Juniper Hill Golf Course: Riverside vs. Lakeside — Which Should You Book?

Juniper Hill has been in the same family since 1931. The Darling family, now on its third generation, built Riverside first, added Lakeside in 1991, and today runs 36 holes of public daily-fee golf in Northborough, 36 miles from Boston. It's the only 36-hole public facility in the MetroWest area.

The two courses are genuinely different. Picking the right one depends on your game. Most people who call Juniper Hill for the first time don't know which to book. Here's the breakdown.

Riverside: the original

Riverside opened in 1931. Homer C. Darling laid out the first nine on his family's 300-year-old farm. Geoffrey Cornish came in to design the back nine when the course expanded to 18 holes in 1954. The Assabet River winds through the property and comes into play on several holes.

Par 71, 6,245 yards, course rating 70.4, slope 123–126. Wider fairways, more forgiving off the tee. Better choice for higher handicaps and players who want to keep the ball in play without constantly threading tree corridors.

The signature hole is the par 3 17th: roughly 200 yards, all carry over water, with a large tree guarding the left side of the green. GM Dudley Darling calls it his favorite hole on the property. It's one of the better par 3s in the MetroWest area.

Riverside at Juniper Hill, Northborough, MA. The Assabet River shapes several holes on the back nine.

Lakeside: the challenge

Lakeside opened in 1991. Phil Wogan designed it with Homer D. Darling (the founder's son). Par 71, 6,282 yards, rating 69.9, slope 127. The slope is higher than Riverside despite a lower course rating — it plays hard for bogey golfers and easier for scratch players. Narrow tree corridors, wetlands on four holes, and views of Lake Chauncy.

Reviewers consistently describe Lakeside as having a “Carolina style” feel: sculpted mounding, shaped fairways, more artificial architecture than Riverside's classic New England routing. Holes 11 and 17 are the most cited as memorable. If you can hit fairways, Lakeside is the more interesting round. If you spray it, it will cost you.

Conditions: the recovery story

Juniper Hill went through a rough stretch from 2020 to 2022, when a fungal disease outbreak damaged the greens significantly. Reviews from that period are rough. The course brought on a new superintendent and the largest maintenance crew in decades. Reviews from 2024 and 2025 are a different story: “plush fairways, perfect height rough, nice greens.” Drainage improvements were completed on Riverside. Aerification runs on a consistent spring schedule.

Greens on Riverside are not heavily contoured — consistent speed, fewer difficult breaks. Lakeside greens have more character. Pace of play is mixed: weekday rounds move well; Saturday mornings can back up.

Green fees and booking

Exact current pricing requires a direct call or a visit to juniperhillgc.com/rates. Third-party aggregators show a base range of $32–$59 depending on day, time, and cart. Carts are required on weekends and holidays before 1pm for groups of 8 or fewer. The course books through GolfNow and TeeOff, and directly through their own site.

At whatever current rates apply, Juniper Hill is the value option in this part of MetroWest. Cyprian Keyes runs $44–$79 for 18. Shaker Hills runs higher. Juniper Hill gives you a choice of courses and a legitimate course history at a lower price than most comparable public layouts in the corridor.

Which course to book

If it's your first time, book Riverside. If you've played Riverside and want a harder test, book Lakeside. If you want to play both in a day, Juniper Hill allows it — they're on the same property.

For context on other courses in this distance range, the underrated courses postcovers several options that don't get enough attention in this area.

GolfNow and TeeOff don't always show the full inventory at Juniper Hill. With two courses on the same property, slots move fast and the platforms lag. Text Carl which course and time window you want. He'll check both platforms and call the pro shop to confirm what's actually open.