Strawberry Valley Golf Course, Abington, MA

seems like the Town of Abington has given up doing any maintenance on this course. Use to be a hidden gem but no longer. Tee boxes horrible, packed dirt on fairways, bunkers look like winter road sand. No barrels so trash left everywhere.

Strawberry Valley Golf Course likely isn't the best course you will ever play, but it provides a quick, fun round and is well-maintained, especially for a municipal golf course.

The nine-hole, par-35 course offers four tees, with the longest tees coming in at a total of just under 2,600 yards. There are a few hills on the course, but it is walkable, even for older golfers. The longest hole is the par-5, 490-yard third hole. This dog-leg left hole is fairly wide open until your approach shot to the green; a long shot here spells trouble as the back of the green is surrounded by thick trees.

You will find a variety of holes at Strawberry Valley, which is somewhat surprising at a nine-hole course. Most of the holes require accuracy off the tee as there are many trees and well-placed and challenging bunkers. A few of the holes run right alongside a major road, so accuracy is a must! It's not uncommon to see golf balls bouncing across this stretch of road from errant shots.

There is rarely a backup at this course and it's even possible to get in a quick round in under two hours. It's perfect for a round after work or a weekend morning when you have other activities planned later in the day. The course is located just 30 minutes south of Boston, so it's an easy daytrip away from the city.

Since four sets of tees are offered, kids, beginners and even more advanced golfers can enjoy this course. The staff is also very friendly which makes for a pleasant overall experience.

The course is affordable, like most municipal courses, and you are offered the option of playing nine or 18 holes (play the course twice). Even with the use of a cart, you will pay much less than you would at most neighboring 18-hole golf courses.

One fun fact about Strawberry Valley is that the course is used for cross country skiing and sledding in the winter. So, no matter what time of year you visit the area, Strawberry Valley can offer an action-packed day of fun.

The only good thing I would say about this course is the price and the location near my home. The course is in terrible shape, but its what I would expect from a small municipal course like this. Fairways are extremely hard, don't plan on taking a divot. The course can get difficult as the holes are extremely narrow, and on one hole power lines hang over the fairway. Overall worth the $15 if you're just looking to get out and walk 9 holes. If you're serious about playing then look somewhere else.