Avoid at All Costs — Unprofessional Staff and Management with Alarming Behavior
I recently had an encounter with Southborough Golf Course that was so egregious I feel compelled to warn others.
My son was at the course with a group of friends. From the outset, the desk clerk "Ken" gave them attitude during check-in, not just a gruff tone, but a clear lack of courtesy or patience. The boys chose to let it go and kept things moving. Later, while waiting for me near the putting green, my son (admittedly not aware chipping wasn't allowed there) chipped a ball. Rather than simply informing him of the rule, Ken chose to make a scene, approaching with a sign and sarcastically asking, “Hey, let’s play a game. It’s called can you read?
When I picked up my son and heard the story on the drive home, I did an about face and brought him back to the course to hear Ken’s side. Unfortunately, Ken’s response to me started as him being sweet as a pie but quickly became hostile as I inquired parts of his account than what had occurred with the boys. He then gave me attitude—confirming my son’s version of events without me needing to ask much. I told him that this kind of behavior doesn’t set a good example for young golfers or anyone, and that being older doesn’t entitle someone to speak to people with contempt. I then used strong language in return, not something I regret given how he was acting.
What’s worse is that when the incident was brought to the attention of management, they defended the conduct rather than reviewing the objective video footage that would have clearly shown what actually occurred.
Despite the abundance of similar complaints easily found across public review platforms -many citing rude, aggressive, and inappropriate behavior from staff, Southborough appears to double down on its position rather than course-correct. This suggests a culture of dysfunction that starts at the top and trickles down.
I’ve never golfed here myself, and based on this experience, I happily never will. To boot, the course itself is in terrible shape—neglected, poorly maintained.
This place has all the hallmarks of a facility coasting on complacency and low standards, and treating patrons with disrespect seems to be par for the course (pun intended). I encourage others to take their time and money elsewhere. There are far better options in the region where courtesy, professionalism, and basic human decency are still valued.