Range Renaissance

A Friday evening in Boston. Quincy to be more precise, pronounced with a “z” instead of a “c” for those unfamiliar with the nuances of Massachusetts accents. The skyline of the city flickers to life slowly against a magenta sunset in the distance. Beverages flow. Laughter and chatter compete with the sound of a live local band doing its best Chris Stapleton impression. But when the song ends and a lull settles over the crowd, a different sound echoes back: the unmistakable smack of a club against a ball.

Welcome to the practice range at Granite Links, an exceptional open-to-the-public golf course adjacent to the Blue Hills Reservation, a 7,000-acre nature preserve located a healthy morning run from Beacon Hill. Like most public and semi-private golf operations, Granite Links has always had a range. A top-shelf golf course charging $150 a round has to. Players need to warm up. Some want to just come and practice. Sure, it was an additional revenue source (although a bag of balls is included in the full green fee) but, in the past, n...