After experiencing superb golf courses in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and Nova Scotia, I thought the remainder of the trip could be a let down. But the New Hampshire, Vermont and upstate New York courses we played were certainly up to the challenge. After a long drive from Cabot, and a well needed day off from the golf course, we arrived at a magnificent and stately resort in New Hampshire. The Omni Mount Washington hotel is over 100 years old but is in terrific condition and provides a wonderful place to decompress for a while. Nice restaurants, a spa and many activities are available for the guests but we were just looking for some relaxation and a great dinner.
The next morning we were back on the course at the Mount Washington Ross course. This is not a Top 100 rated course but it is rated number one in the state of New Hampshire and is a real joy to play. I was surprised by how flat it was as the course sits in the valley below Mt. Washington and the rest of the White Mountains. This is a 1915 Donald Ross design that was restored by Brian Silva in 2008. It was the most playable course that we encountered on the trip and it was a very enjoyable day playing another Ross gem. The views of the surrounding mountains and the beautiful hotel from anywhere on the course made for a great day. After golf, we checked out the Cog Railroad that runs to the top of Mt. Washington which is just 6 miles from the resort. We did not have time to make the trip up the mountain but we intend to go to the top the next time we are in this area.
The following day and a half was spent in Vermont and was definitely one of the highlights of the two week trip. We had two surprises in Vermont. Our son Scott was near Rutland, which is where we were staying. He was able to give us a tour of the property that he purchased for a future home and the following day, he joined us for a round of golf at the nearby Green Mountain National Golf Club. I knew nothing of this course but it was highly recommended by Scott’s friend who is a member. What a great find this course turned out to be. It has all the qualities that a course needs to be considered great. It is very interesting with dramatic elevation changes, the holes have wonderful diversity, the course and surroundings are beautiful, it is very well maintained, is in top condition plus it has a friendly staff. During the round Scott stated that this was the best course he ever played. That is a pretty strong statement considering that he has played Top 100 courses True Blue (#87 Last Ranked 2007) and Caledonia (#73 on current list). Green Mountain National, designed by Gene Bates, is a perfect example why I find it difficult to rank courses. There are so many great courses in the United States, putting them in a specific order is extremely difficult and so many get left off these lists. Obviously I love to use the lists to find outstanding courses to play in our travels, but finding a course like Green Mountain National is a very pleasant surprise. Could this be a Top 100 course? I believe it is worthy but the highest ranking by any major golf publication is from Golf Digest which ranks it #2 public course in the state of Vermont. If you are ever in Vermont with your clubs, be sure to look up this terrific test of golf located between Rutland and Killington.
Our final state on this journey was New York and it was back to playing Top 100 courses once again. New York has had five courses on this exclusive list and three of them are at one location. Turning Stone Resort and Casino is the site of Atunyote (#52 on Current list), Kaluhyat ( #82 on Current list) and Shenendoah (#95 Last Ranked 2007). But before tackling this trifecta, there was a stop to make at Saratoga National (#85 Last Ranked 2009). Saratoga National is a Roger Rulewich design that lies in a rural area outside of Saratoga Springs. When entering the drive of this facility, the first thing you see is the magnificent clubhouse which also houses a public restaurant called Prime where we enjoyed a very nice post round lunch. We were joined by a single who was a member which was helpful as he could give us some helpful advice on each tee. This course was in great condition and was relatively flat but had many wetland areas that forced you to concentrate on the shot at hand. As with all of the top rated courses, each hole was unique which made it an interesting round and one you hated to see come to an end. The high native vegetation in the wetlands is the dominating feature of this course but you are given generous landing areas. Saratoga National has a high green fee, especially during racing season, but you do get your money’s worth between the quality of the course, amenities and the great service.
The three courses at Turning Stone Resort, which is near Verona, NY are all outstanding and the conditioning of all three is immaculate. The king of this trifecta has to be Atunyote which is a Tom Fazio design that offers wide fairways but numerous large, deep bunkers in addition to wonderful greens. Not only is the course itself outstanding and very interesting because of its variety of holes, but its numerous flower beds and water features make this a joy to play. This is by far the most expensive course at the resort but once again, you get what you pay for. Atunyote is well deserving of its present Top 100 ranking and is a pristine golf experience. Kaluhyat, a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. course has a reputation for not only being a great course but for being difficult. It does carry a higher slope rating than its sister courses, but I felt it was very playable. The fairways are narrower and it plays through more wooded areas which can add to a few lost balls but it was a very enjoyable round of golf with a wonderful variety of holes once again. It is half the price of Atuyote, if you are a resort guest, but it is certainly not half the course. Do not be scared off by its reputation as a tough golf course, this one is worth playing. The third course at Turning Stone, Shenedoah, had been closed for a renovation by the original architect, Rick Smith, and just recently reopened. What greets you here are wide fairways, interesting holes and great conditions once again. Priced similar to Kaluhyat, these are two courses you may want to play twice if you have the time.
Turning Stone is one of the largest and nicest casino resorts that I have experienced. If you can stay out of the casino proper, there are many other amenities and restaurants to enjoy. Another thing to consider, if you do not mind a higher room charge, is to consider staying at the lodge next to the tower. It is located between the casino and the golf clubhouse but seems to be a world away. Very quiet with wonderful gardens and an outstanding restaurant called Wildflowers. Another dining experience to try is the TS 21 Steak House at the top of the tower which offers terrific food choices and outstanding service. This golf resort was a nice ending to a perfect 15 day golf adventure. The only difficulty associated with this resort was trying to figure out the pronunciations of Atunyote and Kaluhyat, which are nothing like they appear. I just called them the “A” course and the “K” course.
Fifteen days, thirteen rounds of golf over twelve courses, nine states, two provinces and 3,710 miles driven. We had no rain on the golf course, no traffic violations, no accidents and no arguments. We experienced some outstanding golf courses, met some great people and saw a lot of this wonderful country. We are very thankful and consider ourselves to be very lucky people. Cannot wait for the next golf odyssey. Deep South, you are next!
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- Mt. Washington Ross Course in NH
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- Green Mountain Naitonal
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- Turning Stone Atunyote
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- Saratoga National
