3 in the middle of the Cape. It will change your mind about how you feel about short courses because of the superb quality and challenges you experience when you play there.
The course has received local recognition over the past few years for its great experience, quality, and playability. Blue Rock has been voted “Best Golf Course on Cape Cod” five years in a row by readers of the Cape Cod Times. In 2024, it was voted best Mid-Cape golf course by the readers of Cape Cod Life, and was ranked as a top 5 par-3 course by www.golfspan.com.
Besides the high quality of the course, Blue Rock offers quick and efficient play because you play the rounds in under 4 hours. Personally, I played the front-9 in 90 minutes. But if you are looking to extend your trip to the Cape, there is a hotel conveniently located across from Blue Rock. Blue Rock is located right off Route 6 in the Mid-Cape so you can travel there without navigating the long stretch of traffic that leads to the Outer Cape.
Blue Rock offers everything a golfer would want for a trip to the Cape: an all-grass driving range with multiple targets, two putting greens, a chipping green, and a quaint pro shop stocked with gear, equipment, drinks, and snacks. They also offer memberships, private lessons, clinics, golf schools, and leagues.
The course was designed by Geoffrey Cornish in 1962 and is locally owned by Davenport Companies. I had the pleasure of meeting the Director of Communication, Matt Pitta, who highlighted the course’s history and charm. From my pre-round range session and chipping practice to grabbing snacks/drinks at the turn, to finishing with a delicious meal on the patio,I had a great time, and this is why Blue Rock is a must-visit course for any New Englander.
The course is a typical Cornish design, utilizing the natural landscape to weave the course through hills, trees, and a long, narrow pond. Blue Rock has four sets of tees with the white tees playing at 2520 yards for a par of 54. Most of the holes range from 88-170, except for hole #5 which is a loooong 240 yards.
The layout of the course is intersected by the long pond. Holes 1 and 2 are on the clubhouse side of the pond, then on #3 you hit your tee shot over the pond to an elevated green. The rest of the course is on this side of the pond, except #10’s tee and the 18th green.#5 is the toughest for short hitters because you must hit it 220 to reach the green. I hit a cut driver and rolled across the green, so this was a fun challenge thrown onto the par-3 course.
The signature hole is #9, and this is when you notice that you climbed a hill going from #3 to #4. You are sitting on a very high tee box and aiming for a kidney shaped green that has a bunker left and the pond in front of it. The pond is in a valley between the clubhouse and the other side of the course. This creates a huge elevation drop on this hole. This was a fun hole because you think the decline will be easy to carry. But then you start analyzing the set-up and question hitting into the pond, or leaving it short and having it roll back. I scoped the green at 150 and chose to hit a soft 7-iron because there was wind in my face. I hit it solid, but the wind killed it, with the ball landing just short, right of the green, but away from the bunker. I was able to chip on and putt for par, but this hole could be a real deal breaker for how your score will turn out during a round. This is one of the coolest par-3 holes anywhere I have played and is another reason this course is so celebrated.
Holes 5-17 play almost like links style because they are so close together and the fairways are only several yards apart or separated by a thin line of trees. This puts a premium on accuracy off the tee. These holes are relatively level, and the difficulty comes from the thick rough and the fast greens. There are also strategically placed bunkers throughout that seem to attract your eyesight and affect your concentration. The tee boxes are in amazing shape, especially considering everyone is hitting irons and taking huge divots, but they were immaculate when I played. Putting will be your key to scoring low at Blue Rock. The greens are very slick with sharp breaks, but they roll true. When you line up a putt and see a break, aim for it and trust your instincts, just remember to control the pace.
The course is designed for quality, pace of play, and challenge. I think golfers of all handicaps will have a great, quick round at Blue Rock and want to go back for more.
After the round you can get pre-made sandwiches, snacks, and drinks in the clubhouse. They have a covered patio off the back that overlooks the 10th tee and the 18th green. It’s the perfect spot to relax and replenish in the shade. In addition to the pre-made sandwiches, you can contact the clubhouse and order a specific meal or larger set-up for your group.
We opted to order our meals ahead of time, and had two delicious sandwiches waiting for us after we finished playing. My wife had a robust lobster salad roll while I had a hearty roast beef sandwich. There is nothing more “New England” than a lobster roll, and this one did not disappoint. This lobster roll was incredibly fresh, with large pieces of lobster on top of a crispy bun.
FOOD
There are plenty of nearby restaurants and watering holes if you want to explore the Yarmouth area after your round of golf.
The Red Cottage Restaurant is an award-winning spot nearby that has smalltown diner vibes but a huge selection of authentic flavor. Recently named it the best breakfast restaurant in Cape Cod in 2024 by Tastingtable.com, The Red Cottage Restaurant serves up classic favorites as well as creative combinations. It’s a great spot to enjoy a hearty breakfast of thick bacon, eggs, and hand cut home fries. Or if you didn’t have enough lobster at Blue Rock, you can try their lobster benedict. Either way, grab a seat at the counter and enjoy this unique throwback diner.
Skipper Chowder House is another spot for local seafood and American cuisine. Yes, this is the Cape so of course I am going to highlight where you can get the freshest seafood. They have traditional seafood dishes like steamers, fried clams, and stuffies but what you really need to try is the “Fried” Clam Chowder. Or chowdah as they say on the Cape. It is six mini chowder cakes deep fried in a panko breadcrumb crust served with breadcrumbs on the side.
The Summer Shanty is located at the Bass River Marina. This is the place to go for waterfront dining after a day on the golf course. They have signature cocktails to enjoy with your locally sourced meal. The menu includes raw bar options, tons of fresh seafood, lobster 5 different ways, appetizers, sandwiches, and even rice bowls. They also claim to have the best view for sunsets and a great music scene. The Summer Shanty combines everything you want on a summer night on the Cape.
