July 2026 – Just played Stowe CC as part of a July 4th golf weekend up in the Warren/Sugarbush VT area and Stowe is an hour north from there. This is actually the fourth or fifth July 4th weekend I’ve spent up here as detailed in my CC of VT review from about 15 years ago. Always a fun trip and got to do one of my favorite restaurants in Warren, the Pitcher Inn. Did not disappoint. I’ll go over the Stowe area in a little bit.
Played Stowe with my brother and buddy Booze plus our host Tim. Got on through Thousand Greens and it was another great experience. What’s more, the site has spawned several What’s App and other text thread offshoots where I’ve gotten to get on to a few top courses. Now the lead in to this booking is an embarrassing story I should keep to myself not blast out to the hundred of people who visit my site. But what fun is that?
So on one of the WhatsApp threads I’m on where golfers post tee time openings at their clubs literally throughout the world, I see that someone has an opening for two on the Thursday before the 4th at the Top 100 Essex County Club. Perfect, we were going to be driving up that day so we can push it out a day early and going through the eastern Mass area is not “w-a-y” out of the way, so I replied. One of the spots was filled and after trying to work through Friday or making other plans, my brother backed out and I texted back and said I can fill the one opening. Great so left the Philly area Wednesday, fought horrible Mass traffic but got up and got all of the rules for the club and was super excited to play. By the way, Champions in Peabody (pronounced PEE-buddy by the Massholes) has great steak tip sandos. It’s a little dive bar about 15-20 minutes from Essex County Club. Anyway, my host describes what I should look for upon entering the property and I head out to get there an hour before my tee time. “Hmmm, this entrance is not at all like my host described.” Bag drop kid had no idea who my host was and when I checked and finally texted my host, the time was for Essex County COUNTRY Club in Essex County NJ. Yup I was not only at the wrong club, I was in the wrong state.
I then set us up at Stowe through Thousand Greens and they have two courses. Yup, you guessed it, I thought we were at Spruce Peak Mountain Course not Stowe CC. Luckily, they’re only 10 minutes apart and we were early so no damage done though you can imagine the ribbing I’ve been getting. Most folks had a good laugh but not my bride. She was bitching that I could’ve stayed home another day, saved money on the hotel, blah, blah and she told me I have to start paying attention because I do the same thing to her. She said a bunch of other shit I didn’t get because I wasn’t paying attention..
To the area. Stowe is pretty far north in Vermont. I haven’t spent a ton of time here but did drive up with my girls one time and hit the Whistle Pig right there and took the gondola to the top of Stowe and had some drinks at the Cliff House restaurant which sits atop Mount Mansfield (though not at its highest peak). You cannot beat the views! A stay at the Stowe resort can get you on the two courses here and as noted, if you can get on Country Club of VT, the front is very similar to here and it’s a fun and beautifully maintained private track ranked #2 by Golf Digest in the state. Further south you have Sugarbush which is a true mountain course designed by RTJ. Fun course but it absorbs rain like a sponge and can be very wet and in tough shape. They also just lost their clubhouse in a fire and are working out of a trailer at least through 2028. The funny thing is though, I think the trailer is bigger than their clubhouse was. If you catch Sugarbush during a drier period, this is a great under-the-radar gem.
In my Quechee review I go even further south and of course discuss the Quechee resort which is hands-down my favorite in VT and Rutland and Green Mountain National which are both solid tracks around the Route 4/Killington area (Rutland is semi-private and Green Mountain is public).
To the course. Stowe just underwent a major redesign by Beau Welling. They opened the front nine in the fall of 2025 or thereabouts and opened the back nine about a week before we played it. The course gives off serious Golden Age vibes and the greens were slick and undulating, though rolled true and were fair. You would not have a clue this was originally a no-name designer (William Mitchell) who designed the course during the dark years of golf course design (the 1950’s). My brother and buddy Booze had in fact played it before and said night and day versus the original and were glad I screwed it up as they were really happy to play here post-renovation. Stowe will definitely hit my most underrated golf courses played in 2026.
The clubhouse features a great deck which overlooks the 18th green. When we played 18, usually my nice approach and two putt par might elicit a reaction from the onlookers but as both Booze and our host Tim birdied, I got no love from the gallery. I led off the review with a picture of the backside of the clubhouse and on my photo of the 18th you can squint and see the deck. Nice clubhouse, not pretentious at all.
Hole 1 (475 yards/par five/#9 hcp): We played the whites which measure just a shade under 6,000 at 5,920 yards. Stowe is not a long course as even the back tees measure just 6,420 yards. Its defense is from the green complexes. From the whites Stowe rates/slopes 68.1/116 so not tough at all from those tees but nowadays all courses from all distances are tough for me. On one, our host got it down the slope a little which is the play but I left mine right and after a great second shot, lost one stroke on a bad chip but got an up-and-down bogey.
