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Golf in New England

Bama Duffer

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Mar 14, 2005
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I have a goal of playing golf in every state. My wife and I are traveling to Maine for work, but we'd like to plan a few golf days, probably in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and/or Vermont. I'll get to play in Maine during the conference.

We thought about flying into Portland on a Friday, then driving to New Hampshire or North Massachusetts, playing in both states over the weekend, then either drive to Vermont and play or just tour the area. The conference starts in Rockport on the following Tuesday.

Anyone from up in that area have any suggestions on public courses and perhaps a little help with a travel itinerary?

Thanks.
 

BigJim13

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Aug 13, 2006
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Depending on how far into VT you are coming there are a few courses that you should definitely hit. There was actually a write up in Golf Magazine this month on Vermont courses. I would HIGHLY recommend Okemo Valley Golf Club. $100 w/ cart on weekends and well worth the price. It's in Ludlow, VT which is about an hr from the Mass border. If you are coming further into VT then there are a few other courses you could check out. Green Mountain National comes to mind, very nice course-short but tight and the greens are devilish.
 

xman1112

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May 8, 2009
158
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In New Hampshire look into Passaconaway Golf Club in Litchfield, The Shattuck in Jaffrey, Bretwood in Keene (36 holes ~ North & South course), North Conway CC in North Conway, & Lochmere in Tilton.
 

twofast2s

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2006
1,292
2
meadow at peabody (peabody, ma) par 71 (7300yds) muni course $65 or so w/ carts. one of the best muni course i've played.

if you're staying near rockport, i'd go look at NH courses. not a whole lot of nice course in north MA/boston area w/o paying $$$.
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I played with Twofast at Peabody and it is a great course for the money.

When you are ready to add RI, give us a shout.
 

WMitch6

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Jul 24, 2006
483
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Along with Okemo in VT, Green Mountain National is a very good course. Sugarbush in Warren VT is a R.T.Jones Sr. design that had fallen on hard times and neglect. It has recently undergone some TLC. A good mountain golf course. All three are close enough together to play in a weekend.
 

VtDivot

SLIGHTERED
Supporting Member
Apr 16, 2005
7,154
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There are some nice courses in Southern VT. The nice ones up here are private unfortunately
 

BigJim13

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Aug 13, 2006
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Along with Okemo in VT, Green Mountain National is a very good course. Sugarbush in Warren VT is a R.T.Jones Sr. design that had fallen on hard times and neglect. It has recently undergone some TLC. A good mountain golf course. All three are close enough together to play in a weekend.

It's worth noting as well the the former head pro and now GM (I think that's his title) of Okemo Valley Golf Course is the PRESIDENT of the PGA of America. You may have seen him 2 yrs ago handing the trophy to Tiger or last year handing it to Paddy at the PGA Championship. You may have also seen him at the Ryder Cup ceremonies.

I always like to bring that up, not many famous people from VT.
icon10.gif
 

Randicap

Mediocre is better
Aug 31, 2006
37
0
If your conference is in Rockport (likely at the samoset), then you MUST play the Samoset before your conference. It's a remarkable seaside course.
 
OP
Bama Duffer

Bama Duffer

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Mar 14, 2005
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Thanks guys. Great info. I've got to start checking in here more regularly!

We looked at these courses on-line last night. Looks like we're going to try to play The Meadow at Peobody, MA first, then drive to Tilton, NH to play Lochmere, then on to Killingsworth, VT to play Green Mountain before heading back to Portland.

GD - The conference is at Samoset and there is supposed to be a tournament during the conference. Hopefully it will be at the Samoset course.

Thanks again. I'll report back later this summer when we return.
 
OP
Bama Duffer

Bama Duffer

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Mar 14, 2005
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Thought I'd post a quick follow up on my New England trip. The wife and I decided to alter our original plans, so we skipped Massachusetts and decided to spend three nights in Killington, Vt. and one night in New Hampshire. Thanks to everyone who suggested a course.

Instead of Masschusetts, we substituted New York, another state I'd never played. We drove an hour from Killington to White Hall, NY and played a "course" named Skene Valley Country Club. They had five inches of rain the day before we arrived and they weren't allowing carts on the course, so we had to rent pull carts.

With apologies to New Yorkers, this just happened to be the closest course to the Vermont line, so I'm sure there are better courses in the area. And, because of the rain, I'm sure I'm not being fair, but it was one of the worst courses I think I've ever played. It reminded me of the nine-holer I played in high school - probably a decent lay-out originally, but it was not well maintained (again the high grass may have been up due to the rain). But that disposed of New York, although I'd like to play the state again. To the credit of the members here, no one suggested that I play Skene Valley - I did it to myself.

I'm not inclined to give the courses in the area much slack due to the rain because that afternoon, we played Green Mountain Golf Course in Killington, and I have to say that it is one of the prettiest courses and best maintained courses I've ever had the privilege to play. Those who live in the area are lucky to have a course like it available. Thanks.

