The “Worst” Golf Course in America Is Getting $5 Million. Will It Be Enough?
A year ago, MyGolfSpy named Leo J. Martin the worst golf course in America. Now it’s closed for the whole 2026 season while Massachusetts spends $5 million to fix it.
On September 10, I attended the DCR Council Meeting at Leo J. Martin and then walked the course with architect Mark Mungeam and former TPC Boston superintendent Tom Brodeur to see how the work is going. The project adds irrigation, rebuilds the 7th and 15th greens, moves the 13th and 16th greens and builds a new practice green. We also cover Justin Grimes’ presentation to the DCR Council, where he explained why construction money alone won’t be enough.
Leo J. Martin has a maintenance staff of four, with only two working full time. It has no superintendent and no mechanic. It also doesn’t keep the money it earns: revenue from Leo J. and Ponkapoag goes to other DCR parks, and changing that would take new legislation. Grimes laid out a plan to fix this, including a staff of 13 modeled on Brookline and robot lawn mowers to free up staff for other daily tasks around the courses.
The big question is whether Massachusetts and DCR will keep the course properly maintained after the work is done, or will the course fall back into disrepair in a few short years.
Chapters
0:00 From “worst course in America” to $5M
0:26 What the project includes
1:23 The team behind the renovation
1:45 What the course looks like now
2:24 Walking the course and racing to reseed
2:59 Four staff, no superintendent, no mechanic
4:21 Robot mowers and automatic irrigation
4:56 The funding problem: where the revenue goes
6:24 Tee boxes, small greens and 60,000 rounds
7:59 The DCR mission and what comes next
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A shame that the State needed to be embarrassed in order to “care enough” to funnel money into these courses.
Best of luck with the project….hope it works out. Always loved playing Leo J and Ponky. Very enjoyable courses.
I was on the Mass Bay Community College golf team twenty years ago and we practiced at Leo J. I don't recall it being in such horrendous shape. Glad it is getting some attention.
We've all been dreaming of the Leo J. layout to be carpeted in healthy turf.
They have been working in this course forever and it's still a dump.
MyGolfSpy makes terrible content
My mom who lives in Sudbury, turns 99 in a month, still remembers when I played Leo J at least twice a week, during the season, on my way from classes at BU in 1973 – 1977. It's amazing but she still sends me info about the course. Glad it's getting some funding to improve it a bit. After school I left MA only to have my professional life bring me back for a few years where a became a member of the Inner Club at Sandy Burr. A course you have played and reviewed. The 6th and 7th were poor holes back in the '80's. Enjoy your pieces. Be well.
Lmfao this is the content I subscribe for. Made the BU team trying out on this course