Best Golf Courses Near Groton, CT

Groton, Connecticut, dubbed “The Submarine Capital of the World” because submarines are made here and because it is home to one of the world’s largest naval submarine bases (it even has a 9-hole golf course), is a maritime town on the Thames River. Groton’s star golf course is Shennecossett Golf Course, a classic links-style layout—the only public Donald Ross-designed course in Connecticut—that also includes three newer holes overlooking the Thames River. Shennecossett is perennially rated one of the best public courses in the state. Another nearby vintage muni from the 1920s, Norwich Golf Club, demands precise shot-making into its small greens. A public-access amenity of Foxwoods Casino Resort in North Stonington is Lake of Isles’s Rees Jones-designed North Course, a tough test carved through thick woodlands on rolling terrain. Groton golfers also frequently avail themselves of tee times across state lines in both Rhode Island and New York. Richmond Country Club and Wood River Golf Course are two highly regarded 18s in Hope Valley, Rhode Island. Don’t stray too far from Groton, though—there’s lots to see and do during a visit. You can learn all about submarines and tour the USS Nautilus (the first nuclear-powered submarine) at the Submarine Force Museum. The village of Mystic, one of New England’s charming towns, lies partly within Groton’s boundaries. Top attractions include the Mystic Aquarium, the Mystic Seaport Museum, and the Mystic River Bascule Bridge, one of the most unique drawbridges in the world. Of course, there’s plenty of restaurants and shops to keep you busy as well.