King Rail Reserve Golf Course, Lynnfield, MA

King Rail golf reserve is a scenic public course, but it does have some serious drawbacks that would make me think twice about returning.

First off, a little bit of background. The course used to be an 18 hole country club, but the land 9 of the holes were on was sold to land developers. There used to be an old, run down clubhouse, but now the front desk is in a trailer. So, I’d suggest making plans for the 19th hole elsewhere. The course was professionally designed by William F. Mitchell

The course itself is on marshland that is actually a preserve for the King Rail bird, so it’s very scenic. There are plenty of water hazards. The course is fairly flat, with some small rolling hills and large but sparse trees.

Since the course is on marshland, it can get too wet sometimes as drainage is a problem here. Fairway maintenance is decent overall. The greens are cut too short, which makes it difficult to putt smoothly. The tee boxes are not clearly marked, which can be frustrating.

The course is a 9 hole municipal course, just off the highway (easy to find.) Hole #3 is the signature hole. It’s the only par 5 on the course and measures 369 yards from the blue tee. There’s a nice mix of par 3 and 4 holes here, and I think low and high handicap golfers would all be able to have a decent experience at this course.

The staff aren’t that friendly and the ranger does yell at golfers sometimes. I would have hoped the staff to be more welcoming because the owner and the golf pro are both PGA professionals. Unfortunately, you won’t be getting any golf tips from them unfortunately. For a course without a proper clubhouse, the price is a bit steep ($21 for 9 holes without a cart.)

Another thing to be aware of is golf balls flying over from other holes. The holes run parallel to each other, so getting hit by a ball is not an uncommon occurrence. This course takes cash only, and even though it’s a municipal course, reservations are still recommended.

All in all, I’d recommend playing this course at least once to take in the scenery and for a nice degree of challenge. It’s not a place I’d golf at regularly, but it’s fine once in a while.

Course is in OK shape but not great. Course lay out is nice and the views are sweet. Just needs a nice new club house, better staffing crew, and a good greens crew. Course has a ton of potential to be great. For the condition the course is in, should be a little cheaper.