Vermont
In Southern Vermont, you can tee up at Mount Snow Golf Course, a hilly course in the southern part of the state, then drive to the nearby Inn at Sawmill Farm in West Dover, one of the most romantic places to stay in New England. Several restored barns situated amidst gardens and around a large pond, contain a marvelous restaurant, rooms and suites, many with fireplaces. A three day golf package for two includes three nights in an inn king room, full country breakfasts, cocktail party, and two days of instruction and play at the Original Golf School at Mount Snow with lunch each day. (from $1,325). theinnatsawmillfarm.com
When Robert Trent Jones came to Woodstock in 1961 to turn Vermont’s first golf course into a high-end gem, the views hadn’t changed from 1895 when Woodstock Country Club’s course was first laid out. After you play the course, check into the Woodstock Inn on the village green which has just enough spit and polish to make it a top-rated property yet is happily not pretentious nor stuffy. Décor is clubby, many rooms have fireplaces. Fine dining is in the main restaurant lit by gas lamps and many ingredients come from local producers. More casual meals are served in the Red Rooster or Richardson’s Tavern. Woodstockinn.com
New Hampshire
Stay at Wentworth by the Sea Marriott Hotel & Spa in New Castle just outside Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Perched high above the Atlantic like a land-locked cruise ship, this sprawling white grand dame dates from 1874. Book a spa treatment, perhaps a massage for two. As a hotel guest, you get to play the private Wentworth-by-the-Sea Country Club course, a tight mostly rolling links layout jutting out into the sea from a high bluff. Wentworth.com
The views are bound to turn you on as you approach North Conway where the White Mountains surround the North Conway Country Club course, one of the prettiest tracks in the state. Check into the 15-room Kearsarge Inn which is near the course. The inn is beautifully furnished with antiques and features high ceilings, French doors, fireplaces, whirlpool baths and a large porch. Stay three nights and you get the fourth night free. Kearsageinn.com
In the small mountain ski town of Jackson, play the historic Wentworth Golf Club, a lovely old track spreading out behind the Wentworth Inn, a good bet for the night. It has the charm of an turn-of-the-century sprawling hotel with the swank of the newly updated. Some rooms have fireplaces, whirlpool baths as well as hot soaking tubs on private deck. A play and stay package priced from $168 per night for two includes golf, room and breakfast. thewentworth.com
A winner in the luxury camp is the 16-room Inn at Thorne Hill & Spa just up the road. Stay in the main inn or a private cottage. Rooms have gas fireplaces, two-person jacuzzi baths, and are decorated to the nines. Rates include room, breakfasts, tea and dinner. Innatthornehill.com
Connecticut
Play the stunning Quarry Ridge Golf Course in Portland which lives up to its name with massive rock outcroppings as well as stone work, ledges, dramatic elevations and trees. Your “home” after golf is in Essex, once a bustling shipbuilding and seafaring town. Today Essex harbors trendy shops as well as the Griswold Inn (“The Gris”), a town institution that has been welcoming guests since 1776. Down a pint or two in the historic tap room, once an old schoolhouse, dine by the fireplace in one of the cozy dining rooms, perhaps selecting a classic chicken pot pie and sticky toffee pudding, then settle into one of the guests rooms, many with fireplaces and four-poster beds. Griswoldinn.com
For a more elegant option, check out the19th century Copper Beech Inn, Ivoryton, which has 22 rooms, each different, some with Jacuzzis and king canopy beds. Book a table at the chic Brasseries Pip with its gleaming copper-topped bar. Copperbeachinn.com
Massachusetts
“Old Cape Cod” — that old tune can certainly ding dong the romance bell. Beaches, dunes, weathered old shacks, silvery-shingled houses, yachts, clams, the ring of stays against masts, sunsets on the water. Good golf too. With 43 courses in a relatively small area, you can stay in one place and play a different course each day — good courses with carries over salt marshes, elevations, and ponds not to mention magnificent vistas. Tee off at the Captains Courses in Brewster, aptly named Captain’s Port and Captain’s Starboard or try a muni favorite, Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds. Perched on a hill overlooking the harbor, the Chatham Bars Inn is the perfect after-golf haven whether you’re staying in one of the silvery gray-shingled cottages or in the main inn. Hang out on their private beach and grab a cool one at the Beach House Grill or chill out in cushioned chairs on the sprawling porch. You can also grab a night cap at the cozy tavern after dinner in the linen and crystal-clad Main Dining room where oysters are a popular favorite. To work out any post-golf trauma, unwind by the outdoor relaxation pool in the spa after a soothing couples massage or a Sea Breeze— no that’s not a drink but a sinfully hedonistic aromatherapy treatment with special oils and coastal herbs. Chathambarsinn.com
Clubhouse Restaurants