We killed a couple of days in Killington after playing, then drove to Lochmere in Tilton, New Hampshire. Very nice course, especially the front nine. The back nine has a couple of quirky holes on it, but overall, a very nice lay-out.

My last round in New England was at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, ME. I don't think there is another course in the country with as many holes on the water. I was told there are 14 of 18 holes that either play along the water or have a view of the water. I didn't count them, but I believe it. Another beautiful course.

Anyway, that added four states to my total, bringing me up to a grand total of 25 states where I've played golf. Thanks again to everyone who suggested a course. I'd have never found Green Mountain or Lochmere on my own.
 

BigJim13

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Aug 13, 2006
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Thought I'd post a quick follow up on my New England trip. The wife and I decided to alter our original plans, so we skipped Massachusetts and decided to spend three nights in Killington, Vt. and one night in New Hampshire. Thanks to everyone who suggested a course.

Instead of Masschusetts, we substituted New York, another state I'd never played. We drove an hour from Killington to White Hall, NY and played a "course" named Skene Valley Country Club. They had five inches of rain the day before we arrived and they weren't allowing carts on the course, so we had to rent pull carts.

With apologies to New Yorkers, this just happened to be the closest course to the Vermont line, so I'm sure there are better courses in the area. And, because of the rain, I'm sure I'm not being fair, but it was one of the worst courses I think I've ever played. It reminded me of the nine-holer I played in high school - probably a decent lay-out originally, but it was not well maintained (again the high grass may have been up due to the rain). But that disposed of New York, although I'd like to play the state again. To the credit of the members here, no one suggested that I play Skene Valley - I did it to myself.

I'm not inclined to give the courses in the area much slack due to the rain because that afternoon, we played Green Mountain Golf Course in Killington, and I have to say that it is one of the prettiest courses and best maintained courses I've ever had the privilege to play. Those who live in the area are lucky to have a course like it available. Thanks.

We killed a couple of days in Killington after playing, then drove to Lochmere in Tilton, New Hampshire. Very nice course, especially the front nine. The back nine has a couple of quirky holes on it, but overall, a very nice lay-out.

My last round in New England was at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, ME. I don't think there is another course in the country with as many holes on the water. I was told there are 14 of 18 holes that either play along the water or have a view of the water. I didn't count them, but I believe it. Another beautiful course.

Anyway, that added four states to my total, bringing me up to a grand total of 25 states where I've played golf. Thanks again to everyone who suggested a course. I'd have never found Green Mountain or Lochmere on my own.

It's funny that you played Skene Valley and no its not much to look at, you get funny bounces in the fairway, the greens are...rough to say the least. It is wide open though, hit driver on almost every par 4. Its redeeming quality is that its CHEAP!!! $22 on weekends to walk, $30 to ride and believe it or not its one of the most played courses in southern VT/NY for the reason that it is cheap and very accessible.
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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Not to threadjack, but Bigjim, where are you in relation to Mt. Snow? We were up there early last month and met another couple that invited us up for a round of golf. It appeared that you were probably very close by based on prior comments, and had we stayed more than that day for golf, I would have asked then. Although based on the nature of the area, we may go up again in the next couple years and thought I would ask if that was your area.

Further go the impression that VTDivot is towards the northern parts of the state based on the links to the Nicklaus course he plays.
 

BigJim13

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Aug 13, 2006
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Not to threadjack, but Bigjim, where are you in relation to Mt. Snow? We were up there early last month and met another couple that invited us up for a round of golf. It appeared that you were probably very close by based on prior comments, and had we stayed more than that day for golf, I would have asked then. Although based on the nature of the area, we may go up again in the next couple years and thought I would ask if that was your area.

Further go the impression that VTDivot is towards the northern parts of the state based on the links to the Nicklaus course he plays.

Mount Snow is about 2hrs south of me, closer to the Mass border. I am just outside of Rutland, VT and .5mi from the NY state border. The town I live in is where Lake St Catherine is, Poultney, VT.

VTDivot is up north in the Burlington area and some of the nicest courses in the state are up there, but there are a few good ones down here to. Just no Jack Nicklaus designed courses.
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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Mount Snow is about 2hrs south of me, closer to the Mass border. I am just outside of Rutland, VT and .5mi from the NY state border. The town I live in is where Lake St Catherine is, Poultney, VT.

VTDivot is up north in the Burlington area and some of the nicest courses in the state are up there, but there are a few good ones down here to. Just no Jack Nicklaus designed courses.
Thanks, I had just remembered you saying at one point that you were about 1.5 hours from Albany. Which was almost exactly what Mt. Snow was when we went through Albany, and around the National Forest up there. But you obviously come from the northwest side.
 

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