Hole 2 (155 yards/par three/#13 hcp): Stowe starts you with a par 5-3-5-3. You don’t see a par four until the 5th. Then there are three of each on the front nine. There is a nickname for this but I don’t know it. Two is a huge left-to-right sloper and I was left of the hole but hit a great chip that just wouldn’t stop and left me just off the green.
Hole 3 (485 yards/par five/#7 hcp): As you see, you can’t move the ball left to right if that is your thing so my drive ended up way right and would end up with my second consecutive double.
My approach on three. Great greens and bunkering.
Hole 4 (160 yards/par three/#17 handicap): A bogey on what would be part of a rotten nine-hole score on a lovely course. Pretty sure this slopes back to front. By the way, here’s a great link on Links Magazine that listed Stowe as one of the notable renovations since 2020 https://linksmagazine.com/9-notable-golf-course-redesigns-since-2020/.
Hole 5 (370 yards/par four/#5 hcp): Stowe ranks a perfect ten on the “access to booze” scale. You get drinks at the clubhouse, then here on five tee then at nine again at the clubhouse and then back here again at fourteen. I was so happy with the hooch hut on five that I didn’t take any pictures of the hole. Who cares, golf-wise I got a triple but booze-wise I got a nice vodka lemonade.
Hole 6 (490 yards/par five/#11 hcp): Another par five that I would at least bogey. I heard a lot of trees were removed to open up the views. This was really a classic golf course.
This is from my approach on six. The creek was 175 to clear from my drive but my three wood (!) cleared it but couldn’t get up and down so another bogey.
Hole 7 (380 yards/par four/#1 hcp): Who knows what I did wrong and why this is the #1 handicap but I got another double so I guess it’s tough.
Seven tee looking back at the clubhouse.
Hole 8 (150 yards/par three/#15 hcp): A nice bogey, I was getting closer. Nice redan-like par three. Tough traps on the left that I am pretty sure I was in.
Hole 9 (370 yards/par four/#3 hcp): Crest the hill with your drive. Then a long iron for me on and two-putt par. FINALLY!
Nine approach from just off the fairway from where I was.
Hole 10 (180 yards/par three/#14 hcp): A long par three to start off the back. This is one of six threes on the course. A five wood would get me on but above the hole which is a big no-no on any hole on the course. Diabolical pin positions for our round. Told Tim to get the greens keeper laid the night before the next time we get here.
Hole 11 (460 yards/par five/#8 hcp): Not a tough carry. I didn’t hit it well at all but still cleared the schmoogies and was right. Got on in four and a two-putt but bogeys sure beat doubles. We all liked the back more and we all scored much better though didn’t seem like it was any easier.
Hole 12 (425 yards/par four/#6 hcp): For a course (or at least a back nine) that just opened or in this case re-opened, Stowe was already really mature and the fescue will continue to grow out in spots. Wouldn’t be surprised if this gets some best in state love in a year or so. Another bogey.
Hole 13 (390 yards/par four/#2 hcp): Wish I got a photo of the green complex here. Great green angled off the fairway with a creek to clear on your approach. Probably my favorite hole on the course. Another bogey. That’s the hooch hut in the distance.
Hole 14 (140 yards/par three/#16 hcp): We let a couple play through as we ordered up another round. Put one on the green but would three putt for another bogey.
Hole 15 (330 yards/par four/#12 hcp): A short hole where bigger hitters can blast over the traps to the left. Was in the middle of the fairway. G.I.R. and three putt for yet another bogey.
Hole 16 (475 yards/par five/#4 hcp): You’re across the road now for this slightly bending par five. There is a creek that comes in at 220+/- yards that you need to decide what you’re hitting off the tee. I hit my driver and was right on the edge of the fairway. Another G.I.R. and another three putt for bogey,
Hole 17 (210 yards/par three/#10 hcp): Long par three. Just to the fringe and yet another bogey.
Hole 18 (275 yards/par four/#18 hcp): I actually got a photo of every hole! Odd to have the easiest hole on the course as the finisher and could be my only complaint. However, Maybe you have guys in big money matches trying to drive the green here which adds some drama. Then, as noted earlier, the gallery on the deck would add some pressure. Parred it for a 43 on the back after a dreadful 49 on the front. In all I really like Stowe. Well worth a stay and looking forward to getting back to play the Mountain Course at Spruce Peak. Hopefully I won’t book the wrong one!
Golf Scrapbook 