Falmouth's Hatchville Neighborhood: A Golfer's Paradise

Hatchville is a tiny, mostly rural neighborhood that is part of East Falmouth village. About 700 people live in Hatchville, which sits on the shores of Coonamessett Pond, but there is no shortage of activity in the community.

For starters, Hatchville is home to the Frances A. Crane Wildlife Management Area, a massive park with hiking trails, wildlife watching opportunities, and hunting areas. You'll find other venues in Hatchville, including the Cape Cod Fairgrounds, Coonamessett Farm, Allietta Softball Field, and the Jimmy Gahan Baseball Diamond, too.

It's the abundance of golf clubs, however, that make Hatchville a special place, as there are four courses in the neighborhood, and many more in the surrounding areas, making Hatchville a golfer's mecca on Cape Cod.

If you're moving to Cape Cod for the golf, living in Falmouth and, more specifically, Hatchville puts you minutes from some of the most scenic courses in all of Massachusetts. 

Paul Harney Golf Club

Hatchville's easternmost golf course is the Paul Harney Golf Club, which was designed and built by PGA Golf Professional Hall of Famer and Hatchville resident Paul Harney.

Harney won seven tournaments on the PGA tour between 1955 and 1973 and placed in the top ten in major championships six times. He was also Golf Digest's most improved player in 1957 and named the PGA Golf Professional of the Year in 1974 after he retired from the tour.

As for the course, Harney designed and built it while he was still playing on tour part-time, and opened it in 1967. The course is an executive-style par 60 that measures about 3,600 yards from the championship tees. You'll find a good mix of par threes and fours at the Paul Harney Golf Club, with fairways lined by pines and oaks, and rolling greens that make for some challenging putts.

The Paul Harney Golf Club is open to the public with special rates available before 7:00 AM and after 2:00 PM daily. There are also men's nights, ladies' nights, mixed senior days, and couples' nights in the summer. Lessons are available, as well.

Cape Cod Country Club

The Cape Cod Country Club sits on the eastern shores of Coonamessett Pond, providing one of the more scenic places to play a round of golf in Falmouth. Despite its name, the Cape Cod Country Club is open to the public, although you'll receive unlimited golf, access to tournaments, and the ability to book tee times one month in advance with a membership.

The course's location along the pond provides a stunning backdrop, and its variable lengths - 6429 yards from the blues and 5348 yards from the reds - opens it up to golfers of all skill levels, despite being a championship-level course. The course has hosted the USGA Massachusetts Open three times and is home to the annual Cape Cod Senior Open, but it nonetheless remains playable for beginners.

Overall, the slopes, trees, and water make this 1928 Al Tull and Devereaux Emmet creation one of the top places to play on the entire Cape. The Coonamessett Café clubhouse provides a relaxing location to enjoy a bite and a beer on the patio, too.

The Cape Club

On the west end of Hatchville, right along Route 28, is The Cape Club, a public course with a large clubhouse that frequently hosts weddings, parties, and other events. Memberships are available at the course and provide you with unlimited golf and free golf carts and range balls.

The course is a par 72 with a variety of length options from which to choose. For the men, the course is 6855 yards from the black tees, 6414 from the golds, and 6022 yards from the blues. There are also white tees for both men and women, which give you 5573 yards, while the women's red tees are 5072 yards.

After your day on this scenic course, which features thick oak and pine cover along its fairways, you're invited for a meal at the Cape Grille Steak & Seafood. The restaurant is perhaps the best of any golf course on Cape Cod, featuring the creations of Chef Brett Mayer, so make sure you stop in and give it a try.

Sacconnesset Golf Club

Right beside The Cape Club is the Sacconnesset Golf Club, a members-only course designed by world-class architect Rees Jones. The course is relatively new, having opened in 2007, and features numerous elevation changes, in addition to oak and pine trees on the fairways and scenic views throughout. The venue was initially called The Golf Club of Cape Cod, but was purchased by its current owners, the Sacconnesset Golf Society, in 2016, and has been evolving ever since.

Jones' design allows for this course to play at 7,047 yards from the back tees, with other tee boxes available on every hole. There is a caddie program in place, as well, so you can hire a trained caddie whenever you play.

You can get some food or drinks at the Sacconnesset Grille after you play the course, but keep in mind that the club only allows members and their guests. Memberships are available, however, so if you're interested in making this your home course, you can inquire through their website.

Other Nearby Courses

As if the courses in Hatchville aren't enough, the Falmouth Country Club is just south of the neighborhood, while the Falcon Golf Course is nearby in Bourne. There are also three courses - Quashnet Valley Country Club, Southport Golf Club, and Willowbear Country Club - minutes away in Mashpee.

Those additional courses mean that Hatchville has nine courses within a ten-minute drive, making it the perfect place to buy a home if you plan to hit the links regularly.

Hatchville is also easily accessible thanks to its position near Route 28 and is close to North Falmouth's beaches, creating an ideal location to buy a house.