You browse the menu: cognac splashed Maine lobster bisque; veal osso bucco; crispy potato crusted Chilean sea bass; fire grilled Atlantic salmon; coconut tart with pineapple coconut ice cream. Caddy Shack move over: Chef Alan Gould is in the kitchen. Nine 18 is designed to attract a hip clientele looking for a casual yet upscale dining experience — one that is more than a sports bar but does not ask you to put on a jacket and tie and sit down to a three-hour, six-course meal. Like Nine 18, the trend is growing as in-clubhouse restaurants take their cuisine and service to new levels, tempting diners with creative dishes that go way beyond burgers and fries. You expect resort golf clubs like the Balsams in New Hampshire and The Equinox and the Woodstock Inn in Vermont to go the extra mile, but now public and semi-private clubs are following suit. Take Doral in Florida. Overlooking slick Tifeagle greens and stark white bunkers of The Blue Monster, Mesazul’s clean colorful décor puts a Latin-inspired spin on the classic American steakhouse. You can still get your Black Angus steaks but you can also order your steaks and chops served with a trio of chimichurris while the wine list is strong on labels from South America and Spain. Bring your best appetite when you come to Packard’s Steak House on the grounds of the Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club on the west coast of Florida just north of Tampa. Portions are enormous, quality excellent. It’s not the most inexpensive place to eat, but it will fill you up for sure and there will probably be leftovers for the next night’s dinner. Innisbrookgolfresort.com
At Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, VA, their signature restaurant, Eagles, is in the clubhouse where Executive Chef Peter Pank (who also happens to be a golf fanatic) rolls out incredible dishes including beechwood-smoked meats and local seafood. Chef Pank is high on using local ingredients including vegetables and fruits. (Kingsmill.com) It’s not surprising that with year-round golfing opportunities, the southeast would be leading the way as more golf clubs go creative with their restaurants. But in more northern destinations, the trend towards more expansive fare for public golf course restaurantsis also growing tempting diners with daring dishes using new spices, herbs, flavors and combinations that go way beyond burgers and fries. These new menus are a far cry from ordinary. Remember when wasabi was primarily known as the wicked hot green stuff accompanying Japanese food? Now wasabi is the new chefs’ darling, popping up in many dishes. In Danbury, Connecticut, town-owned Richter Park Golf Course may be closed in the winter, but the Cafe on the Green, located on the grounds, stays open all year serving tasty Italian fare, like farfalle with grilled chicken, cannelli beans, fresh tomatoes, and herbs, in a white wine sauce along with a rack of lamb. The Café is rated by Zagat as one of the best restaurants in the area and was named one of the top 1000 Italian restaurants in the country. It also received the Wine Spectator’s Grand Award in 2005 for its selection and breadth of its wine list. Owner Tracey Kydes, who opened Café on the Green 19 years ago says, “There aren’t many places in the Northeast doing what we do. Many golf-oriented food operations may do a lot of catered events to supplement their income, but we are a full time restaurant. We do not want to close on a Saturday night to accommodate a wedding as that would disappoint our regular patrons.” Kydes who leases the building from the city but owns the restaurant independent of the city, has found a balance between catering to golfers who are 30% of his business and the other 70% who come to the café. He said, “It took us eight years to get the mix right, but we realized to accommodate the golfers, we had to have a casual grill room where they could get their burgers and sandwiches but we also needed a separate facility to have a full- blown topnotch restaurant. A lot of people who try to do both in one place, don’t make it. Thus Kydes has two separate rooms. The grill room and outside veranda can seat 80 while the main restaurant can handle 120. It’s a formula that works. cafeonthegreenrestaurant.com
Monty’s River Grille, a major focus of Great River Golf Club, a semi-private facility in Milford, CT, has a private, clubby ambiance. Overlooking a beautiful Tom Fazio-designed course, ranked 34th on Golf Digest’s ”100 Greatest Public Courses,” Monty’s schedules special events like Grilled Pizza Night and Live Jazz on the Patio. Order Great River Choice steaks; miso glazed Atlantic salmon filet; sautéed breaded veal cutlets with capers, red onion, anchovies, parsley and fried egg; or perhaps crab fried rice and pickled garlic ginger cucumber salad. Monty’s is open much of the week but occasionally closes for catered affairs. (greatrivergolfclub.com) Dating from 1922, The Marlborough Country Club in Marlborough, Massachusetts is one of the oldest semi-private clubs in the state, It also has the oldest established restaurant in Marlborough. The menu includes items like lamb lollipops, pan seared scallops and garlic crusted prime rib. marlboroughcountryclub.com
Golf club restaurants no longer need to be just places to grab a bite, pay up on your bets and relive your last round. They can be places to enjoy a good meal and linger in attractive surroundings. Did we mention, have a romantic intimate dinner?
About Katharine Dyson
Katharine Dyson is a regular contributor to the New England Golf Monthly column: The Perfect Life.
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