By Steve Derderian
sderderian@massgolf.org
NORTON, Massachusetts (February 13, 2026) – Mass Golf is building upon its Club Partner Program in 2026 by awarding a combined $50,000 in matching grants to support golf course improvement projects at two municipal Member Clubs: Braintree Municipal Golf Course and Westborough Golf Club.
Braintree Municipal Golf Course, located approximately 13 miles south of downtown Boston, and Westborough Golf Club, about 10 miles east of downtown Worcester, were selected to receive funding for projects scheduled to begin this fall. Braintree will receive $30,000 to reconstruct its 8th green, while Westborough will receive $20,000 to construct a new cart path along its 6th hole.
The Muni Links initiative aims to provide funding to municipal Member Clubs to help overcome budgetary challenges and invest in improvements that enhance course conditions, improve the player experience, and support the growth of a diverse and committed golf community. Mass Golf offers matching grants of up to $50,000 per year for clubs that meet the selection criteria and wish to implement previous USGA Course Consulting Service (CCS) recommendations or pursue other facility upgrades.
“The Muni Links program is about investing in the success of our Member Clubs and strengthening the ecosystem of public access golf,” said Mark Gagne, Senior Director of Member Services. “Braintree Municipal Golf Course and Westborough Golf Club stood out this year with their commitment to projects designed to have a lasting impact to their facilities and for their golfers. We look forward to seeing these tangible improvements, which will show that when we invest in our municipal partners, the entire golf community wins.”
This announcement builds on the successful implementation of the Club Partner Program, which has allocated an additional $23,000 to support USGA services at participating clubs. Among those investments was a grant awarded to Brookline Golf Course to fund a USGA Course Consulting Service (CCS) visit with Elliott Dowling of the USGA Green Section.
Braintree hosted the 2023 Massachusetts Girls’ Junior Amateur, along with a slew of qualifiers in recent years. The 8th hole (523 yards) is the second par-5 on the front nine and is considered one of the course’s most scenic, particularly in the fall. It features a sharp dogleg that turns left at about 220 yards. The downhill approach is narrow and plays up to the smallest green on the course, which is pitched significantly back to front and can break off in different directions.
The funding will allow for a slightly larger green than would otherwise have been affordable, and will include improved drainage for one of the wettest areas on the course, according to Daryn Brown, Director of Golf Operations at Braintree. This project will be the fourth green rebuilt he’s oversee since joining the Braintree staff in 1996.
Brown also said the course obtained a Mass Golf grant for a USGA Moisture Meter and GS3 Ball last year, enabling its maintenance staff to make more precise, data-driven decisions regarding moisture management and green performance.
“We are grateful to Mass Golf for providing the funding that made these tools possible, allowing the course to improve playing conditions, operational efficiency, and stewardship of limited municipal resources,” Brown said.
Westborough Golf Club, which celebrated its centennial in 2021, is a nine-hole course carved into a hillside and is home to one of the shortest par-5 holes among Massachusetts public courses. That distinction belongs to the opening hole, which features a dramatic 71-foot elevation gain from tee to green.
The 6th hole features two sets of tees, one offset to the right that plays through a small chute between the trees to a fairway that runs parallel to the first and plays downhill along the same slope. The other tee is a more straight-ahead downhill shot, but accuracy is important when attacking the dogleg right. Favoring the left side of the fairway offers the clearest approach to the green. The green slopes from right to left, making approaches played to the front-right portion of the putting surface especially advantageous.
“We are honored to be chosen for the 2026 Matching Grant program,” said Matt Griffith, PGA Professional at Westborough. “The cart path and tee area on hole No. 6 that is going to be repaired have been in complete distress. It has subtracted from the overall quality of the property, and the esthetics of an otherwise great golf hole.”
Mass Golf will continue to offer grants and resources to participants in the Club Partner Program, which is open to all Mass Golf Member Clubs. The program is designed to ensure each Member Club can fully benefit from Mass Golf’s services and resources while also allowing Mass Golf to proactively respond to challenges clubs may face. To learn more or to register your club, CLICK HERE
Mass Golf is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing golf in Massachusetts by building an engaged and inclusive community.
With a community made up of over 145,000 golf enthusiasts and over 360 member clubs, Mass Golf is one of the largest state golf associations in the country. Members enjoy the benefits of handicapping, engaging golf content, course rating and scoring services along with the opportunity to compete in an array of events for golfers of all ages and abilities.
At the forefront of junior development, Mass Golf is proud to offer programming to youth in the state through First Tee Massachusetts and subsidized rounds of golf by way of Youth on Course.
